Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Ok so here we have a 52min (sigh) slab of angry gen X girl quirkiness.... only it's not 1995 anymore. Apple is almost 10 years older than me and all I can think is how immature this is. Every second word was fuck, every second lyric was something like "no, I won't shut up!" etc etc. Are men/the system/record labels/whatever really holding you down in 2020? When you can make an album of this nonsense, using garageband for the music and MS paint for the cover (ie. on a budget of whatever the electricity bill was) and then it charts worldwide? There's no way I can take this sort of shit seriously. And its Wikipedia entry is baffling - all it does is quote over-the-top gushing reviews. Who on earth could care that much about this artsy nonsense? My guess is these ridiculous reviews were written by either people who care more for her status as feminist icon than her music, or guys who had a crush on her in the late 90s. Didn't anyone in the music press think it was overly long, pretentious crap? This amateur reviewer does. 1 point because she clearly DID put some effort in (even if I don't like the result), and another because she can really sing when she gives it a crack. 2/5.

Geez people really turned on this album didn’t they. Music still seems good to me. Weird that the current top review here knocks the lyrics for “every other word being fuck this and fuck that” when there’s… a single f-bomb across the entire album? Lots of projection going on when it comes to the content of the album; you’re telling on yourself, bro.

Fiona is going to go down as a national treasure in the US. I felt so strong and powerful after listening to this album that I had to revisit her earlier stuff to see if the same feeling applied. Of course, it did. Her artistic choices are so apparent in this album that her genius really shows. Loved listening to this (over and over). It deserves the Grammy's that it won and she deserved not to have to go to the show!

This is what the first month of the Covid Pandemic felt like. And it's such a fucking banger. Quite simply, it's a masterpiece. The album was released about two weeks after the pandemic started, and I'd spend days just listening to this over and over again. Fiona Apple had, of course, recorded the album months previously, yet she somehow found a way to capture exactly how everyone felt when it was released. Just everything about the album, including the cover photo featuring an insane close-up of Fiona giving it a claustrophobic feel. And the title that's an immediate call to action, suggesting a way out of your current predicament. Two years after it's release, every song from top to bottom remains a killer. My favorite song seems to change with each listen, but I have a special spot in my heart for "Newspaper", which only gets better with every repeat listen. This is Fiona Apple firmly distancing herself from every female recording artist who debuted in the '90's and basically left them in the dust. She out-Exiled Liz Phair, jagged right through Alanis, and firmly put the Fiona Apple who blasted onto the scene with "Tidal" in her rearview mirror. She's going to be elected to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame with relatively ease. When she first hit the music scene, Fiona Apple won an MTV Video award and proceeded to tell the audience that "this world was bullshit". And people lost their ever loving shit. How dare this skinny little waif act so unappreciative and vulgar! Fiona Apple was right about the world back then, and she's still right now.

Perfect Metacritic score rating. nuff said.

[Review pending as author listened to this album, got up, opened his front door, and walked all the way to Brooklyn to offer himself at the altar of the witch coven Fiona Apple surely created through the power and majesty of this album alone]

Percussion is really cool. Chill music, easy listening

More garbage. I'm sure she can sing, but she doesn't. She talks. The production quality is embarrassing on this. Sounds like an edge junior high kid produced it, using spare OS midi sounds from Windows 98. It's chaotic in a bad a way, soup-pot of random sound-effects shaken around while trudging through a swamp. Just about a complete lack of musicianship. This feels like something parents would bring up at a wedding to embarrass their kids. "Remember when you were 13 and you thought you'd made a hit record? *everyone groans*, let's just have a listen to this masterpiece. Okay okay, that's enough."

This is at once her most experimental and most casual sounding record. I appreciate everything about it - especially the way she emphasizes the percussion. She lets her voice rip here in a way that she never really has before, and it stops you in your tracks. She's holding nothing back. This album captures both her intensity and her playfulness equally well. Love the message and love Fiona Apple.

