Silent Cry Review

Release Date: Jun 16, 2008
Label: Echo
Genres: Rock
Number Of Tracks: 13
Silent Cry is Feeder's latest studio album and continues the bands trend of thought provoking lyrics and catchy guitar riffs and drum fills.

Sound:	8.3
Lyrics:	8
Impression:	8.3
Overall rating:	8.2
Users rating:	8.8
Comments:	15

overall: 7

Featured review by: Thom Yorke, on june 18, 2008

Sound: Feeder used to be a rock band, and I mean a proper rock band. Songs such as 'Descend' and 'Stereo World' off debut album Polythene rocked venues to their foundations as did others such as second album cut 'Insomnia'. But then drummer Jon Lee died and Grant Nicholas' songwriting improved, lyric wise, unfortunately the sound became a rather nasty Travis-Coldplay hybrid with only occasional songs packing any real rock punch. This is something Feeder have addressed on their new album, 'Silent Cry'. It's not too heavy so as to put off fans of their more recent releases but it's heavy enough to appease many fans who disapproved of the last two albums. Feeder have finally evolved to the stage when they have the ability to mix different sounds with reasonable results. Their sound also has something new to it, although it's hard to pinpoint quite what it is. Then you realise that it's not something the band have done with their playing style but the production, which Grant took care of himself this time. The instruments can be heard with a cleanness that may seem distinctly un-Feeder at first but it's something that can be appreciated when relistening to the album. // 7

Lyrics and Singing: 01. We Are The People - the lead single from the album, not one of the best tracks though. More for fans of the bands most recent work but it's the first sign of the balance between old and new that they've struck. Very emotive and uplifting lyrics.
02. Itsumo - Itsumo is japanese for 'always'. This is one of the best songs on the album: very anthemic and instantly memorable. Some nice singing from Grant too.
03. Miss You - this has been floating around for ages since the band gave it to their fans for free ages ago. It's the heaviest song on the album, really high-octane stuff. Gets a bit boring after a while though.
04. Tracing Lines - a very 'blend' song, as in it mixes old and new Feeder. The jury is out on this one for me.
05. Silent Cry - good lyrics, not very memorable but it's growing on me.
06. Fires - a real festival anthem this is going to be. The line: 'She lights the fires' will become engrained in your memory. One of Grant's best ever vocals in my opinion.
07. Heads Held High - very generic Feeder acoustic opening. It's placed at the wrong point in the album for me, slowing it down when it doesn't need slowing. Probably would've been better left as a b-side.
08. 8.18 - one of the best songs here. All that needs to be said. Love the intro too.
09. Who's The Enemy? - nice lyrics and nice vocals from Grant. The most complete sounding track on the album, possibly the best.
10. Space - not really a track, just a segue between two tracks.
11. Into The Blue - a less rocking version of old single 'Shatter'. Goes a bit weird in the chorus.
12. Guided By A Voice - not very imaginative, not very special, not very good.
13. Sonorous - a nice end to the album. This song gets better with each listen. Very uplifting end to the album.

There are also two bonus tracks on the deluxe edition: 'Yeah Yeah' and 'Every Minute'. They aren't anything you should worry about missing but are decent enough. // 7

Impression: Grant's lyrics have got better, I've been fed up of him using the same lines in so many different songs for years and the sound has evolved, if not necessarily got any better than that of 'Polythene' and YWTS. Not an essential purchase if you are not a Feeder fan: you won't get into them through this but if you are a fan of the band it's well worth the dosh. Essential tracks are: Itsumo, Miss You, 8 18, Who's The Enemy? // 7

overall: 8.7

Reviewed by: Taco Chopper, on september 01, 2008

Sound: There has been a great amount of harsh reports from the people that are the music critics of this world about this latest release by Feeder. While it isn't as heavy as Polythene or Yesterday Went Too Soon, it combines the deep, thoughtful lyrics seen previously in Comfort In Sound, Pushing The Senses, and to a lesser extent, Echo Park. After the 2002 suicide of drummer Jon Lee, one would have thought that Feeder wouldn't have made it this far, let alone make an album as good as Comfort In Sound, follow it up with Pushing The Senses and then this. The vast majority of songs (the minority being "Space" - a totally pointless track that would've been better as an download-only ringtone) show that Feeder are brilliant at making extremely catchy songs that get stuck in your head (well, my head anyway) for a great period of time. I have no idea what the crow has to do with the cover though, yet I've noticed that it has been used on all the single releases (Miss You, We Are The People and Tracing Lines/Silent Cry). // 9

