Feist
Posted by: Simon Matthews on 26 August 2004
This album is brilliant.
It was released in the UK in July to very little publicity. The recording is superb, the production is spartan but totally effective. She has a beautiful and pure voice which suits the material to a tee.
The songs are varied yet consistently strong, both the covers as well as her own material.
She moves through torch songs, into Bacarach territory via a sublime Bee Gee cover. Some parts are Rickie Lee Jones like and others could almost be Patti Smith. Having drawn comparisons I don't want to give the impression that she is anything but unique. She is making her OWN music and this album sounds like it could be the start of something special.
Seriously good IMO.
Posted on: 02 September 2004 by Simon Matthews
The album is called 'Let it Die'and is on polydor. You can listen to it on hmv's website.
This album deserves more widespread knowledge. I recommend that you take two minutes to give it a try.
Posted on: 02 September 2004 by matthewr
Count me as a fan as well.
Fesit is Leslie Feist and she sometimes sings with Canadian indie rock conglomerate Broken Social Scene where she, despite the impression given by "Let it Die" totally ROOOOCCKKKSSS. I saw them last year and her hyperactive but brilliant stage presence blew the nerdy fat cannuck guitar geeks off the stage (in a good way).
I think brilliant is a perhaps bit strong although I do like it a lot. I love the French pop stuff but you can keep the disco one and a few others are kind of ok. Four NLHs on a good day I think.
A link with samples
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A2821376Pitchfork review :
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/f/feist/let-it-die.shtmlIf you are Real Audio equipped you can listen to Leslie rock out on BSC's awesome "Almost Crimes" by going
here and clicking the "Almost Crimes" link.
Matthew
Posted on: 03 September 2004 by Anna Tooth
Hi Simon
Have just noticed that Feist co-wrote and sings on a couple of tracks on the new Kings of Convenience album, "Riot on an Empty Street". The albums really good, and she does have an interesting voice, reminds me a bit of Bjork on one track.
Anna
Posted on: 03 September 2004 by matthewr
Nick,
Despite my disastrous record in predicting albums I like that I think Nick might like I would have had you down for the Feist album. Possibly it's the French thing making a subconcious Mylene Farmer connection (I was going to say that Leslie Feist is the Thinking Man's Mylene Farmer except that a) only if you are a man who does *nothing* but think and b) it's not true).
I am perhaps even more surprised that you like "Almost Crimes" -- but if you do then you must get hold of the album ("You Forget it in People" by Broken Social Scene) as it's one of the very best indie rock albums of the last few years.
Matthew
Posted on: 07 September 2004 by O
I bought 'Let it Die' a couple of weeks ago, after my ex raved about it for weeks (recommendations from exes - yay or nay??). I really like it, it's very good at recreating the aesthetic of various different genre (70s pop, French electro etc) and she has a beautiful, liquid voice - to me it's not soul-feeding stuff but it's a really good album. Favourite tracks at the moment are 'Mushaboom' (which I think is one of the singles), 'Inside and Out' (Bee Gees cover) and 'Amourissima' (only on the UK version). I've also found myself humming 'Gatekeeper' an inordinate amount of the time recently - definitely an earworm!
O
www.owenduff.co.uk