CD of The Week

Many artists with a high level of passion may see it eventually burn out when put under the stress of the road and demands of performing over a lengthy period of time. Even for those who seem to have an endless supply of it, like Feist. But the seven straight years of touring and the success of Let It Die and The Reminder left her staring at a guitar full of bricks that would continue to absorb all the sounds of her heart for the next four years.

After removing the bricks one by one and renewing a love for her old friend, they reunited to bring us Metals, a complex, yet raw and perhaps even deeper album than The Reminder. Great storyteller that she is, Feist weaves powerful themes and messages into each of these twelve songs. And her voice itself still stands alone as an amazing instrument throughout. She uses this instrument to its best in “Graveyard,” with her infectious high-pitched and uplifting chants, which contrast beautifully against the dark theme of the song. Her voice soars in “Caught a Long Wind,” and yet cries out longingly in “Bittersweet Melodies.”

The music on Metals is like a forceful river that has the ability to bring you on a journey — a journey you may even find to have changed after each listen. Every song demands your attention as much as the song before it, making it one cohesive and momentous album that has the power to move you beyond just listening. The guitar work and scores of other striking instrumentations all add to its depth and beauty. She has really grown as a songwriter, leaving out the typical melodies for more intuitive and unpredictable arrangements. Other notable songs include opening track “The Bad in Each Other,” “Undiscovered First,” “Circle Married the Line,” and album single, “How Come You Never Go There.”