Romantic but cynical, soft yet direct — Feist (born Leslie Feist) finally returns with her fourth album, “Metals,” set for release today, Oct. 4.
At first listen, her languid voice tricks you into a relaxed, dreamy mood. Then, she throws out statements like “When you comfort me, it never comforts me,” or “We bring out the bad in each other.” A lover might run from words like this, but listeners should turn up the volume for more.
Fans may be disappointed if they are hoping for singles that would feature in Apple commercials or “Grey’s Anatomy”; there is nothing on this album as catchy as “1234” or “My Moon My Man,” from her 2007 album, “The Reminder.”
But although “Metals” won’t be your go-to album for getting ready on Friday nights, its dark musical prettiness complements a reflective autumn walk or a long, indulgent shower. “Graveyard,” perhaps the catchiest song on the album, exemplifies the eerie, haunting tone of “Metals.” Climactic choruses, an angsty saxophone and a round of violin melodies create a sound that is, well, metallic.
The album opens with woodsy, militant percussion in “The Bad In Each Other,” which immediately signals the breakaway from the joyous sing-along choruses in her last two albums.
For example, while “Mushaboom,” her first single off her sophomore album “Let It Die” and featured in “(500) Days of Summer,” describes raising children in an idyllic country field with your soulmate, “The Bad In Each Other” considers how long-term relationships can twist and consume even the best of people.
The pensive mood of “Metals” reflects the past two years Feist has lived mostly alone in Toronto. A flurry of tours followed the wild success of “The Reminder” in 2007, then collaborations and documentaries. Her two most famous projects during this time include working with her original band, Broken Social Scene, and teaching penguins how to count “1234” on Sesame Street.
Finally, she retreated to her Canadian roots to brood over relationships and the malleable meaning of the word “metal.” In an interview with NPR, Feist said “Metals” is about “mutability”: they can be “unforged and raw” or “refined” in jewelry. Instead of dictating meanings to the listener via specific anecdotes, as in “The Reminder,” “Metals” is intentionally more ambiguous, which also contributes to its brooding aura.
Despite the different mood, “Metals” doesn’t dramatically break from “The Reminder.” Feist has not strayed vocally -- and that’s not a bad thing, considering that her deceptively fragile voice is a large reason why audiences love her. Also similar to “The Reminder” are the high piano notes, gentle cymbal crashes and harp runs in “How Come You Never Go There,” “Caught a Long Wind” and “Circle Married the Line.”
But where “The Reminder” experimented with several different styles from pop to acoustic to jazz, “Metals” never strays far from its eerie charm, which allows it to experiment more with harmony and rhythm within a focused sound.
“Metals” improves with each listen as you pick up the lyrics and background instruments that create the album’s understated drama.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
