Let’s Active sort of fell apart during the British tour for Cypress when Sara Romweber’s unexpected exit disrupted the band and their “collective effort” feel. Rather than attempting to find a replacement, Mitch Easter opted to retreat into the studio and focus on music for the next record, and, from Big Plans for Everybody on, Let’s Active became more or less a Mitch Easter studio project. This new definition didn’t really hamper the record, but the changes were certainly noticeable. First of all, records made in 1986 sound very different from records made in 1984, and this is no exception. The new wave-ish flourishes and kinda-retro feel were removed in favor of a more straightforward, mainstream production. Easter’s lyrics seem more universal while at the same time more personal and introspective than on previous records, though no less catchy. That, combined with the more organic arrangements, led to a highly rewarding album that, despite its many connections to the time, remains an album unfairly ignored. – Chris Woodstra