The Features

Despite challenges they’ve had in the past with releasing their music, the folksy indie pop-rock band The Features seem to have finally turned their luck around as the first band signed to the new label created by fellow Tennessee rockers (and their biggest fans) Kings of Leon. The Features’ latest and second full-length album, Some Kind of Salvation, is the first record put out by KOL’s Serpents & Snakes in partnership with 429 Records and Bug Music. The Features parted from their previous label, Universal/Island, who had released their critically acclaimed debut full-length album in 2004, when the label refused the band’s request to cover a Beatles song for a commercial. Known for their energetic live shows, the foursome made up of Matthew Pelham (guitar/vocals), Roger Dabbs (bass), Mark Bond (keyboard), and Rollum Haas (drums) have shared the stage with The Raconteurs, The Walkmen, and friends Kings of Leon — and hope to finally make a name for themselves in 2010. (Appearing with Manchester Orchestra and Biffy Clyro at Metro on March 23) –text: Ariel Sundel

The Features, The Raconteurs, the Tragically Hip, Umphrey’s McGee

THE FEATURES
The Features would make horrible real estate agents. The business keys in on “location, location, location,” and this Tennessee quartet lacks all three. Tennessee’s reputation is built on Elvis, Sun Studios, Isaac Hayes’ ‘70s neo-funk and Dixieland’s deep roots. Recently it’s been home to the dirty South’s hip hop army and a handful of jangle pop outfits. So playing keys-driven, brooding guitar rock sounds as odd as…well…a group of guys in Tennessee playing keys-driven, brooding guitar rock. Yet despite their geographical shortcomings, The Features have even worse timing. The band’s disco-hinting self-titled EP came a few years before “angular dance punk” was used to describe every backbeat, and their debut LP broke just long enough after the Kaiser Chiefs and the Dead 60s to be dubbed a knockoff. But it’s a blessing that the band seems best — or only — suited to play brilliantly sassy rock ’n’ roll. Guys in skinny jeans aren’t cut out to sell houses anyway. (Appearing with The Raconteurs at the Riviera on Dec. 30 and 31) –text: Derek Wright

THE RACONTEURS
For as giddy as fans of The White Stripes, Brendan Benson and The Greenhornes were upon creation of The Raconteurs, V2 Records’ executives were probably more excited. Why? Because all three acts’ catalogues — as well as this quartet that combines Jack White and Benson with two Greenhornes — are on the label. The cross-promotions virtually wrote themselves. It’s just too bad the band’s direction isn’t as clearly defined as its marketing. The quartet is less a “supergroup” than it is old friends who finally got around to recording together. That adds some familiarity and warmth to the band’s debut, as opposed to sounding like vanity patchwork by new acquaintances. But that camaraderie means there is a degree of loyalty to one another, and it sounds like a conscious effort not to overshadow anyone. So brilliant harmonies are combined equally with bluesy guitars and proto rhythms. But this identity-less sound is like a chef who wants each spice to be tasted distinctly — while good, in the end it’s just confusing. (Appearing with The Features at the Riviera on Dec. 30 and 31) – text: Derek Wright–photo: Autumn de Wilde

THE TRAGICALLY HIP
So if you’re thinking about going to one of those all-you-can-drink-for-some-flat-fee-at-a-bar-that’s-just-okay thingie for New Year’s Eve, this blurb’s for you. Canada’s 20-plus year rock ‘n’ roll veterans the Tragically Hip are bringing their ever-evolving stadium sound to the House of Blues this NYE. Over the years, as the band has managed to continually re-invent its sound and frontman Gordon Downie’s lyrics continue to become more cryptic, it’s notable that their power chord choruses deliver twice the punch due to the intricate — sometimes even weird — melody of the verses. That also means they kick a whole lot of ass live. Crowds in Chicago typically come out in force for these guys, so consider moving on this now. I mean, if you’re gonna drink well booze and tap domestic, you might as well have a better soundtrack to your NYE than “Auld Lang Syne”, right? (Appearing at House of Blues on Dec. 31) –text: Tim Ryan

