Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Sehr interessante Künstlerin, die ich tatsächlich auch noch nicht kannte. Gefällt mir aber echt gut!

Tolle Künstlerin. Weiß immer noch nicht, welches ihrer Alben mein Favorit ist.

In the first track, I thought we were in for a totally unhinged experience. Fiona even does that Andie MacDowell dolphin speak from Hudson Hawk. Fortunately, unfortunately, things calm down and get a bit more serious, a bit more personal, but never quite classifiable, and I mean that in a good way. Fiona Apple is a class of her own. She creates a mood of her own. And, I totally dig it.

Rock bottom, post-philosophy class vibes. Favourite track: Cosmonauts

Really cool album. Sometimes her delivery reminds me of Jack Johnson. Interesting low fi sound.

I like this a lot. I think the songs get better as it goes. In some of the first tracks it’s a little repetitive (Shameika, Under the Table, Relay). Later in the album, the songs get much stronger, more creative (Heavy Balloon, Cosmonauts, On I Go). I think Fetch the Bolt Cutters is very good, but it is worth asking if it’s too recent to fully contextualize historically.

Åh toppen ju. Lyssnade på den här plattan när den kom men hade helt glömt den. Bra låtar, produktion och texter! Under the table är ju guld. Riktigt cool!

Hade glömt bort denna platta och nog inte hört sedan den var så i ropet då! Bättre än jag mindes den, får ta och damma av den lite oftare. Stark fyra!

Gillade detta mycket.

Ingen kan tro att jag har lyssnat på det här albumet tidigare, men det har jag! Det var faktiskt coola, hippa Bert3000 som tvingade mig : "ååååh du måste lyssna på den här som blev årets album Niiiiino, såååå bra". Kommer ihåg att jag försökte spela svår och inte ge honom tillfredsställelsen att vara ball, men det är ju fett bra. Blev floored som Flea brukar säga. Faller dock en del efter låt 6 så får bli en stark fyra!

Faz muito tempo que não escuto esse álbum inteiro. Adoro a percussão e a personalidade dele. Só espero que a Fiona não demora uma década até o próximo.

This album is really good.

It’s cool to be whatever the opposite of Prolific is, but also everything you release is kind of really sick

Not her best record but it is relentless in mostly a very good way.

I never feel like I fully understand Fiona Apple. Some of it is barely music but I do find myself getting entranced by it. Couldn’t tell you any standouts but I liked it.

Quirky but catchy

C’était vraiment sympa

Pretty good. The music in Rack Of His pretty much grabbed my collar from the start and wouldn’t let go until the song was over.

4 ..

Rad rhythms. Occasionally felt a little aggressive, but it grows on you over time. Im a big fan of music that shows its artifacts; this is one of them I liked Drumset and I want you to love me. 3.5 and rounding up

Deeply personal and creative. The background instrumentation is unsettling, driving, and cool. Lyrics explore all the bruised sides of growing and what humans can do to one another to inflict pain and ostracize. A headphone listen that is thought-provoking and reflective.

Fetch The Bolt Cutters was a really damn good album. This one definitely feels very different from the last album i heard from her that being Tidal (man, its been nearly 3 years since i heard that album). That one heavily leaned into a very pop like style, however, this one honestly felt more like Tom Waits with some feminine attitude and that is something i really like. The general bases of the songs aren't anything to write home about but the melodies overlayed on top of them are honestly so good. The lyrics are also some really good ones too. A few iffy vocals do unfortunately prevent this album from getting 5 stars but this one still one very enjoyable listen. Best Song: Newspaper Worst Song: I Want You To Love Me

great album, a lot of things going on, I enjoyed it

I enjoyed this way more than I ever thought I would. Very interesting music from Ms Apple and Im here for it.

Such smart songs! I love love love the title track. And I appreciate the unconventional percussion so much. Highly recommended!

Look, we all went a bit crazy during lockdown.

Fiona 🍎😈

Shameika thought this was pretty good.

I was debating whether I'd give this 3 or 4 stars, but then I heard Relay and loved it, so that solidified this as a 4 for me. It's not actually something I'd listen to repeatedly, but I was engaged with the whole album from start to finish.

This rackety percussion album is a cool move on from the ingenue rock she arrived with or the cabaret feel of the album with the long name, while still giving her space to smolder. Maybe not as immediately catchy as the others, but, great.

I experienced a bit of PTSD while listening to this record since I did listen to it multiple times back in the "dark ages" (2020, mid-pandemic). It has aged well IMO.

Very good

Espectacular. Las letras son casi tan buenas como la interpretación. Te hace notar cada cosa que siente la Apple. No apto para maches. Además, musicalmente tiene su cosa original para el género. 8/10

I like the song that was 5 minutes of a dog barking

This might now well be the only album released this decade that I've listened to in full. It's fantastic. Released one month into the pandemic, it sounds like a woman going reliving a number of traumatic events in her life, for example being bullied by a girl called Shameika who sounds a right cunt. 'Heavy Balloon' is also some dark shit, where she's dealing with some depression and anxiety. The songs here are not melodic in the traditional sense but a lot of lines are repeated within songs (often almost maniacally), which make them stick in your mind. Loads of interesting and original sounds, it's quirky and probably gets better on multiple listens, but was pretty good on the first.

Not my favorite by Fiona, and I've been a fan for a good while. That said, it's pretty interesting in places. Different stuff going on. For being aware of it when it came out, but not trying it, I was a dolt. Don't be a dolt!

It’s starting to hit.

Ziemlich experimentell, ungewöhnliche Klänge

this my fav fiona apple album yet. really interesting lyrism and bizarre instrumentation. i like it a lot its real rough but it works with the bitter themes across the album. i really liked this

Enjoyed that

This album is so compelling it just sneaks into 4 for me. I love her voice and the composition of these songs.

