#8
Feist
The Reminder
Thanks largely to a recent Apple iPod commercial featuring the music video for her song “1234,” Canadian chanteuse Leslie Feist is no longer a hidden talent. But one listen to the aptly titled The Reminder will remind everyone that her emergence as a bona fide star is something that was bound to happen sooner or later.
All it takes to grasp why is one listen to her distinctive voice, a honeyed blend of rasp and smooth, comfort and cool—complete with an articulate, soul-searching quality reminiscent of Joni Mitchell in her prime, a hint of Rickie Lee Jones street smarts and a misty detachment that would do Astrud Gilberto proud.
And despite her impressive work with Toronto indie-rock collective Broken Social Scene, Feist is clearly at her best in a solo setting. She first proved this on 2004’s excellent Let It Die, but with The Reminder, she has reined in her wide-ranging tendencies and delivered a much more focused and deliberate musical statement. At the same time, Feist has done an effective job of exploring many appealing nuances—from the mid-tempo sing-song chorus of the aforementioned “1234” to the darker and more urgent “My Moon My Man” and the sparse and heartbreakingly lonesome “The Water.” It all adds up to a truly exceptional and beautiful listening experience, one that certainly ranks The Reminder as one of the finest singer-songwriter albums of the new millennium.
Naturally, some may bemoan Feist’s inevitable rise to mainstream acceptance. Yet, no can deny that hers is a voice that demands to be heard.
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