Tidal
Fiona Apple
1996
Album Summary
Tidal is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Fiona Apple, released on July 23, 1996 by The WORK Group. Tidal produced six singles: "Shadowboxer", "Slow Like Honey", "Sleep to Dream", "The First Taste", "Criminal" and "Never Is a Promise". "Criminal", the album's most popular single, won a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 1998. In 2017, Tidal got its first vinyl run as a Vinyl Me, Please exclusive "Record of the Month".
WikipediaWhen I was a little girl first hearing this album I was like “geez she’s angry” Grown woman Jordan gets it though
Practically have this album memorized. 9 fantastic songs on a 10-track album. The composition, lyrics, diction are all off the charts and she was 18/19 when she recorded it. Blows my mind.
God damn what an album. Every song is varied and yet fit together excellently. Her voice seems to add something different to every single track. It's one of those albums where as soon as you try to think of your favorite track, a small part of the first track to naturally pop into your head - maybe a specific rhythm, an interval, an instrument, the tempo, anything - reminds you of another equally good track, which then reminds you of a third, and so on until you've gone through every track and returned to the first one again. And you can do so many such loops because every time a track pops into your head you identify a new aspect of it that you liked.
Fiona é incrível e esse CD tem algumas das melhores músicas da carreira dela. Ainda descobrindo na personalidade dela e seguindo algumas fórmulas, mas você já sente o que viria pela frente. Um dos meus CDs favoritos
Holy fuck. i had been avoiding this album much to my detriment. its one of the best albums I've ever heard. its also likely going to be a favorite. also sorry, my wifi had been out all week but I'm back and I'm finna go through these albums
There is a theatrical quality to Fiona Apple's voice that uniquely colors this record, which is inherently a marriage of alternative indie and soft-rock/jazz. Resonant and deep characteristics of her voice paint robustness - while unconventional for female vocals, it stands as a mesmerizing complement to the overall arrangement. Musically conducted in unison and uncomplicated, 'Tidal' serves as a great invention that subtly yet faithfully reflects Fiona Apple's life journeys.
Yes, I fancy her. I would shave off her pubic hair and keep it in a jar to eat at a later date.
Le piano est très fort, il est en parfaite symbiose avec la voix. Une découverte très plaisant à écouter. J’ai bien aimé Je l’évite, écouter l’album en boucle, les tounes se ressembles beaucoup Je levite le piano fou raide
I was always given the impression that people with external genitalia we're not equipped to "get" Fiona Apple. So I didn't really listen to anything she'd done until this album. I was pleasantly surprised by the first few tracks. Then I was pleasantly surprised by the next few tracks. Then... the whole thing fell apart. "Slow Like Honey" marked the beginning of the end. The album just drowned itself in self-indulgent, singer-songwtiter twaddle. Shame.
Woah! What an amazing album. This is my first time listening to Fiona. Shocking, right. What a vocalist and what a lyricist. Every song is amazing and just hauntingly beautiful. Long live Fiona!
hell yea fiona apple kicks ass! great debut album. Criminal is awesome. just a banger. The First Taste is also a good one
9/10. Was stuck between a 9 and an 8 on this one, but I am feeling generous today, and if something stands out to me as good while I am working, that's a good sign. Shadowboxing was a good track, and I remember liking Sullen Girl as well, but I wasn't paying as much attention to what track I was listening to later on, but everything was pretty solid.
Wow. One of the most immaculately produced albums I’ve ever heard. Everything is powerful, dark, and sexy. The singing and playing are all too-notch, and lyrically each song has a little bit of fierceness and a lot of mood.
This album is so fucking good. Fiona Apples vocals are unbelievable, she has different delivery on each track its Super impressive. Add in some really good song writing and instrumentation and you really got something special. God the jazz influences on slow like honey are just so good. Incredible.
I was excited when I got assigned this album as Apple's reputation was high and was not disappointed. A great album for chill vibes, for house duties and walking. Listened to Criminal several times today which says enough for the 5 star rating.