Lyrics and Singing: Like I said before, Grant's deep lyrics combined with the grunge sound of early Feeder really does this album a whole lot of good - "Miss You" Even "Space" has relatively interesting lyrics - it didn't deserve to be a track by itself. Had it been at the end of "Who's The Enemy" or the start of "Into The Blue", I wouldn't have cared less. For some reason, I think of "A Day In The Life" by The Beatles when I hear "Heads Held High" - absolutely no idea why, but I thought I'd throw that in. But I can't compare Feeder to The Beatles. That'd be a stupid thing to do. "Guided By A Voice" is a fantastic song too - I really love the chorus "It's our time/So think about it/I know you wanted to". I believe that this is related to the late Jon Lee, just by hearing the lyrics. Lead single "We Are The People" has been unfairly judged - it's a good opening track, but it's fair to say that it shouldn't have been chosen as the lead single. Had that role been handed to "Who's The Enemy" or "8.18", then maybe Feeder would have had a higher charting single, and perhaps, if by mysterious circumstances involving Coldplay not releasing Viva La Vida, their first number one album. "Itsumo" is also an interesting piece of music too, and "Sonorous" is so very Muse-inspired that it isn't funny. However, I do get a bit fed up with the synths, but apart from that, it is one good album. // 8

Impression: I've always loved Grant's vocals - his voice is rather unique, much like Liam Gallagher (Oasis) or Kelly Jones (Stereophonics). Nothing like that generic indie sound of Kaiser Chiefs, Dogs Die In Hot Cars or Franz Ferdinand. They all sound the same. Feeder don't. While they still haven't got the calibre of bands like Stereophonics, they can still pull in a crowd with their great anthems. It wouldn't be a first choice to give to people to start them off, but it would definitely be the third, right behind Comfort In Sound and Echo Park. If the album was stolen, I would buy it again. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: rpquincey, on june 17, 2008

Sound: Silent Cry is Feeder's latest studio album and continues the bands trend of thought provoking lyrics and catchy guitar riffs and drum fills. But don't think that this is just the same sound remade into a new album, oh no, you would be very very wrong. Feeder have been successfully changing their sound and style in every single album to date, starting off with a grungy sound in Polythene, moving on to something more melodic in Yesterday Went Too Soon, followed by the catchy pop rock of Echo Park, then the thoughtful Comfort in Sound and most recently the calm and soothing Pushing the Senses. This album is again something different with a mix of the catchy, the thoughtful and the downright brilliant. 'Miss You' was the first taste Feeder fans got of the new stuff via an exclusive download and didn't disappoint with it's clean sound and upbeat tempo, it didn't stray to far from what Feeder are best at, which is Rock music, but was different enough to signal something new and exciting from the Welsh, English and Japanese trio. The album as a whole feels more anthemic and powerful with 'We Are The People' being their flagship anthemic track. Things do occasionally slow down with 'Heads Held High' being a slower acoustic track but it is still in no way laid back. The only problem I have so far is the random 'Space' Track, which is simply 30 seconds of not much at all, it breaks up the feel of the album constantly going for it and is completely unnecessary. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: Yet again Grant Nicholas has shone through with his brilliant songwriting and singing skills, making the record more than just a record but a piece of art. The lyrics are always thought provoking and meaningful even in the more pop orientated songs and they are always delivered in Grants pitch perfect manner. One song confused me slightly though, 'Into The Blue' suddenly made me check to see if I was listening to Feeder or Madness as the way the chorus is sung very much in a Madness style, once you hear it you'll understand, and I strongly suggest you hear it as there isn't a track on here (excluding the 30 second random filler track) that will make you cringe. Not quite as deep as that of Comfort In Sound or Pushing The Senses lyrics, but those are seen more of the recovery tracks from ex Drummer Jon Lee's Suicide, while in this album you can see that they have moved on and recovered their style of emotion and pop rock. // 9

Impression: All in all this is another stand out album, one that will sit proudly next to Yesterday Went too Soon and Echo Park as my all time favourite Feeder albums, I don't feel it beats them but in my opinion you would be pretty hard pushed to make anything better than those two gems. Certainly a step up from the slower and slightly disappointing 'Pushing The Senses' with a much less intense set of tracks but a lot of anthemic, 'stand up and belt out the lyrics' songs. The only problem I have is the 30 second filler in the middle of the album which I feel causes the album to break flow slightly, but ignore this slight blemish and you have a fantastic album with some of the best and most consistent songwriting you will hear for a long while, get it now before the legions of indie pop rockers and screamo bands take over the charts, give Feeder the credit they so wholly deserve. // 9

Comments

[lefthandman9876]

im really dissapointed with this album, its all up on there myspace

its just too durgey, grant hasn't moved on with his songwriting

ive been a feeder fan since i first heard them about ten years ago, this is there weakest album in my opinion

i wanted another yesterday went too soon, this is a poor comfort in sound.

