Felt
Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death (Felt Re-issue Series Number 5/Cherry Red)

I've hovered around the perimeter of getting into Felt for some time, daunted by their extensive discography and the large risk that most of it would prove to be pointless. They have their supporters, certainly (Felt is to Belle & Sebastian what Wire is to REM or caramel is to Dulce de Leche), but I'm always skeptical of a band whose legacy seems more protected than promoted … it seems like a cult that won't let you in, and I hate not being able to join a cult.

Cherry Red has been reissuing the Felt catalog a piece at a time, so I figured now was as good a time as any to dive in. And here's how not to get into Felt: start with Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death.

The opening track, "Song For William S. Harvey," is deliriously good, a clear antecedent to "Seeing Other People" by B & S, despite being instrumental. It's an audacious opening track, whetting the appetite like an impeccable crabcake.

I figured things would really get underway with track two, but much to my surprise, it also was an instrumental. My amazement deepened with track three, when I realized that I had bought, as my first Felt album, an entirely instrumental one. It's like starting listening to The Beatles with Side 2 of Yellow Submarine.

The album is fair enough, but clearly slight on every level. It's literally 18 minutes long, for one thing. And it mostly sounds like a compilation of score music from a bunch of early-90s indie films, with drony organs, trinkly pianos, super-basic drums, strummy guitars, and an overall vibe of home recording. Perhaps it's a good soundtrack for writing self-pitying letters to pen-pals, who knows.

At worst, it comes off like they got a record 75% finished then bailed on adding any vocals. This might make it good for some really wimpy mash-ups … or perhaps someone on Shelflife should write some strong vocal melodies and release a vocal version of the record. Or perhaps Belle & Sebastian has already done that; who would know the difference?

Loud Bassoon rating scale

Review by Rad Brad