Thanks to the iPod Nano, everyone in the English-speaking world has heard “1234″ and indie boys utter her name with lust and reverence (and a little envy that she slides so easily into those skinny jeans). With sold-out shows worldwide and nearly half a million records sold, Leslie Feist is the little indie rocker that could.
Eyes turned to this Amherst native as she sang part-time for Toronto indie supergroup Broken Social Scene. She’s best known for her impeccable, sexy voice, which is immediately comparable to Norah Jones, but wears deep shades of Tori Amos. She’s got Chrissy Hynde in spades.
Feist’s songwriting is consistently straightforward and radio-ready: her hard-to-find first release, Monarch (Lay Down Your Jeweled Head) (1999) takes cues from Imogen Heap and Beth Hirsch (you might know her dreamy vox from Moon Safari). Feist has since moved out of Lilith Fair territory to pursue a more eclectic array of sounds that distinguish her from other chanteuses that share a similar croony vibe.
Her studio work is so dauntingly precise it sometimes seems like it was executed with deft keystrokes rather than instruments. Songs like “One Evening” and “Leisure Suite” (Let It Die, 2004) would slide into Joni Mitchell’s Night Ride Home (1991) or C’est Chic with equal facility. Every note is saturated with supreme confidence so that even songs that verge on cheezy and dated can win you, and do.
On first listen, her latest release belongs on adult contempo charts alongside Céline Dion and Billy Joel, but dig a little deeper and discover that The Reminder (2007) is lush. It’s filled with coruscating harp strokes and vocal-instrumentals worthy of (I can’t believe I’m typing this) Vespertine, and lyrics undulating with sentiments half-realized. This album demands high-test audio gear (sorry Nano fans). Not one sound is out of place.
And her music is just a part of the picture. Feist has audacious style–a collision of Alfred Hitchcock and the merry old Land of Oz (or maybe it’s just Forever 21 with pants on). She’s got a face for silent film and vintage Playboy spreads. She possesses in that gangly body a commanding stage presence that other women rely on the splayed fuselages of pianos to provide, and more than that: brazen femininity.
You see, the thing about Feist is that she may not be for everyone and she’s for anyone. There’s a spot on the audiophile’s shelf reserved for The Reminder. Each song promises and delivers and, like the promise of more, is timeless.
Feist is on tour right now! April dates include Detroit, Bloomington, St. Louis and Tulsa. She’ll be appearing at Ohio University on April 22. Ticket prices range from $20 to $35. Check her out!
© 2008 Ryan Stolte-Sawa for Listen In.
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