Había escuchado muy poco de ella, despues de este disco FAN! Todo muy bien, gracias 100001 discos por obligarme a escucharla
Fiona Apple will always gets 5 stars from me. She is one of the most authentic, human, and original artists that I know of. She puts herself out there in a way that can make her vulnerable and I think it's really brave. That she consistently manages to make that vulnerability sound so beautiful and powerful is nothing short of amazing. She is one of those rare artists who I view as having a nearly flawless discography because she only makes an album when she truly has something meaningful to express.
soncially cohesive, even on tracks like slow like honey and never is a promise, where it seems to diverge from the usual 'sleazy' like guitar sounds, it makes its way back from the jazzy piano tunes. I still think the songs with the sleazy guitar sounds with fionas aggressive tone are standouts
I think I knew at the time (but I had since forgotten) that Fiona Apple was still a teenager when Tidal came out but this album has never sounded like a teenager wrote it. It is emotional, raw, and definitely more musically complex than the standard radio fare of the mid to late 90s. To teenage me, these songs were permission from an older, wiser, much cooler girl to be whatever I wanted to be, whether that was sultry, angry whatever. It's a message I still need to revisit sometimes and this album will forever be in rotation for me.
I first heard this album live when she played the Capital Ballroom in Washington, DC. The album had barely been released and Shadowboxer was just starting to get some airplay on the alt-station here. I instantly fell in love with her sound - the growling, alto voice that can soften achingly on a dime, the almost classically-based piano creating the bedrock of the songs, the bass-heavy riffs and lush instrumentations that fill in the gaps. A 19-year-old writing so clearly, so confidently, so movingly about her experiences, some so horrific that might rather forever silence a young woman, elevates the music to another level. Many laud the musical experimentation with which Apple pushed the envelope in her later albums, but this one is stronger to me for being more traditional. There is a counter-point between the sound, reminiscent of adult contemporary artists like k.d. lang, and the poeticized angst of her painful youth - and that brings her message and music home with more feeling, more resonance. This album only gets better with repeated listenings, deeper as more time passes. A masterpiece of a debut.
This album is unbelievably brilliant. It's mature and soulful and witty and snarky and just really, really impressive. And... yeah, what's that, Kate? She was 19 when she made this!? I just don't know what to even compare that to. I'm more used to 18-19 year olds singing someone else's lyrics in the poppiest most button-pushing way possible. How was Britney Spears' debut just 2 1/2 years after this? The only thing I can think of that comes anywhere close to what Fiona Apple pulled off would be maybe Lorde, who was a couple years younger when "Pure Heroine" came out, but while it was impressive and refreshing it is nowhere near the level of "Tidal." If you're not blown away by Fiona Apple, you might not like music.
Really good album. I can’t believe she has such a vocal range at that age, but she was excellent. The music was really well crafted too. Just a great album.
I loved this album for a long time. From the opening drum beat to the last pluck of the hard, this is mellow and subdued and lovely.
talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before
I would listen to Fiona Apple’s answering machine and still fully believe that it is High Art. She is just so phenomenal. This isn’t my favourite album of hers however, it is SO GOOD.
Absolutely 10/10 for me I remember being 17 and obsessing over Fiona's vocals in Shadowboxer and Criminal, and then in lockdown I came back to this album after years. Not to be dramatic but Sleep to Dream felt like a mantra to me when I was stuck at home trying to plan out my next steps and keep my head above water
Pros: - It's so good. - Her sound checks so many boxes of what I would like for an artist. It's approachable, it has great hooks that are not only catchy but unique, it is confident, it's exploratory, it's memorable. - Her lyrics are so incredible and unique and have a quality that makes them sit in your head long after the song is over. - Amazing for a debut album. It sounds like someone who has been working on their sound for years and years! Cons: Misc:
YESSSSS. For both objective and personally subjective reasons, this is easily a 5 star album for me. She is so raw, and in your face, and unafraid to be "imperfect" with her sound, but it all somehow sounds beautiful just the same. "Criminal" was obviously a cornerstone in my early development of musical taste way back in middle school, and this whole album has been revisited several times since then, most recently two weeks ago! Love her, and love her art. Forever a fangirl! <3
One of my all time faves. I love Fiona. We were approximately the same age when this album came out. I was a senior in high school. I had always loved music, but I had never related to an album as much as I did this one. I haven't listened in years (other than occasionally catching Criminal on the radio) and I remembered every word. Masterpiece.
