Courtesy deathandtaxesmag.com
By Jake Mahr
Theme Editor
When digging into the history of solo musicians, one will often find fluctuations in an artist’s popularity with the release of a new album. Feist, however, only seems to be able to escalate her position in the music industry.
Feist’s fourth album, “Metals,” propelled her into a higher realm of the musical world. With an incredible incorporation of nature and an extensive variety of moods and feelings, Feist has outdone herself with this new collection of tracks.
From starting out with a shaky first album, “Monarch (Lay Your Jeweled Head Down),” to becoming an overnight sensation with her hit single “1234,” Feist has transformed herself into one of the top solo artists of our time.
The Canadian singer-songwriter has performed as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene, but has received the most attention as an individual. Her second album, “Let It Die,” and her third, “The Reminder,” were critically acclaimed and won Feist numerous Grammy awards and other noteworthy nominations.
From the stark landscape featured on the album cover, to the lyrics and instruments used in each of the songs, the idea of nature is employed profoundly throughout the album. This is seen in moments such as when she describes a sunset as the joining of a circle and a line in “The Circle Married the Line.”
The theme of nature and the mystical world it embodies combined with Feist’s dreamy, acute voice brings in a sound similar to that of Florence + the Machine without an English accent. This resemblance is seen in songs such as “A Commotion,” which incorporates a slightly darker side that can be found in most Florence + the Machine songs.
The array of feelings and emotions that are used within the songs span to the extremes of joy and sorrow. On one side of this spectrum is the beginning of the album, which includes the songs “The Bad in Each Other” and “Graveyard.” This part of the album has a more upbeat, energetic, stomp-to-the-rhythm feeling that contrasts beautifully with the end of the album.
Although the pace slows down after the first five tracks, there is no decrease in quality. Feist does a perfect job arranging the different strings and vocals to coincide with the rhythms that stand out so well in the album.
Feist also isn’t afraid to allow a little anguish and sorrow seep into a few of her songs. The track “Anti-Pioneer” reveals the dilemmas brought about by post-nationalism and dwells on the image of how our “flag changes colors.”
The more jubilant portions of the album occur during the self-explanatory “Bittersweet Melodies” and the song “Comfort Me,” which is filled with a large congregation of singers who help Feist brighten up the mood during the numerous chants.
The closing song on the album, “Get it Wrong, Get it Right,” expresses Feist’s effort to connect this album back to a simpler, more natural world. The combination of the nonchalant jingling that occurs in the background accompanied by Feist’s nature-filled lyrics sets the song up perfectly to drive that more rustic feel she has been striving for.
“Metals” transcends the listener into a state of tranquility. The panoply of feelings that range from euphoria to utter sorrow and confusion create a diverse listening experience. “Metals” is available in stores nationwide and as an internet download.
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