THE MUSIC OF THE FEATURES Official Site Message Board The Features Store Send song requests The Features are a Nashville, Tennessee based rock band. The purpose of this Tumblr is to provide a comprehensive and interactive database of the Features' music. The blog is named after the Features song "The Damage Is Done." If you would like any of the unreleased songs featured on this site, you can download them yourself or email me for copies. I am not able to send every Features song I own in one go, mainly because I don't have a way of hosting all the files, and I also gotta keep some song tricks up my blog sleeve. Specific song requests are the easiest ones to fulfill. It might take a little while to respond but I will try my best. I will not send songs that have been officially released in any capacity, so buy their albums. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:BRETT WHITE is a New York City-based comedian who has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman and written for Wizard Magazine. He is currently a writer on the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch team Thunder Gulch. He performs improv comedy with the groups Iron Ruckus and Daddy. He is also the author of the web comic Tales To Diminish and contributes to the nerd-humor site Topless Robot. His obsession with the Features began when he first saw them on October 18th, 2001. His college years were spent posting on the Features message board under the name DigsySlattery. He has seen the Features over 50 times in concert and never makes a mix CD without including at least one Features song.
Guys, new b-sides/rarities/outtakes release from the Features is out today! It's called
Still Lost: Volume One
That "volume one" business is mighty hint-y, and I can't wait for volumes two to infinity. Please, let this go on longer than "Now! That's What I Call Music!"
The Features
"Tenderly"
Live @ The Knitting Factory
November 5th, 2011
The Damage Is Done lurches out of its slumber to bring to you a new Features song, currently doing its first lap with the band on their Fall 2011 mini-tour. Whoah! "Tenderly" was played last Saturday night when the band played Brooklyn, New York's Knitting Factory. I'm always pleased to see the band on my home turf (New York City, not Brooklyn; I live in Queens, also known as the borough no one will ever play ever). I was even more pleased to hear a new song that proves that the band still has a voice that is ever-solidifying and ever-confident. "Tenderly" showcases just how tight this band has become. That's always been one of their strongest suits (you know, up there with being awesome and melting faces with rock), and it's on display here. I especially love how tight the riff is, just underneath those lush keyboards. Rollum's drums are as frantic as ever, but they sound constrained, as if they're about to bust out (all in a good way).
The next Features album is shaping up nicely. Start your anticipation...now.
This band changed my life. 10 years ago I was a senior in high school with a musical taste much less evolved than mine is now, as well as a smaller group of friends. The music of the Features changed both of those for me. I met every single friend I made for the first few years of college through the Features and the Features scene. I also discovered bands that I now love thanks to the band (Roxy Music, The Kinks, Talking Heads, Wire, etc). They changed me, and this blog has been thanks to them for that.
That first show, I remember it well. We showed up late, but I still saw at least 3/4ths of the show. I remember being absolutely floored by every song, they were all instant favorites and I could not wait to hear more. I began scouring the internet for MP3s, and my best friend Nicole and I (who I saw the Features with ten years ago) made the trip to Grimey's together to buy "The Begging EP." It was a big deal.
And this blog is not over yet. I just worked so hard on it from May to September that taking a break seemed...time. Also, everything is crazy busy for me (as Octobers always are). ALSO if Tumblr would let users queue up audio posts, this would be infinitely easier. But anyway, the blog will come back, but for now enjoy the sweet sounds that made me a Features fan for life.
The Features
"Bring On The Night"
Live @ The Boro
January 11th, 2003
Man, listening to this brings back a lot of memories from the Boro. The bar and grill, conveniently located literally across the street from MTSU's campus, was home to many epic Features shows. It would get crowded and hot really easily, but that overpacked cramped atmosphere was where the Features of this era thrived. Pure raw energy, captured here in this muffled and raucous recording of one of the band's lost gems.
I haven't been inside the Boro in six years probably, but my oh my are those memories still clear in my head.
The Features
"The Beginning (Week One)"
Live @ Blue Cat's
March 8th, 2003
Apologies for the break in posting. Hurricane Irene threatened to get all up in my business, so I ran away for the weekend. But now I am back and everything I own didn't even get wet. So, good!
A VERSION APPEARS ON:
The Beginning, EP release (2001)
The Beginning, Fierce Panda EP release (2003)
The Beginning, Universal EP release (2004)
The Features
"Circus"
Live @ Cannery Ballroom
January 13th, 2007
Yeah, there's a minute of crowd-noise before "Circus" starts rocking your eardrums. Whatever, it accurately recreates the anticipation you feel before a Features show! This is an experience, okay? Yeah!
A VERSION APPEARS ON:
Exhibit A, album release (2004)
The Features
"Dark Room"
Live @ Blue Cat's
March 8th, 2003
The most irresistible Features song ever. Just try to resist! See? You can't! You're doing handclaps! And if you know the Mahaffey version, you're singing background vocals!
A VERSION APPEARS ON:
Exhibit A, UK album release (2005)
The Features
"Walk You Home"
Live @ 12th & Porter
November 8th, 2003
I haven't posted a version of "Walk You Home" in over two months! So if you haven't experienced this jam, EXPERIENCE IT.
A VERSION APPEARS ON:
The Beginning, EP release (2001)
The Beginning, Fierce Panda EP release (2003)
The Beginning, Universal EP release (2004)
Leave It All Behind, UK single release (2005)
The Features
"33 1/3"
Live @ 12th & Porter
November 7th, 2003
This recording comes from the band's all-request show. In 2003, the song was only played at 3 of the 18 concerts I have catalogued in my spreadsheet. As a rarely-played fan favorite, it was obviously gonna get played at an all-request show.
The Features
"Temporary Blues"
Live @ 12th & Porter
June 21st, 2002
Hold up, followers! Let it be known that this is the original version of "Temporary Blues," one with completely different music. Same lyrics, different tune! Both have their merit, true, but which one do you prefer?
Note, this is not a competition...but it's not like I'm gonna ignore votes that are cast. Either way, it's the Features, so we all win.
A VERSION APPEARS ON:
Some Kind of Salvation, album release (2008)
LINEAGE:
Was “Discotheque” (1999; this version shares a bridge)