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The Feeling burst onto the scene from Horsham, West Sussex, England in early 2006 when their single “Sewn” became a top ten hit in their native United Kingdom.  Across the pond, the song was featured on television’s Medium and One Tree Hill, and worldwide, it was heard as part of the soundtrack to the football (or soccer)-themed video game FIFA 07.  The melodic rock piano ballad had both a current radio-friendly sheen and a retro vibe reminiscent of pop’s halcyon days.  It was included in June 2006 on the band’s first album, Twelve Stops and Home along with four other singles: “Fill My Little World,” “Never Be Lonely,” “Love It When You Can,” and “Rosé.”  (All but the last two went top ten.)  Twelve Stops sold over 40,000 copies in its first week on sale in the U.K. and has since been certified triple platinum.  Cherry Red has just recently celebrated the album in a new, 3CD/1DVD box set edition as well as a limited edition yellow vinyl double LP set with the original album only.

The newly-remastered, original U.K. album comprises Disc One of the box set; the sequence was shuffled for the subsequent U.S. release.  Twelve Stops and Home, so named for charismatic frontman Dan Gillespie Sells’ tube trip from Leicester Square to his onetime residence of Bounds Green, wore its pop influences on its sleeve.  Hints of Supertramp, The Beatles and Queen were all in evidence, along with touches of Carpenters and The Bangles.  The Feeling were clearly unafraid of harmony vocals and anthemic pop melodies on both ballads and crunchy power pop tunes.  While most of Twelve Stops can be safely categorized as soft rock, Gillespie Sells also harbored fondness for the heavy likes of Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine, as well as Britpop’s Blur, Suede, and Pulp.  The lead singer/guitarist and band – Richard Jones on bass and vocals, Ciaran Jeremiah on keys and vocals, Kevin Jeremiah on guitars and vocals, and Paul Stewart on drums – were doubtless confident in their ability to channel what made these disparate artists great and create an appealingly accessible sound of their own.  A theatrical quality also permeated The Feeling’s songwriting (jointly credited to the band), making it no surprise that Gillespie Sells would eventually go on to write for the West End musical stage.

During this fertile period, The Feeling issued numerous singles and EPs with non-album material.  33 of these tracks have been collected on the second and third CDs of this 12th anniversary collection.  These include demos, live recordings, acoustic versions, and remixes in various styles (the orchestral version of “This Time,” choral and “Lo-Fi Funk” versions of “Love It When You Call”).  This set mostly serves as one-stop shopping for fans; while some of the period mixes appear to be absent (the U-Myx and Tom Neville vocal and “submarine mixes” of “Love It When You Call”), a number of previously unissued tracks make their premiere.  Some of the songs appeared on later albums (like “This Time,” “Join with Us,” and “Spare Me,” all heard here in demo form and later finished for 2008’s Join with Us).  The fourth disc in the set, a DVD, boasts the documentary film Feeling on Ice narrated by 24 and Designated Survivor star Kiefer Sutherland.  Unfortunately, it’s on a PAL DVD, so many international viewers will not be able to watch.

The CD/DVD set is housed in a hardcover digibook format, with the discs (barely) held in place with plastic tabs on the inside front and back covers.  The attached 32-page booklet takes the form of a diary from the band members, compiled by journalist Chris Salmon who traced The Feeling’s movements on a week-by-week basis for the band’s website.  While the passages are interesting snapshots of the era and the band’s relatively quick rise to fame, one wishes there had been some written content about the various bonus tracks including credits and discographical annotation.

Since Twelve Stops and Home, The Feeling went on to release four more studio albums.  The band is currently on hiatus, but this all-encompassing celebration of their debut is an enjoyable reminder of their sharp pop songcraft.

The Feeling, Twelve Stops and Home (Cherry Red CRCDBOX 56, 2018) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Twelve Stops and Home (Island CD 985865-3, 2006)

1. I Want You Now
2. Never Be Lonely
3. Fill My Little World
4. Kettle’s On
5. Sewn
6. Anyone
7. Strange
8. Love It When You Call
9. Rosé
10. Same Old Stuff
11. Helicopter
12. Blue Piccadilly

CD 2: Bonus Tracks

1. Fill My Little Fanfare (from Rosé single, Island 172375-3, 2007)
2. Funny Cigarette (from Sewn 7-inch single, Island IS 920, 2006)
3. Still You Want More (Original Demo) (*)
4. All You Need to Do (from Never Be Lonely single, Island 1705007, 2007)
5. Modern Classic (from 2005 Demos, Island promo single FEEL 3, 2005)
6. When I Return (from Sewn single, Island 987712-6, 2006)
7. Not Be Turned (from Fill My Little World single, Island 985670-7, 2006)
8. Bullshit Fucks the World (*)
9. Sun Is Shining (from Sewn single, Island 987712-6, 2006)
10. This Time (Original Demo) (from Never Be Lonely single, Island 1705007, 2007)
11. Rosé (Unplugged at Abbey Road) (from Rosé promo single, Island ROSECD1, 2011)
12. The Child (from Love It When You Call single, Island 17013050, 2006)
13. Spare Me (Original Demo) (*)
14. Join with Us (Original Demo) (*)
15. One Thing That I Want (from Fill My Little World single, Island 985670-7, 2006)

CD 3: Bonus Tracks

1. This Time (Orchestral Version) (*)
2. I Want You Now (Demo) (*)
3. Fill My Little World (Demo) (from Demos, no cat. no., Island, 2005)
4. Kettle’s On (Demo) (*)
5. Sewn (Demo) (from Demos, no cat. no., Island, 2005)
6. Anyone (Demo) (*)
7. Strange (Demo) (from Demos, no cat. no., Island, 2005)
8. Love It When You Call (Demo) (from Demos, no cat. no., Island, 2005)
9. Same Old Stuff (Demo) (*)
10. Helicopter (Demo) (*)
11. Sewn (Dan’s Original Version) (from Rosé single, Island 172375-3, 2007)
12. Make Me Pay (Dan’s Original Version) (*)
13. Unfinished Background (Demo) (*)
14. Don’t Give Up (Acoustic Version) (from Love It When You Call single, Island 17013050, 2006)
15. Video Killed the Radio Star (Live in 2006) (from Rosé single, Island 172375-3, 2007)
16. Love It When You Call (Choral Version) (*)
17. Love It When You Call (Lo-Fi Funk Mix) (from Love It When You Call promo single, no cat. no, Island, 2006)

DVD:

1. Feeling on Ice documentary

(*) previously unreleased