Feist - Let It Die (CD 2004)

After listening to this album at a friend's house over a year ago, Let It Die became one of those albums that I must have, yet never seemed to get round to actually buying. When hearing the name Feist, many people may think 'Who?', yet one of her tracks (the quirkily infectious 'Mushaboom') has been used to advertise both mens fragrance (Lacoste) and beds (Silentnight).
What I like most about this album is the range of styles and moods that Feist's vocal lends itself to, from the soulful 'One Evening', sensual 'Leisure Suite' and traditional 'When I was a Young Girl'. At least half of the songs are self or co-written, but she also entertains us with covers of Ron Sexsmiths 'Secret Heart', the Bee-Gees 'Inside and Out' (one of my favourites from the album) and a beautifully poignant version of Blossom Dearies 'Now at Last'.
The French import version of the album-the version I bought-has two additional bonus tracks-'Amourissima', a part English, part French ballad and 'L'Amour Ne Dure Pas Toujours', roughly translates as 'the love does not always last', another quirky, French song.
Overall this album is an absolute gem. Feist's warm voice is guaranteed to make you smile and sing along, in the vain attempt that you'll sound just as good.

I heard 'Mushaboom' on the radio and loved the song so much I bought the album. Was I disappointed? Well, no.
There were no other songs like it on the album but I was hooked all the same. Feist has such a beautiful voice she could sing the alphabet and it would probably still be worth hearing but 'Mushaboom' is one of my favourite songs - ever. Happy, hopeful and fun, jaunty hand-claps and sweet lyrics - what more could a person ask for in a song?
Besides my obvious infatuation with this song other tracks most notable are 'Lonely, lonely' , mostly for the music near the end where it fades into the addictive 'When I was a young girl'.
If I could speak French no doubt I would add the chirpy 'Tout doucement' to my favourites....but I don't so the lyrics remain a mystery to me and her voice carries the song all by itself. Awesome stuff.

Me gusta este disco porque en primer lugar la canción "Inside & Out", version de "Love you Inside Out" de los BeeGees me parece una maravilla, aparte es una musi muy fresca y currada. Creo que es su mejor LP.

July evening in an apartment in Tuscany with the windows open to let the breeze in and sounds of the day coming to an end echoing from the cobbled streets below - A new friend was playing a medley of songs to me which I didn't know from a selection of albums I'd never had - he bought albums on the strength of their covers he says, which sometimes works, sometimes fails - he'd found Feist like this. An ethereal laid back stroll in a cornfield, the musical equivalent of a day being pampered in a spa, feists voice is a perfect balance of soft and strong, with a smattering of French catchy tunes and uplifting lyrics. Like Jeff Buckley without the drama, or maybe Eva Cassidy without the sadness. Fantastic.