The Features

On record The Features sound is on the whole, confined to the pop realm; whereas
live they move further towards unchartered territories. Their set encompasses a
sprawling mix of Tennessee Psychedelia and disco flavoured Prog, they even have a
penchant for the occasional anthem. Old material is largely neglected in favour of
songs from the new album 'Some Kind of Salvation’.
'Lions’ sends the audience into a furor of wild abandon with girls shimmying and guys freaking. For the duration of the set the infectious rhythms ensure that the crowd never stands still.



On stage the lead singer looks out ecstatically from behind a thick mane of tousled hair and full beard, howling into the microphone like a man possessed, in the backdrop the nonchalant drummer eyeballs the front row whilst attacking his kit with meticulous precision. Keyboards add a depth of sound that is reminiscent of The Doors and the extended outro of 'The Gates of Hell’ gives a nod to proto prog groups such as King Crimson and Mad River. This is not to brand The Features a retrospective act on the contrary they make their presence known and it definitely belongs in the here and now. They abound with energy that is fresh and vital which belies the fact that they have been together for over a decade.



However it is the juxtapositions that ultimately make and break the band. The
Features are both bold and exciting yet ultimately they lack any clear focus or
direction. Too little stand out material hampers the group and whilst they have the
potential to be outstanding they are merely entertaining. What The Features lack in
focus they almost certainly make up for in fun and the audience’s reaction is
testament to this.