[GuitarManDan15]

lefthandman9876 wrote:

im really dissapointed with this album, its all up on there myspace

its just too durgey, grant hasn't moved on with his songwriting

ive been a feeder fan since i first heard them about ten years ago, this is there weakest album in my opinion

i wanted another yesterday went too soon, this is a poor comfort in sound.

I second that, its not bad but by no means good at all. I was hoping for an album that would bring the house down with explosive guitar riffs and just awsome upbeat tracks but asl lhm said is very durgey and i dileberatly didnt buy tickets to there secret 40 min london show coz i know this is all they will play.

[Hammy_991]

Well, though this isn't quite as deep as PTS or CIS, I actually like this album, and I bought it well knowing that they have changed their sound again.
We Are The People isn't as catchy as Buck Rogers, it is more anthemic than that and people have got to realise that Feeder probably won't produce an album like Echo Park again.
The one song I do like at the minute has to be Whos The Enemy, which may be on the new bond film

[StonaLemons]

I've been listening to it on the myspace and i think its really good. Much more echo-park and ywts era if you ask me. Its great, and definately no time when im listening to the album to i really think 'this is crap'.

[mouldysandwich]

i quite like it... its not as good as their classic albums but i think its an big improvement on pushing the senses.
however, its been that long since we've heard anything from them that i was expecting something exceptional...

[Cerzel]

Among Feeder fans you can probably find two groups: Fans of Feeder's older, heavier stuff (Polythene, Swim etc) and fans of their newer, softer stuff (Comfort In Sound and Pushing The Senses).
I fall into the latter category. I like some of Feeder's rock stuff, but there's just something about it that annoys me. On the other hand, I find the songs like Feeling A Moment amazing pieces of music.
The problem is, this album doesn't seem to be aimed at either group. It's too soft for the older fans, and too heavy for the newer fans. The only song on it I really like is 8:18.
If anything, I'd been hoping for something that was half old school Feeder, and half new sensitive Feeder. Instead we got a blend that won't satisfy fans old or new.
I forgot where I was going with this, so I'll leave it at that.

[Thom Yorke]

It's miles heavier than CTS and PTS but not like the first 3 albums. I like it though - I think it's a night mix between the mature side of Feeder and their old days. ESSENTIAL TRACKS: Itsumo, Miss You, Who's The Enemy?

[twowheels]

The thing about Feeder's albums is they do get better the more you listen to them. I hated Comfort In Sound at first, but i gave it another chance and now i love it. Il reserve my final judgement for ths album for another few weeks, as by then il probably know how good it is in relation to their other albums.

[GoWithTheFlow]

this band is one letter away from being Fender

[Thom Yorke]

GoWithTheFlow wrote:

this band is one letter away from being Fender

Really, I had never noticed

[Buck Rogers]

i think its amazing!! really love it! i was expecting to be a little dissapointed but in no way am i love nearly every track though we are the people wouldnt be my favourite (not classing space as a track here) though i do like it. very festival-anthemy. ESSENTIAL TRACKS: 8:18, Tracing Lines, Itsumo

[jklicky]

preti mint if ya ask me

[rpquincey]

Thom Yorke wrote:

It's miles heavier than CTS and PTS but not like the first 3 albums. I like it though - I think it's a night mix between the mature side of Feeder and their old days. ESSENTIAL TRACKS: Itsumo, Miss You, Who's The Enemy?

Completely agreed there, the perfect mix. I would also mark 'Into the Blue' and 'We Are The People' as essential tracks.Good review btw

[Big Mac n Fries]

I'm a big fan of feeder and all their work, from polythene up to silent cry. In my opinion this is a good album, not a great one but still good. I'm glad for the slightly heavier sound in this album and who's the enemy is one of the best feeder tracks ever made. Other songs I really liked were Silent Cry, Fires and Miss You.

[Bigshoutout]

Never mind the sound or the old/new arguements, they have clearly moved on. This album has just as many anthems as you would hope for in a Feeder record. We the people, Fires, Insumo, Miss you and Whos the enemy would be rocking the summer festivals if this band had been more sensible in its marketing. Instead this albums floated into obscurity, its their first record not to get to No 1 in a long time.

A mature record from veteran song writers, up there with every other Feeder album great but not a masterpeice.