I wish I liked Fiona apple. I feel like she's like the vocal pop version of avant garde jazz. Some people just don't like or get it. I think this is a good album but I don't know that I like it that much tbh. Standouts: shameika, fetch the bolt cutters Songs I hate: relay

I'm not really sure how an album from 2020 is even on this list, since there's not really any way to put an album from last year into its historical context. On the other hand, this is a really cool album. It's easy to see why it struck a chord with people who were locked down and scared during the early stages of the pandemic. It's cool, weird, and well executed 4/5

Terrible and annoying vocals over an uncreative and boring instrumental. Dreadful sound quality as well and mixed very poorly. Possibly the worst album I've ever listened to

Every time you think “this is going to be a song” it turns out that it isn’t. This whole album just sounds like a mental breakdown.

Is this a joke? she's surely making this up as she goes along. Is it supposed to be art? Avant garde? Rubbish.

This was brand new to me and it made me go "wow" so many times as I first listened to it: her distinctive voice, the percussion, the piano, the dogs, and the really really interesting lyrics. Wow wow wow. A few times I had to rewind and listen again since it begged constant careful listening. Just blew me away, and what an exciting feeling that was!

OOOOOOO great album. The expiramentation lends the album this off kilter, shambling kind of feel. Reminds me of a Tom Waits feeling. Relay is probably the song that grabs me the most. For Her is a heavenly blend of harmonies and rage.

I love every minute of it. It sounds so chaotic but in a good way. Added it to my album collection. Perfect for a gathering with friends.

I Want You To Love Me is the perfect song to open this album, I was halfway in love right from the start. Despite the obvious way she uses instruments and background noises, for me what caught my ear the most was the lyrics of the songs. Alot of very personal and emotional lyrics went into this album and I loved it! Standout songs: I Want You To Love Me, Under The Table, Heavy Balloon, For Her

Like a work of art.

When this album came across the generator, I hadn't listened to it in a while. I was initially excited but then worry crept in. What if this album wasn't as good as I remember? Was the hype and adoration overblown? Is this album a victim of the pandemic, where the uncertainty of everything in our lives and the abrupt upending of plans have tainted our views of various aspects of media? Well, despite all of those factors creeping in, this album remains an excellent viewpoint of Fiona Apple and what she means to us. Songs that were seen as been somewhat grating in retrospect (Shameika, Ladies, Heavy Balloon) hit even harder than before and songs that weren't given space to be remembered suddenly galloped with an intensity and fervor that sticks after it ends (Newspaper, Cosmonauts, Drumset). Is the album as good as I remember? Yes. Was the hype and adulation overblown? Yes, but it was deserved. Is it a victim of the early pandemic? For me, not anymore.

A real masterpiece. She doesn't release albums often but when she does they hit hard. My favorite is probably "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" but no duds on this one. The lyrics are raw and honest, the instrumentation is spare and rich. This album was built to last.

Love her or hate her, it's impossible not to admire the stunning talent of Fiona Apple. She's an incredible songwriter and musically, there's no one quite like her, but the fact that she recorded Fetch the Bolt Cutters by herself at her home pushes her into another realm. How do you even classify Fiona Apple... ? I just think she is so unique, so strong and also delicate, raw and also innovative. I've been a big fan of hers since the rage of Tidal subsided. Even so, this album seems to be somewhat of a departure of the Fiona Apple that I've loved. Like this is the culmination of all of her previous albums and she has finally broken. Almost as if her previous albums were pleas for awareness. Up until FTBC she's danced around mental issues, made allusions, suggested troubles but now she's screaming, fuming with anger and lifting the thin veil that's covered it for so long. From For Her: "Good mornin' good mornin' You raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in" The beauty of Cosmonauts, only to shift into screaming the chorus at the end. And From the title track: "Fetch the Bold Cutters I've been in here too long ... I grew up in the shoes they told me I could fill and I need to run up that hill, I need to run up that hill" This is not a pleasant album to listen to. It's unhappy with broken frustration, learned helplessness and internal voices. Regardless, it's open and raw. It's hard not to imagine her pain while listening to this and it's hard to deny this a position on the 1001 albums list. Great album, hard to listen to.

