Ft. Lake
| Ft. Lake | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Studio album by His Name Is Alive | ||||
| Released | June 22, 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1997–1998 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 51:35 | |||
| Label | 4AD | |||
| Producer | Steve King, His Name Is Alive | |||
| His Name Is Alive chronology | ||||
|
||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |
  link
|
| Pitchfork Media | (6.5/10) link |
Ft. Lake is an album by His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in 1998.
Work on Ft. Lake ("Fort Lake") began shortly after completion of the Nice Day EP, with the same newly stable lineup of leader Warren Defever on guitar, Chad Gilchrist on bass, Trey Many on drums, and vocalists Karin Oliver and Lovetta Pippen. Defever stated in an interview around the time of the album's release that he was trying to have less control, and focus more on being the main songwriter and guitarist. He even went so far as to work with an outside producer for the first time, recruiting Steve King, who had previously produced Aretha Franklin and George Clinton.
The album's recording also coincided with the start of big changes at 4AD. During this era, 4AD co-founder and president Ivo Watts-Russell made plans to sell the label back to Beggars Banquet, from which he had purchased sole interest back in 1981 (this deal was completed in early 1999); 4AD's distribution contract with Warner Bros. Records in the USA had come to an end; and Vaughan Oliver and his v23 design firm (whose distinctive covers had virtually defined the label's aesthetic) announced plans to break away from 4AD, designing covers on a less frequent basis for the label.
Most importantly around this time, His Name Is Alive signed their first real contract with 4AD. Previously, Ivo had a loose arrangement with Defever to release what he was interested in, leaving Defever free to pursue many independent releases and side projects. With the new regime, the relationship between Defever and 4AD was now more of a traditional contract between a band and a record label, bringing with it increased commercial expectations. Probably not coincidentally, Ft. Lake is one of the least artsy and most accessible LPs in the band's catalog.
...
Wikipedia