BuzzFlash Reviews

BUZZFLASH REVIEWS

The Canadian singer known by her last name, Feist, may have become a household presence in America as a result of her brief, intriguing, catchy song "1,2,3,4" excerpted in an I-Pod commercial, but the singer has a lot more to offer beyond that brief "guest" appearance in an advertisement. (Just for the record, the song was written before it was picked up by Apple.)

To get a full feel for Feist's "indie rock" range -- and her sultry, playful, refreshing music -- we recommend you go to You Tube and search for Feist. Videos we recommend are, of course, the creatively directed and colorfully executed "1,2,3,4," Mushaboom (her wild dreamlike first music video -- there are two versions and we prefer the one with the flying toast and a flying Feist, you'll see), a cut from her playing "the bus" on the Jimmy Kimmel show, and a campy '70s retro set-up called "One Evening." Feist has a three dimensional presence that is captivating -- and a beguiling dance style that is somewhere between Natalie Merchant and being a performance artist.

But, "The Reminder" (CD) is not a video. It, of course, includes "1,2,3,4" and many other captivating songs. It's her third album and is nominated for a Grammy this year in the category of Best New Vocal Artist and also nominated for a Grammy for -- well -- "1,2,3,4" in the category of Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Feist has a unique and totally individual style. As minimal as the orchestration is on "The Reminder," it could have even been less. Feist's voice is best accompanied by an acoustic or electric guitar (both of which she plays), and some minimal "accent" instruments.

From an online reviewer:

I've had this CD on constantly over the past month. It's a little gem - I never seem to get tired of it. The emphasis here is on good songwriting and precise vocals. If you're into indie-folk-pop music (Kings of Convenience, say, or Iron & Wine), you'll enjoy this.

From an online reviewer:

Leslie Feist is another one of those artists that I was introduced to on the Tonight Show. Although I heard her song "1234" back then, I really didn't start paying attention to it until after I saw the video as well as when she performed it on Saturday Night Live. I then went to check her latest album The Reminder out and, well, I can't put it down.

Feist, to me, sounds like a more accessible Tori Amos, because her vocal stylings are similar yet it's easier for casual listeners to understand what she's talking about. But all comparisons aside, there is not one minute wasted on this album. Most of the songs on here are mellow, but when she picks things up, it also works, like on "I Feel It All", "Sealion" (an interpolation of Nina Simone's "See-line Woman"), and the aforementioned "1234". And slow songs also impress, like "So Sorry", "The Limit to Your Love" and "The Park".

I also enjoy the album's closer, "How My Heart Behaves", although I wish I knew whom the male singer is that's singing with her. And I enjoy everything else as well. If you want to pop a CD in your player that'll never have you reaching for the fast-forward button, then The Reminder is it.

From an online reviewer:

Indie artist Feist seems to be returning to the heart of her music where her voice melts pleasantly with jangly flourishes and playfully insistent guitar. Her pacing captures your attention as a toy box of sounds almost makes this album feel more organic.

The album merges jazzy pop with folk sensibilities to produce a pleasant vibrancy that draws you subtly into an intoxicating experience. The interesting transition with sounds of someone running in a park blends "My Moon My Man" effortlessly with "Park." Here even sentimentality feels modern with an artistic warmth. The originality of the ideas slip into "Water" with a delicate sultry ambience that turns whispery. "Sea Lion" is much more adventurous and is more like cold water splashing in your face as it jolts you from your contemplative solitude. Feist then almost turns country in "Past in Present."

The album quiets and returns to contemplative lyrics as it turns sweetly sultry again and charming in "1234." Her silky voice turns breathy in "Brandy Alexander" and then strikingly clear in "Intuition." The harp is a surprise on "Honey Honey" and each song continues to amaze with creative appeal. The entire album feels like one line of the lyrics when she sings: "The harbor becomes the sea." This is an album of infinite possibilities with invitations into a memorable experience.

BUZZFLASH REVIEWS