The Features have deflected enough false starts and dead-ends to kill most groups. Absorbed in full, it’s quite the litany of misfortune: at least two unreleased full-length albums to close out the ’90s; a pair of fruitless label dalliances; the departure of three band members. It’s oddly fitting, then, that the Features’ new LP is a self-titled affair. And apparently they’re also late-bloomers, given the measurable bump in song quality and musicianship that propels The Features (Serpents & Snakes/BMG). With its four members now well into their 30s, the band sounds like it’s just now coming into its own. Singer/guitarist Matthew Pelham, keyboardist Mark Bond, bassist Roger Dabbs and drummer Rollum Haas will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new Features feature.
Rollum: I stumbled across an exhibit of his several years back and was immediately floored. I’ve always been attracted to any art that has or has retained an unrefined, playful, amateurish quality. I’m especially drawn to people like Saul Steinberg who have substance underneath a deceptive simplicity. There are entire volumes of his work out there ranging from collections of his covers for The New Yorker to self contained books like The Passport.
Video after the jump.
