Leslie Feist’s fourth studio album brings us a side of her that we have not fully seen in her previous work. A raw yet sweet snapshot of what could only be birthed out of her being abandoned in a forest left with only her guitar, a drum set, and an entire children’s church choir to keep her company, Metals seems to keep a theme of nature and the great outdoors a constant throughout. Although no lessons in counting, nor any iPod commercial worthy songs may be present this time around, the album does carry with it some very powerful jams. Like scream-aloud-while-driving-home-from-the-grocery-store-after-saving-a-buttload-on-generic-blue-box-macaroni-and-cheese powerful jams. And as is the case with blue box macaroni and cheese, the album is better the second time around, after you’ve let it sit in your metaphorical brain refrigerator and reheated it in your metaphorical ear microwaves, then let it cool a little more because you burned your metaphorical tongue after being a little over-ambitious with the first metaphorical bite. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Throughout her career, Feist’s voice has always been the focal point of her music. In Metals, her smooth, soft voice is just as cheddary as ever, but with this album the music behind her is just as moving as the vocals. Metals kicks off with “The Bad in Each Other”, a catchy folk song that sets the tone for the rest of the album. Regarding the aforementioned ‘power jams’, “The Undiscovered First” and “Comfort Me”, prove the dynamic capabilities of Feist and the band behind her, as she is joined by a choir and some campy-crunchy power chords to back her. “The Circle Married the Line” is another shining track, a calm tune reminiscent of some bits of The Reminder, while continuing the nature imagery that is present throughout Metals. Overall, the album is an honest and fresh look at the Feist we have all grown to know, a folk-driven grass-covered ridiculicious macaroni-casserole for all different metaphorical taste buds.

Review by guest writer, Josh Oakley.