I love that this was recorded mostly in GarageBand.

7/10. Didn't like it nearly as much as Tidal. Had some strong songs, especially towards the end of the album, but other parts of it just kind of annoyed me, and the middle dragged on a bit.

Personally thought this album was awful. Having known Fiona from the great song ‘Across the Universe’ I was expecting much much more. The entire album feels like a collection of C-sides, let alone B-sides, written by a moody teenager who thinks open mic nights are the be-all and end-all. Lots of grating repetition of words and phrases, with many random analogies thrown in. First album in years where I had to keep checking how many songs were left until it was over. 1/5.

Fiona sings: “Kick me under the table I won’t shut up I won’t shut up” I wish she would…

This album sounds like a nervous breakdown Constant, crashing, warlike, eastern percussion takes over much of the album residing over dissonant tones. There is some peaceful breaks, but even then it just seems the brief time you'd spend just holding yourself trying to calm down before becoming enraged once more. Can't believe it took 6 years to record this, or that it was met with such acclaim

I love Fiona Apple, and whilst this isn't my favourite album, it was amazing to have some new music from her after quite a period since the last one.

Had given this a listen previously as a result of it being consistently high on best of 2020 lists. Throws a couple of pretty heavy lyrical punches throughout and features some incredibly impressive vocal range, phrasing and delivery. Opening track intro sounds like My Dick by Mickey Avalon which I can almost 100% guarantee was not the intention based on the themes across the album.

This surprised me a lot and found myself enjoying this way more than expected. My favorite was “Shameika”

I almost stopped listening on the first song but I hung in there and actually sort of liked Shameika. The rest seems pretty indulgent in that everything feels like a practice run for a live jam session--just not quite as good as it should be. Will say I liked this a lot more than Tidal.

I like how this album is produced; the different layers of music fit very well with each other. But no element makes the album stand out: there are no catchy melodies, no cool guitar riffs, no impressive vocals, or interesting storytelling in the lyrics. To be fair, I don't tend to enjoy alternative music in general, so I guess this album isn't for me.

