Customer Reviews

Wheels In Motion

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hypnotic chord progressions, multilayered percussion, and shimmering electric guitars--those were all hallmarks of the sound of the late, great Feelies, New Jersey's seminal indie-guitar-rock band, last heard from on their 1991 swan song,Time For A Witness. All these elements return on Wheels in Motion, the long-awaited solo debut from erstwhile Feelies frontman singer-songwriter-guitarist Glenn Mercer.
Much like Dangerous Game, this year's solo debut from the Shangri-Las' Mary Weiss, this disc sounds like a natural, organic extension of Mercer's strengths and taste without seeming like a slavish attempt to recreate the past. That being said, Wheels In Motion does include most of the former Feelies as guests, with latter-day members Stanley Demeski (drums) and Brenda Sauter-Barnes, more recently of Wild Carnation (bass) playing on five songs each.
Mercer's tasteful and subtle arrangements really shine here. So many times on this disc, a verse morphs into a chorus so seamlessly, with just a slight shift of the melody, or the chord progression, or even the percussion, most often supplied by another ex-Feelie, Dave Weckerman. The mix of acoustic and electric guitars is especially thrilling, particularly on the title track, where Mercer's slide work conjures up the ghost of George Harrison. Harrison's specter returns on the disc's finale, a medley of Within You, Without You and Love You To.
The vocals include some of the best of Mercer's career. There's an intimacy on Another Last Time that he's rarely, if ever, shown before and the song really benefits from the delivery. At the other end of the spectrum is the building intensity, both vocally and instrumentally, of Until It's Clear. Anton Fier, the Feelies' drummer for their 1980 debut LP Crazy Rhythms, plays on one song only, Whatever Happened, and it's this track that most displays the perpetually nervous sound of the band's early days. All the songs are strong, with variations in feel and tempo that make the whole disc flow very well.
After hearing a collection of songs as strong as this, one can only hope that we'll be hearing from Glenn Mercer a lot more often in the near future.

I'm 50 years old and always a music lover but, I have never felt compelled to write any kind of review. I just had to say something. I never thought I'd hear new 'Feelies' type music again. Why does this music make me feel soooo good? Why do I want to hum along? What makes it different? I don't know, but I'm glad I have some new ones to hum along to.

Cheers

Mark

I keep playing this over and over at home, then continue listening to it on my iPod when I go out. It feels good to be buoyed along on those one-of-kind Mercer/Feelies rhythms and Mercer's soothing voice. I'd put it right up near "The Good Earth," yet it is no re-hash. The songs on this feel warmer, offer more space, and the tempo is easygoing compared with the urgency felt in most tracks on "The Good Earth." Ironically, the only song I don't care for (hey, just me) is the title track, "Wheels in Motion." Sounds like some unmemorable 80s Brit-pop song, not much of a melody, droning, and saccharine (musically). But that's quibbling. The rest-- wonderful.

This isn't one of those solo albums with one or two strong tracks embedded in filler. I wasn't sure upon first listen, but now I know they're all good. Oddly, the title track strikes me as the weakest, but it's still not weak.
Most of these songs generally fit the delicious Feelies pattern - acoustic guitar rhythm building up to an electric guitar solos. I never get tired of it. My personal favorites are Until It's Clear, In Real Time, Whatever Happened and Two Rights, which all sound similar to, and as good as, the best of the Feelies' Only Life album. I think at least 4 other tracks are almost as good.

I consider the Feelies one of the best american band ever. It seems like it was much of Mr Mercer's doing, since this album is as good as , say "the good earth". The lyrics are still simple and down to the point, a style I love, I find it very authentic. Mainly though, they reveal a man who found the path to becoming " who we really are" and calls us to take it ASAP, since he's aware that not much time is left to choose the light, and find the courage to do the work of resolving the ego. Soon, those who chose to keep their ego-personality will be removed from the planet, leaving the Children of the ONE on a peaceful earth, finally. Thank you Glenn, your album will most likely be my favorite of 2007.

A great meditative album that recalls the best work of Glenn Mercer's old band the Feelies. Richness of sound great guitars.

The Feelies may be the greatest unheralded band of the late 80s. They were a combination of The Beatles and The Velvet Underground with a bit of "new wave" (in the best sense of the word) sensibility.

What a treat & delight to have Feelies leader Glenn Mercer back on his debut solo outing. And what a trip that twenty years later, this sounds like another Feelies record. While such a comment could be mistaken as a backhanded insult (i.e., why hasn't his sound evolved in 20 years?), it should not be taken this way. The Feelies had a perfect -- truly perfect -- formula, and three cheers to Glenn for not trying too hard to tinker with it.

If you like guitars, you'll like this disc.

This is easily one of the year's ten best.

a flush of warmth, a very welcomed invitation to again take the ride.
independent music so far away from "indipendent"
so far away from almost anything fancy and stuff.
Discrete, modest, clear, mature.

My album of the year.

Thank You for being out there.

I haven't been mesmerized by anything in a while ~ until listened to this. I love this cd.

This record is as good as anything the Feelies have ever done but with warmer textures and a little more focus. Mercer's signature guitar sound is still the driving force behind these richly melodic, sometimes jangley songs. If you appreciate the work of the Feelies (or like the mellower moments of the V.U.), don't hesitate to pick this one up. I acquire several new records a month and this one always seems to make it back to the top of the heap.