Customer Reviews

Ignite The Seven Cannons

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This collection represents the finest moments from one of my favorite 80's brit bands. The depressing "talk-singing" of Lawrence melds beautifully with the effervescent guitar work of Deebank. It may take several (maybe more) listens to appreciate, but it's worth the investment. The tunes, though fairly simple, have a way of ingraining themselves into your subconscious. More depressing and less accessible than the Smiths, but easily more artistic. Take a chance on this one, before the label deletes it.

this cd is wonderful,flowing,inspiring,beautiful,and mesmerizing. Great for a lazy sunday afternoon and a must have for any real music collector!!!!!!!! i love this cd it brings me back to the old days of highschool in fl. me and best friend would sit in her room and listen to felt's albums great memories. DO INVEST IN THIS CD

This is simply one of the best pop albums ever. The melodies are beautiful, the minimalist counterpoint phenomenally deft. "Primitive Painters" is a long-lost classic....how this song avoided the mainstream is beyond me. "The Day the Rain Came Down" is a pop gem, and the instrumental "Serpent Shade" is hauntingly beautiful. If you're a fan of Belle & Sebastian, The Smiths, and other such bands, the shimmering beauty of Felt is something you'll definitely want to check out. It's addictive!

I am writing this review to warn as many innocent people as I can: Felt IS ADDICTIVE! Seriously. I imagine that either you will not find this music interesting in the least, or you will become obsessed as I have. Since I got this release I have been unable to keep from listening to it for more than 3 days. I find it especially enjoyable while in the shower. Try it out and let me know what YOU think. Oh yeah, this record has a great cover! The bar code placement is a little different than other releases. The thumbnail image doesn't do the color justice. Pantone 5285 (my guess).

Felt

1. Forever Breathes The Lonely Word
2. Splendor of Fear
3. Strange Idol Patterns
4. Me and A Monkey on the Moon
5. Pictorial Jackson Review
6. Ignite the Seven Cannons

Buy Accordingly

i first heard this album back in the eighties. a friend of mine dubbed me a copy on cassette and i listened to it like crazy. of course, the days of cassette are long gone, and i stopped listening to my copy, but i never forgot about it. for whatever reason, i never replaced it on cd either; that is until now. honestly, for the past, what--15 years or so--since i was listening to that cassette in my car, songs from this album would randomly pop in my head. it is wonderfully catchy, mystifyingly moving, and just brilliant. after listening you may wonder if there could have been a belle and sebastian without felt. just can't say enough. and it is true that felt is the kind of band wherein you either love them or hate them--but then all the best things seem to be that way, aren't they?

This album gets slighted a lot, and I don't fully understand why. The biggest single complaint seems to be Robyn Guthrie's heavy-handed production, which smothers Felt's songs in the Cocteau Twins' trademark ethereal, processed, chorus-laden sound. It seems a lot of people just don't dig this, which I suppose is understandable. However, I think it's easily one of Felt's very best albums, and I actually think Guthrie's atmospheric production works. Maybe it's because I'm a huge Cocteau Twins fan, but for me the production doesn't detract from what I see as Felt at a stunning creative peak.

Ignoring the production for a moment, the music here is first rate. From start to finish, the album is highly consistent. Lawrence and co. are becoming increasingly comfortable playing with more conventional pop forms, creating infectious and engaging hooks with apparent ease. Yet lead guitarist Deebank's dexterously melodic playing is as shimmering and awe-inspiring as ever, while smart and moody chord progressions keep the songs interesting and unpredictable. Crucial here is the addition of Martin Duffy, whose rich Hammond organ fills out the sound, often harmonizing with the guitars in a mesmerizing, sophisticated way. Guthrie's production actually squeezes everything together seamlessly into a swirling, gauzy blanket of atmosphere. But ultimately, the songs are strong enough to stand up to the wall-of-Guthrie sound without drowning in it.

Many people know this album's epic, mid-80s college radio hit "Primitive Painters," which features the soaring backing vocals of Cocteau Twins singer Liz Frazier. It's a great song, but doesn't fully represent the variety of moods - from brooding/dark to poppy/sparkling - found here. Frazier adds more subtle backing vocals to the energetic and dizzyingly melodic "The Day the Rain Came Down." That song is followed by a string of gloriously melodic pop tunes, rounding out the first half. The second half is heavier on the instrumentals, which vary from stormy and energized, to delicate and shimmering. All in all, a consistently gripping and adventurous album.

If you love Felt but can't stand the Cocteau Twins, I would suggest approaching this album with caution, while trying hard to keep an open mind.

If you only buy this CD for track #14, Primitive Painters, it is worth the cost. I give the overall album 3 stars, but this song 5+. I hadn't heard this song for 13 years, but after dreaming about this song recently, (yes, this song has been eternally etched in my brain!), I had to hear it again, and again and again... Felt reminds me of Chameleons UK. A lot. Very intricate and intense instrumentals...the sound really takes you back to an era of British pop and quality talent. Enjoy.

This album combines two records, Strange Idol Pattern from 1984, and Ignite the Seven Cannons from 1985. This music follows close on the heels of Felt's first and best work: The Splendour of Fear.

Overall, the 1984 record (Strange Idol) works better than the 1985 record (where they replaced their original bass player M. Lloyd with keyboardist M. Duffy). As a single CD, the music and sequencing of the tracks don't make much sense (not surprising since the two records were just put one after the other, in reverse chronological order with the 1985 record first).

Felt's music here is similar to the Speldour of Fear: lyrics that don't make much sense, vocals that are usually buried in the mix, and very strong sometime beautiful guitar work by Maurice Deebank. Some standout tracks are: Sempiternal Darkness, Spanish House, The Day the Rain Came Down, and Elegance of an Only Dream.

Sadly, they also have some rather poor tracks like: Whirlpool Vision of Shame, Caspian See (their spelling, not mine), and Black Ship in the Harbor.

Bottom line: enjoyable wierd music with some wonderful moments, worth more than one listen.