Felt (album)
Encyclopedia
Felt is the debut studio album
by Anchor & Braille
, the side-project of Anberlin
lead vocalist, Stephen Christian
. The album was released through Christian's own label Wood Water Records
and Federal Distribution on August 4, 2009 and was produced, engineered and mixed by Aaron Marsh from fellow Florida
-based band Copeland
.
Felt debuted at number 30 on the Billboard
Top Heatseekers
chart.
. The album's title was explained by Christian in a press release by the label, "I named the record Felt at the request of a friend because the meaning, much like the songs on the record, has two different levels; a surface and a deeper. The first meaning of the word ‘Felt’ is the past tense of the word ‘feels’ because these songs are all past memories, which I have learned, mourned, and grown from. The second meaning of ‘felt’ is the fabric which connotates a very sensual imagery, hopefully much like the music and melodies themselves."
The album was completed in 2008 and was initially expected to be released sometime in the fall after four years of work on the album. However, due to Christian's touring duties with Anberlin to promote their album New Surrender
and the fact that Christian wanted to tour the Anchor & Braille material, he chose to wait until he had completed his commitments with Anberlin.
Anchor & Braille toured the US in July with Copeland
, Sherwood
, Meese and Barcelona
. Prior to the album's release, a full stream was made available on the Anchor & Braille MySpace
page. The album was released on August 4, 2009.
The album differs from the Anberlin albums in that it features a toned down sound and will consist of mostly acoustic instruments. However it is also augmented with additional instrumentation by Marsh to create a more ambient feel. In an interview with Spin
magazine, Christian commented on the albums production, "I would go into [Marsh's] home studio and lay down scratch piano, guitar, and vocal line," Christian explains. "After I'd head out on tour, he would fill in the skeleton and ultimately give it the production soul, and when I would return, I would find myself singing over a song with incredible musicianship." Christian has said that the "songs are mostly songs of regret and heartache, with hopes that each and every one rings of nostalgia and better times for all who listen... These are some of the most painful songs I have ever written but with each song I felt a sense of relief and on some level an almost spiritual repentance and cleansing."
AbsolutePunk reviewer Steve Henderson gave the album 87%, saying "the record is a stunning achievement." He described the songs "Blur" and "Introspect" as "a gorgeous pair of compositions that take a more patient approach, and the results are stunning, especially on the latter, where Stephen’s vocals ebb and flow effortlessly on top of a pitch-perfect arrangement." Henderson also complimented Christian's vocals throughout, which he says "work well with the anthem-minded Anberlin, they seem just as fitting on these minimalist charmers." He did however say the record does lose steam in the middle with "Calm, Calm, Calm Yourself" and "Sleep. When We Die.", the latter of which may feel "a little stale for longtime fans that have had the track for years." He closed in saying "Fans of Stephen Christian and Aaron Marsh will likely approach Anchor & Braille's Felt with the highest of expectations. Luckily for those followers, their anticipations are rewarded in full".
Vinyl bonus track
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Anchor & Braille
Anchor & Braille
Anchor & Braille is the acoustic side project of Anberlin's lead singer Stephen Christian with collaboration from Aaron Marsh of Copeland.-History:...
, the side-project of Anberlin
Anberlin
Anberlin is an American rock band formed in Winter Haven, Florida in 2002. Since the beginning of 2007, the band has consisted of lead vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat, and drummer Nathan Young.Members of Anberlin originally formed...
lead vocalist, Stephen Christian
Stephen Christian
Stephen Christian is the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Anberlin and his side-project Anchor & Braille. He and his bandmates started Anberlin in 2002, after the demise of their previous group, known as SaGoh 24/7...
. The album was released through Christian's own label Wood Water Records
Wood Water Records
Wood Water Records is an independent record label, founded by Anberlin and Anchor & Braille vocalist, Stephen Christian. The record label is distributed through Universal Music Group, of which Anberlin is signed to. The label's first release, Felt, is also the debut for Christian's acoustic act...
and Federal Distribution on August 4, 2009 and was produced, engineered and mixed by Aaron Marsh from fellow Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
-based band Copeland
Copeland (band)
Copeland was an indie rock band, originally formed in 2001 by singer Aaron Marsh with his friend, bassist and backup singer James Likeness, in the city of Lakeland, Florida.-Inception:...
.
Felt debuted at number 30 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart.
Release and promotion
Felt is the first release on Christian's own record label, Wood Water Records. Wood Water is distributed by Anberlin's record label Universal Music GroupUniversal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
. The album's title was explained by Christian in a press release by the label, "I named the record Felt at the request of a friend because the meaning, much like the songs on the record, has two different levels; a surface and a deeper. The first meaning of the word ‘Felt’ is the past tense of the word ‘feels’ because these songs are all past memories, which I have learned, mourned, and grown from. The second meaning of ‘felt’ is the fabric which connotates a very sensual imagery, hopefully much like the music and melodies themselves."
