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Rating: "Swim" is an E.P. by Feeder released on June 24, 1996.
Produced by Chris Shedon (Therapy, Shed Seven, and Oceansize among others), this is the second E.P. by Grant Nicholas and company, following their debut with the "Two Colours E.P.," which, as the title suggests, is composed of only two tracks.
For those who know the Welsh band for the delicate pop rock of songs like "Feeling A Moment" or "Just The Way I'm Feeling," the impact with this mini album composed of six tracks might be quite disorienting.
"Sweet 16" (soundtrack of the well-known video game "Gran Turismo") immediately starts with a great riff followed by a wild scream from Grant, then continues with consistently assertive and aggressive tones, clearly influenced by American-style guitar rock (a genre that traditionally adequately balances electric outbursts and catchy melodies).
The same ingredients are found in "Stereo World", with the variant of a notably beautiful melodic opening in the chorus, softening its distinctive traits. The track would later be included in the debut album "Polythene," as well as the electric ballad "Descend", which incredibly fittingly and credibly fuses the typically British melodic taste with the expressive urgency of grunge (following the recurring structural pattern of "quiet verse/aggressive chorus").
"Shade" is the fastest and most frenetic of the six songs, with the guitar traveling swiftly and decisively, and Grant coming dangerously close to a typically Cobain-like vocal aggression; notable is the bridge that even evokes atmospheres close to hard rock, then fades into a purely intimate moment and subsequently rises towards previous guitar peaks.
"Women In Towels" does not shuffle the deck much but adds a great abrasive solo that does not hurt at all; the guitar scratches like never before.
The fantastic title track closes, for guitar and voice, which well highlights Nicholas's excellent voice and anticipates the "soft" turn that would arrive a few years later.
Ultimately, an E.P. that clearly explains what Feeder were more than ten years ago and helps to understand what they have become today. Essential, therefore, to understand the evolution of one of the most successful bands in Albion.
Not just "Buck Rogers," then.
P. S. - On June 30, 2001, a new version was reissued with 5 new tracks ("Elegy," "World Asleep," "Chicken On A Bone," "Spill," "Forgiven"), two videos ("Crash" and "Cement"), and a differently colored artwork (red instead of black).
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Sweet 16 (03:33)
Get away from me is all she said
You're like a social disease
I'm so tired of being afraid of you
Her face all twisted he sees
(Chorus)
Save yourself
look and see
think about it
sweet sixteen
you could be anywhere
see yourself standing there
She's not dead
She's not dead
He cant stop forcing himself on her
he likes the way that she is
His heart beats, fingers all over her
his dirty breath smells of beer
[Chorus]
She's not dead
She's not dead
Dead
Come a little closer to me
Come a little nearer, I want
She works late so she can keep away
she's got to go to the police
So young, he's working her like a dog
He slaps her face till she cleans
But one day while she was searching there
she came across a new toy
Her eyes filled as she loaded the weapon
her mind races, she cries
[Chorus]
Save yourself
Look and see
Think about it
Sweet sixteen
She's not dead
She's not dead
Dead
She's not dead
Dead
02 Stereo World (03:33)
Staring at the ideal world my bubble begins to break gazing at the ceiling cracks
The more the picture fades It's just that I can't see when I'm down like this
I just feel the weight as I try to resist
It doesn't matter when I can dream away life in a stereo world
Something happens as I drift away away
Floating out of sync again reaching for a cloud levitated high I'm free
Turning myself around just as I feel fine it begins to break
Now the pain is here what a big mistake
It doesn't matter when I can dream away life in a stereo world
Something happens as I drift away away
It just explodes as I drift in athousand hands caress my skin
I feel so free as it begins
It doesn't matter when I can dream away life in a stereo world
Something happens as I drift away away
You make me feel so good feels so good away away
Life in a stereo world away away life in a stereo world
Stereo world stereo world life in a stereo world
Stereo world stereo world feels so good
04 Descend (05:25)
Sitting back I only wish \
today will turn out fine
And wash away the stain
the poison in my eyes
What do you recommend?
I feel my life descending
I'm falling out of reach
catch me as I bleed again
I'm not insane
can't reach the pain
If I could be all by myself
I could be me
If you could see
live with my pain
the thoughts that I keep
I hate the way they are
their patronising thoughts
Tried to get inside my head
ask the questions I have read
But one thing makes it hard
feel so fragile as I cry
So confused yet so alive
so abused
the system lied
They lied
If I could be all by myself
I could be me
If you could see
live with my pain
the thoughts that I keep
Hands appeared around my neck
Felt so hard to breath I stared
As my focus turned to haze
I could see them
If I could be all by myself
I could be free
If they could see
live with my pain
the thoughts that I keep
Yeah, yeah
Alone, alone
Yeah, Yeah (alone, alone)
Descend
Descend
05 Shade (04:08)
Will it always be the same give it all a reason
Burn me down you watch me drown how can I exceed
Holding out I cant explain
Though I never could thats the problem
Fighting back the pain again climbing up free myself
I don't need this innovation comes
I just fall into shade
All I want to do is pray give me back the freedom
It becomes the only way clear it sets me free
State of mind I twist and turn looking at the same thing
Flicking back the pages just enough of me to see myself
I don't need this innovation comes
I'm trying to believe as life drags on
Do you see it do you really know
I will fall into space
Its funny how it seems cause I can dream a little
Its pulling me inside the wheel still turns
Remember how the sun touched my face
See it lighting up the way back home
I don't need this innovation comes
I'm trying to believe as life drags on
Do you see it do you really know
I will fall into space
06 Swim (03:20)
Kill, kill or be killed for,
Expected life to be so safe,
Caught, caught in a man trap,
Another part of me has changed
chorus:
Maybe I could swim,
Can't help myself,
It's funny but it seems,
I lose myself,
I'm lost inside a dream,
I hate myself,
the more that I believe,
Can't find my way
Filled, filled with emotion,
sailing off the edge again,
drown, drown all devotion,
riding on a trip to hell
chorus:
Maybe i could swim,
can't help myself,
it's funny but it seems,
I lose myself
i'm lost inside a dream,
I hate myslef,
The more that I believe,
can't find my way x2
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