Happy Friday, looks like we made it after all!
Remember when we all used to tease Fiona Apple over her fervent assertions that the world of MTV and award ceremonies being hollow, and how kooky it was that her album at the time had a 90+ word title? Yeah, we shouldn't have done that. I feel bad. Then again, I didn't really tease her that much, but I know others did so, much more than me. The thing is, that album was fantastic. It really is and it holds up today.
She was an angry little waif whose first album, Tidal, scored mega hits on MTV and radio in the (surprise surprise) late 90s. Slinking, venomous tracks like Shadow Boxer and Criminal quickly established her as the broken song bird, hurt over previous experiences and working through her aggression through extremely tuneful ditties on the piano. What she may be most remember for, unfortunately, is her widely mocked diatribe at the MTV Music Video Awards proclaiming the world it supported as fake and meaningless. It was one of those moments that, while she was speaking from the heart with great honesty and the best intentions, she really didn't do herself any favors. Ah, the transgressions and misgivings of youth. Hell, I remember thinking "Yeah! That's right! You tell 'em!" Now I look back and think "Well, yeah, we all know that, but what does proclaiming it change?" What a difference 15 years makes. Maybe I'm just more cynical now, or maybe MTV is that terrible always, but the world keeps spinning and life goes on. So this talented artist gets roundly teased and cast aside as a kook for her ranting and oddly titled album that came out. While it's often referred to in short as "When the Pawn..." the full title of Fiona Apple's sophomore album is (deep breath) :
When the pawn hits the conflicts he thinks like a king
What he knows throws the blows when he goes to the fight
And he'll win the whole thing 'fore he enters the ring
There's no body to batter when your mind is your might
So when you go solo, you hold your own hand
And remember that depth is the greatest of heights
And if you know where you stand, then you know where to land
And if you fall it won't matter, cause you'll know that you're right
Okay, that's out of the way. It's really kind of a novel concept, having such a long and detailed title. I can absolutely understand the ribbing but it does give more insight into what her mindset was at the time. The reason I'm rehashing all this that it came on shuffle this morning and I was overwhelmed by it - I had completely forgotten how terrific this album is. At the time it came out I distinctly remember thinking it was very good, very intelligent and detailed, full of experimental loops and odd orchestration. It's funny how something can seem so important and vital, only to be swept under the rug with the rest of a year. It's phenomenally good - the whole album is a cohesive mess of piano, thumping and leaping with her lilting, wounded and vengeful melodies. This was an artist at the top of her game and she caught flack just for venting in a public forum, shooting herself in the foot for lashing out at the press. It's a shame, really. The biggest single off the album, "Fast As You Can" is a manic, urgent plea for the target to run from her as quickly as possible. The song is unrelenting catchy, it's off-kilter syncopation hooking into your head like a hypnotizing act. The fervent energy behind it is infectious and the melody is inspired, running all over the spectrum but never feeling excessive or meandering.
Other songs feel just as left of center, like the buzzing and electric hisses of "Mistake" that sound like vintage guitars recorded through a rotary phone. Apple absolutley inhabits each track while breathing vitality into every word. The single "Paper Bag" feels almost like a jazz standard from the 40s with its back and forth piano chords and head bobbingly pleasant melody. Hearing Apple croon in such a sing-songy way almost makes you overlook the wonderfully twisted words she's streaming directly from her conciousness. Her voice is just like butter, all smooth and creamy over the backing track. "To Your Love" sounds like a lounge tune turned poisonous with time, like the good intentions fermented into something dangerous. I love the way her voice swirls up and down, making the oddest, most difficult turns sound like nothing at all when they come from her. "Limp" is a great example of contrasting styles, the cool, rising verses in her lilting and disarming voice seguing into the intense and spiraling chorus that drives the song right to th ground. It's powerful stuff. This album is fantastic start to finish, with a wide range of styles on display. They're all unified, though by the excellent production and mixing. The distinct instruements put to use here create a feeling of antiquated machines and instruements furnishing a madhouse, Apple's neurosis giving life to an old mansion full of flapper ghosts.
