# Ft. Lake > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ft._Lake > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ft._Lake.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ft._Lake > Source revision: 1323694005 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Album by His Name Is Alive 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 Nice Day EP (1997) Ft. Lake (1998) Always Stay Sweet (1999) ***Ft. Lake*** ("Fort Lake") is an album by [His Name Is Alive](/source/His_Name_Is_Alive), released by [4AD](/source/4AD) in 1998. Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [1] Christgau's Consumer Guide [3] The Gazette 9/10[4] Pitchfork 6.5/10[2] ## History Work on *Ft. Lake* ("Fort Lake") began shortly after completion of the [Nice Day EP](/source/Nice_Day_EP), with the same newly stable lineup of leader [Warren Defever](/source/Warren_Defever) on guitar, Chad Gilchrist on bass, [Trey Many](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trey_Many&action=edit&redlink=1) on drums, and vocalists [Karin Oliver](/source/Karin_Oliver), [Lovetta Pippen](/source/Lovetta_Pippen), and [Dara Albro](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dara_Albro&action=edit&redlink=1) ([All Virgos Are Mad](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=All_Virgos_Are_Mad&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Nice Day EP](/source/Nice_Day_EP)). 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_King_(record_producer)&action=edit&redlink=1), who had previously produced [Aretha Franklin](/source/Aretha_Franklin) and [George Clinton](/source/George_Clinton_(funk_musician)). The album's recording also coincided with the start of big changes at [4AD](/source/4AD). During this era, 4AD co-founder and president [Ivo Watts-Russell](/source/Ivo_Watts-Russell) made plans to sell the label back to [Beggars Banquet](/source/Beggars_Banquet_Records), 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](/source/Warner_Bros._Records) in the USA had come to an end; and [Vaughan Oliver](/source/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](/source/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. Recorded over 1997 and 1998 at Defever's Time Stereo studio, the album was released on 4AD (CAD8009 on LP and CAD8009CD) in the UK in late June 1998. Due to 4AD's reorganization and their finding distribution in the USA, the CD was not released in America until November. ## Sound The sound of the album is very diverse, touching on all the many styles that HNIA had explored before, along with several new ones. In particular is a newly found interest in funk, soul and R&B, foreshadowing the next two HNIA albums on 4AD, where Pippen (a professional gospel and soul singer before joining HNIA) became the primary vocalist. "How It's Gotta Be" continues the Motown influence that had been prevalent on *Nice Day*, while "Red Haired Girl" combines rockabilly with a chorus reminiscent of [shoegazer](/source/Shoegazer) bands. Many musical interludes are provided by Defever's electronic side project Robot World. The alternate cover used for the limited edition vinyl LP version of *Ft. Lake*. A 7-inch EP featuring three bonus tracks was included with this release. ## Track listing 1. Don't Glue the World (4:05) 1. Everything Takes Forever (4:06) 1. The Waitress (3:25) 1. No Hiding Place Down Her (4:32) 1. Can't Always Be Loved (2:33) 1. Wish I Had a Wishing Ring (6:06) 1. Red Haired Girl (4:51) 1. Spirit Needs a Spirit Tool (3:03) 1. Up Your Legs Forever (3:45) 1. How It's Gotta Be (2:07) 1. Always Turn Me On (4:25) 1. Rock & Roll Girl from Rock & Roll City (5:08) 1. Last American Blues (3:29) "Wish I Had a Wishing Ring" was edited down from a version that runs at 17:16. The full-length version can be found on the CD single for "Can't Always Be Loved." A 7-inch EP called "Woodstock" was included with the limited edition LP. The tracks on this EP are: 1. Woodstock (4:37) 1. Swan Song (1:32) 1. Last Train (3:32) These three songs were included on the Japanese CD release of *Ft. Lake*. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Phares, Heather. ["Ft. Lake - His Name Is Alive"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/ft-lake-mw0000045673). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved January 5, 2018. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Mohan, Aparna (September 1, 1998). ["Ft. Lake Review"](http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/18513/His_Name_Is_Alive_Ft_Lake). *[Pitchfork Media](/source/Pitchfork_Media)*. Retrieved January 5, 2018.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Christgau, Robert](/source/Robert_Christgau) (October 15, 2000). ["His Name Is Alive"](http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=his+name+is+alive). [*Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s*](https://archive.org/details/christgausconsum00chri_0). [Macmillan Publishing](/source/Macmillan_Publishing). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780312245603](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780312245603). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Siblin, Eric](/source/Eric_Siblin) (July 25, 1998). ["Williams maps tracks of our tears"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37502406/williams_maps_tracks_of_our_tears/). *[The Gazette](/source/The_Gazette_(Montreal))*. Retrieved December 10, 2019. v t e His Name Is Alive Warren Defever Karin Oliver Lovetta Pippen Studio albums Livonia (1990) Home Is in Your Head (1991) Mouth by Mouth (1993) Stars on E.S.P. (1996) Ft. Lake (1998) Someday My Blues Will Cover the Earth (2001) Last Night (2002) Detrola (2006) XMMER (2007) Sweet Earth Flower: A Tribute to Marion Brown (2007) Independent releases Sounds of Mexico (1994) Finer Twilights (1997) Great Lakes State Blues (1997) Golden City (1998) Radio LP (1998) RMX's (2000) Rare Tracks in the Snow (2000) The Emergency LP (2000) When the Stars Refuse to Shine (2000) Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most (2001) Cloud Box (2004) Brown Rice (2005) Summer Bird (2005) UFO Catcher (2005) Livonia Strings (2006) Compilations Sings Man on the Silver Mountain and 8 Other Songs (1992) King of Sweet (1993) Always Stay Sweet (1999) Singles & EPs The Dirt Eaters EP Universal Frequencies EP "Country Girl" Nice Day EP You Need a Heart to Live EP "Can't Always Be Loved" "Nothing Special" "Happy Blues" "Write My Name in the Groove" Raindrops Rainbow EP Silver Makeup EP Firefly Dragonfly EP Related articles Discography 4AD Livonia, Michigan Mark Kozelek Marion Brown --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ft. Lake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ft._Lake) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ft._Lake?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.