Customer Reviews

Let It Die

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I heard the import singles and now have the domestic full CD (even though the import version contains two bonus tracks NOT on the cheaper U.S. version)...simply put, this is simply BRILLIANT. While not really her "debut" (Feist has been in several Canadian bands like Broken Social Scene, self-released her own Monarch CD a few years ago, and popped up with roomie Peaches on some projects), it's a definite keeper. It's so rare to hear a CD nowadays that, from the moment you hear the opening chords and voice, you are immediately hooked, pulled in, and instantly addicted til the last note. Not a bad apple in the bunch, but standouts are her amazing, gutsy, sexy cover of Bee Gee's INSIDE & OUT (who woulda thunk?), ONE EVENING, MUSHABOOM (getting spins on KCRW now), and her understated cover of Ron Sexsmith's classic overlooked SECRET HEART. With spare, expert production from pal GONZALEZ (who has put out some interesting electro/faux-rap efforts on his own), it's all about HER VOICE: breathy, rich, ethereal, sensual with confident yet carefree phrasing and tone. The kind of voice you hear once and never ever forget. I know that if Interscope puts some serious marketing muscle and money beyond Feist's CD it can be a contender for a Grammy sweep - it's THAT good. Handsdown the BEST album of 2005, bar none. (Here's hoping for the remixes soon! Ewan Pearson & Mocky, do you feel me?)

If Lesie Feist sounds familiar, it's because of her musical resume -- it ranges from Canadian indie-popsters Broken Social Scene to female rapper Peaches to the Kings of Convenience. That sort of resume also makes one wonder -- what will her solo debut, "Let It Die," sound like?

The answer: Stripped down, sensual pop music, with a touch of jazz and trip-hop around the edges. It kicks off with only the strums of an acoustic guitar, before Feist jumps in like an orphaned torch singer. "Well it's time to begin/as the summer sets in/It's the scene you set for new lovers," she croons.

From there on, Feist doesn't even slow down. She ventures into cheery, catchy pop like "Mushaboom," sensual slow ballads, rippling trippy songs, and smooth torch songs. There's even -- surprisingly -- a cover of the Bee Gees' "Inside And Out," which she gives a funky spin, and a delicately catchy cover of Ron Sexsmith's underrated "Secret Heart."

The flavour of Feist's music isn't the sort that sets off fireworks and sets you raving about how much fun it is. "Let It Die" is the sort of album that is periodically hailed as being the real deal -- no studio tricks, little musical polish, and a reliance on good songwriting and tunes rather than hooks. In other words, pure music.

The star of the music is Feist herself; her vocals are front-and-center, and she proves herself a rare kind of singer. No "American Idol" vocal explosions, no hyperdramatics. Instead, Feist flexes her vocals in all sorts of different ways -- breathy, husky, ethereal and coy, and and moving along with the music in perfect sync.

Not that Feist's good voice doesn't mean that the music isn't also good. Most of the instrumentation is based on piano and acoustic guitar, with snapping fingers, cowbells, a hint of synth and handclaps thrown in. It's very simple, and very pretty, whether trying out catchy pop or traditional-sounding folk. Only a few songs, like the clunky "Lonely Lonely," fail to be captivating.

Leslie Feist moves out of the shadow of the other bands and artists she's worked with, and establishes herself with the beautiful "Let It Die." A rare and good type of pop.

Feist is a complete original, although she pays inadvertant homage to so many others: Dusty Springfield, Sade, Jane Siberry, even Billie Holliday. Her covers are impeccably chosen, including songs by Ron Sexsmith, Blossom Dearie and, oddly enough, the Bee Gees (she does an incredible version of their old '70s disco chestnut "Inside and Out"). But it's her own songs that really grab you, especially the title song, which is one of the most wistfully sad songs I've ever heard, and the eighties-ish "One Evening," which sounds like something Sade or George Michael might have cooked up.

For the record, the extended UK CD is even better, because it includes Feist's own lovely, lovelorn "Amourissima" and a fabulous cover of the Francoise Hardy song "L'Amour Ne Dure Pas Toujours," which both confirm that Feist knows her way around a chanson. In short, Leslie Feist is extremely wonderful.

Wow.
Honestly one of the best new albums of the year! As a reviewer though I tend to get a little well ...reviewer-ish... and this artist confuses me! In a good way! But what is she? Sade of the folk world? Jewel's prison tour? Suzanne Vega's French album? The direction that Everything but the Girl should have moved towards? Forget it....none of it fits!

This album for one is a whole, not just a hodgepodge of songs about many different things....all the songs are personal and come across to the listener as intimate. There I go again being reviewer-ish! OK the songs:

"Gatekeeper" is subtle, simple, no frills, allowing Feist's textured voice rule the song...perfect! Most of this album is voice oriented so the music takes a backseat. This would prove ify for most artists but Feist has the pipes to pull it off! "Let it Die" is where the bared broken heart sings to its own pulse... just bare beats and muted guitar under the layer of Feist's canter.