What a debut. Such mature singer songwriting from someone so young, powerful voice, powerful mood. It’s really very good indeed.
é inacreditável que esse álbum tenha sido gravado quando a fiona tinha só 19 anos! confesso que nunca parei para prestar atenção nas letras, mas ela carrega tanta emoção na sua voz, uma energia, uma raiva na interpretação, em meio a arranjos tão bem trabalhados que uau. é uma das maiores cantoras em atividade, sem dúvida.
Excellent album. Sultry and melodic. I think I actually own this CD, stored deep in the archives. Would listen again.
I have to be honest, the album didn't start to capture me until 'Criminal.' It was that song which made me start to appreciate Fiona Apple's voice and lyrics. I'd listened to 'Fetch the Bolt Cutters' once before and didn't really feel much, but this album felt like it had more passion and zest behind it. 'Slow Like Honey' showcased a broader range which I appreciated. 'The First Taste' is mystic and... man I'm starting to feel like I'm listening to a masterpiece honestly. She has such a quiet way with words that shines through on a full listen. I wasn't impressed to start, but Apple not only won me over but completely wowed me by the end.
This is a 5-star for me. A little bit of that is sentimental, but I admire the shit out of her songwriting. She's one of those songwriters who goes wherever she wants with a song and never loses me. I remember hearing her first few singles on the radio and feeling like they were lightyears beyond what was getting a lot of play.
The power at which this album hit me when I first heard it, and again while I listened to it entirely through multiple times. This woman is unparalleled in her lyrics, her voice and range, and rhythms. Just stunningly beautiful.
This is one of my all-time favourite albums. I am still stunned by the maturity of Fiona Apple's songwriting. She wrote these songs when she was in high school. I was also writing songs in high school. Suffice it to say that they were not like this. When this record came out I listened to it in secret, partly because it was mainstream and popular which I didn't think was cool, but mostly because I was so jealous of her. I didn't understand how this girl (who was my age!) was writing lyrics like "You'll never touch these things that I hold/The skin of my emotions lies beneath my own/You'll never feel the heat of this soul/My fever burns me deeper than I've ever shown/To you" when my lyrics were more like "I'm so alone, no one will ever understand me, I'll write it in a poem, very very sadly". It's been 25 years since this record came out and I still kind of want to be Fiona Apple.
another fucking 90s album are you fucking kidding me. oh my GOD. listened late relative to when i woke up. 11pm. not that late but im still fuckin rtired bc i woke up at like 8. this is a good thing because it gives me more time with my girlfriend star (or yufi? not sure which shed rather be called here). the album is good too but not as good as my girlfriend. not rly a fair comparison though since no album is. sorry all you nerd asss bitches making music u cant even compare. anyway ummm this album is pretty cool. ive been tired this whole time so ive just been letting it wash over me. first 4 songs and the first taste are all really good, shadowboxer is my fav. rly good sound. idk. nice mixture of energetic and kinda dense and alternative and a tiny bit edgy with some piano grace and restraint. after that it leans too far into the slower side of things and its very pretty and shes a good singer but it doesnt hold my interest quiiite as much. it.s worth checking out this album though :)
really moody, full voice with thinner instrumentals and just a powerhouse of a voice, kind of darker tone, i really like the way this feels to listen to... as in, i feel pretty Kool while listening to it
Love it! Hadn't listened to the whole album, but Criminal is such a bop--probably still my favorite on the album, but pretty solid overall.
