ALBUM REVIEW: The Cold In Every Shelter – I Feel Fine

Is there such a thing as uplifting emo? If your gut says no, then perhaps I FEEL FINE can change your mind with The Cold In Every Shelter. The Brighton-based four-piece’s debut full-length is definitely an emotional and introspective record, but at the same time it can be incredibly joyful and even heart-warming. It’s an album which owes a lot to 90s midwestern emo, while also exuding a modern danceable indie-punk energy. Clocking in at 30 minutes, it’s a short, sweet and somehow sunny listen that’s well worth your time.

Easily the stand out feature of I FEEL FINE‘s music is their vocal interplay. Most of The Cold… sees all four band members singing in unison; a mix of gang vocals and beautiful four part harmonies. This lends the record a real sense of camaraderie, like a group of friends singing and shouting through their pain. It’s also sure to produce plenty of live sing-alongs, as proven quickly by opener Something New To Worry About. Many more examples follow, not least in second and third tracks Elemenohpea and Million which round out the album’s strong opening run.

Behind the vocals, there’s no question the band have the instrumental skills to back things up. Guitarists Joe Kool and Nathan Tompkins weave in and out of one another throughout. Their tones are crisp and clear, accentuating intricate leads and melodic chords with just enough crunch. Beneath them, bassist Jack Holland adds a low-end warmth, while drummer Antoine Mansion brings a steady, expressive hand to proceedings. The latter shines especially on fifth track The Ladder, where he shows he can be as gentle as he can intense. All this then comes wrapped in a lovely production job that lends the record a rich and detailed clarity.

For a young band, I FEEL FINE‘s command of dynamics is particularly impressive. As mentioned, most tracks on The Cold… strike a fine balance between more despondent and downbeat emo sections, and more high-energy indie-punk. Each serves the other well, with the album and songs moving between these styles without ever feeling overly jarring or out of place. The record also features a couple of gentle interludes, entitled Keeping House I and II. Both of these work well, acting as moments of quiet reflection which contribute to the overall journey of the record.

As much as The Cold… is a solid record throughout – great even – it definitely feels as though the band save the best till last. Closing tracks Where The Clouds End and Fold are both stunning in very distinct ways. The former is a short, emotional acoustic piece that sees the band introduce banjos and slide guitars. It’s surely the record’s most poignant moment, and one that reveals real breadth to I FEEL FINE‘s musical capabilities. Fold after it is the longest song on the record at seven and a half minutes. The band make full use of this runtime, leaning into elements of post-rock-esque build to bring the album to a powerful close.

By all counts, The Cold In Every Shelter is a triumphant debut for I FEEL FINE. It’s a varied and well-crafted record that shows tonnes of promise and an impressive maturity already. Given the band have only a few years under their belt, and considering the rude health of the British alternative scene at the moment, the future looks very bright indeed for this creative young quartet.

Rating: 8/10

The Cold In Every Shelter is set for release on September 10th via Venn Records.

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