The Reminder - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Feist is the solo project of Canada's Leslie Feist, a prolific artist who has also played in one capacity or another with Broken Social Scene, Kings of Convenience and half a dozen other bands. The Reminder, her third release, comes from the same well of quiet, appealing songwriting, and delicate vocalizations that made 2004's Let It Die such a sweet treat. This one is a bit more hushed and ballad heavy, closer to Cat Power than Peaches (with whom Feist has also worked with in the past) but maintains an indie-minded blend of confessional pop, jazzy folk, and lo-fi torch songs. The comparatively upbeat single "My Moon My Man" splits her voice off into unexpected harmonies, just dissonant enough to stick in your head. It's hard to predict where her melodies are going to end up; "Brandy Alexander" starts with a simple snap-pulse, and gradually unfolds into a cathartic chorus of sweeping vocal overlays. Throughout, the record profits from a simple, unfussy aesthetic that keeps the production minimal and the emphasis squarely on Feist's cracking, wistful vibrato. Everything sounds deliberate, but not obsessed over, like an e-mailed wedding invitation. It's a low-pressure vibe, welcoming and content to linger. And linger you will. --Matthew Cooke

Album Description
Limited edition import digi-pack pressing of her sophomore album. Includes the single, 'My Man My Moon'. Universal. 2007.

Customer Reviews: Read 156 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Leslie comes into her own as a songwriter June 14, 2007
38 out of 42 found this review helpful

The new album "The Reminder" by Canadian gal Leslie Feist is receiving mixed critical reviews, but some are calling it the best pop music album so far this year. I ordered it, and my take on it is also mixed, in this sense: Feist is a great songwriter, and this album is exhibit one. Not all of the songs are great, but many of them achieve greatness. Feist's previous album also contained great songs (and some less compelling material), but only about half of them were Feist originals. Here, almost everything is Feist-penned.

Remember the "1234" Busby Berkely-inspired video of Feist from Youtube, that people seemed to enjoy so much? If you haven't seen it, check it out -- it is pure joy wrapped in a 3 minute package. That song is also a minor musical masterpiece, with guitar, banjo, a chorus of voices, quiet bits, loud joyful bits -- put together in a way that things are always changing enough to keep the ear from being bored at any time.

When I think of the Beatles work, or XTC, or James Taylor, Sting, Paul Simon, I think of music that is put together is a very entertaining and craftsmanlike way. A primitive like Bob Dylan (don't get me wrong, I love a lot of what Bob has done, but it is musically primitive) will take a simple three chord verse, then repeat it over and over with different lyrics. The greatest songwriters make music that builds, crescendos, then rolls it back, with themes and variations, and little musical bridges (or "middle eights," as the Beatles used to call them). Feist is writing music like that, at least some of the time.

Oh, there are a few quieter numbers that almost approach dirges. I'm not much fond of those. Much of their fault lies in the underproduction -- one of them sounds as if it was recorded in Feist's garden, with her simply strumming her guitar and singing (later joined briefly by brass instruments and perhaps saxophone, but not much else). More complexity and attention to detail in the arrangements could have brought much more out of those quiet songs.

I'm not a great analyser of lyrics. Here they are vague enough to be universal. To me they don't always make sense, but that doesn't bother me. "goo goo ga joob" Does that make any sense? No. It doesn't mean it isn't a great lyric. The main thing is that Feist's lyrics are not embarrassing -- they don't take away from the music. And some of her wordplay and vocal phrasing is quite clever.

So my final rating is
Songwriting: 4.5 out of 5
Production: varies from 3 to 5 out of 5, depending on the track.

5 out of 5 stars

Best of 2007: folk meets rock through a beautiful voice June 1, 2007
32 out of 43 found this review helpful

I missed Feist's previous albums, but after having become addicted to Broken Social Scene, I couldn't let this one pass. I was not dissapointed!

The more I listen to "The Reminder", the more I love it. Indeed, some moments in the album remind a lot of BSS ("I Feel It All" and "Past Is Present" being two good examples), but there's a whole lot more to enjoy in here. There's folk as much as there is rock. There is quiet whispering as much as there is passionate singing coming from the beautiful voice of Leslie Feist, making this a great contender in the run for the best albums of 2007.

If you enjoy Feist, make sure to check out Knives Don't Have Your Back by Emily Haines, What the Sea Wants the Sea Will Have by Sarah Blasko and Bring Me the Workhorse by My Brightest Diamond.

2 out of 5 stars

"The Reminder" : I'm reminded of all the other albums I could be listening to...... May 14, 2007
28 out of 44 found this review helpful

Leslie's Feists' new album is definitely one where the rave reviews are `flavor of the season'. If you are a Feist fan intent on only hearing glowing reviews of this album please move on. There is no other way an album so bland (yet routinely pretty) can pass through reviewers' hands with so little criticism.

