Cypress (album) - Wikiwand

Cypress is the debut album by the American band Let's Active, released in 1984.^[1]^[2] The band supported the album by opening for Echo and the Bunnymen on a UK tour.^[3] The first single was "Blue Line".^[4] Cypress peaked at No. 138 on the Billboard 200 and was also a success on college radio stations.^[5]^[6]

Let's Active included Mitch Easter on guitar, Sara Romweber on drums, and Faye Hunter on bass, with the latter two departing after the album was completed.^[7]^[8] Cypress was produced by the band and Don Dixon and recorded during the spring of 1984 at Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with the band using many first takes.^[9]^[10] After lightning struck the studio, Let's Active finished the sessions at Reflection Studios, in Charlotte.^[11] The band tried for a "light" style and sound on the Afoot EP but went for spontaneity and feeling on Cypress.^[12] "Blue Line" is a cover of the Outskirts song.^[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
All Music Guide to Rock	^[13]
Robert Christgau	C+^[14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[15]
The Great Indie Discography	4/10^[16]
Omaha World-Herald	^[17]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	^[18]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[8]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Easy Does"
2.	"Waters Part"
3.	"Lowdown"
4.	"Gravel Truck"
5.	"Crows on a Phone Line"
6.	"Ring True"
7.	"Blue Line"
8.	"Flags for Everything"
9.	"Prey"
10.	"Co-Star"
11.	"Ornamental"
12.	"Counting Down"

References

↑ Graff, Gary (2025). 501 Essential Albums of the '80s: The Music Fan's Definitive Guide. Motorbooks. p. 202.
↑ Carlton, Bob (August 30, 1984). "Odds and Sods". The Birmingham News. p. 4D.
↑ Holt, John (September 15, 1984). "Thanks for our support". Evening Post. Nottingham. p. 12.
↑ Fricke, David. "Producer Mitch Easter hopes mother knows best". The Muskegon Chronicle. Rolling Stone. p. 6A.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2001). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums, 1955-2001. Record Research. p. 493.
↑ Takiff, Jonathan (February 1, 1985). "Southern Surprises". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 61.
↑ Healey, Jon (October 20, 1984). "With New Records Out, City Bands Near Stardom". Entertainment Week. Winston-Salem Journal. p. 4.
1 2 The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 420.
↑ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide (2nd ed.). Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 668.
1 2 McCormick, Moira (October 6, 1984). "Producer Easter Gets Active as Performer". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 38. p. 35.
↑ Taylor, Gary (September 30, 1984). "Disc Watcher". Magazine. SouthtownStar. p. 11.
↑ Huffman, Eddie (November 7, 1984). "Let's Active plays Brewery tonight". The Daily Tar Heel. p. 4.
↑ All Music Guide to Rock (3rd ed.). Backbeat Books. 2002. p. 650.
1 2 "Let's Active". Robert Christgau. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 189.
↑ Strong, Martin C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography (2nd ed.). Canongate. p. 400.
↑ Catlin, Roger (October 7, 1984). "Reviews". Happenings. Omaha World-Herald. p. 4.
1 2 Tucker, Ken (September 30, 1984). "Let's Active Cypress". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D11.
↑ Palmer, Robert (October 3, 1984). "The Pop Life: Guitar Bands, an Old Formula Remains Vibrant". The New York Times. p. C21.
↑ Lacey, Liam (January 3, 1985). "Cypress Let's Active". The Globe and Mail. p. E3.
↑ London, Michael (November 4, 1984). "The Record Rack". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 76.
↑ Racine, Marty (February 22, 1985). "New South music revolution comes to town". Houston Chronicle. p. 6.1.
↑ Righi, Len (December 30, 1984). "Springsteen, Prince Stemmed British Wave". The Morning Call. p. F1.
↑ Mengel, Noel (January 3, 2003). "Power pop...". Today. The Courier-Mail. p. 29.
↑ Mills, Fred (January 23, 1984). "Reissues: Let's Active". Goldmine. Vol. 30, no. 2. pp. 62, 64.

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