The Features

  1. Home
  2. Wiki
This article is about the U.S. rock band. For other uses, see feature (disambiguation).

The Features
The Features in December 2009
The Features in December 2009
Background information
OriginSparta, Tennessee, United States of America
GenresIndie rock, indie pop, neo-psychedelia
Years active1994–2016
LabelsSpongebath Records
Fierce Panda
Universal Records
Serpents & Snakes
YK Records
MembersMatt Pelham
Roger Dabbs
Rollum Haas
Mark Bond
Past membersDon Sergio
Jason Taylor
Parrish Yaw
WebsiteThe Features

The Features is an American indie rock band from Sparta, Tennessee. The original lineup consisted of Matt Pelham, Roger Dabbs, and Don Sergio. The most recent iteration consists of Pelham, Dabbs, Rollum Haas, and Mark Bond. They have released five full-length albums, three EPs, and many singles. The band played from 1994-2016 but still lives on under YK Records with rereleases and more. You might know them from the song “From Now On” featured on the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 soundtrack. Additionally the band has played Bonnaroo and has appeared multiple times as musical guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live! playing some of their biggest hits like “The Way It’s Meant To Be”.

History

[edit]

Matt Pelham, Roger Dabbs, Don Sergio, and Parrish Yaw attended middle school together in the small rural town of Sparta, Tennessee. Pelham, Dabbs, and Sergio started a band when they were in the eighth grade out of boredom, playing covers of acts like Camper Van Beethoven, Neil Young, and Guns N' Roses. While in high school, they played local events like parties and talent shows. After graduation, Pelham and Dabbs moved to Murfreessboro to study music at Middle Tennessee State University while Sergio and Yaw went to Tennessee Technological University in nearby Cookeville. Pelham and Dabbs brought classmate Jason Taylor on to play drums, while Sergio brought Yaw on to play keyboards. The Features graduated to playing various bars and clubs around Murfreesboro and Nashville, eventually dropping out of college to focus on the band. Within a few years they had become a Murfreesboro fixture and signed a deal with Spongebath Records, a local independent label that featured several of the biggest rock acts in the Nashville area, such as Self, The Katies, and Fluid Ounces.

The Features EP, The Beginning, Exhibit A, and Universal (1994-2004)

[edit]

Their first release, a six-song self-titled EP, was released in 1997. Soon after, original members Don Sergio and Jason Taylor both left the band. Taylor was replaced by Rollum Haas while Sergio was not replaced. In 1998, the band recorded a full-length demo for Spongebath that was never released, although two tracks from the sessions, "Thursday" and "Rabbit March," were later released as a limited 10" vinyl record.

The Features Bumper Sticker

In 2001, they released their second EP The Beginning. Which has had 3 alternative covers. The original cover, The Fierce Panda 2003 rerelease cover, and the 2004 Universal Records rerelease cover. The 2004 rerelease’s cover is the cover used on streaming and also has the song “The Way It’s Meant To Be”. Then in 2002 Fictitious Records released their single Buffalo Head. There were only 250 copies made. The title song is about the band’s struggle to find a record label and the rejection that came with it. Yet soon after the band’s incessant touring and critical buzz eventually led to a deal with Universal Records. While with Universal Records they released their first album Exhibit A. on September 14, 2004. The album had 3 singles all with music videos. The singles were “The Way It’s Meant To Be”. Which released in 2003. "There's a Million Ways to Sing the Blues" and “Leave It All Behind”. Which both released in 2004. Later in 2004 they released the Christmas song “The New Xmas Wishbook” also known as “The New Christmas Whishbook”. Yet commonly mis-titled as “Father Christmas” on different streaming platforms. Then the song “Blow It Out” off Exhibit A got both a single and music video in 2005. But Universal Records did not release the band’s second album, Some Kind of Salvation due to creative differences between the band and Universal, their contract was dissolved shortly before the scheduled recording sessions for the album, leaving The Features without a label. In the wake of this decision, keyboardist Parrish Yaw left the band and was replaced by Mark Bond.[1]

Contrast, and Some Kind of Salvation (2006-2009)

[edit]

In 2006 the band did a single with the band Slack. Slack did the a-side with their song “Late Night” and The Features did the b-side with a song called “End Of The World”. It was the last record with Parrish. On October 25, 2006, The Features self-released their third EP Contrast. It was the band’s first thing after the creative differences with Universal and acquiring Mark for keyboard. In 2007, they won the international Diesel:U:Music Awards, placing first in the Rock/Indie category and in the Public Vote award.[2] In 2008, they released their second full-length album, Some Kind of Salvation. In 2009, the band performed “The Way It’s Meant To Be” at the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival they went on to win the regional competition of "Bonnaroo 8 Off 8th" in Nashville by placing first with a panel of judges and a public vote.[3][4] The band soon gained a lot of exposure opening for Kings of Leon on various tours. On June 23, 2008 they released their second album Some Kind of Salvation. The album has 2 bonus tracks “Now You Know” and “Mosis Tosis” that were only released on the vinyl version of the album. The album is the only studio album by the band to not have any singles. On June 17, 2009, Bug Music CEO John Rudolph announced that his company and Kings of Leon would be entering into a joint venture to establish a new record label imprint (later named "Serpents & Snakes"). For this new imprint, Kings of Leon has the freedom to sign and champion artists of their choice. The Features were the first band to be signed to the imprint, and the first release as part of the deal was a re-release of the Some Kind of Salvation LP on July 28, 2009.[5]

