Description
Label Review.
1985 album remastered. Six songs remixed. Features Elizabeth Fraser on ‘Primitive Painters’. With bonus 7” single and memorabilia. Also available on vinyl.
Our Overview.
Emerging from the late seventies, post punk, independent scene, Felt attracted the attention of a very young Cherry Red Records who released their first four albums between 1982-1985. Frontman Lawrence (no surname) had issued a solo 7” single called “Index” in 1979 of which he sent a copy to John Peel. Thinking it had got lost in the post (because Peel hadn’t played it) he sent him another. After it still failed to get airplay, he wrote a “vitriolic” letter to him asking him to return the records if he wasn’t going to play it. In the “Lawrence Of Belgravia” documentary, Lawrence shows the copy that John Peel returned with a note saying “Could only find 1 copy. Send me a bill for the record and I’ll send you the money”!
Despite the setback, now with a band and a small following helped by their first interview in ‘Sounds’, Felt signed with Cherry Red who stood by the band and their small sales. John Leckie produced their third album , the acclaimed ‘The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories’ before a breakthrough with their next album, 1985’s ‘Ignite The Seven Cannons’.
Produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins and featuring the skyscraping vocal of Elizabeth Fraser on the mighty “Primitive Painters”, Felt found themselves at the top of the independent charts. Unhappy with the overall sound though – it was as if some of Lawrence’s best songs were lost in an “ethereal swirl.”, producer of their first two abums, John A. Rivers has been given access to the original master tapes and six songs have been remixed. Also – side 2 has been focused, edited and “made symmetrical.” Finally these songs can be heard as intended by Felt. It has become at long last a cohesive whole.
After this the band signed with Creation Records who also failed to get Felt mainstream. By 1989, Felt were back with Cherry Red for one last album before Lawrence retired the name and formed Denim. This reissue is part of a set which sees Felt’s first five albums reissued and remastered.