FEEDER Buck Rogers
CD single review

Feeder finally return with more of their pop-structured guitar pop after about a year or so. Their last album release 'Yesterday Went Too Soon' was a surprising success for the 2/3's Welsh trio, finally breaking into mainstream chart success, and gaining a new audience of chart goers in addition to the alt rock and post punkers already in their grasp.

Buck Rogers attempts nothing new, although clearly Vocalist/Guitarist Grant was please with the spacey, synth theramin effect used in the middle-eight, as that was apparently the inspiration for the naming of the song.

Feeder stick with the verse-chorus-verse pop structure that has previously earned them chart success, not that this is a bad thing. Upon first hearing it's a pretty good song with a heavy dynamic chorus. However, because of the structure of the song it lacks any real lasting appeal as one you've heard the first verse and chorus you can pretty much guess the rest.

Some may criticise the opening lyrics of "He's got a brand new car, looks like a Jaguar. It's got leather seats, it's got a CD player" of being some of the worst lyrics since the talentless Noel Gallagher. And yes, they are pretty crap; but sometimes, especially if something's on your mind, you just have to get to the point and trying to glamorise a simple statement with sentimental poetry just isn't going to cut it.

Other songs in this 2 CD set include 'Purple' and 'Heads' that appear on CD 1. Purple is pretty much the usual Feeder sound from their 'Swim EP' days, same sort of structure as ever but doesn't really stand out. 'Heads' will, as quoted by Grant "appeal to Feeder fans that like our 'stoner' side". It's a fairly dull acoustic slog that doesn't really go anywhere.

CD 2 has slightly more appealing B-sides in "We The Electronic" which is apparently taken from Gran Turismo on the PlayStation, featuring a thumping bass line, heavy guitars and Grants voice being pushed through as many effects as they could find; it's a rocking track that'll get you bouncing.

'21st Century Meltdown' is probably the best b-side on the singles. It comes straight from their 'Yesterday Went Too Soon' sound of a looping ice-cream van/nursery rhyme backing melody, simple one note at a time bass line, trippy drum loop and half-asleep vocals. The abrupt ending can catch you unawares, but you'll be so relaxed by the end you may not even notice. CD 2 also carries the 'Buck Rogers' video, which we here at eyemachine are always fans of. More bands need to do this; a CD can hold so much information but you usually only get 3 songs and that's it, money grabbing record companies!

Anyway, a fair attempt from Feeder. If you're only going to buy one of these singles then CD two is your best bet as it has better B-sides and a video. However, it's not a great release to promote the forthcoming album 'Echo Park'. If I hadn't seen their recent excellent webcast on nme.com, I'd doubt the quality of the upcoming release.

CD1 4/10
CD2 6/10

david twomey

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