Fiona Apple : Releases >>
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Extraordinary Machine >>
Tidal/When the Pawn >>
When the Pawn >>
In contrast to many of her faux-eccentric contemporaries, this wolf in waif's clothing seems to be genuinely astray in the straight world. Moreover, Fiona Apple is a real talent. When The Pawn picks up where her eye-opening debut, Tidal, left off. With Jon Brion back in the producer's seat, the twosome concoct a heady, keyboard-heavy soundscape that perfectly complements the singer's assertive, dangerously sexy Nina Simone-meets-Chrissie Hynde delivery. Unforeseen embellishments colour the arrangements, including the sinister carnival interlude in "On the Bound", the George Harrison-like guitar in "Mistake" and the drum solo in "Limp". All Brion's enhancements are in service of Apple, who comes through with preternaturally confident expressions of insecure sentiments ("Change my mind, I can't decide, there's too many variations to consider") and cold-eyed accounts of recrimination and self-recrimination. Cohesive, gutsy, and finely honed, When The Pawn pummels any notions of a sophomore slump. A character, yes, but what an artist, too! --Steven Stolder
Tidal >>
Tidal is the debut album by Fiona Apple, a New York singer/songwriter/pianist who was 18 years old at the time of its 1996 release. Apple is obviously talented--she has a dark, smoky alto and a knack for an arresting turn of phrase--but she's still several years away from realizing her potential. For every fresh lyric she writes ("Daddy longlegs, I feel that I'm finally growing weary of waiting to be consumed by you"), she provides two examples of embarrassingly precious schoolgirl poetry ("Adagio breezes fill my skin with sudden red," from the same song, "The First Taste"). She also has yet to refine her moody piano chords into actual melodies, though "Shadowboxer" comes close. --Geoffrey Himes
Tidal >>
Tidal is the debut album by Fiona Apple, a New York singer/songwriter/pianist who was 18 years old at the time of its 1996 release. Apple is obviously talented--she has a dark, smoky alto and a knack for an arresting turn of phrase--but she's still several years away from realizing her potential. For every fresh lyric she writes ("Daddy longlegs, I feel that I'm finally growing weary of waiting to be consumed by you"), she provides two examples of embarrassingly precious schoolgirl poetry ("Adagio breezes fill my skin with sudden red," from the same song, "The First Taste"). She also has yet to refine her moody piano chords into actual melodies, though "Shadowboxer" comes close. --Geoffrey Himes
Extraordinary Machine >>
Fast As You Can [CD 1] >>
When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King... >>
First As You Can >>
Extraordinary Machine >>
