Comfort in Sound
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox album|
| name = Comfort in Sound
| type = studio
| artist = Feeder
| cover = ComfortinSound.jpg
| alt =
| released = 21 October 2002
| recorded = 2002
| venue =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = {{duration||48|4}}
| label = Echo
| producer =
| prev_title = Echo Park
| prev_year = 2001
| next_title = Picture of Perfect Youth
| next_year = 2004
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Comfort in Sound
| type = Studio album
| single1 = Come Back Around
| single1date = 30 September 2002
| single2 = Just the Way I'm Feeling
| single2date = 13 January 2003
| single3 = Forget About Tomorrow
| single3date = 5 May 2003
| single4 = Find the Colour
| single4date = 22 September 2003
| single5 = Comfort in Sound
| single5date = 6 December 2003
}}
}}
Comfort in Sound is the fourth studio album by Welsh rock band Feeder, released on 21 October 2002 and also the first to be released by the band after the suicide of drummer Jon Lee earlier in the year. The album was recorded at RAK Studios in London during most of 2002, and was produced by Gil Norton.
The band returned to live performance after Lee's suicide, playing low-key slots at various festivals in the United Kingdom, before releasing the single "Come Back Around" and then the album. Three further singles—"Just the Way I'm Feeling", "Forget About Tomorrow" and "Find the Colour"—followed the album's release. The album received positive reviews from the music press and was received well by the public, reaching number six on the UK Albums Chart. The album also gave the band their second top ten single, "Just the Way I'm Feeling".
In late 2003 or sometime in 2004 the album passed 400,000 sales. This made the album eligible for a Platinum Sales Award from the Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) for sales of 400,000 in Europe, therefore making it one of the best selling Independent albums of all time within the Continent. In June 2008 it passed 501,000 and stands on 512,359 as of March 2022. Sales outside the UK and Ireland are unknown, but are believed to be minimal.
Inside the inlay, there were also a number of illustrations by Aya Takano, including a picture per song for four of these only, each with a lyrical extract. The first three of these were released as singles from the album, all in their order of appearance in the booklet, which led to beliefs that the fourth song "Comfort in Sound", would be the fourth single, only for "Find the Colour" to be released in its place instead.
In late 2016, Comfort in Sound was played in full on Kerrang! Radio, as part of a classic albums series. Later on in February 2017, the album was inducted into Virgin Radio's "Classic Albums Vault".{{cite web|url=http://feeder.rocks/2017/02/09/vote-comfort-sound-virgin-classic-vault/|title=Vote "Comfort in Sound" into the Virgin Classic Vault!|work=feeder.rocks and Virgin Radio (UK) Twitter handle|accessdate=16 February 2017}}
Release
The album was given a low-key promotional build up due to the death of drummer Jon Lee. Before the album's release, the band played a warm-up show at the Portsmouth Wedgewood rooms prior to performing at the Reading and Leeds festivals and at the Gig on the Green. Kerrang! magazine gave a rating of 5/5 (KKKKK), for the band's performance at Reading. Part of the band's appearance on the main stage at the 2003 Glastonbury Festival was featured on BBC Three and the full set was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 later in the year.
The band went on to play an arena tour at the end of the year, with high ticket sales and selling out at the Bournemouth International Centre.
Lead single "Come Back Around" had its first airplay on BBC Radio 1's "The Evening Session" show, and was A-listed by the station. The song was originally recorded as an instrumental demo in 2001, with the lyrics shortly written afterwards. After Lee's suicide, Grant Nicholas re-wrote the lyrics to relate to their friend and colleague's death: when the final version was recorded with Mark Richardson on drums. A completely instrumental version of the album was issued to television and radio media.
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r640675}}
| rev2 = BBC Manchester
| rev2Score = 9/10{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/music/2002/10/21/comfort_in_sound.shtml|title=BBC review}}
| rev3 = Contactmusic
| rev3Score = (positive){{Cite web|url=https://www.contactmusic.com/pages/feederx22x10x02|title=Feeder – Comfort in Sound Album|date=22 October 2002|website=Contactmusic.com}}
| rev4 = Entertainment Ireland
| rev5 = The Guardian
| rev5Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2002/oct/25/popandrock.artsfeatures4|title=CD: Feeder, Comfort in Sound|date=25 October 2002|website=The Guardian}}
| rev6 = iAfrica.com
| rev7 = Music Scene
| rev8 = Rockzone
}}
The album was well received by critics and was a commercial success. It initially entered the charts at #6 before dropping out of the top 75 after only four weeks. It charted at #178 on the 2002 year-end charts, selling just under 100,000 units. In 2003, the release of "Just the Way I'm Feeling" sent the album back to #13 and helped it to #66 in the 2003 end of year charts. The album re-entered the album charts in early 2005: in total, it spent 36 weeks in the top 75. {{As of|2016|10}}, it has sold over 506,000 copies.{{cite news|url=http://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/official-charts-analysis-green-day-claim-top-spot-with-revolution-radio/066249|title=Official Charts Analysis: Green Day claim top spot with Revolution Radio|last=Jones|first=Alan|date=14 October 2016|work=Music Week|accessdate=27 November 2016|url-access=subscription }}
"Just the Way I'm Feeling" gained over 15,000 UK radio plays and charted at #10 on the UK singles chart, with follow-up single "Come Back Around" reaching #14.
