Feist

Recorded in Paris, this indie release has garnered so many rave reviews it's earned Feist a major label deal. "One Evening" could be a soft rock hit from the late 1970s, while "Mushaboom" sounds like a pop single crafted by aliens after they've picked up radio waves from Earth (all the pop elements are here, they're just put together slightly differently). Fantastic.

With a career history that includes stints with Peaches, Broken Social Scene and Kings of
Convenience, Canada's Lesley Feist brings uncommon breadth and individuality to the
swoony indie lounge pop of her U.S. debut. Her hushed croon evokes the jazz tingle of
Peggy Lee and her melodicism hearkens back to Tin Pan Alley, but Feist proves she's a
modern gal with a sparse yet varied sound that draws from chamber pop, chill-o... More >

A little Dusty Springfield, loads of Astrud Gilberto, no Dionne Warwick at all ("Inside and Out," "Mushaboom"). (Grade - *)