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. [This release of the album contains bonus material.] ~ Francis Arres