Red Krayola leader Mayo Thompson took over the producer's chair for this
EP, but the sound was very similar to Felt's masterwork of the year before,
Forever Breathes the Lonely Word. Focusing on the contributions of keyboardist
Martin Duffy (who'd become singer Lawrence Hayward's main instrumental
foil after the departure of guitarist Maurice Deebank), Poem of the River
once again offered rich, organ-enhanced folk-rock topped with Hayward's
droning but expressive vocals. Suggesting Lou Reed singing "Positively
4th Street"-era Dylan, it's a successful combination, especially
on short, sharp tracks like "Stained Glass Windows in the Sky."
The seemingly endless organ solos on "She Lives by the Castle"
and "Riding on the Equator" dilute the impact somewhat, although
the tunes themselves are attractive. Only the unusually (and unpleasantly)
aggressive opener, "Declaration," fails outright. Meanwhile,
though Hayward drops an evocative line here and there, there's nothing
as front-to-back strong lyrically as "All the People I Like Are Those
That Are Dead," a gem from the previous album. But overall, Poem
was far more than a stopgap between albums, and has appeal beyond the
Felt completist.
(by Dan LeRoy, All Music Guide)