Sometime Broken Social Scenester drops impressive breakout album
Feist makes her entry into the much-ballyhooed “Canadian Invasion” with this cozy and concertedly atmospheric major-label debut (the album was originally released in 2004 on Arts & Crafts). Tapping a fertile market with her pseudo-jazzy spare/lavish stylings, the re-release reeks of cynicism but admittedly exposes a genuine talent to the wider herds. In the end, it’s the little touches that make this record stand out from the Nic Harcourt-approved female-crooner clutter—the kiss of nylon guitar strings on “Mushaboom,” the deftly doubled vocals on “One Evening” and the cute little finger snaps and koto twang on the aptly titled “Leisure Suite.” In a genre where it’s hard to escape producing mere sonic wallpaper, Feist has generated a dazzling interior constellation for your candlelit, post-midnight ceiling-gazing needs.