The Timely Reminder

Feist

The Reminder

With The Reminder, Feist wants us to remember her, for good that is. And what a timely reminder and follow-up to 2004's splendid Let It Die. The Canadian chanteuse produces yet another solid masterpiece that's both delightful and melancholic.

The uniqueness of her deep sensual voice works well for the tracks. Several of the tracks have a jazzy feel to them such as the breezy So Sorry which finds Feist in an apologetic mood after the departure of a lover. Soon, the mood is lifted with the upbeat I Feel It All. Then there's the ode to her man My Moon My Man and the slightly achy-break The Limit To Your Love.

At the end of the record, it feels like a feast on the ears. The Reminder further cements Feist's position as a talented solid-songwriter of the 2000's. (A+)

Charged Björtage

Björk

Volta

Seeing the cover of Volta where Björk is clad in a bird-like suit, one can't help but think of the weird outing she made in the form of Drawing Restraint. In 2007, Björk has decided to re-embrace the earthly land by presenting Volta. While Volta is not groundbreaking, it returns Björk to more familiar ground with tracks that borrow from each of her albums from the past.

First single Earth Intruders, a song that seemingly talks about aliens but is really about humankind, is the result of an unlikely collaboration with Timbaland. Vaguely resembling the hot beats that Timbaland so often churns out for popular artists like Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, Intruders is a quick and urgent track that gets one trampling along to its infectious beat. Second single Innocence should please a few more fans for its Homogenic and Post infusion. Similarly, it boasts of a thumping bassline that is strangely irresistible. I See Who You Are with the traditional Chinese instrument, Gu-zhen, could be what an extension of Vespertine might sound like. Dull Flame of Desire and My Juvenile, featuring guest vocalist Antony Hegarty from Antony and the Johnsons, are mesmerizing for Björk's quirky vocal and Antony's Thom-Yorke like sound complements each other. Vetabrae by Vetabrae represents an outtake of Restraint.

Volta, in short, is highly charged and intriguing. It's Björk's most accessible album since Homogenic and truly a welcome addition to her vast and competent catalog. (A)

The American Schizo

Tori Amos
American Doll Posse

Like the cover of the album and its concept, American Doll Posse renders Tori Amos a schizophrenic of sorts. Most tracks sound brimming with energy and life but find Tori divided in direction, singing from the persepectives of 5 different women (Santa, Pip, Isabel, Clyde and Tori) . Splendid tracks include the country-sounding Big Wheel, the upbeat Bouncing Off Clouds, the melancholic Dragon, Dark Side of the Sun and an extremely solid bonus track Miracle that should have been on the album.

Interspersed along the way are short interludes of which several like Programmable Soda and Fat Slut resonates brilliantly. Elsewhere on the album, the tracks feel indistinguishable after several listens, relegating them to an almost-elevator music-like status. This is somewhat unfortunate since these tracks may stand well on their own but on an ambitious concept album like Posse, the results are often mixed.

The problem with Tori Amos these days is a lack of a distinct direction. Her last two efforts Scarlet's Walk and The Beekeeper already suffered from thin and repetitive melodies. It's disappointing that Tori has not been able to return to form with an album that measures up to her 90's body of work.