"One Evening" bewilders me..... late 60s lounge mixed with a little retro tune and chill. Hooky, a very memorable song! Like a lost bird in a disco... lol ok that's not right...but she does cover a Bee Gees tune later on and I can see the Bee Gees singing this one! "Leisure Suite" is sexy with vocal backdrops and salacious lyrics....

"Lonely Lonely" is a poem sung into clear air. Achingly bittersweet. Reminds me of David Sylvian's Dobro series. "Secret Heart" has a fun melody where the instruments try to catch up with Feist's gritty smooth delivery. Great standout track...could be a single! "Inside and Out" a classic Bee Gees tune from 1978 but here given a slow and steady beat changing the attitude to a more sexier come on.

"Tout Doucement"... you know, I was wondering when she was going to sing in French! And here it is....classic caberet sweetness with a twist. I bet she recorded this song sitting on a piano! This is a classic French jazzy number and is done quite coyingly as in the style of Blossom Dearie who also does this great song. And finally, "Now at Last"...chairs stacked on tables, lights dimmed, glasses put away, the piano starts to hum and a distant tearful voice sings this album to conclusion.

Every song is gold.... if you like cool drinks, oil paintings, rainstorms, bonfires, and late night driving....then Feist's album "Let it Die" is what you have been searching for! Enjoy*

Fresh, fun and clever lyrics. Upbeat music. Not a one hit wonder! I'm very much enjoying quite a few tracks on this very pleasant, heaping-helping of unassuming talent.

I feel the same way about Feist as I did about Alecia Keys--a sigh of relief. It is wonderful to know that soulfoul, but fun music is still out there. I have bought this CD for 5 people. Perhaps the best thing I can say about this CD is that I liked it so much that I bought it for my ex-girlfriend. I thought she should have it because it was that good.

Thank you Feist.

I hadn't even heard of "Feist" before my 16 year old son made me a compilation CD of various artists. I heard "Mushaboom" and was delighted. "Who IS this?" I asked him, and he told me. I felt so out-of-it, but also very happy to discover that not every female vocalist nowadays sounds like Minnie Mouse on speed, thank Heavens. There are some out there who can sing and who are not afraid to be a bit different than the mainstream. Her voice is unique, and Feist's style is hard to peg. I like that. I immediately went on Amazon, listened to some samples and read some reviews, then bought my first "Feist" CD. I have not been disappointed.

Sometimes a record comes along that appeals to suburban housewives, business executives, and downtown hipsters alike. "Let it Die" crosses such demographic barriers by force of sheer excellence. Leslie Feist is a captivating performer, and her honeyed vocals carry an album that is eclectic in tone and musical styles. It starts with the smoky acoustic bossa-nova of "Gatekeeper," continues through the ecstatic, swinging "Mushaboom," and gets soulful and subdued on the title track.

Producer Gonzalez really deserves equal billing with the titular star for his efforts here. His presence is subtle, but his gorgeous arrangements provide each song with enough variety to make them deeply rewarding. Headphones reveal their charms: lulling horns on the title track, flowing piano passages on "Mushaboom," and faint, colorful keyboard tones throughout the record. The drumming and drum programming are also spot on, perfectly complementing the shifting arrangements.

Interestingly, the album's first half, comprised of Feist originals, gives way to a second half of covers. It's an unorthodox approach, but it works. Feist's version of Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart" is playful and poignant, and her reading of the Bee Gees' "Inside and Out" is triumphant and dangerously catchy. By the time the album ends on a deliciously melancholic note with the piano-driven ballad "Now at Last," you want to listen to it all over again. This is not throwaway pop music; these urbane songs are executed so well that they are endlessly playable for anyone in just about any setting.

Feist's record "Let it Die" is a secret little gem sprinkled with great songs. You can sink into this whole album, especiall "gatekeeper" and "let it die" very easily. The smooth sound of this album is intoxicating and her voice so delicate. She reminds me of Gretchen Lieberum, whose new release "Siren Songs" is comparable to "Let it Die." Both have such a mellow sound and inescapably seductive appeal.

My god what an amazing album this is. One of the most captivating, beautiful, honest, and awe-inspiring voices I have ever heard. I could listen to her sing with the accompaniment of no musical instruments for hours on end.

A friend of mine heard of her from her appearance on the Kings of Convenience album, and I through him heard her album and was blown away. There is not a weak song on this album, and so many of them are just so amazingly beautiful and well done. It sounds so original. So timeless. With the right promotion and lucky breaks this album would win a grammy. Norah Jones can't hold Leslie Feist's keys.

Mushaboom is a great pop song. Very infectious and craftily written. Let it Die is just a masterpiece. The covers are probably better than their originals. It's just a great album. You can't go wrong with it. Spread the word.