I found the same thing happen with Joanna Newsom last year when released her sophomore album "Ys". Now that was a pretty album too, all harps and plink-plonk and sweet warbling over swooning instrumentation - but it wasn't a genre-breaking CD as most reviewers claimed it to be. Similarly, "The Reminder" is an album that seems to be on everyones' wishlist, but will be easily forgotten by the end of the year.

I'm not saying that the music is terrible. However, this year seems to be the year for disappointments. Feists' last CD "Let it Die" was a mini-revelation of sorts - it was one of those woodsy indie albums that are available a dime a dozen at the thrift store but somehow it got recognized, and that itself was a feat for Feist. Her music was Jewel-lite on that CD, with some really beautiful melodies (albeit forgettable choruses). Not that I complained. I don't play that album a lot anymore, but in its' day it was worth the money I spent on it.

The best thing about "The Reminder" is its' cover art. Its just so - striking. Moving past that, the music is definitely averagely good, but it is not a `masterpiece' or `classic' or any of those terms I see thrown around here by Feist fans. I really liked "Sealion" (which has an unusual history all its' own) and yes, lead song `1 2 3 4' is definitely one of those singalong ditties, but the rest of the album sort of meshes into one another. Not to say that Feist is a bad singer. If anything, she is tuneful and quite unique in her own way. But it is just not enough. She is bland, at the end of it, and she does not have enough personality to headline a record of her own, most certainly not this one.

What I am tired of is producers letting singer-songwriters like these putting their ill-advised songwriting experiments to record. Leslie Feist had a good run with her first album, but I think the bid budget and big label are the only things getting "The Remider" its' attention. Just listen to "Honey Honey". Then listen to any Sarah McLachlan record and tell me why exactly Feist is being considered `special'? It makes no sense.

Granted, there is a market for these pixie-like female voices strumming over fiddles and harps and what-not, but I think the robust praise for "The Reminder" is definitely misplaced. If you aren't sure about this album but still want to get it based on the positive reviews, then read this - Think of a sweet yet limp female voice, singing alongside some quaint instruments, with some electronica thrown in every now and then. There aren't any memorable choruses, and most of the subject matter seems unimportant at best, but the singer soldiers on. By Track 5 you are weary. However, you are unable to hate the singer, you just feel that its all a bit too insipid and tame, at the end of the day.

There are at least a hundred better female folk singer-songwriter albums out there that are better than this one. Do yourself a favor and check out "True North" by Fisher, "Salt Rain" by Susheela Raman, "Calling" by Noa, and "Speak for Yourself" by Imogen Heap, instead.

Two Stars. Massively overrated and extremely disappointing, in that context.

1 out of 5 stars

two worthwhile songs and the rest is painful October 2, 2007
15 out of 36 found this review helpful

I have never felt compelled to write a CD review, but this set of recordings is so poorly done that I have to try to save others from wasting their money. There are two tracks of merit: "My Moon My Man" which you have heard on TV commercials for a certain cell phone company and "1234" which you heard in the new VideoNano commercials. These two tracks are well done. The balance of the CD sounds as though it was recorded in a bad studio with a very low quality mixing board. I'm certain you will agree that the first two songs are an odd combination of muffled instruments and piercingly high treble vocals. This CD is a great argument for buying songs one at a time from a web music seller versus buying the whole CD. If I could return this CD, I would.

3 out of 5 stars

Old Teenage Hopes Are Alive At Your Door. July 27, 2007
13 out of 19 found this review helpful

I came across Feist when I saw the video for "1234" a little while ago. Since then, I did my research and learned about Broken Social Scene and that Feist had two previous cds. She also guested on The Postal Service's "Give Up" cd. That said, I believe "The Reminder" to be her best solo work to date. However, only half of the cd seemed to have decent songs, and the rest seemed like filler to me.

The good: "So Sorry", "I Feel It All", "My Moon My Man", "Sealion", "Past In Present", "1234" and "How My Heart Behaves" are all solid ruminations on relationships and growing up.

The bad: "The Park", "The Water", "The Limit To Your Love", "Brandy Alexander", "Intuition" and "Honey Honey" are all rather dull and could easily put you to sleep.

The more I listened to "The Reminder" the more I felt I had heard this before from Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Kate Bush, Patti Smith, Norah Jones, Paula Cole, Regina Spektor, Imogen Heap, Joni Mitchell, Jewel, Carole King, Carly Simon, Joan Baez and countless other female singer/songwriters. Thus, three stars. I think Leslie Feist still has room to grow as an artist, and I don't think "The Reminder" is going to turn out to be her best work, more like the beginning of a fruitful career if she continues to be creative and fills an entire cd with colorful songs.

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