Fuck Yeah, Fiona Apple!

thepeaceofgod:

Fiona Apple-When the Pawn… (1999)
     Although When the Pawn… was released in 1999, I did not discover this album until 2001, as a 19 y.o. and during a particularly hard time in my life. I knew who Fiona Apple was, but I wasn’t exactly a huge fan. I was more familiar with other singer-songwriters of that day, including your typical Lilith Fair crew: i.e. Jewel, Alanis, and Sarah M., and I was much more into popular and r&b music. I can’t even remember what possessed me to listen to Fiona Apple in the first place. I started off with her first album, the more easily accessible Tidal, and I enjoyed it immediately. I then proceeded to listen to When The Pawn…, but I was totally unprepared for the sheer brilliance of it. It took me longer to get into the album, but I was rewarded for my auditory persistence.
     While listening to this album, I found that Fiona was indeed a songstress of nearly unmatched talent. Her lyrics were creative, clever, mercurial, passionate, obsessive…all at the same time! Her voice was a smoldering alto that was powerful, but erratically quivering, as if she were always hanging on by a thread and was on the verge of a mental breakdown at any time. I could relate as I was dangerously close to a mental breakdown myself back then. Therefore, Fiona quickly became my musical messiah.
     The album is ten cuts, all written by Fiona and produced by Jon Brion. Highlights on the album would have to include “On The Bound” (full of Fiona’s passionate wailing pleas to a lover supported by a pounding piano and drum), “To Your Love” ( which has a James Bond feel and outrageous lyrics), “Limp” (wait until you hear the drum solo), “Paper Bag” (a classic piano ditty on speed about obsession featuring a whimsical Fiona, and it’s one of my favorite songs of all time), “Mistake” (a very f-you groove), and “The Way Things Are” (every loner’s anthem). There are also the beautiful piano ballads “Love Ridden” and “I Know”. Honestly, every song on the album is a gem…in my opinion, there are NO weak tracks here.
     I had long since put the album away, only listening to it every once in a while, until I recently watched the movie Bridesmaids, and it featured a touching scene to the sounds of “Paper Bag”. I pulled the album out again and was reminded of its sheer brilliance, which has not diminished in the slightest. I also have to give props to Fiona’s third album, Extraordinary Machine, which I also love and I believe it is her second best album.
     It’s sad (to me) that Fiona takes so much time in between albums. In fact, I don’t even know if she’ll ever make another one. Still, she’s left me with music that I treasure deeply (I’m talking desert island music). She changed my life at a very critical time as I’m sure she did for many other young women, and for that-even if she never sings another note-she’s got a fan for life.

Fiona Apple-When the Pawn… (1999)

     Although When the Pawn… was released in 1999, I did not discover this album until 2001, as a 19 y.o. and during a particularly hard time in my life. I knew who Fiona Apple was, but I wasn’t exactly a huge fan. I was more familiar with other singer-songwriters of that day, including your typical Lilith Fair crew: i.e. Jewel, Alanis, and Sarah M., and I was much more into popular and r&b music. I can’t even remember what possessed me to listen to Fiona Apple in the first place. I started off with her first album, the more easily accessible Tidal, and I enjoyed it immediately. I then proceeded to listen to When The Pawn…, but I was totally unprepared for the sheer brilliance of it. It took me longer to get into the album, but I was rewarded for my auditory persistence.

     While listening to this album, I found that Fiona was indeed a songstress of nearly unmatched talent. Her lyrics were creative, clever, mercurial, passionate, obsessive…all at the same time! Her voice was a smoldering alto that was powerful, but erratically quivering, as if she were always hanging on by a thread and was on the verge of a mental breakdown at any time. I could relate as I was dangerously close to a mental breakdown myself back then. Therefore, Fiona quickly became my musical messiah.

     The album is ten cuts, all written by Fiona and produced by Jon Brion. Highlights on the album would have to include “On The Bound” (full of Fiona’s passionate wailing pleas to a lover supported by a pounding piano and drum), “To Your Love” ( which has a James Bond feel and outrageous lyrics), “Limp” (wait until you hear the drum solo), “Paper Bag” (a classic piano ditty on speed about obsession featuring a whimsical Fiona, and it’s one of my favorite songs of all time), “Mistake” (a very f-you groove), and “The Way Things Are” (every loner’s anthem). There are also the beautiful piano ballads “Love Ridden” and “I Know”. Honestly, every song on the album is a gem…in my opinion, there are NO weak tracks here.

     I had long since put the album away, only listening to it every once in a while, until I recently watched the movie Bridesmaids, and it featured a touching scene to the sounds of “Paper Bag”. I pulled the album out again and was reminded of its sheer brilliance, which has not diminished in the slightest. I also have to give props to Fiona’s third album, Extraordinary Machine, which I also love and I believe it is her second best album.

     It’s sad (to me) that Fiona takes so much time in between albums. In fact, I don’t even know if she’ll ever make another one. Still, she’s left me with music that I treasure deeply (I’m talking desert island music). She changed my life at a very critical time as I’m sure she did for many other young women, and for that-even if she never sings another note-she’s got a fan for life.

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