The Features - Exhibit A - 2004

The Features serve up energetic rock from the get-go on their full-length debut, Exhibit A. Guitars and upbeat tempos drive this rock against Matt Pelham's emotional vocals and Parrish Yaw's deep synths, a feature that really adds a wonderful, subtle texture to the 34-minute album. Roger Dabbs on bass and Rollum Haas on drums provide the steady backbone and edge to the punkish tracks "Exhibit A" and "The Way It's Meant to Be," while keyboards flourish on the '60s garage-y, country vibe of "Me & the Skirts." The influence of XTC shines through on tracks "There's a Million Ways to Sing the Blues" and "The Idea of Growing Old," each sounding like an outtake from Skylarking. "Blow It Out" is definitely a radio-friendly highlight that musically gives a nod to Weezer. Matt Pelham's vocals throughout Exhibit A mix the passion of At the Drive-In's Cedric Bixler and the off-the-cuff stylings of The Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill. The only complaint may be that Exhibit A may not be as diverse from track to track as The Features self-titled EP or The Beginning EP, but the energy and freewheeling nature of this short full-length makes for a rewarding listen.-AMG



The Features - Exhibit A - 2004/rs
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The Features - Exhibit A - 2004/sb