Released: April 12
Ditching Blighty for a stint in southern Italy, The Feeling return revitalised and refreshed on their seventh studio album ‘San Vito’.
Created during several visits to the region, the record is rooted in the sound that took the band to the top of the charts in the mid-2000s, with a breadth of styles and touchstones that showcase a confidence that comes with two decades of success in the bag.
The muse also came from trading their usual Hackney recording sessions for the continent. “The sun, food and culture seeped through into the sounds we were making,” says the band. “We brought in local brass, strings and pizzica / tarantella percussion players. It’s very much an album by The Feeling but with a little Salento flavour mixed-in.”
But opening number War’s Not Won makes it clear the group remain faithful to themselves, with Dan Gillespie Sells tackling bigotry and prejudice in an autobiographical narrative that reflects his life as an LGBTQ+ person today.
My Way Up picks up on that perspective with a playfully intricate lyric, while lead single The Right Wrong is an ode to freedom and acceptance.
Opening the second half of the album, the bouncy Sun Won’t Shine wouldn’t sound out of place on The Feeling’s debut album ‘Twelve Stops and Home’ (2006), while the vibrant brass on Everyday And All Of The Night conjures a new soundscape for the band that’s a natural fit and elevates the modulating crescendo to new heights.
The five-and-a-half-minute Lucie Silvas collaboration I Won’t Sleep Tonight is an undeniable highlight on the record that showcases her’s and Dan’s superb vocal blend, with a cinematic edge that captures the essence of his theatrical work.
The influence of their Italian adventure isn’t as prominent as it could be – and where it is, it’s particularly brilliant – but at its core ‘San Vito’ is not only a great album from The Feeling, but an excellent pop record that highlights the enduring strength and charm of the boys, who only seem to be getting better!
