ALBUM REVIEW: Feelings Are Good – Lonely Robot
Vocalist, songwriter, producer [ENTER SHIKARI, ALTER BRIDGE] and a pivotal member for groups like FROST*, KINO, IT BITES – and his own project LONELY ROBOT – John Mitchell has been just about everywhere and done just about everything. After resolving the astral phenomena that was LONELY ROBOT’s ‘Astronaut Trilogy’, Mitchell has set his sights on something closer to Earth – bringing his mixture of placid and gratifying arrangements to a more introspective setting. The result? Well, Mitchell has avoided the crash landing that could have resulted from such a drastic swerve in vision, but Feelings Are Good’s more terrestrial ambitions do result in a less fulfilling journey than we’re used to. This is undoubtedly a good album, but a dramatic plunge from LONELY ROBOT‘s typical place amongst the stars.
Though Feelings Are Good may take a more grounded approach to its predecessors, this is hardly a reinvention of LONELY ROBOT‘s sound. Mitchell remains firmly within his comfort zone: an arena of nostalgic prog-rock arrangements of keyboards and guitars that boasts a thick gloss of sci-fi synth keys and vocal effects. This is a tried and tested formula for the LONELY ROBOT catalogue, one that embellished the concepts of Mitchell’s aforementioned Astronaut Trilogy – concluding with 2019’s spectacular Under The Stars – but Mitchell’s insistence on translating this to his new earthbound vision has exposed his own shortcomings.
The opening title track does not do well on first impressions with a stiff melody and robotic vocal effects only serving to perturb Mitchell’s uncharacteristically awkward delivery. The track is mercifully short but the bombastic effects seem counter-intuitive when opening a record intending to stray from the space-age narrative of the band’s past. Feelings Are Good may stick stubbornly to this path but Mitchell reassures us that he hasn’t lost sight of what makes exploring his colourful aural odysseys so enticing.
Into The Lo-fi swiftly follows the opener and is simply a bundle of energy. Vivacious drum beats, courtesy of the magnificent Craig Blundell, and Mitchell’s meticulous arranging of LONELY ROBOT’s intricate sound make for a moreish listening experience that retains the bands signature depth. It’s a warming reminder that Mitchell’s merits as a producer haven’t lost relevancy with time, as the LP’s great ear for tone and well-balanced mix provides a foundation of both clarity and vibrance in an otherwise bustling soundscape.
So, just two tracks in, and Feelings Are Good is a mixed affair which, regrettably, is an apt description for its remaining runtime. From the highs of Into The Lo-fi to the lows of Spiders which beguiles listeners with a gnarly riff only to devolve into a bare-bones verse and a grating hook. Continuing our descent, Crystalline is a textbook slow-burner, a structure that has no inherent issues, but its final moments – while superb – don’t justify the unengaging plod we bear to reach its climax. Mitchell manages to find his footing for the following two tracks with Life Is A Sine Wave harkening back to the grandeur of the astronaut trilogy through its eloquent solo speech while Armour For My Heart (corny metaphors aside) is simply a gorgeous ballad-esque number that allows this diverse soundscape real space to breathe.
This incongruous trend of quality tarnishes the album up until its final moments as even the arena-rock sized Army Of One is robbed of its space at the finish line by Grief Is The Price Of Love which mirrors the opener in its cringe-inducing stiltedness. Feelings Are Good is a predominate work of strengths but the experience ends up feeling far too disjointed to be considered a strong sum of its parts. One thing that remains consistent besides the luscious production and Blundell‘s rhythmic wizardry is the very thing Mitchell uses to set apart the LP from the band’s past; its lyricism. From battles with the self (Army Of One), the benefits of peace and a life of minimalism (The Silent Life) and what sounds like dealings with the traitorous and wicked (Spiders), Mitchell has delivered a mature and introspective touch to this suitably ‘human’ narrative.
Left with the graceless guitar strum of the album’s closer, disappointment fills the resounding silence. Feelings Are Good is not a bad album, in fact, it strides far further than it stumbles whilst maintaining the hallmarks of LONELY ROBOT‘s prior work and dives deeper within a more resonant lyrical sphere. It is, then, the inconsistent songwriting and inappropriately bold production choices that binds this record from joining its predecessors amongst the pinnacles of modern prog rock. It hits a good standard but this is miles beneath what LONELY ROBOT is capable of.
Rating: 6/10
Feelings Are Good is out now via InsideOut Music.
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