The most recent release of legendary Singer-Songwriter and Art Pop icon Fiona Apple who stayed a welcome presence in both mainstream and with the critics since her debut in 1996 and became even more talked about since her sophomore record "When the Pawn" which to this day is viewed as her most extravagant album. With this 2020 Art Pop album which features influences from Piano and Experimental Rock as well as R&B and Cabaret to create a one of a kind release that sounds very "home made" but still with a lot of quality in the experimentation and songwriting. It features a lot of non-musical percussion, effects and even some dogs that add further to the well made weirdness of the album which the cover art already hints to. The opening track 'I Want You to Love Me' starts with a weird percussion intro before moving to a very beautiful piano that takes influence from both Jazz and Blues. Both the vocals and songwriting again feels very much inspired by typical Jazz standards but with much more Pop and Rock focus and a lot of additude in the vocals. I think the experimentation and the things she sometimes does with her vocals is adding a lot to the enjoyment but overall I feel like the song came out duller than it could've. It definitely has qualities but something is holding it back from being more than just good. On 'Shameika' she goes more into Cabaret & Jazz vocal delivery which does result in some very interesting moments and a staggering performance throughout. It often switches between building tension and going absolutely manic with the instruments that just do everything while obviously sticking together in the chaos. But after some time, it does get a bit repetative because it does the same "crazy" again without seriously changing it which does result in it not feeling fully tied together in itself. Overall, this is an okay track but again, the potential is there for much more than that. With the title track 'Fetch the Bolt Cutters' it not only gets more Jazz but also more Experimental with a mix of Musique concrète, Animal Sounds from dogs & Spoken Word passages. It's without a doubt a very, very weird song that seems to be all over the place but I personally think that it makes it so much more interesting than previous songs. The hook is incredibly catchy and the instrumental passages are more intriguing as well. It's both psychedelic and undefinable but also catchy enough to sound great the entire time. 'Under the Table' returns to the Cabaret vocal delivery but also does a pretty nice mix of production choices that complement the songwriting very well that finalises in a nice chorus that repeats a lot but never too much. The bridge with the crazy mix also has its interesting moments. It's a good song, pretty good. The Blues vocals on 'Relay' give the track a very groovy and classic feel that is mixed with a Experimental Pop Rock production. The result is sounds a lot like some Experimental R&B from the 60's mixed with modern times. It's interesting and groovy throughout the whole track with the vocals carrying most of it. I think it's done very well in terms of songwriting and the song's great even if the outro wasn't needed at all. The Jazz, R&B and Soul influences don't stop on 'Rack of His' but again, it's implemented in an Experimental and weird setting. I think that on paper this is a great song: the vocals are incredible, the production is done well including some very, very interesting percussion but there's just something there that makes the song feel a bit basic in full. It's still a good song but it could've been much better. The weird combination of R&B vocals and Industrial production sounds like it shouldn't work but somehow it does. It isn't the craziest by any means but it has something that makes me stay interested with it much longer than I thought I would. It's still streched a little bit too much to be fully enjoyable but it is a pretty solid track with some very outstanding parts that are sadly buried a bit in the length of the track as well as a certain repetition in the songwriting. 'Ladies' is a more standard Jazz Pop track with influences from Soul & Brill Building while still being obviously Pop. It also focuses a lot on more sentimental Piano melodies that the vocals are added on top. My biggest problem isn't the sound or the songwriting but again the length which is just way too much. No need for this to be more than 5 minutes. But it is still a pretty well performed and put together track which is why it's still good. While still having Soul influences, 'Heavy Balloon' does return to a more Experimental instrumentation that is stiched together from ideas that are all over the place but it is one of the tracks where this actually works. The songwriting is absolutely incredibly and both vocals and lyrics are performed equally perfect. Some parts in the verses are a little bit unfocused but the pre-chorus is just masterful. It reminds me a lot of Nick Cave which is enough for me to really like the track. It's incredible. Even on 'Cosmonauts' the Epxerimental ideas are present even if they are pushed much further back in the sound. The focus are vocals and lyrics which I personally find pretty basic and standard and in return think that it does ruin a bit of the track but the angelic backing vocals are at least adding something. It sadly doesn't help enough to save much. I think this song is not good and often even bad. The claps at the start of 'For Her' seem to introduce something completely else but it's actually an A Capella girl group that follows with only some weird instrumentation appearing later and not always all that present. The idea is there as well as the product but to me it's just not that interesting. There are certainly moments that are good but it doesn't reach further than okay. 'Drumset' again focuses mainly on the vocals but I find most of the track to be pretty boring and even annoying at points. The good and the bad equal each other out to a very average and decent track. The closing track 'On I Go' is one of the most Experimental tracks with a combination of Avant-Garde Post-Industrial and Pop vocals that add a dark and twisted twist to the sound while still feeling in touch with what the album mostly did. I personally think that these two "parts" don't really fit together well and the result feels very average, again. favourites: Heavy Balloon, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, Relay least favourites: Cosmonauts Rating: strong 6 to light 7 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Fiona Apple is the female Tom Waits. I say that in all of the good and bad ways you can think of.

Various elements that I usually dislike were at play on this album, but they worked. 1. Excessive repetition 2. Odd extraneous sound effects 3. Spoken word-ish style.

