Morning Music Report #22 (Mulligan)

YouTube and I are friends again, and the end result is Feist. Part of the ever-championed Canadian music collective (the Feisty Broken Stars of Metric Scene) she is a skillful pop-music maker and resurrector of genres--she's come the closest to dredging-up disco as you can get without being the Scissor Sisters--and has managed to ride on the tide of 2004's Let It Die for more than two years, right into an album of remixes and collaborations (this year's Open Season). Though she may be tiring of the songs, we certainly aren't.

Feist's Enduring Awesomeness, Exhibit A: The above video for "Mushaboom," which is likely the most un-sappy song about finding someone to grow old with that I've heard in awhile. Feist has strong ties to France as well as Canada, and I think this video demonstrates the borderless nature of her songwriting (a quality that many in the collective possess; this is a glaring indicator as to why they succeed on the international stage). The video also cleverly invokes the sense of whimsy the song possesses.

Now, I don't normally use terms like "whimsy" without wincing, unless I'm referring to the work of Jim Henson or fantasy films from the 80s (or both), but Feist makes whimsy look sophisticated, and that's wonderful.

Feist's Enduring Awesomeness, Exhibit B: There are two video versions of "Mushaboom." The other one is below. I am partial to the first one and its fancifulness (a different word for whimsy). Also, watch for Peaches (an ex-roomie and tourmate) in the first--she's the Pink Lady that tries to drag Ms. Feist out of her fanciful-whimsy. Bad Peaches!

Enjoy!