Open Season

Feist

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 18, 2006)
• Original Release Date: April 25, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Interscope Records
• ASIN: B000F39MEM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,688 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Feist's diverse musical talents have taken her on many paths, from band member (Broken Social Scene, By Divine Right) to guest performer (Peaches, Jane Birken) to respected solo artist. Whatever the project, there has never been a question that the Toronto musician is heavily respected by her peers. When the call went out to remix Feist's work, her respected contemporaries were quick to come on board. Such is the basis of Open Season, a collection of remixes and rarities from Feist's heavily-acclaimed 2004 release Let It Die. Curiously, more than a third of this music comes from remixes of just two songs from that disc, specifically four different versions of "Mushaboom" and two takes of "Gatekeeper." Some of the re-workings arguably exceed the original cuts, most notably The Postal Service who turns "Mushaboom" into a synth-driven track with Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) offering joyful harmonies throughout. K-OS' strong take on the same tune follows a hip hop feel, complete with his MC skills front and center. The CD's sweetest spot, however, comes in the form of an emotive acoustic offering of "Inside + Out," captured during a BBC performance. Also worth noting is Feist's softened cover of "Lovertits" a track originally recorded by her famous former roommate Peaches. For casual Feist fans, this may not be the best introduction to her talents. For Feist aficionados, however, it certainly shows the level of respect that other musicians have for the singer, and will provide some great audio candy until her next full-length release. --Denise Sheppard

Product Description
Exclusive French pressing features a different track listing to the Canadian version. This 14-track album features songs, remixes, collaborations and songs that were recorded around the Let It Die sessions and either appeared as B-Sides, promo only releases or on other artist albums. Exclusive tracks to this French version include, 'Mushaboom' (Mocky Mix), 'Gatekeeper' (One Room One Hour Mix), 'Snowlion' (with Readymade FC), 'Tout Document' (Remix) and 'Mushaboom' (VW Mix). Universal. 2006.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Knee deep snow, October 15, 2006

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Folk-popster Leslie Feist garnered a lot more attention with her second solo album, "Let it Die." Now she follows it up with "Open Season," which is basically a lot of odds and ends -- remixes, B-sides, and alternate versions. Sure, not everything is absolutely perfect, but it's a good little album of bits and pieces.

It opens on a quiet note with a piano version of "One Evening," which is basically a pretty, downbeat little instrumental. Things start to kick off with the acoustic-driven "Inside and Out (Apostle of Hustle Unmix," which brings it down to gritty guitar-driven melodies. Okay, whatever, but not exactly my cup of tea.

But the remixes are good stuff -- "Mushaboom" gets done over and over, whether it's a perky pop melody, a heavier techno-laced one, an almost wordless mix by VV, or the peak of the album -- Postal Service's delicate trip-hop remix. There's also the murky "Lonely Lonely (Frisbee'd Mix)," a jazzy "Gatekeeper" remix, and a funky redone "When I Was a Young Girl."

There are also some songs that haven't been heard on her regular album: the dreamy "Snow Lion" with Readymade FC, the trippy French "Tout Doucement," the taut ballad "Simple Story" with Jane Birkin," and the naughty-edged "Lovertits" (well, what did you expect with that title?) with Gonzales.

Most albums of B-sides and remixes are pretty much half-and-half. Fortunately, Feist scores higher with an almost perfect array of remixes, and four excellent individual songs. Don't expect the same sound as "Let it Die," though -- the folkpop sound can only be found in a couple of songs here, like the full mix of "Gatekeeper" and the unmix of "Inside and Out."

Instead, we get all sorts of remixes -- jazz, funk, trip-hop, hard electro, and even "One Evening" pared down to a single piano melody. And the songs get a bit of a twist, with everything from skipping vocals to crunching snow to scratching vinyl. Sometimes you'd hardly even know they were the same song, except for the occasional cry of "Mushaboom!"

And fortunately Feist never gets lost in all this remixing, unmixing and reworking. Her clear, fresh voice cuts through all the beats and extra instruments. But she sounds best in the four original songs, with rippling piano, harp and some blippy sound effects. "Tout Doucement" is especially charming -- it sounds like a French cafe at happy hour.

"Open Season" won't give anyone reason to fire at Feist. Her odds and ends sound wonderfully polished, with only a few rough diamonds left over.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful , September 7, 2006

By	Rebecca Johnson "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

"The evening was long
My guesses were true
You saw me see you
That something you said
The timing was right"

Playful in beauty, Feist's Open Season is a mingling of richly orchestrated sounds and remixes. One Evening (solo piano) is striking in its ornate textures even in the straightforward solo version. The Remix later in the album is hardly recognizable and the mood more sultry.

Inside and Out has dreamy lyrics, but is edgy in acoustic musical exploration. Snow Lion reminds me of Magnet's laid-back albums and the beauty melts into a subtle discordance on a moonlit landscape. The Mushaboom Mocky remix seems the best of the versions on this album, but I still prefer the original song from the Let it Die album recorded in Paris.

"You treat me like a vision in the night
Someone there to stand behind you
When your world ain't working right
I ain't no vision, I am the girl
who loves you inside and out"

A better introduction to Leslie Feist would be the Let it Die album, but this one might make you curious and interested enough to listen to all her music.

~The Rebecca Review

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Mistake, January 1, 2008

By	C. Noel - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this CD by accident and I'm really glad that I did. These remixes are point on and I'm glad that Feist had a hand in this collaboration instead of the whole disc being a lame attempt at making money off of someone else's abilities.