More about: Feeder

For many music fans, Feeder will forever be associated with their single ‘Buck Rogers’. Needless to say, their past is far more complicated than that. Emerging with debut album Polythene in 1997, the Welsh band were at odds with the then-thriving Britpop scene, instead offering a relatable British answer to the heavier post-grunge sound. Moderate success followed in the coming years, but it wasn’t until April 2001 that they’d crash into the British music mainstream. Produced by Pixies collaborator Gil Norton, third album Echo Park exceeded all expectations by peaking at number five in the UK albums chart and, before long, single ‘Buck Rogers’ would become their first smash hit. 

The wonderfully witty tale had the protagonist jealous of his ex’s new partner (“he’s got leather seats/he’s got a CD player…but I don’t want to talk about it anymore…”) and led him—in one quirky and memorable line—to drink “cider from a melon”. Despite the unserious nature of the song, it was an anthem that completely changed the public’s perception of them. In December, they’d follow it up with ‘Just a Day’, an infectiously upbeat radio tune and another top 20 hit. Then, in January 2002, everything changed. Drummer Jon Lee killed himself.   

Unsure how to process the news, frontman Grant Nicholas poured his soul into music, reconvening with Japanese-born bassist Taka Hirose to question the band’s continued existence. They vowed to remain as a two-piece and—stuck in a painful period of grief—produced Comfort In Sound. Released in October that year, the songs were etched with emotion, the carefree tunes replaced with mourning and melancholy. Where others may have buckled, for Feeder to survive such a tragedy was testament to their perseverance and they arrive two decades on—having produced a further six studio albums and two greatest hits compilations in between—with the same level of tenacity.

Inspired by events of the past two years, tenth record Torpedo is easily their heaviest and darkest to date. However, the path to its release did have its challenges. With COVID grinding the country to a halt in March 2020, the band initially found it difficult to find their spark. “For the first time ever, I didn’t feel like writing anymore because there was no real plan, no gigs” admits Nicholas, “then after a few months I suddenly picked up my guitar and started writing and the songs poured out of me”.  

Opener ‘The Healing’ pulls on the heartstrings, the acoustic guitar and strings subsiding into a stadium rock anthem. In one unpredictable left turn it momentarily moves into head-banging apocalyptic metal territory, though for the listener, intrigue overwrites any sense of it feeling contrived. Described by Nicholas as a “universal, recovery song”, it carries the same emotive draw as previous singles ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ and ‘Feeling A Moment’, embracing the listener with the desired warmth and compassion you can imagine they were striving for. 

Title track ‘Torpedo’ perfectly encapsulates Feeder’s heavier intent, meandering between menacing metal and a brighter Smashing Pumpkins-inspired chorus (“Today it feels like everything will be alright/The weight we carried lifted from our lives”). Simply put, the contrast is carried off with the excellent expertise of a band nearing their third decade. ‘Magpie’ reveals them at their most uncompromising, the uneasy and darkened riffs supporting a tale on “how social media can affect people’s belief, dreams and general well-being”.  

There’s definite echoes of Grandaddy’s 1997 alternative classic ‘A.M. 180’ on the intro to ‘Wall Of Silence’, Nicholas, again, exhibiting a sense of healing and frustration (“Silence those words/If you can say something positive; Good/Why must we hurt/We're just looking for a better way”). With its big chorus and brighter outlook, it’s one of Torpedo’s most enjoyable tunes. ‘Born To Love You’ unleashes a rare moment of outright vulnerability (“Did I ever tell you I was afraid all this time?”), whilst ‘Submission’ widens the sonic landscape for a spine-tingling conclusion.   

There’s a heavy sense of conflict oozing from Feeder’s tenth album, the contrast between frustration and hope summarising many people’s emotions over the past two years. Prepare for heartstring-pulling and foot-stomping, a band channelling their discontent into a heavier and familiar '90s alternative template. What’s clear early doors is that Torpedo provides an enjoyment that will far outweigh your early expectations, the songs breathlessly crashing together to remind us of their early mainstream appeal. 

Admittedly this isn’t a band breaking new ground, but the Welsh rockers' uncompromising style ensures they stand out from the crowd. It will force those who ever had a passing interest to rekindle their attention.   

Torpedo arrives 18 March via Big Teeth Music.

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More about: Feeder