You guys remember the pandemic? Crazy, right? This album is pandemic-core, in a similar vein as that celebrity "Imagine" singalong, or the video of Sam Smith crying about lockdown after like two days. This album was lauded to high heaven when it dropped, and I really didn't get the hype then. Okay, Fiona is stuck in the house and going insane, I guess that makes this album interesting. But musically, it feels not just disorganized but whimsical to a point that I just don't really like. Think Tom Waits if he were doing a character of a carnival barker going insane. I liked one more song this time than I did the first time I heard it (and a few other songs I almost liked, but then they just got too annoying), but I'm still not really into this album. I'll give it three stars because I respect the craft, and it's not bad by any means. But it's dated, and it's not for me. Favorite tracks: Relay, Rack of His, Heavy Balloon. Album art: I do like the cover, it conveys her madness pretty well. Bold, contrasting colors between the font and the little gold ribbons or whatever. She looks like she's auditioning for the Joker, and she kinda sounds like it here too. 3/5

Hat Potential. Nervt aber kolossal. Sie bevorzugt einen erzählenden Songwriting-Stil, leider interessieren ihre Petitessen mich nicht im geringsten.

не понял, что люди тут находят, почти 1

Although better than the rest of this week’s selection, I don’t actively ‘like’ Fiona Apple’s music. I know a lot of musos do but she doesn’t do much for me. I quite liked Newspaper but as for the rest - I’m sure it’s worthy but can’t get into it.

I don't really dislike it, she has a good voice but I don't really love it. It's a 2.5 for me getting a 2 because it's way overhyped.

Strange

Shove an apple up your bum, Fiona. As a young father to twin girls, if either of them grew up to be anything like Fiona Apple, I would slit their throats in their sleep.

This would be a great instrumental album. Some really cool percussion sounds. Unfortunately, Fiona gets in the way and ruins it with a horrible tone and asinine lyrics.

Not good

This was not pleasant to listen to. At the end of the first track, she was making dolphin calls... And it didn't get better from there.

awful

My initial impression was Morrisett in 2020. The notes are held too long in the first track and the noises/babble were too much. The rest of the album sounds like she just wanted to get a record out. Needs a lot more polish. The picture on the cover looks like Fiona is listening to her own songs from this album, I’ve never been a Fiona Apple fan and this may be why.

Well... that sucked.

I thought I had listened to all of Fiona's records. Apparently I hadn't. And I'm glad I was introduced to this one.

Uau, impressionante. Corajoso, cheio de energia e personalidade

consider this an apology for rating her debut only a 4.

musically so GOOD and her voice has such a bold rasp. i'm in love. sort of regina spektor-ish in the honky tonk piano and the jarring cooing

ooh

Un disco que me tardé en apreciar, pero al que de repente regreso, sobre todo por algunas canciones, sobre todo las de la segunda mitad. Y pues sí, lo disfruto y me pone de buen ánimo. Sigo pensando que aunque es buen disco, todo el ruido del 2020 estaba sobredimensionado. 9/10

I absolutely see why this got so much hype a few years ago. It is hard to make something that is so artsy while also sounding genuine, but this album seems to have come from the heart more than the mind. The fun rhythms, stripped and raw production, great vocals, catchy melodies; it was all here for me, and I LOVE it. I already know this will be on regular rotation for me.

An album like no other. This really helped me through a tough part of my life. I'm thankful for that. I totally called it as the album of the year in 2020. Super happy to revisit this after a fairly long stint since my last time.

Me encantó,la agresividad en el piano, a en la voz y hasta en varias letras es de cierta manera muy punk sin ser punk. Además esas percusiones rudisismas a ratos que se escucha como si solo le estuvieras dando von todo a un bote de basura, muy a la slipknot.

FIONA YOU BEAUTY I LOVE YOU

One of this decades early seminal pieces. Speaking of pieces Apple gives us slices of her throughout this. One to listen to in the early part of this decade.

Best kind of pop

A shining star from one of the great musicians of all time

There are two directions musicians can go in the modern era: Experiment, or solidify tradition. Fiona manages to do both in this awesome album.

