A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
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Feist Let It Die Release Date: 04/26/05 (re-release) Score: 8.5 out of 10.0 |
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The transcendence of musical boundaries continues to amaze and astonish me. Due to the talents of those like Feist, the seemingly hundred-foot walls that once divided genres like folk and soul and pop and jazz have crumbled to nothing but dust and debris. She dances along the lines of bossa-nova moving to ultra-chill lounge ditties, leading to lusty disco and back again. Most importantly, she does it with incredible finesse and ease.
Previously known for her vocal work with Kings of Convenience and Broken Social Scene, her guitar playing for By Divine Right, and touring along side Peaches (dubbed Bitch Lap-Lap in the process), Feist now stands solo. Her first album out in 1999, Monarch (Lay Down Your Jeweled Head), didn’t quite give her much of the recognition she deserved, but with the help of singer-producer Chilly Gonzales and 2004‘s Let It Die, which finally got a U.S. release this spring with Interscope, success is bound to happen for this Calgary native.
“Gatekeeper” opens the record nicely with soft acoustics, and we are immediately introduced to Feist’s breathy, sensuous vocals. The second track and first single, “Mushaboom” is undoubtedly the catchiest of the bunch with its bouncing rhythms, guitar twang, and piano bits. Oh yeah, it also has the key ingredient for an awesome song -- handclapping! It’s so addictive, and the tambourine’s pretty fitting as well.
The title track is a standout, with its smoky lounge vibe. She sings, “And after all it won’t take long to fall in love/ Now I know what I don’t want.” You can feel the emotions behind the words as she croons, and your heart just breaks. Onto “One Evening,” a smooth song with simple beats, and a polished combination of rhodes and guitar. Her original songs flow right in to a string of well-chosen cover tunes to round out the album. She puts a new synth-disco spin on Ron Sexsmith’s sweet “Secret Heart” and her take on the Bee Gee’s “Inside and Out” may be the best track of them all. That ethereal, sultry voice shines at just the right moments mixing with the fun, disco bass lines. It almost makes me want to get up and strut down the street like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Almost.
Feist has one of the best voices I’ve heard in awhile, and it’s the highlight of the album, as it's meant to be. The various musical mixes, whether 70’s folk, elegant disco, or piano bar rhythms, are all held together by the delicate, yet muscular voice and passion of one woman.
-Marissa Logue
July 20, 2005