The album was completed in 2008 and was initially expected to be released sometime in the fall after four years of work on the album. However, due to Christian's touring duties with Anberlin to promote their album New Surrender
New Surrender
The actual recording and production took place at multiple studios in Hollywood, California, under Avron throughout March and early April 2008. The first recording took place at Swing House Recordings in West Hollywood, followed by NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood, where they completed at...
and the fact that Christian wanted to tour the Anchor & Braille material, he chose to wait until he had completed his commitments with Anberlin.
Anchor & Braille toured the US in July with Copeland
Copeland (band)
Copeland was an indie rock band, originally formed in 2001 by singer Aaron Marsh with his friend, bassist and backup singer James Likeness, in the city of Lakeland, Florida.-Inception:...
, Sherwood
Sherwood (American band)
Sherwood is an indie rock band from San Luis Obispo, California, specializing in upbeat pop rock. After the release of their debut LP Sing, But Keep Going, they signed to MySpace Records in early 2006.- History :...
, Meese and Barcelona
Barcelona (indie rock band)
Barcelona is a band from Seattle, Washington. The band's sound is harmonious and piano-based with elements of rock. Formed in 2005, the band cites U2, Coldplay, Copeland, Death Cab for Cutie and Lovedrug as its influences. Barcelona independently released their debut album, Absolutes, in September...
. Prior to the album's release, a full stream was made available on the Anchor & Braille MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page. The album was released on August 4, 2009.
Musical style
Christian describes the sound of Felt as "exploring a museum at night with all the lights off. There are moments of mastery on this record, and the closer you study the lyrics, songs, & ethereal layers the more beauty and enjoyment you will get out of it."The album differs from the Anberlin albums in that it features a toned down sound and will consist of mostly acoustic instruments. However it is also augmented with additional instrumentation by Marsh to create a more ambient feel. In an interview with Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine, Christian commented on the albums production, "I would go into [Marsh's] home studio and lay down scratch piano, guitar, and vocal line," Christian explains. "After I'd head out on tour, he would fill in the skeleton and ultimately give it the production soul, and when I would return, I would find myself singing over a song with incredible musicianship." Christian has said that the "songs are mostly songs of regret and heartache, with hopes that each and every one rings of nostalgia and better times for all who listen... These are some of the most painful songs I have ever written but with each song I felt a sense of relief and on some level an almost spiritual repentance and cleansing."
Reception
Felt was well received by critics, with the work being praised for being well distinguished from Anberlin, even though each song was written and recorded between Christian's work with the band on albums and tours. Alternative Press reviewer Emily Zemler said "the tracks on Felt exist in their own musical sphere, resonating with quiet, emotive tension." She commended Aaron Marsh's production work, stating his "talent for production is also evident throughout the disc. He transforms Christian's thoughtful songs into complex, ethereal arrangements while allowing Christian's emotional urgency to seep into each layer." Rating the album 4.5/5, Zemler noted the album showcases the talents of two musicians whose musical skills are not always so explicitly evident in their other bands, backtracking to proclaim, "Or perhaps Felt just reveals a new facet of those talents--and it's a facet of which we hope to see more."AbsolutePunk reviewer Steve Henderson gave the album 87%, saying "the record is a stunning achievement." He described the songs "Blur" and "Introspect" as "a gorgeous pair of compositions that take a more patient approach, and the results are stunning, especially on the latter, where Stephen’s vocals ebb and flow effortlessly on top of a pitch-perfect arrangement." Henderson also complimented Christian's vocals throughout, which he says "work well with the anthem-minded Anberlin, they seem just as fitting on these minimalist charmers." He did however say the record does lose steam in the middle with "Calm, Calm, Calm Yourself" and "Sleep. When We Die.", the latter of which may feel "a little stale for longtime fans that have had the track for years." He closed in saying "Fans of Stephen Christian and Aaron Marsh will likely approach Anchor & Braille's Felt with the highest of expectations. Luckily for those followers, their anticipations are rewarded in full".
Track listing
- "Rust (The Short Story of Mary Agnosia)" — 3:48
- "Like Steps in a Dance" — 3:34
- "Blur." — 4:27
- "Introspect" — 4:17
- "Summer Tongues" — 5:26
- "Calm, Calm, Calm Yourself" — 2:42
- "Wedding/Funeral." — 4:46
- "Sleep. When We Die." — 4:19
- "Forget Love, I Just Want You to Make Sense to Me Tonight." — 4:41
- "Sing Out" — 3:21
- "Sheet Music/Sheet Music" — 4:06
Vinyl bonus track
- "Empires" - 3:44
Chart performance
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
30 |
Personnel
- Stephen Christian — Guitar, piano, vocals, author
- Aaron Marsh — Bass, guitar, piano, trombone, producer, engineer, horn arrangements, string arrangements, mixing, guest vocals on "Forget Love, I Just Want You to Make Sense to Me Tonight."
- Troy Glessner — Mastering
- Steve Jones — Trumpet
- Louis DiFabrizio — Bass
- Ryan Clark — Design
- Jonathan Bucklew - Drums (also drums for CopelandCopeland- Places :Canada* Copeland Islands * Copeland Islands Marine Provincial Park, in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia* Mount Copeland, also Copeland Ridge and Copeland Creek in same vicinity, in the Monashee Mountains of British Columbia...
)