LP

I've always liked Fiona Apple but not heard a full album - glad to have changed that here, it's phenomenal.

If you imagine one of the really great Tom Waits albums, say, Swordfishtrombones, but a female singer, and the focus is less on Lynchian dwarves and hobos, and more on the intimate moments of daily life that feel just as big, then you'll have a vague sense of how brilliant this album is. I did not realise Fiona Apple was like this, and now regret not having sat down with one of her albums sooner. I will be buying this, and soon.

This album is amazing, a genuine accomplishment. For Her is a particular triumph. Wow. I'm blown away.

Wow. I LOVE this album!! As a Fiona fan in my teens, I was pretty excited to see this pop up, and didn’t even know it existed. Her voice is so original and the way she uses words, breaking them down to the tempo, with lots of repeating, is totally entrancing. I’m pretty sure the wiki on this album is also the best I’ve ever read-super random, fun facts, like the credits to her dogs barking on a track, the fact the the whole album was recorded through the GarageBand App, to the details of her Grammy nomination (and how she snubbed it) actually makes the album that much more interesting! I even love her album cover and how she saved the pic for years to use on a cover one day. Fiona Apple is a goddess!!! Listen again: definitely Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: For Her

This is a fantastic album, but it's surprising to see something so recent on a list like this. I've listened to it several times since it came out, but still feel like I'm digesting it! Fiona Apple must be one of the most consistently great singer/songwriters working today.

I remember trying to get into this album when it came out due to so many positive reviews from every website/critic but I just couldn't properly appreciate it. On this listen I think I've wrapped by head around the clangy production, and where the album really is interesting is the song topics that Fiona chooses. In addition her vocal delivery on each song is so quirky and unpredictable it keeps it fresh the whole way through. 9/10

Fiona Apple makes good records. This is one is endlessly unique -- challenging and catchy at the same time.

I love her endlessly. this is such a good album

A really interesting album. Love the live percussion, love the understated passion. My lockdown album of choice.

I was blown away but this album. Very original songs and such a raw vocal performance

omg loved!

This is the second Fiona Apple album that I've gotten on this list, and just like 'Tidal,' I really enjoyed this album as well. I had just gotten PJ Harvey's 'Rid of Me' on the previous day, and I felt like it was a beautiful coincidence to get 'Fetch the Bolt Cutters' immediately afterwards. I love that the lyrics had a theme of detachment to them, but each song still felt like it addressed that detachment in a different way. Fiona Apple's vocals are always so raw, yet she conveys so much emotion through her singing. I loved the instrumentation on this album was brilliant as well. I've heard "Criminal" so many times throughout my life, that I always think of Fiona Apple as a pianist, but she really breaks away from that here with all of the different percussion she was using. The three track run of "Newspaper," "Ladies," and "Heavy Balloon" might be one of my favorite trio of consecutive songs ever, and I really thought the last half of the album was incredibly strong.

The percussion and piano on this album are constantly interesting and make the album a 5/5 for me. Favorite Tracks: Under the Table, Shameika, Heavy Balloon.

I didn't know anything about this album. The beginning of the first track really drew me in and the album kept my attention until the end. Some awesome piano and intriguing melodies for my ears! Now, occasionally, including in the end of the first track, it all became too intense or dissonant for me. Fortunately, these moments were isolated enough to not completely distort my listening experience...but this won't be one to add to my music-to-work-by list.

For some reason I was really pulled in by this album and can’t wait to listen to it again. Raw but polished, honest but kind. Such a genre spanning sound, I will even recommend this to my husband and we don’t like the same music at all.

