Fast-forward to college: I’m 19 years old now. A friend and I are chatting about what concerts we need to see before we die. I state something along the lines of: Rufus Wainwright, Paul McCartney (if he was still in “Wings”) and Feist. This friend replied, “Well, too bad she’s retired, lost your chance.” Wait, Feist retired? I was heartbroken.
Fast-forward one more year, after singing numerous Feist covers at various coffee houses, I find out Feist is set to release a new album, called “Metals,” due Oct. 4, 2011. Praise the Lord!
Now don’t misunderstand, Feist did take a break from music after the success of “Let it Die,” which was released in 2007. Apparently she didn’t touch a guitar for 18 months because, according to an article by Ryan Dombal on Pitchfork.com she felt, “she didn’t have anything to offer it”.
So, to find the inspiration for a new album, Feist, along with her producers Chilly Gonzales and Mocky, headed out to Big Sur, Calif., and built a studio on the side of a cliff. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. You can go on Feist’s website to see a note from her. She tries to depict the gorgeous valleys and majestic mountains that inspired her new album.
“Metals” was a triumph in my book. The album seemed to stay clear of creating catchy pop tunes. There are no “1234’s” or “Mushaboom’s” on this album. While I love those songs, in listening to a new album I want to be able to both recognize the artist and hear a new sound, a new project, a new idea. Feist achieves that with “Metals.”
I still recognize Feist’s dark yet sweet voice, but her music resonates differently than with previous albums. The songs on this album seem to catch me off guard. They start fairly placid and melodic, then grow to an outburst-like conclusion. “A Commotion” features a chorus of male shouts accenting the idea of commotion. “Anti-pioneer,” one of my favorites off the album, starts with a quiet, somber, slightly folk sound, then swells dramatically with luscious orchestration and finally returns to the same mournful sound from the beginning of the song.
Not to be forgotten, Feist also writes completely original lyrics. The lyrics featured on “Metals” seamlessly follow the mood the music sets. They all have a rather dark, earthy tone.
Nature seems to have played an evident part in her writing. In “The Circle Married the Line” the lyrics include, “I’ll head out to horizon lines/Get some clarity oceanside”. In “Cicadas and Gulls,” the lyrics include, “The land and the sea/Are distant from me/ I’m in the sky.”
According to Dombal’s article on Pitchfork.com, Feist said she is now interested in “writing songs that could be read as intimate and personal but instead they are crafted lyrics that read almost like sparse proverbs – lines of lyrics that become similar to adages and morals that you find embroidered in junk shops.” Beautiful.
I have to admit, I expected such a success from such an artist. So in a way, I’m not so much surprised, but I am pleased in what “Metals” has achieved for Feist. I consider it her most mature album yet. Perhaps all artists should retire momentarily and relocate their studios to remote landscapes. It might improve their craft; it worked for Feist.