UMPHREY’S MCGEE
Following a 5-year-old tradition, Chicago’s favorite progressive rock/jam band, Umphrey’s McGee, will be performing in their hometown for three consecutive nights this New Year’s. They are currently touring for their latest album, Safety in Numbers, a collaborative expression of the rough year the group members have had, including the loss of a close friend who was killed by a drunk driver. Often compared to such jam bands as Phish and the Grateful Dead, they attribute their primary musical influences to The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. However, in their live shows there are no genre boundaries when it comes to playing covers; they have been known to cover songs by Metallica, Lionel Richie, and even Snoop Dogg. With an open-taping policy and a dedication to natural, cliché-free musical expression, they keep their live shows fresh through constant improvisation. (Appearing at the Aragon with North Mississippi Allstars on Dec. 29, with Los Lobos on Dec. 30 and with Taj Mahal on Dec. 31) –text: Ariel Sundel–photo: Danny Clinch

The Features

We’re four really awkward guys, so to put us in pirate costumes is pretty ridiculous. Once again, not anywhere near cool.

story by Tim Slowikowski

95.5 miles east of Nashville lies Sparta, Tennessee: A living, breathing ode to the small-town way of life. If you happened to pick up a copy of The Sparta Expositor on May 15, 2005, you’d see a poll for the newspaper’s “Question of the Week,” which asked, “What is your favorite high school graduation night memory?”

It is in this Norman Rockwell setting that the Features were formed. Never content with normalcy, the band skipped the well-worn country/western route to Nashville. Instead, they developed a love for new wave and stood out from the crowd. Years later, the sound produced by these Kings of Leon buddies is less angular than Franz Ferdinand and tougher than the Killers, yet quite at home in today’s burgeoning rock scene. With one foot grounded in the earth of Sparta and one kicking towards the ether, the Features’ brand of schizophrenic influence is making people take notice.

Matt Pelham, lead singer-songwriter, embodies this “two sides to every coin” theme. In the arena of headphones, he commands attention above the fray of bluster on songs like “Blow it Out.” In the arena of telephones, he’s the friendly neighbor, more comfortable to hang out with his wife and kids than to let it all hang out on a stage near you. It is this push/pull dynamic of rocker and “average-Joe” that defines Matt Pelham.

Chicago Innerview: My favorite song off of [2004 debut] Exhibit A is ‘The Idea of Growing Old’ because of its sincerity. I found it pretty fearless to write a song like that in today’s ‘age of irony.’
Matt Pelham: I guess it’s just trying to be honest in my thoughts toward my wife. Just being truthful and not worrying about whether it came across as too campy or lovey-dovey.

Chicago Innerview: I liked the video for ‘Leave it All Behind,’ in which the band plays pirates who are sailing off to a better place but end up sinking before they get there. How do you feel about the whole video-making process in general?
Matt Pelham: That was the band’s idea along with some friends of ours that ended up making the video for us. We shot one video for a fairly high budget once and we would never want anyone to see it. As far as the whole video process, we’re not too partial to it. We don’t consider ourselves actors at all. We’re four really awkward guys, so to put us in pirate costumes is pretty ridiculous. Once again, not anywhere near cool.

CI: You guys seem to be part of a reverse phenomenon in which American bands are accepted with open arms in the U.K. before they break big in the U.S. Why do you think that is?
MP: From our experience being over there, it seems that rock music is more accessible. People can turn on the radio and hear rock music without having to be in a college town and hear a college radio station. It does give middle school and high school kids there more outlets to get involved in rock music. It was really hard growing up in Sparta, which is a small town, to hear any band unless they were on Top 40, mainstream radio. It’s just a different mentality in the U.K. Like I remember a year ago when the Neil Young reissues came out [On the Beach, American Stars & Bars] and you hardly heard a word about it in America, but when we were over there it was plastered all over the record stores – which was really cool. It does seem to be getting better over here though, where you’re starting to hear bands like Franz Ferdinand on the radio. Hopefully it keeps moving in that direction.

The Features :: with the 22-20s :: Double Door :: June 3.