Pretty enjoyable. More in line with my preferred genre. Will probably keep listening to this artist
I remember her hits and they are still amazing but some of the ones I didn’t know hit lyrically too. Better than I knew.
holy.fuck. this album was amazing! I never listened to Fiona Apple much, and i'm kicking myself (which seems to be a running trend with this musical list, lol), but man, "Sullen Girl" has got to be my favorite track on this album, hands down. beautiful composition, track placement is perfect, and just the rawness of this is amazing
Great Listen. Never heard of Fiona Apple before but will seek out more of her music. What a voice
That album takes me back in time to the time of the release of that album And what I was doing at that time to pass the time which in turn makes me reflect on the time I spend thinking about old times. That's good times. I give this album four Cameron Diaz's
cinematic moody alternative vibes. bumping up to 4/5 since I'm digging the variety of moods here
Aina tässä samalla pitää wikipedioida artistia ja levyä. Varsin vaikuttava levy siinä mielessä, että levyn kappaleet ovat syntyneet 17-18 -vuotiaan kynästä. Pääosin savuisten baarien hidastempoista pianon säestämää tunnelmointia, mutta siihen päälle paljon väriä eri jousisoittimista ja aina muodissa olevasta kellopelistä. Se on onneksi varsin lahjomaton mittari, vangitseeko joku levy huomion vai soiko musiikki vain taustalla. Minulla levy ei jäänyt vain taustamusiikiksi, vaan tartuin levyn luomaan tunnelmaan kiinni. Olin antamassa kolmosta, mutta palasin levyyn vielä seuraavana päivänä ja 3,5 pyöristyy nyt ylöspäin. Tykkäsin Fionan tavasta tulkita.
Some brilliant tracks on this album, Shadowboxer and Criminal to name but two, stunning voice and talent. Lacks the spoken word poetry bullshit that could get it to a five
Spoken word poetry bullshit. But, in a good way. A great songwriter with a great voice who has carved out her own sound and style. How d’ya like them apples?!
Before: I heard Criminal a little while ago and liked it. Looking forward to listening, should be a good start to this! First listen: Wasn't expecting to love the slower stuff more than the louder songs at the beginning. Love her voice, piano parts are excellent, and a lot of good percussion too. Favourite song is Pale September
1- Sleep to Dream- Decent song, not the most suited to be a intro, good empowerment themed lyrics. Probably not top 5 in the album 2- Sullen Girl- Probably the most emotional song in the album, where Fiona speaks about how the fact that she was raped when she was 12 affected how her family viewed her, the piano is captivating and matches the emotion of Fiona's voice, overall great song, might add to the playlist. 3- Shadowboxer- Great chorus, talks about her fear of falling back in love with an ex lover which makes her defensive, pretty good vocal performance. 4-Criminal- This album's biggest hit and a pop banger, femme fatale energy, talks about how women can play men when they want to, not necessarily the best lyrics but pretty bumpable with a cool outro 5-Slow Like Honey- The gravitas with which she sings the words that give a name to this track astounds me and even gave me goosebumps on first listen, might be top 3 in the album, great track that almost has a James Bond feel to it. 6-The First Taste- Funky. No better way to describe it, when that chorus comes in it just sweeps you off your feet and the whole song from there on out is just pure sex in a good way, the way her voice glides across such a playful instrument makes this probably my favorite song of the album. Outro also rocks. 7- Never is a Promise- The piano absolutely takes over this song in a hauntingly beautiful way while Fiona has one of her best vocal performances of the album as she sings about being betrayed by the first boy she had sex with. Pretty good and powerful song. 8- The Child is Gone- Another song with a bit of a 007 vibe sound wise, the lyrics are good and it has a good subject matter but I wouldn't consider it one of the highlights of the album 9- Pale September- Nice themed lyrics but I feel like this song should do more for me than what it does, maybe with a few extra listens it will. 10- Carrion- Has a good vibe for the last song of the album and ends it well, not necessarily a stand out song but decent enough. Overall thoughts: Good album even though it's not one of my favorite genres it has some pretty good and fun songs, I could definitely see myself revisiting it soon and even adding some of them to my playlist, seems like the type of album to bump in a light breezy spring afternoon. Fav Songs: The First Taste, Slow Like Honey Least Liked Songs: Pale September, The Child is Gone
First time listening: 8/10 songs liked Unlike her 2020 album (while lauded, I personally found noisy and annoying) this one is the right amount of tasteful experimentation. Very soft alternative rock, and I'm always a sucker for piano. 3 songs saved
Fiona has a fantastic voice. Great album. The first 4 tracks (through "Criminal") are very strong, but it's weaker through the midsection. "Carrion" is a great finish, though. I don't know if it's really worth 4 stars, but it's worth more than 3 to me, so I'll just have to go with 4. If you had told 1996 me that I'd give a Fiona Apple album 4 stars, I would probably have laughed at you, but here we are. Oh also, this is surely a better album on headphones than on speakers in a crowded room. Easier to hear the great production.
