[new album] Toadies - Feeler Finally Gets Release

After 12 Years, Feeler Gets Proper Release

For the long-time readers who have followed Three Colours from the very beginning, you're probably aware of my in-your-face love affair with the Toadies. No matter what you think, the band's debut LP Rubberneck still ranks in my top 10 albums of all time. With that said, I want to share a little history lesson for those not so infatuated with these Texas rockers:

A long time ago (1994 to be precise), the Toadies released Rubberneck during the post-grunge movement, and my infatuation to "Possum Kingdom" was born. After extensive touring, awesome MTV appearances (see below), and multiplatinum success, the band returned to the studio for the recording of their sophomore effort. What they recorded in that hot summer of 1997 became a collection of songs that comprised the LP Feeler. Unfortunately for the Toadies, Interscope Records was not impressed and decided to can the project.

Dejected and upset, the Toadies continued to rock across the country, and later recorded an entirely new album Hell Below / Stars Above in 2001. Most of the Feeler tracks can be found on the Internet, but these rough recording sessions deserved a proper release. Luckily the Toadies felt the same way, because they just announced that they've explored the archives and are set to finally release Feeler! In a bizarre twist of fate, the LP has been re-recorded (Exile on Main St.-style) and is set to drop this summer. A tour will follow the album's release, which includes a Seattle date on July 28 at the Showbox (Tickets $18).

And after the summer and fall touring, the Toadies plan to re-enter the studio to record a batch of new songs. With a little luck there will be another Toadies record out in early 2011.

July 28 // The Toadies @ The Showbox (Tickets $18)

UPDATE :: According to DC9 over at The Dallas Observer, the album will be available as a digital release and as a tour souvenir almost as soon as the band finishes mixing and mastering the album in coming weeks. Also, it's not necessarily the exact same album: "Some Feeler songs didn't make the cut. And other songs, including, perhaps, a thus-far unnamed Beatles cover, may wind up on the newly recorded album." This version of Feeler is apparently the band's interpretation of those songs, completely new and completely from scratch.