=Accolades=
- #5 in Rocksound's 2002 albums list{{cite web|url= http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/steveparker/rocksound.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070616025434/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/steveparker/rocksound.htm |url-status= usurped |archive-date= 16 June 2007 |title= Rock Sound End of Year Lists 1999-2006 list|work=Rocklist.net|accessdate=2021-04-26}}
- #37 in Q magazine's 2002 albums list{{cite web|url=http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.now.news&fixture_news=245554&resource=245554|title=Q Magazine's albums of 2002 list|work=q4music.com|accessdate=2007-02-07}}
- #27 in Planet Sound's 2002 albums list (incorrectly listed as "Come Back Around"){{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/jfences/Gr1000_2002misclists.htm|title=Planet Sound's Magazine's albums of 2002 list|work=oocities.com|accessdate=2007-02-07|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080126182040/http://geocities.com/jfences/Gr1000_2002misclists.htm|archivedate=2008-01-26}}
- #32 in Kerrang! magazine's "Top 100 British Rock Albums of All Time"{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang.html#British%20Rock%20Albums|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060216032059/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang.html#British%20Rock%20Albums|url-status=usurped|archive-date=16 February 2006|title=Kerrang top 100 British rock albums- 19th February 2005|work=Rocklist.net|accessdate=2007-02-07}}
- Rock Sound – "Album of the Month"{{cite web|url=http://www.feederanorak.co.uk/Assets/Images/CIS_CD_Album_Sticker.jpg |title="Comfort in Sound" album sticker |work=Feeder Anorak fansite |accessdate=2007-02-08 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630184322/http://www.feederanorak.co.uk/Assets/Images/CIS_CD_Album_Sticker.jpg |archivedate=30 June 2007 |url-status=dead }}
- Kerrang! – "Album of the Week"
- Metal Hammer – "Album of the Month"
- The Times – "Album of the Week"
- Virgin Radio – Classic Albums Vault inductee, February 2017
=Award nomination=
2025 Reissue
In February 2025, Feeder announced that remastered and expanded versions of Comfort in Sound will be released on 12 September 2025 on vinyl and 2CD formats. The reissue will be accompanied by an album tour in the United Kingdom starting in September.
{{Blockquote
| text = 'Comfort in Sound' is an album very close to our hearts and now feels like the right time to re-release it and let people re-discover it again or for the first time... We hit a brick wall after losing Jon, so as a writer I decided to put all those mixed feelings and emotions into writing songs of recovery. Those compositions became the ‘Comfort in Sound’ album, and I think it opened both myself up as a writer and the depth and soul of Feeder as a band.
| author = Grant Nicholas
| source = Kerrang!{{cite web |last1=Garner |first1=Emily |title=Feeder announce Comfort In Sound reissue and UK headline tour |url=https://www.kerrang.com/feeder-announce-comfort-in-sound-reissue-and-uk-headline-tour |website=Kerrang |access-date=10 February 2025}}
}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing = Grant Nicholas
| title1 = Just the Way I'm Feeling
| length1 = 4:22
| title2 = Come Back Around
| length2 = 3:13
| title3 = Helium
| length3 = 3:15
| title4 = Child in You
| length4 = 3:27
| title5 = Comfort in Sound
| length5 = 3:46
| title6 = Forget About Tomorrow
| length6 = 3:51
| title7 = Summer's Gone
| length7 = 4:49
| title8 = Godzilla
| length8 = 2:05
| title9 = Quick Fade
| length9 = 4:24
| title10 = Find the Colour
| note10 = omitted from first pressings of European release
| length10 = 3:57
| title11 = Love Pollution
| length11 = 4:13
| title12 = Moonshine
| length12 = 6:49
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Asian bonus tracks
| title13 = Opaque
| length13 = 3:59
| title14 = Emily
| length14 = 4:42
}}
Personnel
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Feeder
- Grant Nicholas – vocals, guitars, keyboards, production, additional arrangements
- Taka Hirose – bass
- Mark Richardson – drums, percussion
;Additional musicians
- Audrey Riley – string arrangements
- Enrico Tomasso – trumpet on "Helium"
- Charles Gillingham – accordion on "Quick Fade"
- Matt Page – piano
{{col-2}}
;Production
- Gil Norton – production, additional arrangements
- Adrian Bushby – engineering, mixing
- Matt Sime – engineering, programming
- Feeder – mixing
- John Dunne – programming
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- Aya Takano – artwork
{{col-end}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2002)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Ireland2|27|artist=Feeder|rowheader=true|accessdate=2 December 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Scotland|4|date=20021027|rowheader=true|accessdate=2 December 2021}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|6|date=20021027|rowheader=true|accessdate=2 December 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2002)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2002.pdf|title=UK Year-End Charts 2002|work=UKChartsPlus|accessdate=2 December 2021}}
| 178 |
| scope="col"| Chart (2003)
! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC){{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20030105/37502/|title=End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2003|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=2 December 2021}}
| 66 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Feeder}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:The Echo Label albums