The Features

One morning back in 2004, I fell down the front steps of my apartment building. Most people would say the embarassment of face planting in front of fifty people hurts more than the actual pain of the resulting injury, but those people are pussies. I barely noticed those fifty people laughing at me and completely forgot about them by the time I limped over to the emergency room. Yada yada yada, none of my friends expected me to go out that night to see Kings of Leon play the Black Cat.

I'm glad that I did, because all of the members of Kings of Leon had really awesome haircuts. Awful music, but awesome haircuts. The real highlight of the evening was the opening band, The Features, who overnight became my favorite band of the year. The cute little group of Tennesseans pumped everything that they had into every one of their two minute pop songs. There was this intangible energy in the air, it felt like I was watching a superstar group in the making. I remember jumping around in the crowd in spite of my badly injured foot, because the songs were so catchy and the energy so infectious that I just couldn't help myself.

At the time, the band was touring in support of their album Exhibit A, which was released by Universal Records to solid press but little other attention (big surprise that three years later, they're no longer with the major label). They self released an awesome EP, Contrast, last year which is just as catchy... but there still is an utter lack of public awareness of the band. I don't get it. The Features play a jacked up indie rock full of shrieking vocals, clever lyrics, sixties era pop organ, great distorted guitar hooks, and upbeat drumming. Literally every single song of theirs could be a hit. I feel like a used car salesman, but I promise that if you download the song below or head over to their website for more mp3s then you'll leave a happy customer.

[Myspace] The Features
[mp3] "Wooden Heart"