[AlbumOTD] Feud - WATERDOG

Artist: Feud
Genre: Rock/Grunge

Location: High Wycombe, Buckinhamshire, UK

Label Type: Unsigned

Website: http://www.feudmusic.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/feud

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/feudmusic

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/feudsluts

It has taken 6 long years, but finally alternative rockers Feud have a debut album to boast about following the release of EP Out From The Inside back in 2007. The album is a 12-track offering and is titled ‘Waterdog’.

This album most definitely takes you back 15/20 years or so; this is not a criticism, merely an observation. In fact, it is good to hear a good old fashioned grunge album again in a musical age dominated by computer effects. Feud seem to take the safety-first option with most of the songs though, as they follow the rigid rock song structure. Nevertheless, there is no faulting their passion or energy.

Throughout the album there are some decent riffs and catchy hooks, but the guitar solo in ‘Breathe’ sums the album up for me, it does it's job, but isn't particularly ground-breaking. The album as a whole though certainly possesses some positive nods to Nirvana and Foo Fighters with that punk-edged grungy progressive style.

Waterdog begins in a blistering blaze of glory knocking out the first two tracks in under four-and-a-half minutes, as ‘Dying To Meat You’  kicks off the album at a sonic pace with some real  driving guitars and crashing drums, followed by 'Don't Cry' and it's deep lyrics .

The main thing that stood out for me though was the track ‘Sick and Tired’, it sounds as if this is where Feud feel most at home, it gives off the vibe that this is the type of sound that they truly want to create and be associated with. It’s catchy and a little more creative than others on the record with subtle tempo variations. Furthermore, the word on the grapevine is that there is to be a video shot for this song sometime in the near future.

The vocals are reminiscent of Kurt Cobain with that raspy, whiney almost croaky style. This becomes particularly evident in the song ‘Don’t Care’ with the screams of “hey, hey” which sound like a cut and paste from ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, and an opening guitar riff more than resembling the one from ‘In Bloom’. Despite this borderline plagiarism, the song is actually a highlight of the album as the record picks up pace and the heaviness half way through after dragging through the early part. This forms the spine of the album along with ‘Blame Me’ which incorporates some innovative stochastic guitar riffs, and the aforementioned ‘Sick and Tired’.

From tracks 8-10, a more unique sound becomes more evident and it sounds a lot more impressive with some proper hard rock on show on the songs 'Alkaline', 'Caroline' and 'Tear Away'. Then the familiar Nirvana sound returns again on the final two songs, ‘Get Out’ and ‘The Desolate Man’ with the latter clearly reminiscent of ‘About A Girl’.

Hopefully the future will see Feud offer a touch more diversity away from rigid structures and create a more distinctive style as the foundations are clearly there. The album is so Nirvana it’s quite unbelievable, but I guess if you’re going to take such strong influences from someone,  you may as well take them from the best. A more than adequate attempt for a debut album nonetheless, good luck Feud boys!

Matthew Evans