As comebacks go, this one is about as unlikely as it gets. For many years Feeder were just another bog-standard indie band, flogging their dreary brand of gormless power pop to an ever-dwindling fanbase. Then, ten months ago, drummer Jon Lee committed suicide. For the band to return at all after that is remarkable; that they've come back with easily their best album to date is a minor miracle. Comfort In Sound doesn't necessarily have any more depth than their earlier material but it's an awful lot more accomplished, driven by crunchy guitars, soaring harmonies and a decent number of memorable tunes. And for the very first time songwriter Grant Nicholas seems to have given his lyrics some proper attention, touching on issues of loss and redemption with a restraint that makes them all the more affecting. If you wanted to be harsh, you could say he's still not a particularly distinctive singer, and that this is likely to remain the band's Achilles heel. Overall, however, this is Feeder's finest moment - and no-one could possibly begrudge it to them.
