Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that kids may want this CD after hearing the popular single "1234" that was featured in an iPod commercial. The album is a masterful creation in poetry and musicianship that deals in regret, past, dreams, and love. It touches on topics that may not fully be realized by teens (true love, regret) but if fine for them to listen to. One song describes brandy as a metaphor for infatuation with a boy.
Families can talk about how ads and TV shows create a buzz with music. Is it strange that a band suddenly becomes popular after their song is played on-air -- even if they had an album out for months before? How does music affect a commercial? What do you remember after seeing an ad or a scene from your favorite show -- the plot or the music? Families can also talk about the consequences of an artist reinventing himself or herself with a new album. Is the music always the same?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Jessica Dawson
In her third full-length solo album, indie rock artist Leslie Feist has crafted a beautiful, heartbreaking blend of sweet, aching vocals, poetry, and enchanting melodies to make THE REMINDER one of the best albums of the year. This Canadian Grammy winner recalls the lyricism of Joni Mitchell, the creativity and childishness of Bjork, and the organic quality of Lucinda Williams. The popular, catchy single "1234" rose to the charts after its placement in the TV ad for Apple's iPod Nano ("1234 come on baby move me more/sleepless long nights/that is what my youth is for"). It's a fun mix of horns, strings, and piano that make it great for radio-play while still having the quirky and poetic tone that is Feist. With stylish lyrics and fresh melodic phrasing, each song is an event, not relying on any innuendo or compromising content to make it edgy and raw. "The Park" is a heartbreaking ballad about love lost because of distance and time "with sadness so real that it populates the city/and leaves you homeless again." Its pure, sweet acoustic will tug on your heartstrings over and over. And with Feist's rustic angelic voice trailing with ease from whisper to wail, it makes every track on this album part of a storyline that will carry you on a welcomed path of old memories and raw emotions.
For more poetic indie rock, fans can check out Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple and anything by Bjork.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSome minor sexual innuendo in phrasing; "On milky skin my tongue is sand/until the ever distant band begins to play." |
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ViolenceNothing explicit; "Oh I'll be the one who'll break my heart/I'll be the one to hold the gun." |
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CommercialismThe song "1234" was featured in an Apple iPod commercial. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSong titled "Brandy Alexander" (alcoholic drink) about infatuation; "He's my Brandy Alexander/always gets me into trouble/my addiction to the worst of him/goes down easy." |
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