White trainer man will tremble, his t-shirt logo will melt and hair gel will be banned from all kingdoms.
White trainer man will tremble, his t-shirt logo will melt and hair gel will be banned from all kingdoms.
A voyage to Illumination; Felt – Ignite the Seven Cannons
I own just three records which contain the meaning of life and the answer to every question posed by mankind. After a shit day, there is comfort to be had in knowing that these records are leaning against a table in my living room. Felt made 10 albums in 10 years. Nine of these records were very, very good indeed and one, Ignite the Seven Cannons, contained a secret. Obviously, the content is not for everyone. That would be ridiculous. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is wayward nostalgia; I was lucky enough to discover this record fairly recently, in 2002 at the age of 29. During one evening in September 2003 the secret was revealed, information was imparted, and I could add a 3rd recording to my list. (I was overjoyed actually. For a long time I was unhappy with there being only 2 of these records in existence. It wasn’t right. Why only two? I have a feeling there are others, but doubt if I will ever find them. After 23 years of listening, three is ok.)
The candle that sits on my table reminds me of a church I once visited in the Beguinage, Bruges. A sense of faith is the memory that is rekindled. A vast chamber is captured in the tiny flame. The secret in my Felt album is no such association. It is present on the recording itself, whether it be compact disc, tape or vinyl. (After some consternation, I can report it is also present on mp3 files, for those of you who have no taste or decency).
And, if you require a warning, the almost pornographic richness of the revelation does require a sympathetic environmental arrangement. It is best to play this record in near darkness. In a pre-heated room. Chemical assistance may serve to dampen the effect.
There is no best before date for this recording.
For the most part, Lawrence wrote song titles before any songs were written. He came up with some right belters, let me tell you. I have no idea if he was aware of anything odd at the time of recording this particular album, and if I ever meet him it’ll be the first thing I ask. It’s also worth noting that Maurice Deebank left the band immediately after recording for this album had finished. Immediately. Straight from the studio. Gone. Perhaps he knew. I said to the blazing moon / I want to be what I want to be.
Coming in at an awkward angle, and maintaining course until completion, this recording slices through a part of the brain which is rarely troubled in these desperate days. The key is thrust into the lock and with one turn, a new personal dimension becomes available.
As far as the mechanics go, this record stands somewhat aloof in the Felt catalogue. It doesn’t sound like it belongs. This is because no Felt records belong. 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. But I dont care for production details.
Well, its time for summing up now. The hidden connection is stronger than the obvious one. Especially if you would like to magnify distant objects. White trainer man will tremble, his t-shirt logo will melt and hair gel will be banned from all kingdoms. So, for God’s sake, and all right minds who serve, please do your duty.
When Helena Petrovna finally fled, she saw it all. You dont have to go to all that effort. Ignite the Seven Cannons is freely available across Western Europe.