I didn't think I knew her, but Criminal is a classic where I just didn't know the singer's name. This album is fantastic and while it clearly fits into the era it was released, you can hear the older rock influences in it. It's very bluesy overall, but then songs such as Shadowboxer sounds a bit like Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane. You can really hear where many recent singers where influenced by her, Billy Eilish being the most obvious recent influencee Favorite Songs: Criminal, Sleep to Dream
It was slow and that'll probably keep me from listening to it too often but I really enjoyed the music. 8
The songwriting here is stunning, both on its face and in retrospect: Apple never lost that skill. Hers is a smooth voice, but there are some jagged songs and the sequencing also has its peaks and valleys. The instrumental palette is wonderful, and could use a little bit more space.
A strong first album from Fiona Apple. I love her voice as well as the compositions of piano and drums. My biggest complaint is that the back half of the album kinda merges together and bores me a bit. Highlights: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10.
It is such a nice and calming album, and Fiona's voice is so nice too. Is an easy listen if you're doing other stuff, but if you want to pay attention it also has nice parts that you can follow without it feeling boring.
I felt like this album went by really fast, but mostly in the background. I like it overall, and I can see myself listening to it again in the future 4/5
Another album defined in my mind by the very heavy presence of videos in the MTV rotation, during what turned out to be a relatively brief window when what MTV broadcast meant dick in the world of popular music. Going back to it I find it still very good but with limitations showing. There is the perennial eye roll of a teenager delivering super deep, world-weary relationship drama with irony-free gravity. The music was produced to a high gloss that’s to some degree superficial. There was never any doubt that Apple was the real deal here though.
Approaching this album as a fan whose first exposure to Apple was 2020's wild, unrestrained and cathartic Fetch the Bolt Cutters. It's strange hearing her more "conventional" beginnings, but the seeds of greatness and thematic ties with her later work are here in spades. This is a striking listen and very assured debut. Generally simplistic arrangements allow Apple's strong and soulful vocals and insistent piano playing to take front and centre for most of the album. The lyrics don't immediately jump out, but her delivery is fantastic. "Criminal" and all its brooding intensity is a highlight, as well as the slow build of closer "Carrion" (my favourite here) and the lovely chorus in "Never Is A Promise" when she darts into the upper register for the first time. Knowing what's to come from Apple makes me give this a 7/10 but rounding it up, partly because my attention was held and also because I gave Robbie Williams 3* yesterday and no way am I putting her on the same level as him.
Привет, я Фиона, мне 17 и я выпустила альбом Альбом звучит очень новаторски для своего времени. Я бы даже предположил, что он задал вектор музыки след. десятилетия. Потому что всё время прослушивания, меня не покидало ощущение, что я слушаю альтернативный альбом 2000х, но никак не 90х. Кстати, за песню “Criminal”, Фиона получила Грэмми. Песня затрагивает проблему сексуальная девиация в подростковом возрасте, которая актуальна до сих пор.
The cover itself deserves some stars. Simple, elegant, unpretentious. The music is strong and melodic.
I’m often not a huge fan of typical singer-songwriter albums like this but Fiona just has such a powerful voice and creative and lush instrumentation that I can’t help but love it. Absolute classic album totally worthy of being here.
A stunning debut album by at the time teenager Fiona Apple. The album is a bit all over the place but every once in a while like on Sleep to Dream, Criminal, Carrion and especially Shadowboxer she hits the sweet spot and the results are pure magic. A talented pianist and vocalist, this debut points to the musical riches to come. 4 🌟
I liked it a lot more than I thought I would! I enjoy this much more than most pop out there, especially pop from the last few years. It's much more than just autotuned 4-chord bs. Lots of nice soulful jazz and alt influences here. It had lots of chord progressions that interested me, and many songs had a lot going on in the background i appreciated. Her voice expresses real emotion very effortlessly. Would recommend, I will definitely return to this one
Starts out with a bang with that killer rhythm in Sleep To Dream. Criminal is an impressive song that will continue to age impeccably. Unfortunately the album slows down in the second half for me, but still a remarkable debut.
