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The Feelers — One World. How? Why? And Who?

How do they do it? It’s a question that many of us ask. The feelers are one of NZ’s biggest summer tour drawcards. Of their three previous albums, Supersystem (1998), Communicate (2001) and Playground Battle (2003), the first two each went several times platinum. Their latest release One World looks set to follow them, having already achieved platinum status.

But look around at magazine articles or websites devoted to NZ music and all you’ll find are staunch opponents of the band. And reviewers ensure they post a disclaimer along the lines of “Although it’s not my cup of tea…”.

Even the NZ Herald felt compelled to ask the eight-year old question “Why won’t we take them seriously?” on a recent Timeout cover. I quickly scanned their article (see it here) just in case they had figured it out — but alas, it was a rhetorical question. Maybe it’s the grandiose, epic songs, sung with urgent, pleading vocals. But hang on — The Manic Street Preachers have been getting away with that for years and seem to get showered with praise for it.

One World is an extremely well produced album. The songs range from soft and weepy ballads like “Washed Away” and the Pink Floyd-ish “Warrior” to epic sounding rock like “Last Goodbye”.

With lyrics about men, woman and children, secrets, fear of faith and lightning striking, the opener “Weak and the Wounded” aspires to the social commentary of Midnight Oil but somehow rings hollow, middle-classed and pointless.

“On A High” is by contrast a well-formed pop-rocker, albeit a little over-cooked in its arrangement. And four albums in, you have to wonder if this will be the feelers’ last album, especially with these lyrics: “These are solid days, we get caught up in the lust and our lives, We could have been more wise, but now we’re heading out on a high.”

There are other good tracks — “Nothing’s More Real” starts out with some soft nylon-strung guitar and synth strings before busting out at the end with some fat-ass bagpipes. And the album winds up with the soul ballad “We Raised Hell”, which is probably the best showcase here for James’ Reid’s vocal range (which are strangely more whisky-soaked than on previous albums).

So there’s nothing wrong per se with One World. Over 15,000 album sales so far (Platinum status in NZ) will attest to that. But I know that I won’t have a long listening relationship with the album. Maybe that’s due to James Reid’s singing style, which still seems to mirror Gavin Rossdale of Bush.

So who — and where — are all the feelers fans? The ones who buy the albums and go to the shows? If you’re a fan, here’s your chance to add your piece in the comments below.