...that the Features got a live review in the August 2 NME?

It's not available online, but here is the review:

THE FEATURES
London Camden
Dublin Castle
July 22
Shag-happy Tennessee keyboard fetishists

The Features, from Tennessee - fast becoming the US' new rock hot spot - open, reasonably enough, with 'The Beginning' - an organ-driven rock'n'blues sprint through the happy happy landscape of the early stages of a relationship. Basicallly it's about shagging. Which is all well and good, even if half the band look like Grandaddy roadies and the other half resemble geography teachers on mufti day.

Still, they like their organs, do The Features. At last count they've got four of the babies up there, including the ever-trusty Moog and Farfisa, making songs like 'Walk You Home' sound like some kids have raided the local Salvation Army band storeroom and are trying to do Hot Hot Heat cover versions at the local fete.

Which is quite strange. But this could be the beginning of something wonderful.

-Leonie Cooper

Hmmm? Was that supposed to be a positive review?

I like my organ.

I keep seeing these Hot Hot Heat comparisons, but the problem is that Hot Hot Heat sucks. The Features are not that comparible to them, in my opinion. I think in some ways, the article is complimentary, but only at the end, really.

What sucks is that even though the Features in their current form have been using this sound for the past 5 or so years, they'll be categorized as HHH knockoffs because their album came out first. Ridiculous.

Word on the street is that you're the only one who does.

I knew about the possibilty of NME coverage ever since the early summer.....i'm glad it finally happened.

Like the last line.

So was this review supposed to say something?

Which ones are which? And what the fuck is mufti day? I've heard other people make that Hot Hot Heat comparison too, and I don't really see it. They just seem to be rooted in very different styles/ veins of music to me. I really dislike the HHH record, but I heard them live on the radio and they weren't that bad. The Features, however, are superior in every way.

i got almost nothing out of reading that review.

We have to keep in mind that they are basing their opinion on one show and the EP. I've heard the Features compared to Green Day before after someone heard them do one show. When you've followed them for any length of time, it becomes harder to compare them to any one specific thing. I guess that's true of many many bands.

I really don't see the Hot Hot Heat thing, so maybe you're right, YDDD.

I bought the HHH album a couple of months ago and have been quite disappointed in it. It has not gotten many listens as a consequence.

I have downloaded 6 of their songs, and only 3 of them are enjoyable. I did toy with the idea of buying their album at Target for $10, but I never got around to it...so I guess those 3 songs are that great...

I'm going to go against the popular opinion on this board and say that, based on the two songs of theirs I've heard, I do see the Hot Hot Heat comparison. They're no where near as good in my opinion, but I can definitely detect similar influences. This shouldn't be viewed as a bad thing.

I agree with Mr. Ligula here...

Pray that Hot Hot Heat sells a shitpile of albums, and pray that people compare the Features to them.

Who cares if they do(compare them), care that the label sees the comparison and puts effort behind the band we are all here to support, because that is how those jackasses work. Trust me on this one.

The trouble is that it may put the Features in the shadow of another band. That would be bad if they're really pushing for the big time.

Yeah but when "the garage four" (strokes, white stripes, hives, vines) came out, I think most people considered The Strokes the leader of the pack. Now look at The White Stripes. I think the cream will rise to the top if given the proper chance, and if it takes the coattails of HHH to get them that chance, then so be it.

Come on, people. How can you not hear the Hot Hot Heat comparison? I mean yes there are huge differences but it is probably the only real point of reference for a lot of people. In a perfect world, a music journalist would take the time to explain that the Features have been doing this a lot longer, and much better than Hot Hot Heat.

Anyway, I have always corrected people who say "the features sound like Hot Hot Heat" by saying "No, Hot Hot Heat sounds like the Features."

I do like Hot Hot Heat, however.

though the "review" is rather lame, i'm glad it was the featres who got the neutral showcasing instead of some other band. now maybe some people who've never heard of the features now at least know the name...

I guess on a shallow level, there are similarities- keyboards with odd, poppy sounds, lead singer willing to squeal & yell, some use of disco-type beats. My husband downloaded it for me because he thought it sounded so much like the Features. So, I can see that non-Features listeners might make the comparison, but I still think if you listen just a little more, there's more that's not similar. Something about the attitude or overall vibe- Hot Hot Heat come off as snotty & cynical, and have some annoying similarity to Saves the Day, whereas I think a large part of the Features' appeal is their sincerity and honest delivery.

I've only heard the Hot Hot Heat once. I believe they were playing Conan. Not once during their performance did I even so much as think about the Features. I also decided that I absolutely hated the singer's maneurisms and that he was trying way too hard. The music wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either, and in your heart, you know it's just shite.

Okay then, lets start a new topic...

Which current mainstream band sounds the most like the Features? If you say, "NONE OF THEM-- The Features are the best and most original band on the face of the earth, ever. Period.", I'll get Stopforme to punch you in the face.

My vote is for Hot Hot Heat.

(Edited by carligula at 1:31 pm on Sep. 16, 2003)

I totally agree with the HHH comparison. In fact, back in May 2002 I told His Exhaltedness about HHH and how they reminded me of a looser, less polished, more raw Features. So obviously I'm way ahead of this curve... (actually a friend of a friend in the NW sent my friend the HHH album. He's a bit of a SubPop connisseur. It was by total freak accident I had heard of them that long ago)

What difference does it make to tell one who is omniscient about anything?

(Edited by YaDaDaDa at 4:25 pm on Sep. 16, 2003)

Hey hey hey! This has nothing to do with the Almighty's sexual prowess. Besides, it happens to a lot of guys. He's probably just under a lot of pressure.

????????

I'd have to say "I don't know." This isn't to say that I'm being a fanboy about it, it's just that I don't think I've heard a band in the mainstream that sounds like the Features. Admittedly, I've only heard HHH once. I think it all depends on the listener who they sound like, anyway. The first time I heard Circus, I thought they were a mix between Queens of the Stone Age and the Monkeys. I've since wondered how I came up with that comparison.

I have to say that the first time that I heard the Features live, the thought came through my mind...wow, they're better at doing OKGo than OKGo can do themselves. At the time, I had not listened to OKGo's cd, but I had seen them earlier in the year, live in Alabama and they were really, quite good. After listening to the Features more, I didn't see the resemblance as much because each band's lyric themes were very different. However, on that first listen...

NONE OF THEM

Does this mean Carl will have you punch yourself in the face, SFM?

Of course not! What kind of a guy do you think I am? I'll just do it myself.

(Edited by carligula at 10:04 am on Sep. 17, 2003)

i not scared

Yeah, you're probably excited. Sick freak.

I have to say that on the surface there is a fairly obvious similarity to Hot Hot Heat. But you know, the more you listen to bands the more you see their differences. The unfortunate thing is that no matter what the Features do they will be perceived as jumping on a bandwagon. It doesn't matter if they were doing this stuff for 5 years, or another 5 before that in a different form or whatever. Sad but true. Has anyone heard Hot Hot Heat's old stuff before they had guitars when it was just synth, drums and bass? It's pretty interesting stuff. Their vocalist makes me want to kill though.

Ditto.

(Edited by richarddawson at 4:16 pm on Sep. 17, 2003)