Me and a Monkey on the Moon

Felt's final offering, I wonder whee they would have been today if they'd stuck together & followed this (august)path? With origins in introspective indie pop they suddenly tuned sideways & came up with what may be the first alt. country album. It was a big deal in those days to break out a steel guitar, but listen to it yearn in" I can't make love ..." there's also sufficient toe tapping jangling pop to satisfy a Brian Wilson fan & Lawrence's voice is restrained & expressive the whole way through. I'm only a little worried by the guitar break in "New Day Dawning", which is a little too similar to the Carpenter's "Goodbye To Love" for my liking.
This should have been their commercial breakthrough, as it is it's their pop legacy.
It belongs in all right thinking people's collections!

Rating: 6.5/10

Best songs: "Down an August Path", "I Can't Make Love to You Anymore", "Free"

Ten albums and ten singles in ten years. That was the plan, and Lawrence stayed true to his word, calling it quits on Felt after this, which was something of an artistic recovery after the disappointing Train Above the City. Yet this swansong is also quite unusual in that for a Felt album, it sounds....well, normal! Produced by Adrian Borland, lead singer of the 1980's other great underrated band (The Sound), Felt had never sounded as polished and mainstream as they do here; the playing is immaculate, refined, and to be honest, lacking in edge. For some, this sleek new direction might prove a turn-off, and yes, there's none of the strange magic of their earlier, classic records.

Still, it's a good album, beautifully played and sung throughout; the opening "I Can't Make Love To You Anymore" is just so very lovely, a slightly country-tinged ballad with some sweet, tender guitar and a great chorus. "Mobile Shack", with its kooky keyboard effects here and there, hint at the direction Lawrence would pursue with his next band Denim, but the simple, cheeky music recalls the first side of The Pictorial Jackson Review, albeit with a smoother production. To be honest, this song isn't really anything special, it goes by well enough and is essentially a bit of filler before the wonderful "Free" blossoms into earshot, another tender and delicate ballad that feels good and sounds good too. "Budgie Jacket" and "Cartoon Sky" are okay, while "New Day Dawning" has a great first half; a slightly funky guitar (the verses sound like a brighter version of Poem of the River's "Declaration") a shimmering chorus which indeed sounds the musical equivalent of a sunrise....and then there's the debatable second half and its extended solo; guitar bliss or six-string cheese? Indeed, it sounds as though Oasis may have been paying attention as it sounds a lot like their "Don't Look Back in Anger" in places. To be honest, it's this solo that's entirely indicative of the downside of the `normal' Felt sound on this album; it's admittedly well played, but it could have been played by any other guitarist. It's totally anonymous, and character and personality, with the distinctive feel and sound of Lawrence, Martin Duffy and Maurice Deebank in particular, was what made Felt such a special band. Oh well, I can't resist the gorgeous "Down an August Path"; it flutters, it feels good to listen to, it's the best thing on here, definitely. The rest of the album remains solid, be it on the sweet choruses to "Never Let You Go" and "She Deals in Crosses" or particularly on the catchy closer "Get Out of My Mirror".

Even with the lovely likes of "I Can't Make Love to You Anymore" and "Down an August Path", there's nothing here that I will truly hold dear to my heart, nothing like "Spanish House", "Fortune" or "The Day the Rain Came Down"; considering how strong this band was for its first eight and a half albums, Me and a Monkey on the Moon is a good, but not great farewell to one of the greatest bands ever. It wasn't the last time we'd hear from Lawrence though....

The last album from felt originally released in 1989 is also their most musically diverse.In contrast to all previous records which were either dominated by guitar or keyboard led instrumentation "Me and a monkey on the moon" embraces the full musicality of guitar,bass,keyboards and samplng to create a multi layered sound which incorporates styles of country,rock and easy listening.Lyrically and vocally Lawrence never sounded better than this,there are nod's to all of felt's previous work but"Me and a monkey on the moon" provides a huge hint to the future direction of Lawrence and his next project.