Ignite The Seven Cannons

[foxtrot]

Hallo all

I'm currently putting together a fanzine about Felt (no booing at the back please). I'm a huge fan of Ignite The Seven Cannons, their mid-period album which - as I'm sure everyone knows - was produced by Robin Guthrie. Many Felt fans seem to disagree and they often seem to pick on the production, for example in Simon Allum (http://www.incendiarymag.com/node/788)'s write-up.

I wanted to ask if there was anyone on the forums who was a fan of the album and might want to write a partisan defense of it as a guest writer on our zine blog (http://foxtrotecholimatango.blogspot.com)..?

Mike

[Bettina]

Hello Mike,

I love this album, although it's not my favourite, even though it contains the fabulous Primitive Painters. Over the years I have wondered what it might be like with a cleaner sound - there's so much going on in there that, to use someone else's analogy, it's like seeing something beautiful through a dirty window.

I don't think I could persuade anyone to love it if they don't already. But please keep us posted on the Felt fanzine. Good luck :)

[Ghosty]

pick on the production, for example in Simon Allum (http://www.incendiarymag.com/node/788)'s write-up.

Produced by Robin Guthrie, the result is typically muddy and confused. The guitar is loaded with chorus, the drums bathed in echo and that eighties recording technique for drums. You know. The bass for whales. The keys muted, but absolutely vital. The voice soaked in reverb. The resultant sound is a wash. It's hard to make out who is doing what. It's a work of genius.

Call me naive, but I think he kinda likes the production.

I have a Felt question. I do not own this album, so can't check for details, but I gather that Liz is credited for vocals on 'Primitive Painters' only. But I think I read somewhere that she's on 'The Day The Rain Came Down' aswell.
The backing vocals behind the lines ...and I was thinking back to the time when I was nine and
you were ten
you had a magic set that turned me into you then I said
hey the day the rain came down
definitely sound like her. Does anyone know for sure?

[foxtrot]

Call me naive, but I think he kinda likes the production.

Ghosty, you're quite right that the Allum verdict is ambiguous - he obviously likes the album in spite/because of what he sees as production flaws... maybe a better example of the orthodox verdict on Ignite in Alastair Fitchett's article (http://www.twee.net/bands/f/felt.html).

I can, however, confirm that it is indeed Liz on backing in The Day The Rain Came Down.

[postlibyan]

from that last link, re: CT:

" Feted mainly for singer Elizabeth Fraser's vocal style, really they were little more than Victorian Gothic Whimsy. "

i love that phrase "victorian gothic whimsy"!

PJK

[paulr]

i love that phrase "victorian gothic whimsy"!

PJK

Will we ever see the phrase used in one of your reviews PJ ??

[postlibyan]

Will we ever see the phrase used in one of your reviews PJ ?? hmm. well, i can try and work it in, but it doesn't really apply to much. let's just say that i will save it for future reference, and if it comes in handy, great!

PJK

[Ghosty]

I can, however, confirm that it is indeed Liz on backing in The Day The Rain Came Down.

Excellent! How do you know? Is it in the album credits? I read some online reviews today that confirm this too.

[foxtrot]

Excellent! How do you know? Is it in the album credits? I read some online reviews today that confirm this too.

My very well-informed fanzine co-editor Christian confirmed! From his encyclopedic knowledge, or possibly from checking the album sleeve...

[Bettina]

I don't remember seeing it on the sleeve but it's been a long time since I looked at it...(goes off to look for Felt records, may be some time)

[Ghosty]

My very well-informed fanzine co-editor Christian confirmed! From his encyclopedic knowledge, or possibly from checking the album sleeve...
cool. Good enough for me. i'll add it to my Liz collabs comp.