I Want You To Love Me- Could’ve done without the last part, but other than that pretty catchy 👍 Shameika- Funny how small moments can become defining moments in your life..👍 Fetch the bolt cutters- this is a bit too on the nose for me and isnt that sonically interesting. nice doggos tho Under the table- wish I could speak out a bit more 👍 Relay- I like this song a lot, but not really sure about the repeated line, i feel like it doesn’t mean much really Rack of his- I think the metaphor is really clever here, enjoyed this song overall 👍 Newspaper- I like the harmonies, but again a bit literal for me again and not a strong melody Ladies- A more chill song following the last one, a little meandering for me and i would say slightly condescending Heavy Balloon- So good, i love the vocals on this one 👍 Cosmonauts- One of the instantly catchier tracks 👍 For Her- Bit too chaotic for me Drumset- Quite repetitive, feels like a bit of throwaway On I Go- very percussion heavy, pretty good ending to the album 👍 I heard about the acclaim for this album back when it was released but never checked it out. It feels very 2020, but still holds up and I really appreciate it 5/5

OH MY GOD yesterday I decided to start listening to Fiona Apple because why not? I heard her album Extraordinary Machine which buh-lew my fucking mind after I heard it, I was telling my friend about how much I loved it and he said I should listen to her new album Fetch The Bolt Cutters this morning, I generated my new album and somehow I got this I probably have another 700 albums left on this thing and the fact I got this out of any possible album is just fucking crazy anyway, I really can’t put into words how amazing both of the albums I’ve heard from her are they’re just so amazing in literally every field of musicianship this album is too good to rate

Very good. Jazz like in some sections, experimental in others. Fun listen.

One of the stand out albums of the last couple of years, definitely deserves its place on the list. Is it a masterpiece only time will tell, but for now it feels harsh not to give this the full 5 stars.

Incredible

This album was likely the best of 2020. Recorded mostly at Fiona Apple’s home in Los Angeles, it has a raw organic quality to it. The use of found sounds lends an almost dada like ramshackle foundation from which the music can find its basis. This produces a set of sounds that seem to appear spontaneously without the trappings of a studio production.

love this album

Fiona Apple has been angry all her life — and why shouldn’t she? as a woman whose mind and body have been exploited in an industry that’s constructed a wild game without informing her of the rules — but never has her anger sounded so assuredly stubborn and liberating as it does on her grand masterpiece, Fetch The Bolt Cutters. this is music unrestrained by the very constructs expected from music itself, and — in extension — from women. it is messy and wackily edited, and it is deliriously free. every word is a searing swiss blade; every surface is a percussive instrument Apple strikes right after her words do; and no subject is safe from her ruminations. in one fell swoop, Apple begs for love and affection (“I Want You to Love Me”), and then critiques an ex for sexually assaulting her (“For Her”). it is a brutal listen, one in which Apple sets the world around her ablaze — the sly, toxic men; the nasty high school bullies; the clout-chasing wannabes — and then holds out her hand for solidarity to the others who manage to survive the forest fire. on songs like “Newspaper” and “Ladies”, she seeks to protect the women who have been equally maltreated by men; she sings high praises to the one person in school who defended her on “Shameika”, while showing off the person she’s become in the face of mean girls. in its rawness, Fetch the Bolt Cutters truly soars. Apple had come far from the days of Tidal, where a girl and her piano made a way with her words. here, Apple spews those words with venom, and you can hear in her voice, the veins lifting on her temples and neck; you can hear the tears in her eyes and blood dripping down her nose. she flips the piano and stomps on it to make a beat. only Fiona Apple could’ve made this album, and goodness, what a phenomena it turned out to be.

Duh

Oh, the absolute masterpeice! The first album we've tested on our B&W stereosystem. So many sounds in perfectly organized harmony! Fiona scares me with her talent

Oh man this was KICKASS! The lyrics are so emotionally vulnerable and heartfelt. Felt those words to my core. The title track will be my new mantra. I'm in love.

Only got halfway through the album would like to revisit later pretty good so far.I really like the modern sound.It’s folky but kinda catchy.The weird drums are really cool.I love her voice it’s so expressive and the lyrics are pretty heartfelt.

