Ignite the Seven Cannons [Remastered CD & 7'' Vinyl Boxset] in Bloomington, MN

By the time
Felt
were ready to record their fourth album,
Ignite the Seven Cannons
, they had enough momentum that they could convince
the Cocteau Twins
'
Robin Guthrie
to produce. All it took was
Lawrence
signing a contract stating he would vacate the premises when it came time to mix the record, and the band and producer were ready to work on a set of assured, melodically challenging songs.
's continued growth as a songwriter and singer is clear right away on a pair of brilliant pop songs that kick off the album. "My Darkest Light Will Shine" is a lovely, melancholy midtempo ballad that features new member
Martin Duffy
's swirling organ snaking around
Maurice Deebank
's trademark guitar arpeggios; "The Day the Rain Came Down" is a jangling, uptempo rocker that features background harmonies and
's best deadpan vocals. Both songs also show what
Guthrie
was bringing to the mix: lots and lots of reverb and other effects. Not quite enough to drown the songs, but more than many might deem necessary. The rest of the record doesn't let down much;
's lyrics are heartbreakingly honest,
Duffy
and
Deebank
form an unbeatable team, and the rhythm section of bassist
Marco Thomas
and drummer
Gary Ainge
keeps things light yet still firmly anchored. It's the biggest-sounding record
had done to date, and it contains their biggest single too. "Primitive Painters" is six minutes of post-punk heaven, the one song where the dreaminess of
and the spiky glory of
truly come together.
's plaintive pleas are balanced by
Elizabeth Fraser
's ecstatic wail;
's organ chords swell like the ocean while
drops in occasionally to scorch the speakers with lightning-fast lines. By the end of the song the whole band is locked in and reaching epic heights. As with
The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories
, instrumentals take a back seat to
's songs and the couple here are mostly forgettable, though "Southern State Tapestry" ends the record on a pleasantly jangly note. There's just no way that they could compete with songs as wrenching as "Black Ship in the Harbour" or as dramatic as "Caspian See." Despite the sonic murk
drowns the songs in, they are another strong and emotionally powerful batch.
is clearly on a creative roll here, and the expanded band is right there with him. [Since the album's release,
felt adamant that
's production ruined the songs. With the reissue of the album on
Cherry Red
in 2018, he was able to redress the situation. He and producer
John A. Rivers
took the master tapes (which
had stolen back in the '80s) to the studio and demixed the
-produced songs with vocals by stripping away the layers of reverb. (Only "Primitive Painters" wasn't retouched because
had a hand in mixing that song.) The new mixes are jarring, but after a few spins the starker sound does in fact allow the melodies to breathe a little more. While putting the album back together,
decided to cut an instrumental -- "Serpent Shade" -- to give the two sides of the record more balance. The CD package also contains a collection of posters, reproductions of gig fliers, badges, and a 7" with the 1984 single "Mexican Bandits."] ~ Tim Sendra