Can you believe that “1234” was ten years ago? Pleasure is only Feist’s second album since that massive single, and you can practically hear the sound of her shaking off the rust that has formed since that tune. The album sounds kind of lo-fi and cracked at parts, adding to its intimacy. It often feels like you’re in the room with Feist as she plays the songs for you in real-time—and for most parts of the album, like it’s just her and her guitar, without overdubs. It’s an album that almost feels like a collection of demos, and while it rewards repeated listens, this is a radio station, not a record club; if you want songs that will grab casual listeners tuning into our humble program, play the favorites. Great if you need slower, quieter fare.

FCCs: 4
Favorites: 1, 5, 7, 8, 10

1) “Pleasure” (4:45)* – Skip the first twenty seconds or so. The song is largely built on palm-muted guitar notes and Feist’s echoing croon, but she does cut loose in the chorus, turning up the volume on both the guitar and the vocals.
2) “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You” (4:19) – A lo-fi, acoustic lament that sounds more like the Feist of albums past. There are some weird vocal echoes and feedback when Feist sings the titular phrase.
3) “Get Not High, Get Not Low” (4:58) – A gentle, spare drumbeat and a folksy, plucked guitar bob throughout the song. Feist multitracks herself in the chorus, producing a lovely vocal effect, but the song might try your patience.
4) “Lost Dreams” (5:18) – FCC “a**,” but since the curse in question appears in the word “badass,” it does not appear to be a scatological (and thus indecent) reference. Gently strummed guitar that picks up before and after the second chorus, but otherwise it’s a quiet song with some twinkling synth notes.
5) “Any Party” (5:23)* – Overdriven guitar is louder than on previous songs, except for the chorus, where it quiets down—a change of pace that makes for a more immediate song than its predecessors. Song ends with some ambient sounds, most notably a reprise of the title track, so feel free to fade out the track and end it after 4:30.
6) “A Man Is Not His Song” (4:42) – Another song that sounds very similar to Feist’s earlier balladry. Stays at the same volume level throughout the song, without engaging in any kind of bursts of guitar out of nowhere. Ends with a snippet from—I kid you not—a Mastodon song. Best to fade out a few seconds after the four-minute mark.
7) “The Wind” (4:36)* – A drum machine provides a steady, skipping beat for Feist to sing and strum over. The occasional subtle electronic effect or organic instrument pops up in the mix, but it’s nothing distracting from the song itself. Again, classic Feist—and one of the easier tunes to latch onto on the album.
8) “Century” (5:53)* – This song is brisker and punchier than what comes before, thanks to the brittle, fuzzy guitar and the clickety-clackety percussion. It sounds like Feist is really letting it rip here. After a sudden drop-off, Jarvis Cocker, of Pulp fame, chimes in with some dramatic poetry during an instrumental lull. Song ends abruptly at 5:47, so either fade out before that or be ready to jump back on the air.
9) “Baby Be Simple” (6:22) – The sparest, most intimate, and longest song on the album. Other than that…it’s kind of unremarkable.
10) “I’m Not Running Away” (3:25)* – By contrast, the album’s shortest number. It’s a sultry, swaggering little tune that’s kind of the opposite of “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You.” Overdriven guitar riffs, multitracked vocals.
11) “Young Up” (3:55) – The guitar is largely out of the picture for this song. Instead, the dominant instrument is the drums, which run like a steady current under Feist’s vocals.