Metals (album) explained

Metals
Type:studio
Artist:Feist
Cover:Feist_Metals.jpg
Released:September 30, 2011
Recorded:February 15 – March 17, 2011
Studio:Big Sur, California
Prev Title:The Reminder
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Metals is the fourth studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Feist. It was released on September 30, 2011 in Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden and Belgium; October 3, 2011 in the United Kingdom; and October 4, 2011 in the United States and Canada.[1] [2] The first single from the album is "How Come You Never Go There", which was released on August 12, 2011.[3] The album was supported by a world tour which started in Amsterdam, Netherlands on October 15, 2011 and finished on October 20, 2012 in Latin America.[4]

Metals debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number 7, and sold 38,000 copies in its first week. It earned Feist's best sales week and it was her first top 10 album to chart in the US. The album received acclaim from critics. It won the 2012 Polaris Music Prize, an award for the best Canadian album of the year.

Promotion

Promotion for the album began with short videos which feature snippets of tracks and the making of the album. They were posted on her website and other social networking sites since July 21, 2011.[5] Four days after, she officially announced the release of Metals.[6] Artwork for the album was revealed on August 2, 2011;[7] previously, fans were given the opportunity to select the color design for the album cover on Facebook.[8]

Writing and recording

After touring for her previous album, The Reminder, Feist was "emotionally deaf".[9] She stopped playing music for two years, saying that she "wasn't curious anymore". In 2010, she went to the studio in Paris where she had recorded The Reminder. After coming back from Paris six months later, she wrote most of the album.[10] For recording Metals, Feist went to Big Sur with the lyrics almost completed and set up an ad hoc recording studio.[10] Metals was recorded in Toronto and Big Sur, with collaborators including Chilly Gonzales, Mocky, Brian LeBarton, Dean Stone, and producer Valgeir Sigurðsson.[6] [11] They began recording the album in January 2011. She said of the recording process that "I allowed for mistakes more than I ever have, which end up not being mistakes when you open things up and make room for them."

The album's title was partially inspired by Charles C. Mann's non-fiction book ,[10] where it describes the Aztecs' and conquistadors' differing ideas about precious metals such as gold.

Composition

For the album, Feist aimed for a sound she described as "modern ancient", mixing old and new instruments. She stated that the album had "more chaos and movement and noise than I've had before."[12] The music of Metals is influenced by genres such as jazz and the blues, and contains elements of folk.[13] The lyrics of Metals contain a lot of "nature imagery", as Feist was fascinated by the weather since "it makes you feel so minute." They also contemplate topics such as dying love, mortality and solitude. She also pointed to "Sealion" from The Reminder and said that it "grandfathered some of the concepts in Metals". There are many minor chords and open fifths on Metals, as well as a lot of voices sung in unison.[14] The songs "How Come You Never Go There" and "Anti-Pioneer" are ballads,[15] the latter she had worked on for ten years.

Reception

Metals debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, selling about 38,000 copies. It was Feist's best ever sales week, and was her first appearance on the top 10 of the Billboard 200.[16] At Metacritic, a website which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a score of 81, based on 39 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

Spin gave "Metals" a score of 7/10, writing "Taken individually, each song is as sturdy as oak -- the guitars have a magnesium shimmer, and every instrument seems bathed in its own spotlight, especially Feist's vocals, which feel like they're being whispered directly into your ear." In a positive review, Lindsay Zoladz of Pitchfork Media gave the album a 7.7 out of 10. She noted that there was no "1234" on the album, which is the reason that "it feels like such a refreshing and slyly badass statement of artistic integrity" and also that "it doesn't reach The Reminder's heights." Andrew Leahey of AllMusic wrote that "Feist's days as a provider of hip, trendy TV jingles may be over", and that "Metals does its best work at a slower speed".

