Feral Family – ‘Without Motion’ album review: Bass-driven rock lacking in imagination
THE SKINNY: Amid the optimistic surroundings of a small seaside town, Feral Family lament the banality and frustration of everyday life on their debut album, Without Motion. Hailing from Bridlington, the group have been making waves as an impressive live act, supporting the likes of The View and The Lilacs. On their first album, they attempt to establish themselves as a notable live band and a profound voice in modern rock.
Creating an almost cinematic soundscape on the album, Feral Family showcase the fact that, although this is their debut, they are a tight and musically proficient group. Daniel Wilson’s bass guitar operates as the backbone of the band’s sound, with his heavy riffs a constant guiding voice throughout Without Motion. The Bridlington boys are fronted by Jamie Lowe, who explained that “Each track weaves a narrative that collectively paints a vivid picture of life’s struggles and introspective moments.”
This somewhat pretentious quote paints an interesting perspective of the album, but unfortunately, it is one that does not particularly ring true. There are moments of interest, and the musical skill of the young group is undeniable, but the record is hugely let down by a lack of variety or imagination – both in the songs themselves and the mixing of the album, which feels distinctly lacklustre. Much of the record feels very samey, trapped in introspection, the result of which is that it quickly fosters feelings of boredom. For a debut record, there is a disappointing feeling of a lack of true effort.
Feral Family don’t seem to take much care in creating an exciting album experience, with even the clip-art-looking album cover giving the impression of something that was thrown together without much thought. The young quartet define themselves as a post-punk group, but the sounds conveyed on Without Motion feel more akin to late-2000s alternative rock, even harking back to stadium rock at some points. A pessimist might suggest that the band have branded themselves as ‘post-punk’ in order to appear to be trendier. Granted, definitions of the genre are famously vague, but the self-identifying post-punk of Without Motion ultimately gives the impression of a band trying too hard to fit in.
For Fans Of: Not being entirely sure of what you’re a fan of yet.
A concluding comment from Tom’s mother: “I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anyone other than an ‘artist’ use the word introspective.”
Without Motion track by track:
‘Cairo’: On the introductory track, Feral Family waste no time in establishing their signature sound. Lowe’s voice feels almost akin to that of Sheffield indie rocker Reverend and the Makers, though distinctly less endearing or imaginative. [2/5]
‘Deep Cuts’: This track sounds almost indistinguishable from the previous, a theme which continues throughout much of the album. Rather than developing the cinematic sound of the opener, Feral Family resign themselves to continuing this dull Kings of Leon-esque sound. [1.5/5]
‘This Side of Me’: It quickly becomes apparent that Lowe’s vocals are either unable or unwilling to offer any kind of variety within his performance. Vocals aside, this track features a musical backing more akin to indie rock or certain aspects of post-punk, though this tends to get lost in the mixing of the song. [1.5/5]
‘Its All Us’: Slowing down the pace slightly, ‘Its All Us’ hints at a more melancholic side to the band, though it is quickly undermined by the vocals, which start to border on Gallagher-esque delivery during this track. For a band who spoke so openly about the atmosphere they are attempting to convey on this album, there is a disappointing lack of substance in much of the material. [1/5]
‘Wee Van Bee’: For the first time, Feral Family offer a track that sounds somewhat different to all their others. Taking on a heavier guitar-led sound, accompanied by strange backing vocals evoking Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’, the track is not a huge success, but it does at least attempt to offer a bit of variety. [2/5]
‘Spice King’: Reaching the mid-point of Without Motion, Feral Family offer the most appealing track on the album so far. Although it maintains much the same sound as the previous tracks, the gloomy bassline and building noise of the chorus offer some explanation as to why the band have enjoyed success as a live act. [2.5/5]
‘Someday’: Another slowed-down track building to a standard rock chorus, ‘Someday’ feels distinctly longer than its four-minute runtime. Even within the context of the rest of the record, the song feels a lot like filler material; the ‘skip’ button has never had such an appeal. [1/5]
‘Sold’: Featuring painfully derivative, surface-level complaints about the monotony of daily life in Bridlington, ‘Sold’ continues the cookie-cutter rock formula seen on the rest of the album. It is not a particularly bad song, just very forgettable. [2.5/5]
‘The Mercy’: Beginning with genuine promise, ‘The Mercy’ features the droning sounds of a synthesiser. Tragically, these sounds are quickly drowned out by the band, who continue on with their usual sound, leaving the audience wondering why they bothered to include the initial synth at all. [2/5]
‘Fractured’: Finally adopting a sound more akin to the punk/post-punk sound the band claims to have, the intro to ‘Fractured’ allows the bass and drums to shine. Musically, this is the stand-out track from the record, which makes it confusing why it occurs so late in the tracklisting. [3/5]
‘Smother’: Seemingly adopting a more spaced-out sound towards the end of the album, it seems as though even Feral Family themselves are growing tired of the repetitive nature of Without Motion. While ‘Smother’ is undoubtedly one of the strongest tracks, ultimately, this bland style of corporate indie rock is best left in the past. [2.5/5]
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