Review Summary: Failed attempt to expand but a real showcase for Kellin Quinns vocal range with tight instrumentals throughout.
With such a promising debut in "With Ears to See and Eyes To Hear" and a equally, if not more impressive sophomore record in "Lets Cheers To This". One is left wondering where the hell it went wrong on this record? Was there too much executive meddling? The band trying to expand into too many new territories? Whatever the case is, this album was a disappointment through and through, but that's not to say that there weren't genuine moments of greatness present.
Title track 'Feel' starts the record on a slower note. One thing made very obvious here and the album as a whole is that Kellins clean vocals are very impressive and the forefront of everything on here, and that is a good thing. The boy has as versatile voice and it is on full display.
'Feel' feeds into the real opener, 'Here We Go'. Upbeat, energetic, tight musicianship, excellent vocal work, this song is a real high point that isn't met again anywhere else on "Feel". 'Deja Vu' mirrors 'Here We Go' structure-wise but just doesn't have the same bite and impact that the former packs.
For everything that SWS does right here, there are instances where they have made some bad decisions, namely ALL the guest vocalists, bar to a certain extent MGK on 'Alone' it breaks the pop infused post-hardcore formula that SWS has crafted for themselves and adds some hip-hop elements and rapping, it's a breath of fresh air. But all the other guests add nothing to their respective songs, the biggest offenders are Shayley Bourget on 'I'll Take You There' and Fronz on the god awful 'Best There Ever Was'. 'Congratulations' is a less horrible re-imagining of 'Best There Ever Was' but not as bad but still not worth more than two or three plays.
'Sorry' is a nice piano led ballad, it must be Kellin apologizing for the horrendous cameos, don't worry Kellin, you still have two albums of worthwhile material under your belt.
Overall "Feel" feels like the band tried to dip their feet into too many new areas with no real payoff with the exceptions of the stuff their good at and the oddly addictive 'Alone'. Where there's a step forward here, there is also an equal step backwards but lets see what the future holds and if they learn from their shortcomings, only time will tell.
