Buck Rogers puts Feeder on the scene

Released in 2001, Echo Park is Feeder’s third studio album and features one of the most recognised rock songs of all time. The Welsh rock band saw their major breakthrough with the first single from this album, as it became a driving anthem across the ever-growing gaming network. The opening words became some of the most well known ever, despite it only reaching #5 in the UK charts.

He’s got a brand new car, looks like a Jaguar.

For those of you who don’t recognise those words, that car has leather seats and a CD player. Then everyone goes mental and signs along to the chorus.

If you were to listen to this song now for the first time, without knowing anything about it, perhaps you’d think it would be copying elements of other rock songs? Influenced by commercial elements heard in the songs of today? Well yes, you’d be half right – only this is the song at the bottom of the modern day tree.

This album and the release of Buck Rogers, saw Feeder awarded with the K! Best British Band and Best Live Band awards from Kerrang!, and it’s no surprise as their music was a breakthrough for post-millenium rock.

The album isn’t a cliff edge after Buck Rogers however, with Piece by Piece and Under The Weather to come, the entire album shows off what was to be expected of the upcoming years in music with experiments in new sounds and techniques.

Piece by Piece follows from Buck Rogers on the album, noticeably slower but with a slight swing embedded in it. Building up slowly, the song takes you through thoughts in someones head, breaking up with confusion but continues in the same monotonous manor which actually creates effect in the song – broken up by ever changing guitars.

Upon listening to the song, you are pulled towards the skip button but it’s a song that will haunt you for days to follow.

Jumping a number of songs to Under The Weather and this time it’s a more heavier song with distortion and more open drums as opposed to the somewhat limited Piece by Piece. The rhyming lyrics is something not heard so much in rock to this level, but work extremely well and compliment the guitars through to the chorus – which will haunt your mind as the other songs do.

On each listen, the album offers something new as each song experiments with different layers – again, something not heard so much in today’s chart music.

I recommend the album to anyone who likes change, but also wants to discover the roots to commercial rock as this certainly explores just that. Definitely an album worth having in your collection.