Elysa Gardner of USA Today gave the album 2.5 stars out of 4, and named "The Bad in Each Other" and "Caught a Long Wind" as the highlights of the album.[17] A mixed review from Slant Magazine criticized most of the album for not having a "real spark to it" and stated that "Metals is too dull for [Feist] to overcome".[18]

The album has received a number of accolades. The New York Times and The Globe and Mail named Metals as the best album of 2011.[19] [20] Uncut and Paste named it the 17th and 29th best album of 2011, respectively.[21] [22] Q named it the 29th best album of 2011.[23] Feist was nominated for Best International Female Artist at the 2012 BRIT Awards for Metals.[24]

The album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize on June 14, 2012.[25] The album won the Polaris Music Prize making her the first female artist to win the award and, as of September 25, 2012, it has sold 141,000 copies in the U.S.[26] As of January 2012 UK sales stand at 40,000 copies according to The Guardian.[27]

Personnel

Band

Additional musicians

Technical

Arrangement

Design

Charts

Chart (2011)Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[28] 17
Austrian Albums Chart11
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)7
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)18
Canadian Albums Chart[29] 2
Danish Albums Chart10
Dutch Albums Chart34
Finnish Albums Chart30
French Albums Chart9
German Albums Chart6
Irish Albums Chart[30] 27
New Zealand Albums Chart13
Norwegian Albums Chart10
Portuguese Albums Chart21
Spanish Albums Chart72
Swedish Albums Chart18
Swiss Albums Chart9
UK Albums Chart28
U.S. Billboard 2007
U.S. Billboard Rock Albums1

Tour

Metals Tour[31] [32]