Wilderness, The Features, and Sunset Rock (2010-2019)

[edit]

In 2010, the band was the opening act for Manchester Orchestra, an indie rock band from Atlanta that shares a similar sound. Their song "From Now On" appeared on the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 soundtrack, released in November 2011. In a review of the soundtrack for Allmusic, Heather Phares called attention to the song, saying that it "turns that happiness [of finding a soulmate] into energetic pop."[6] On July 26, 2011, the Features released their third album, Wilderness. A track from that album, "How It Starts," was featured in a 2012 commercial for the 2013 Ford Mustang and in the video game Saints Row IV the following year.[7] The album had 3 singles, Rambo, How It Starts, and, Another One. Both Another One and How It Starts both had music videos. In late 2012, the band went on a European tour with concerts in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Gent.[8][9][10][11][12] In May 2012, they announced that they were working on a new full-length album.[13] Their fourth album which was self-titled, The Features (The Features album) , was released on May 14, 2013. The album had the single This Disorder which was the band’s highest-charting single to date. The song also had a music video. [14] On October 19th 2014 they released the single Good Old Days with the b-side Two Hearts. Two Hearts later got a music video. Then on July 19th 2016, their fifth album, Sunset Rock was released. Sunset Rock was self-released because Serpents and Snakes stoped putting out more stuff in 2013. The album also produced the single “Connie”. Since then the band has only performed together publicly once since a show at Exit-In in Nashville during the Summer of 2016 and that was when they played at a church with Don Sergio On December 13, 2019.

The band now (2023-Present)

[edit]

While they are not currently playing together or making new music the band lives on under YK Records. In 2023 YK Records released The Mahaffey Sessions 1999 which were sessions done with Matt Mahaffey of the Murfreesboro based band, Self (band). YK Records also re-released the band’s second album Some Kind Of Salvation in 2024 with 4 bonus tracks. Additionally Matt started a new band titled Matt and the Watt Gives with a self titled album which released June 13th 2025. Matt and the Watt Gives first show was in March 2024 and was in Sparta, Tennessee keeping it close to humble beginnings of The Features.

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
  • The Mississippi Album 1998 (Un-released)
  • The Rawlings Recordings 1999 (Un-released)
  • The Mahaffey Sessions 1999 (YK Records, Un-released until 2023)
  • Exhibit A (Universal Records, 2004)
  • Some Kind of Salvation (self-released, 2008; Serpents & Snakes, 2009; YK Records, 2024)
  • Wilderness (Serpents & Snakes, 2011)
  • The Features (Serpents & Snakes, 2013)
  • Sunset Rock (self-released, 2016)

Extended plays

[edit]

Singles

[edit]

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name.

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
Alt
"Thursday" 2000 — Non-album single
"Buffalo Head" 2002 — Non-album single
"The Way It's Meant to Be" 2004 — The Beginning EP
"There's a Million Ways to Sing the Blues" — Exhibit A
"Leave It All Behind" —
"The New Xmas Wishbook" — Non-album single
"Blow It Out" 2005 — Exhibit A
"The Way It's Meant to Be" (Re-release) —
"Late Night" 2006 — Non-album single
"Rambo" 2011 — Wilderness
"How It Starts" 2012 39
"Another One" —
"This Disorder" 2013 33 The Features
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Music videos

[edit]
Year Video Director
2003 "That's the Way It's Meant to Be"
2004 "Leave It All Behind" Saint Gorilla
"A Million Ways to Sing the Blues" Chad Denning
2005 "Blow It Out"
2009 "Lions"
2011 "Content"
2012 "Another One" Ryan Newman
"How It Starts"
2013 "This Disorder"
2014 "Two Hearts" Justin East

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Tracy Moore (September 6, 2006). "Back to the Drawing Board". Nashville Scene. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  2. ^ Hilton, Beth (October 4, 2007). "Features triumph at Diesel:U:Music awards". Digital Spy. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
  3. ^ Rodgers, D Patrick (March 24, 2009). "The Road to Bonnaroo Starts With The Features...by One Vote!?!". NashvilleScene.com. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
  4. ^ "2009 Bonnaroo Artists". Bonnaroo.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2011. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
  5. ^ "Kings of Leon to Launch New Record Label Imprint". KingsofLeon.com. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  6. ^ "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Pt. 1 (Original Soundtrack)". Allmusic. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  7. ^ "Commercial for the 2013 Ford Mustang". YouTube. February 24, 2012. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  8. ^ "Interview: Nashville rockers The Features chat Kings of Leon support, live music and return to Manchester". Mancunian Matters. September 12, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  9. ^ "thefeatures: Glasgow at King Tut's Wah Wah". Twitter. September 14, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  10. ^ "thefeatures: Playing the @BrumBallroom in Birmingham, UK". Twitter. September 15, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  11. ^ "thefeatures: Playing Amsterdam tonight". Twitter. September 17, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  12. ^ "thefeatures: Hitting the @MagnetClub in Berlin". Twitter. September 19, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  13. ^ "The Features - Fan Question: I heard that you have finished the new album...when is it coming out?". June 5, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  14. ^ Stephen Trageser (May 16, 2013). "The Features grow up, not old, on their self-titled full-length". Retrieved May 17, 2013.
[edit]