LISTEN TO MOUNTAIN MAN

OK so their record has been out for over a year, but this harmony vocal trio have been gaining exposure recently as backing singers for Feist on her current tour. Actually the term 'backing singers' seems a little inappropriate given that Mountain Man are a legitimate act in their own right. I was lucky enough to see them peform with Feist at the Palladium last month and was hugely impressed, particularly when we were treated to a jaunty a cappella piece from the three girls. Their harmonies were close and intricate, and quite like any other vocal work I have ever heard before. If normal three-part harmony is three people singing together, then Mountain Man are like a single entity with three voices. The effect is often ethereal and eerie, as you can hear in the track below. The juxtaposition of unison and harmony vocals is inspired, and I like the way that some of the harmonies come quite close to being discordant at times, but never actually quite get there. It creates a subtle tension in the music; a sort of aching uncertainty. Their record is titled 'Made The Harbor' and is available through Bella Union.

Mountain Man - Soft Skin by Bella Union

Listen to Feist's How Come You Never Go There

Our favourite Canadian has posted the first full length track from her new album Metals over at Cherrytree Records. How Come You Never Go There holds true with the classic, yet brilliant Feist musical formula: bassy piano riff + airy chord based backing vocals + thick dry drum sound + imperfectly performed crunchy guitar break + gentle brass escalation. It's all there folks; Feisty goodness!

Feist. Metals.

Don't let the title fool you - she has not had a drastic third album genre crisis and recorded a doom-metal album in Scandinavia. Instead, Feist has just announced that she will be back in the Autumn with a new full-length entitled Metals. We could sense something was going on when, out of nowhere, a bizarre black and white video appeared recently on her website - odd, we all thought.

The Canadian singer-songwriter may not be a massive household name, but anyone who has ever seen an advert for a mobile phone network or an ipod will have found it hard to avoid hearing her instantly catchy melodies.

Metals will be released by Cherrytree and Interscope on October 4th. Below is a snippet from one of the recording sessions for the album. If this was intended to whet my appetite - mission accomplished.