Renegades Review

Released: July 5, 2010
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Big Teeth Music
Number Of Tracks: 12
Feeder have long been one of the best British rock bands around, which is why this album comes as such a shock. This is a really poor album from a band fellow fans will know is capable of so much better.

Sound:	5.5
Lyrics:	3.5
Impression:	4.5
Overall rating:	6.5
Reviewer rating:	4.5
Users rating:	8.5
Votes:	2

overall: 5.3

Recently reviewed by: killer23, on may 15, 2012

Sound: Feeder have been one of the best British rock bands, but it seems with the new album "Renegades" that they are trying to show a new darker and heavier sound. "Renegades" shows Feeder returning to their debut album sound "Polythene". However, there are many heavy riffs and there are classic feeder moments in some tracks.

The first track "White Lines" show a more darker side of Feeder and has a catchy chorus, excellent. Track 4 "Sentimental" is the best riff on the album and is a moment of classic feeder. The title track "Renegades" shows Feeder at their best and is the best anthem on the whole album. The lead single, "Call Out" seems to have a good tone on the verses, but the chorus lets the song down. Track 6 "Down To The River" is another fantastic song on this album, a slow rock anthem. However, this album lacked more of less noisy tracks. // 7

Lyrics and Singing: The biggest let down to the "Renegades" album is actually the vocals and lyrics. Grant Nicholas seems to have rushed most song lyrics, in "Sentimental" in the chorus he sings, "I never said it, you never said it, I'm standing in the wrong place". This is the same with "Call Out" the chorus is god awful and with "Home" the whole song Nicholas is just repeating the same lines over and over.

There are times when Nicholas has his voice up to standard, for example in "Down To The River", "Renegades" and "Sentimental". However, as fellow fans will know, Nicholas' has a variety of vocal range and tone, but on this album, Nicholas does not show this ability. To conclude the lyrics are disappointing. // 4

Impression: As a big major fan of Feeder, I try to come away from the negative points and focus on the positive, especially on this album. I can see that Feeder have tried to show their darker side and can rock just like Green Day, but this is possibly the poorest album Feeder have made and fans know that Feeder are capable of so much better with sounds and lyrics.

There are great classic feeder moments with tracks like "Sentimental", "Renegades" and "Down To The River". I would say that Feeder needed to put less noisy tracks to make this album sound much better. In conclusion, Feeder have tried something new, but has not worked, and has turned out to be their worst album. // 5

overall: 3.7

Reviewed by: Bozjoarmstrong, on may 11, 2011

Sound: Feeder have long been one of the best British rock bands around, which is why this album comes as such a shock. Some were apprehensive about their previous effort "Silent Cry", initially including me, but "Renegades" just does not have the same growing effect. It is clear that with this album, Feeder were seeking a return to the "Polythene" sound; frequently heavy riffs and anthemic vocals, but these songs sound merely like a collection of rejects for that album.

The best riff comes in track 4 "Sentimental", whilst the closest you'll get to an anthem is the title track. Other than that, there is really nothing to choose from. The catchy side to "Barking Dogs" prevents it from becoming filler, but the same can not be said for the remaining ten songs, lead single "Call Out" in particular is a just a lazy effort at an upbeat, rousing anthem, setting the tone for the rest of the album. // 4

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics are perhaps the biggest let down from Grant Nicholas on "Renegades". Nicholas is famed for the supposedly intentionally awful lyrics of "Buck Rogers" but unless the "riding on the bus" hook to "City In A Rut" is also a joke, he cannot be forgiven here. The same goes for "Call Out" where "If you wanna hear this song, you won't have to wait too long, just call out our name" makes for a pitiful attempt at an anthem.

Even Nicholas' voice is not up to standard here. Whereas any Feeder fans will be completely aware of Nicholas' fantastic vocal range, here there is no demonstration of this ability, yet another disappointment. // 3

Impression: I always try to refrain from being overly critical of an album, particularly when it comes to a band I am a big fan of, such as Feeder. But this is a really poor album from a band fellow fans will know is capable of so much better. Whereas there are brief moments of salvation in "Sentimental" and "Barking Dogs", I would conclude that this is Feeder's worst album yet by far. // 4