TE AMO FIONA APPLE

i love her sm

Scrolling through the reviews, people giving this 1 star seem to be mostly bell ends, or under this mad self-hate craze they've got running riot in the states. Or maybe they want all their music to have 'perfect' production with all the edges knocked off and unadventurous. Which is a valid choice for some. Sure it's not for you, nothing is for everyone, 1 star should be reserved for the truly bad, 2 stars for me when I just don't like something but can see why others would. That said I can understand why this album would be polarising. Newspaper, For Her, the title track. But if an album is polarising opinion, that can be a sign of something truly special. I remember the reaction when it came out, universal praise, Pitchfork's fabled full 100 score, that kind of thing and wondered if people were going overboard. I think they probably were, but just a little, this is a great album. I think I prefer the idler wheel, and I was never a fan of her 90s stuff, so I'm far happier when she's experimental. Regardless, I'm obviously going to add a star and give this a 5 just to undo one of those 1s that should be a 2. Faves - Fetch the Boltcutters, I Want You to Love Me, Rack of His, Cosmonauts

I love this record. I generally like her stuff, but this had a great edge to already great songs.

I was shocked by how good this album is. What incredible writing. I saw her open for Page/Plant at the Gorge in George, WA. I found her to be an extremely talented musician but was really taken with the songs themselves. Never really listened to her after that. But this! Wow. Amazing song writing, amazing musicianship, amazing poetry. I will go back and listen to her older stuff again.

Kick me under the table all you want, I won't shut up about this album. It's sprawling, adventurous, playful, and expertly produced, with a domestic feeling that's miles away from the all-too-neat sounds of mainstream pop these days. It's experimental yet extremely catchy at the same time (See "Cosmonaut"'s chorus for one example of such "catchiness"). The lyrics are very "topical" most of the time but they're never on the nose, an asset that is mirrored in the performances themselves. Fiona Apple is a virtuoso on the piano and an incredible singer. But she also left many supposed "flaws" apparent during the recording process, along with off-kilter moments that make the whole thing sound sincere and very endearing. My only (minor) complaint is that the album is maybe *a little* too long. A more reasonable amount of self-editing, like taking out a couple of songs out of the record's tracklisting, would have created an even stronger *whole* overall (that's where Pitchfork's perfect 10 grade might be somewhat exaggerated imho). But as I've already suggested at the start of this paragraph, this is only a "minor" complaint. My own assessment can be summed up through a 4.5/5 grade here, rounded up to 5 for the usual purposes of this app. It's not often than a *recent* record in this list actually deserves all the praise. Shameika said Fiona had "potential", after all. Damn was she right about that! Number of albums left to review or just listen to: less than 700, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens:  approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter

That was a clinic on neo-percussion. I loved the raw joy and pathos exemplified in most every track, flecked by subtle humour. There’s so much to listen to - I need to listen again and I’ve already listened 3x.

OOOOOOOOOOOOH FUCK YES I adore this album so much, I would give it a 6 if I could, I just love the emotion and the energy of it. An absolute lifesaver during the first Covid lockdown, captured the frustration and weirdness down to a T, but also the excitement of new things coming!

IF I COULD GIVE THIS ALBUM 1000 STARS I WOULD. This is one of my all time favourite albums. I do not need to be told to fetch the boltcutters for they are already a part of me. Every single song slaps so hard. She is truly an icon.

I was surprised to find another Fiona Apple album appear on this list… and a very recent one that I’ve never heard of. I guess I’ve been a bit out of the loop lately as far as the latest acclaimed albums. This was a really interesting and fun album to listen to! It has a rough, arts and crafty feel that is reflected in the cover art, but is built and performed with a very high level of skill even if it is what seems like clanging and banging against a wall or the barking dogs. The lyrics are filled with clever observations and descriptions that I instantly fell in love with. This really seems like the perfect thing to emerge amidst the chaos of the pandemic. The jaunty feel of the album juxtaposes with its serious and at times seriously dark subjects. A genuinely quirky and unique album that I found to be very special!