By Brendan Harte Gilsenan
✭✭✭✭ ½
After 14 years, the follow-up to the Toadies’ 1994 multi-platinum selling Rubberneck has finally been released. Although not as notorious as Chinese Democracy or Brian Wilson’s Smile, Feeler gained mythical status amongst Toadies fans after failing to receive the green light from record label Interscope. The Toadies wouldn’t release another album until 2000, and shortly after broke up.

After reconvening and releasing a long overdue album of fresh material in 2008, the Toadies thought it time to finally release their proper sophomore effort. For years, tracks from the original Feeler sessions have been floating around the Internet in unfinished forms. After failing to recover the masters to those tracks from Interscope, the band decided to enter the studio and record the album fresh.

The result: a decade-old time capsule on par with the best of 90’s post-grunge and alternative rock. Why the label gave up on Feeler in the first place is hard to understand.

This in-your-face album packs a powerful punch in only nine songs. “Waterfall” steadily builds from its bass intro to a hard-hitting, angst-ridden bulldozer of a track. Repeating “now’s the time, the time is now”, front man Vaden Todd Lewis creates an anxious anticipation for the song’s explosive and strained chorus.

The use of unusual timing throughout the album gives it that very classic Toadies feel. Feeler maintains a use of memorable melodies and hooks from songs like single “City of Hate” and the lover-obsessive “Mine”. Others, such as “Dead Boy” and “Suck Magic” keep alive the aggression of heavier early-mid 90’s alternative rock.

Although the band had enough material to exceed the 28 minutes of the final product, their restraint shows a focus on an album as opposed to a compilation of songs from the same era.


1.     Trust Game
2.     Waterfall
3.     Dead Boy
4.     City Of Hate
5.     Mine
6.     Suck Magic
7.     ATF
8.     Joey, Let’s Go
9.     Pink