Opening act

DateCityCountryVenue
Europe
15 October 2011AmsterdamNetherlandsCarre Theater
17 October 2011LondonUnited KingdomPalladium
19 October 2011BrusselsBelgiumCirque Royal
20 October 2011ParisFranceOlympia
22 October 2011BerlinGermanyTempodrom
North America
29 October 2011PhiladelphiaUnited StatesWorld Cafe 20th Anniversary
2 November 2011New York CityHoward Gilman Opera House
4 November 2011ChicagoRiviera Theater
6 November 2011AtlantaThe Tabernacle
8 November 2011DallasMajestic Theatre
12 November 2011Los AngelesThe Wiltern
14 November 2011San FranciscoThe Warfield
16 November 2011Portland, OregonArlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
17 November 2011SeattleThe Moore Theater
18 November 2011VancouverCanadaThe Centre In Vancouver For Performing Arts
20 November 2011EdmontonNorthern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
21 November 2011CalgaryJack Singer Concert Hall
1 December 2011TorontoMassey Hall
3 December 2011MontrealMétropolis
5 December 2011OttawaNational Arts Centre
6 December 2011Quebec CityGrand Théâtre de Québec
12 December 2011Mexico CityMexicoTeatro Fru Fru
13 December 2011
15 December 2011
16 December 2011
Oceania
28 January 2012BrisbaneAustraliaLaneway Festival
30 January 2012Auckland
1 February 2012MelbournePalais Theatre
4 February 2012Laneway Festival
5 February 2012Sydney
7 February 2012Enmore Theatre
9 February 2012AdelaideThebarton Theatre
11 February 2012PerthLaneway Festival
Asia
12 February 2012SingaporeLaneway Festival
15 February 2012JakartaIndonesiaFairgrounds
Europe
6 March 2012OsloNorwaySentrum Scene
7 March 2012StockholmSwedenCirkus
8 March 2012CopenhagenDenmarkFalkoner Theatre
10 March 2012ViennaAustriaGasometer
11 March 2012ZürichSwitzerlandVolkshaus
12 March 2012MunichGermanyTonhalle
13 March 2012CologneE-Werk
15 March 2012FrankfurtJahrhunderthalle
18 March 2012LisbonPortugalColiseu
19 March 2012PortoColiseu
21 March 2012ParisFranceLe Zénith
22 March 2012VilleurbanneTransbordeur
23 March 2012LilleTheatre Sebastopol
25 March 2012LondonUnited KingdomRoyal Albert Hall
26 March 2012ManchesterO2 Apollo
27 March 2012GlasgowRoyal Concert Hall
North America
14 April 2012IndioUnited StatesCoachella Music Festival
21 April 2012
22 April 2012PhoenixOrpheum Theater
23 April 2012TucsonTCC Arena
25 April 2012MarfaCrowley Theatre
26 April 2012AustinStubb's
28 April 2012New OrleansNew Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
30 April 2012IndianapolisEgyptian Room
1 May 2012NashvilleRyman Auditorium
2 May 2012AshevilleThomas Wolfe Auditorium
3 May 2012RaleighMemorial Auditorium
5 May 2012New YorkRadio City Music Hall
7 May 2012BostonHouse of Blues
8 May 2012PhiladelphiaAcademy of Music
9 May 2012North BethesdaStrathmore
11 May 2012Burlington, VermontFlynn Theater
28 May 2012George, WashingtonSasquatch! Music Festival
29 May 2012Boise, IdahoIdaho Botanical Garden
31 May 2012Morrison, ColoradoRed Rocks Amphitheatre
2 June 2012MinneapolisZoo Amphitheater
3 June 2012MadisonOrpheum Theatre
5 June 2012Ann ArborAnn Arbor Summer Festival
6 June 2012ColumbusWexner Center
8 June 2012Manchester, TennesseeBonnaroo Music Festival
22 June 2012CalgaryCanadaSled Island Festival
23 June 2012SaskatchewanSasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Fest
4 July 2012WinnipegWinnipeg Folk Festival
13 July 2012ChicagoUnited StatesPitchfork Music Festival
14 July 2012PittsburghStage AE
15 July 2012Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo Place Rocks the Harbor
4 August 2012MontrealCanadaOsheaga Festival
Europe
8 August 2012OsloNorwayOya Festival
10 August 2012GothenburgSwedenWay Out West Festival
12 August 2012HelsinkiFinlandFlow Festival
13 August 2012TallinnEstoniaKadioru Castle Flower Garden
15 August 2012HamburgGermanyStadtpark
16 August 2012HasseltBelgiumPukkelpop
17 August 2012BiddinghuizenNetherlandsLowlands
19 August 2012Brecon BeaconsUnited KingdomGreen Man Festival
21 August 2012CologneGermanyTanzbrunnen
22 August 2012StuttgartFreilichtbuhne Killesberg
23 August 2012LausanneSwitzerlandFor Noise Festival
25 August 2012IstanbulTurkeyIstanbul Jazz Festival
North America
31 August 2012Rouyn-NorandaCanadaFestival de Musique Emergente
1 September 2012HamiltonGreenbelt Harvest Picnic
Latin America
18 October 2012Buenos AiresArgentinaTeatro Opera
20 October 2012SantiagoChileTeatro Caupolicán
22 October 2012São PauloBrazilCine Joia
23 October 2012
24 October 2012Rio de JaneiroCirco Voador
23 November 2012QuerétaroMexicoIndio Emergente
24 November 2012Puebla
25 November 2012Guadalajara

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
Worldwide[33] [34] [35] [36] September 30, 2011Digital downloadPolydor
Germany[37] CD, Vinyl
France[38] October 3, 2011
United Kingdom[39] CD, Download, Vinyl
CanadaOctober 4, 2011Arts & Crafts
United StatesCherrytree

