Now don’t get me wrong, Soccer Mommy has produced some great songs, big fan. However there is one thing that is reaaaally bugging me and that is how her most popular song “Circle The Drain” rips off the song “High” by “Feeder”.
Soccer Mommy - Circle The Drain
Feeder - High
I know Soccer Mommy’s one has a different chorus and vocal line, but the main guitar line and the drum rhythm that goes with it are so similar to Feeder I originally thought it was a surprising sample. However, it seems that not only is it not a sample, but I’m the only person out there who this annoyed.
I tried to Google it assuming it was a cover or a nod at least, but only found a reference in The Guardian’s review of it, and a review from @OceanStormon some other website. Neither suggesting there was anything nefarious to how much Feeder were being ripped off.
I then discovered that Soccer Mommy had done an episode of Song Exploder talking about the song, and was sure I’d discover a confession or some sort of songwriting royalty. I listened to the episode and it even features a stripped-down excerpt of the acoustic chord progression which in isolation sounds even more like Feeder, but did she mention the fact that the riff was stolen? No, no she did not.
I don’t know why this is annoying me so much, maybe because when I was a teenager I loved that Feeder song, so this is probably about me more than anyone else, but it means that I cannot listen to the Soccer Mommy song at all as a result.
Having not knowingly heard either before (though likely heard at least the Feeder one passively) and listening to them both now my conclusion is: they do indeed sound similar
They do sound similar, but “ripping off”? Is it even likely that an American who probably wasn’t born when that Feeder song came out has even heard it?
Same! That first album admittedly was just a rip off of the band-who-can-not-be-named, but I loved it regardless (and the EP before it). Was so disappointed when they developed their own sound on the second album, should have stuck to being a covers band.
Perhaps not, but considering how much she talks about songs of an era in that song exploder episode (and it’s that era) and how the song writing started with the chord progression which is exactly the same, with the same rhythm and everything, I reckon it’s most likely something that was there subconsciously.