Apple's excellent debut. She is a unique songwriter for the end of the 20th century, giving her haunting production a jazzy edgy as she plays along on her piano. Apple's on the stage at the back of a smokey club, but she's no background singer. An aside, I love the drummers on this album. Matt Chamberlain and Danny Frankel are so tight, yet so smooth. Great job by Fiona Apple
This album starts out very strongly with 4 of the first 5 songs, Sleep to Dream, Shadowboxer, Criminal, and Slow Like Honey. Her vocal delivery on Slow Like Honey is intoxicating and sounds likes the voice of a much more seasoned, mature singer. There is only one song I don’t really like, The First Taste. Some of the songs drag on unnecessarily. Like Criminal for instance, it should have ended with over a minute remaining. The final 4 songs are decent, but not as good as the opening half. All in all a solid debut.
This world is bullshit. And you shouldn’t model your life — wait a second — you shouldn’t model your life about what you think that we think is cool and what we’re wearing and what we’re saying and everything. Go with yourself. Go with yourself.
Though this isn't the first time listening to Tidal, I missed this when it was first released. Though I did become a fan of her later work. I was assuming that Jon Brion had something to do with this album. I find his influence here and know they'd collaborated before, but he's nowhere to be found on the credits. Highlights on this album are the ones that you'd expect because they were played on MTV / radio endlessly. But the one that stands out for me is the opening track, Sleep to Dream. It's just so badass, and unique. I love the sound of the strength coming through in her voice.
I once next door to a married couple. Whenever the wife was on her own, she'd play Tidal, loudly. Singing along, loudly. The couple used to have terrible rows and it seemed like their marriage was a youthful mistake that they were grappling with as they headed towards their 30s. A lot of the time she never made it pas the first three tracks, usually replaying "Criminal" a few times. But now that I've heard the full album, I hope that she made it to the final track because that's all about having the strength to leave a shitty relationship.
The first impression of this album was a bit misleading, as it opens on the only bad track of the album, which made me restart the album after a few songs to give it the proper listening it deserves. And that was well worth it because it's actually very good. Good enough to make me curious about the rest of Fiona Apple's catalogue. Fiona Apple is a pretty ridiculous artist name by the way - but what's in a name.
It's nice that this influential album's cover was used, a decade after its release, as the inspiration for the Doctor Who villain Lady Cassandra. The music itself is strong. It holds up well as any of its direct contemporaries, and I think I'd go for this over Jagged Little Pill. Some tracks, naturally, are better than other but overall, I'd probably listen again.
Right from the first few seconds there's a darkness to this album that made it one of the more impressive debut albums I've heard. I can't remember why I originally bought this album but likely for something in the first single "Shadowboxer" - there was something there but the rest of the album proved how deep this all was. The opening track "Sleep To Dream" is bold and creepy, minimalist but powerful - a really unusual album opener and a captivating one - it feels like it's going to explode at any moment but it's all kept together by that tension... ...and then she hits you with "Sullen Girl" which starts with a gorgeous piano line and soon Fiona enters with her dry intimate vocals. And when the band gently kicks in after the first few lines it's hard to not be fully engaged - there's so much emotion and melody in this music and I particularly love the piano-driven aspect of it - here and in the rest of the album. "Shadowboxer" and "Criminal" were the big singles and very worthy/catchy bluesy hit tunes. But the rest of the first half shows so much more. The fact that she was a teenager when writing this albums ideally shouldn't have much bearing on how likable it is but... a teenager!? Borderline unreal to display this much depth in singing and restrained songwriting. The downside: I always felt this album started so damn strong over the first 5 songs and faded after that - I'm a sucker for at least a killer album closer - this second half really drags; needed at least one big uptempo track. But overall the strength of the first half is enough that I can listen to this album pretty much any time and in any mood. Love it. 7/10 4 stars
Probably my least favourite Fiona Apple record, but still a hell of a lot better than most artists' best albums
I had no idea what this was going to be going in, but I was pleasantly surprised at what I heard. A chill mostly low-key album, jazz singer vibes. I think it fell off towards the end, but the closing track was my favorite. Favorite song: Carrion
I’d only ever heard of Fiona Apple and after this she might be one of the best female rock artists from the 90s that I’ve heard. Much better than Aimee Mann. Fav: criminal
Great. Not as far away from Fetch the Bolt Cutters as I thought it would be. Lost some traction by the end but the same can be said about her new stuff. First 3 songs are hit after another.