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hear the First Single from Feist's New Album . Battan . Carrie . New York . August 13, 2011 . October 10, 2011.
  2. Web site: First single from Feist's new album 'Metals' appears online . . 12 August 2011 . 8 February 2012.
  3. Web site: Breihan . Tom . New Feist: "How Come You Never Go There" . . 2011-08-12 . 2011-10-10.
  4. Web site: Feist en Latinoamérica. Indie Hoy. 2012-08-09. 2012-08-11.
  5. Web site: Feist Posts Teaser Video. Pitchfork Media. 2011-07-21. 2011-11-09.
  6. Web site: Feist Announces New Album . Pitchfork Media. 2011-07-25. 2011-11-09.
  7. Web site: Phillips . Amy . Feist Reveals Album Cover and Tracklist . Pitchfork Media. 2011-08-02 . 2011-10-10.
  8. Web site: Feist Unveils Cover Art for New LP (Sort of) . 28 July 2011 . Mike Hilleary . . 8 February 2012.
  9. Web site: The Bounty of Solitude . Jon Pareles . 16 September 2011 . . 8 February 2012.
  10. Web site: In Bed With Feist. SPIN. 2011-10-12. 2011-11-09.
  11. Web site: FIRST LISTEN: Feist's New Album, 'Metals'. SPIN. 2011-07-25. 2011-11-09.
  12. Web site: Metals – Vinyl LP – Feist. Insound. 2011-11-09. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111112113106/http://www.insound.com/Metals-LP-Feist/P/INS99032. 2011-11-12.
  13. News: Feist: Metals. 2011-10-02. PopMatters. 2017-11-02. en.
  14. Web site: Interviews: Feist . . Ryan Dombal . 28 September 2011 . 7 February 2012.
  15. Web site: Feist, 'How Come You Never Go There' . https://web.archive.org/web/20110919022539/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/blogs/editors-picks/feist-how-come-you-never-go-there-20110817 . dead . September 19, 2011 . Jody Rosen . 17 August 2011 . . 8 February 2012.
  16. Web site: 'Idol's' Scotty McCreery Makes History at No. 1 on Billboard 200. Billboard.com. 2011-10-12. 2011-10-15.
  17. News: Listen Up: Albums from McCreery, Indigo Girls . Shriver . Jerry . Mansfield . Brian . Gardner . Elysa . USA Today . 2011-10-04 . 2011-10-10 .
  18. Web site: Feist: Metals. . Jonathan Keefe . 2 October 2011 . 8 February 2012.
  19. Web site: Music of Heartache, Mortality and Success . Jon Pareles . . 15 December 2011 . 8 February 2012.
  20. Web site: Our verdict is in: This was the year's best music . . Robert Everett-Green . Brad Wheeler . 26 December 2011 . 8 February 2012.
  21. Web site: Uncut's Top 50 Albums of 2011 . . 29 November 2011 . 8 February 2012.
  22. Web site: Paste's Top 50 Albums of 2011 . 29 November 2011 . . 8 February 2012.
  23. Web site: Q's 50 Best Albums Of 2011 . 29 November 2011 . . 8 February 2012.
  24. Web site: Feist a contender for Brit Awards . . 12 January 2012 . 8 February 2012.
  25. https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/1211442--polaris-prize-long-list-includes-lots-of-toronto-bands?bn=1 "Polaris Prize long list includes lots of Toronto bands"
  26. Feist Wins Polaris Music Prize. . Jason Lipshutz . 25 September 2011 . 5 November 2019.
  27. Web site: Indie rock's slow and painful death. The Guardian. Dorian. Lynskey. 16 January 2012. 5 November 2019.
  28. Web site: Feist – Metals. 2011-10-15.
  29. Web site: [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=feist|chart=all}} Metals – Feist]. Billboard.com. 2011-10-15.
  30. Web site: Feist – Metals. αcharts. 2011-10-15.
  31. Web site: Feist to headline Lanois' second Harvest Picnic . TheSpec. 2012-05-22. 2012-08-08.
  32. Web site: Feist Announces Summer Tour. Pitchfork Media. March 20, 2012. March 21, 2012.
  33. Web site: iTunes - Musique - Metals par Feist. iTunes Store. 2011-10-15.
  34. Web site: iTunes - Musik – "Metals" von Feist. iTunes Store. 2011-10-15.
  35. Web site: iTunes - Music - Metals by Feist. iTunes Store. 2011-10-15.
  36. Web site: iTunes - ミュージック - Feist「Metals」. iTunes Store. 2011-10-15.
  37. Web site: Metals: Feist: Amazon.de: Musik. Amazon.de. 2011-10-15.
  38. Web site: Metals - Edition collector: Feist: Amazon.fr: Musique. Amazon.fr. 2011-10-15.
  39. Web site: Listen to Feist's New Album "Metals". Cherrytree Records. 2011-09-28. 2011-10-15.

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