It seems this was an intense phase for Apple. The years after this album saw her take a break form recording, but soon set about making the follow up, Extraordinary Machine. Sony, apparently dissatisfied with the tracks, forced her to re-record and rework all the tracks she had submitted, resulting in excessive delays. The tracks leaked on to the web where her fans pleaded for a proper release, even starting an online petition to have them made publicly available. Eventually the finished and reworked album was released legitimately to crtitical acclaim, but Apple has yet to return to the massive sales she experience previously. You know what, though? Doesn't matter. She's just as good now as whe was then. For proof, click here.
Remember when we all used to tease Fiona Apple over her fervent assertions that the world of MTV and award ceremonies being hollow, and how kooky it was that her album at the time had a 90+ word title? Yeah, we shouldn't have done that. I feel bad. Then again, I didn't really tease her that much, but I know others did so, much more than me. The thing is, that album was fantastic. It really is and it holds up today.
She was an angry little waif whose first album, Tidal, scored mega hits on MTV and radio in the (surprise surprise) late 90s. Slinking, venomous tracks like Shadow Boxer and Criminal quickly established her as the broken song bird, hurt over previous experiences and working through her aggression through extremely tuneful ditties on the piano. What she may be most remember for, unfortunately, is her widely mocked diatribe at the MTV Music Video Awards proclaiming the world it supported as fake and meaningless. It was one of those moments that, while she was speaking from the heart with great honesty and the best intentions, she really didn't do herself any favors. Ah, the transgressions and misgivings of youth. Hell, I remember thinking "Yeah! That's right! You tell 'em!" Now I look back and think "Well, yeah, we all know that, but what does proclaiming it change?" What a difference 15 years makes. Maybe I'm just more cynical now, or maybe MTV is that terrible always, but the world keeps spinning and life goes on. So this talented artist gets roundly teased and cast aside as a kook for her ranting and oddly titled album that came out. While it's often referred to in short as "When the Pawn..." the full title of Fiona Apple's sophomore album is (deep breath) :
When the pawn hits the conflicts he thinks like a king
What he knows throws the blows when he goes to the fight
And he'll win the whole thing 'fore he enters the ring
There's no body to batter when your mind is your might
So when you go solo, you hold your own hand
And remember that depth is the greatest of heights
And if you know where you stand, then you know where to land
And if you fall it won't matter, cause you'll know that you're right
Okay, that's out of the way. It's really kind of a novel concept, having such a long and detailed title. I can absolutely understand the ribbing but it does give more insight into what her mindset was at the time. The reason I'm rehashing all this that it came on shuffle this morning and I was overwhelmed by it - I had completely forgotten how terrific this album is. At the time it came out I distinctly remember thinking it was very good, very intelligent and detailed, full of experimental loops and odd orchestration. It's funny how something can seem so important and vital, only to be swept under the rug with the rest of a year. It's phenomenally good - the whole album is a cohesive mess of piano, thumping and leaping with her lilting, wounded and vengeful melodies. This was an artist at the top of her game and she caught flack just for venting in a public forum, shooting herself in the foot for lashing out at the press. It's a shame, really. The biggest single off the album, "Fast As You Can" is a manic, urgent plea for the target to run from her as quickly as possible. The song is unrelenting catchy, it's off-kilter syncopation hooking into your head like a hypnotizing act. The fervent energy behind it is infectious and the melody is inspired, running all over the spectrum but never feeling excessive or meandering.
Other songs feel just as left of center, like the buzzing and electric hisses of "Mistake" that sound like vintage guitars recorded through a rotary phone. Apple absolutley inhabits each track while breathing vitality into every word. The single "Paper Bag" feels almost like a jazz standard from the 40s with its back and forth piano chords and head bobbingly pleasant melody. Hearing Apple croon in such a sing-songy way almost makes you overlook the wonderfully twisted words she's streaming directly from her conciousness. Her voice is just like butter, all smooth and creamy over the backing track. "To Your Love" sounds like a lounge tune turned poisonous with time, like the good intentions fermented into something dangerous. I love the way her voice swirls up and down, making the oddest, most difficult turns sound like nothing at all when they come from her. "Limp" is a great example of contrasting styles, the cool, rising verses in her lilting and disarming voice seguing into the intense and spiraling chorus that drives the song right to th ground. It's powerful stuff. This album is fantastic start to finish, with a wide range of styles on display. They're all unified, though by the excellent production and mixing. The distinct instruements put to use here create a feeling of antiquated machines and instruements furnishing a madhouse, Apple's neurosis giving life to an old mansion full of flapper ghosts.