Well that's more like it, this is a beautiful album. All of Fiona Apple's stuff is great.
While I don't love every single song of hers, I've grown to really like Fiona Apple as an artist. Her songs are incredibly unique and I keep learning new things about her as time goes on. This album was a good one with hits like Sleep to Dream and Criminal. Each song feels familiar yet all are different from each other. She is just a very dynamic artist, great way to end the week! Also we watched Eyes of Tammy Faye last night so this album cover hits today.
4.2 - listened to this a bit when it was originally released and feels like it still holds up well. Solid soulful blues with an amazing set of pipes on her. “Shadow boxer” remains a solid listen.
She has such a sonorous voice! When the Pawn...tops this, I think. But as debuts go, it is something special
I bought this album back when it came out and listened to it for a year or so, but drifted away and haven’t really revisited it since then. I’m glad it has come back to my attention, because this is a great album. It’s strong, feminist themes pull no punches as the songs explore strength, vulnerability, anger, exploitation, fear and a myriad of other emotions and isn’t afraid to create some discomfort. The feel of the album has a Tori Amos meets Alanis Morissette kind of vibe, two artists I really love. While this album’s more subtle approach doesn’t quite grab me to the level of those two artists, it’s still a very good listen.
I was quite enamored with this album. More than I think I was in the 90s. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I am more aware of its older jazz influences. A pretty amazing talent all around.
This album is so dense and lush. Beautiful music. At times the tracks are hit and miss but the first half of the album utilizes an elegant darkness. Sleep to Dream and Criminal are bangers.
First artist on this journey where I know virtually nothing about them, but managed to captivate me quite quickly. Love the swelling piano and strings on the first track and Apple has a great voice, which especially powerful on the swingy "Shadowboxer" and the piano rock song "Criminal" (also the bassline on this is sick). Middle run is a little less exciting, but picks up again with the beautifully fragile piano ballad "Never Is a Promise". First half is definitely the most engaging but I found this very good.
Was a fun jaunt. The singles were as good as I remembered, and the songs I didn't know were mostly as good as the singles. 4/5
Album starts great; cool drum-machine sample, great piano hook with lots of spicy dissonance added at the end along with ambient effects. Such a cool track. Pedal steel guitar, vibrophone, and mellotron instrumentation is great on Shadowboxer. I've never noticed all the great counter-melody in Criminal, though I think I've only ever heard it on the radio or on PAs; this is the first time listening on good headphones. Rest of the album continues to be interesting and dynamic. All in all pretty good.
Mind blowing that this is from 1996. The mood of this is bitter and resolute. She bares her heart, no matter if it hurts. The Technical proficiency here is stunning for a debut and its Angrier and subtler then other albums of the same time. Like it a lot. 4/5
Very good album, I really liked her voice and the style of the songs. Favorite songs: Shadowboxer and The First Taste
Solid through and through, haunting, tortured and catchy piano tunes. Highlights - Sleep to Dream, Criminal.
So the opening tracks are just as amazing as I remember… and then I remembered how slow the rest of the album is. Very lounge act. Lyrics are incredible, but this is too sleepy for me to listen to the whole thing on a regular. A shadow boxer is just too much. 3.5 stars. Rounding up because she was young and that voice is amazing.
This was a change of pace from all the rock we've had for awhile and I truly enjoyed it. Relaxing smooth music while I cut and welded some steel!
This is my first repeat review, as I did a few ratings before creating a group. Here's what I said last time: 'Probably my least favourite Fiona Apple record, but still a hell of a lot better than most artists' best albums' It's really good though and grows on me with every listen