Every time I listen to Fiona Apple I'm always taken back at how odd her songs are. She's not like anyone else. Yet, the more I listen and become familiar with her music and lyrics I become infatuated by her all over again. I really love the song "Under The Table" and couldn't stop listening to it.

that was so fucking good

I saw this get a 10/10 pitchfork review back when it was released and I expected to immediately love the album, which I did not. Now, I think I like it quite a bit. I'll try listening on shuffle at some point because I find myself worn down and "over it" by the halfway point, even though I love the first few tracks.

FIONA APPLE MY QUEEN for anyone hating on my girl, if you don't get it, you will never get it, because she is not for YOU

Tremendous use of house as instrument, Fiona always brings her whole self to her records.

What a great album Pleasantly suprised, first track and newspaper stand out, but overall a very fun listen that embodied the covid lockdown prety well. No real misses, maybe a light 9

yes queeeeeen. darwmunebuli var sxva albomebi bevrad kargia tho! 3.5

She has great pipes. There is a punk feel to this, rough and home made, and some very interesting ideas to explore.

I very much enjoyed this Artpop and experimental album by Apple. Each album that I listen to by her I like her more and more as an artist and creative. She has such a distinct and unique sound to her voice and how she expresses herself through her music. Overall, I really dug this album and I would listen to it again soon.

Fiona killing it again. Much more angular album than most of her previous work, seemed to reflect Covid, though I think most of it was written before Covid.

Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: ⚡👁️🐶 Production: 🥩🤨🆗 Music: 📝🎨😍 Rating: ⛓️⛓️⛓️⛓️(⛓️)/5

I did not have high hopes for this album, given that I have exceedingly little patience for 'quirky' indie pop/rock and my tendency to dislike whatever RYM is slobbering over at the moment, but I actually kind of enjoyed this? There were some surprisingly clever lyrics and the rhythm of the album was super fun to listen to. I'm a sucker for weird percussion and this tickled my brain funny, so sonically the album was very enjoyable. I do feel like some songs went on for far too long (about 5-10 minutes could be cut out of this album and I don't think anything would be lost) and some of the lyrics felt like listening to my friends rant about their shitty ex-boyfriends and it got tedious to listen to after a while, but overall it was pretty good. 3.5 but I'm rounding it to a 4 for the weird percussion.

this was a cool album. im not a huge fan the production but i found it interesting that most of it was done in garageband.

“I want you to love me” was my SOTY in 2020. Still good.

Very good.

FIona Apple delivers again. Like a mild version of industrial-era Tom Waits, I guess. Solid.

Un bon album dommage que quelques passages soient énervants

Surprisingly good.

Misterios de la vida. Cuando este disco salió, lo escuché y me pareció insoportable. No entendía cuál era la fascinación, me parecía dificilísimo de escuchar, no le encontraba ritmos o melodías y en general me pareció una pesadilla. Seis años después, me salió en la lista, sentía una flojera imposible de escharlo y dije bueno, al mal paso darle prisa. Lo escuché y me encantó. ¿Qué pasó en mi cerebro en esos seis años? Quién sabe.

I love Fiona, sincerely. But, as I'm growing up, I'm realizing she is quite possibly trouble. That said, this is a great record. I like the production, she's flawless in terms of writing and delivery. It's not a 5 because she is just so angry all the time, it takes away for her craftsWOMANship. But I love her, I really do.

Favorite track(s): Shameika, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, Relay, Newspaper

That was very good, evocative, it told a story that the artist obviously had a significant connection to.

Fiona‘s voice, as usual, is fantastic. A lot of quirky songs and some unusual percussions and beats, but considering that this was recorded in her home during the Covid era, it makes more sense and, kind of adds to the charm of the album.

Intense. Lots to get into here. More than I can handle in one listen. The clickity-clanky sound of this album almost reminds me of Skeleton Key at times. Not exactly, but sort of. I like it. I'm not sure if the sound on this album is any kind of a departure from her other work, but this just sounds so inspired to me. She sounds so convincing.

Great listen from a truly unique and talented artist.

Incredibly pretty piano to open things up, paired with a super personable delivery. Everything comes together to sound a bit like one of my old favorites, Regina Spektor. The charm of this album comes in Fiona Apples flowery imagery and super clever vocal performances. She could be seething mad and find a way to make you seething mad with her, but also make it all really catchy too! "Under The Table" comes to mind when I say that. The beginning of "Ladies" was so engaging too. I couldn't wait for the song to unfold, no matter what it sounded like. I was hanging on to every word! Probably my pick form the album. "For Her" is a CLOSE second though. Just really great singer/songwriter stuff that can't really be replicated by anyone else. 4/5

I Want You to Love Me - 4.5/5 Shameika - 3.5/5 Fetch the Bolt Cutters - 3/5 Under the Table - 4/5 Relay - 4/5 Rack of His - 3/5 Newspaper - 4/5 Ladies - 2.5/5 Heavy Balloon - 4.5/5 Cosmonauts - 3.5/5 For Her - 3/5 Drumset - 3.5/5 On I Go - 3/5 The whole album sounds like someone on the verge of and/or currently experiencing a mental breakdown. Totally makes sense when this came out. Apple creates a sense of confinement and every song veers towards trying to escape or escalates to a point of wanting to escape. Unfortunately has a stronger start than end. Overall: 4/5 Favorite(s): I Want You to Love Me, Under the Table, Relay, Newspaper, Heavy Balloon

I love Fiona Apple's whole vibe. There's a better experience out there than this, but it's still really good.

she is really the best!! awesome album, only good piece of pandemic art (?)

better than tidal imo

Fiona is one of the great songwriters of my generation. Unfortunately, like many great artists, she struggles with severe mental illness. She’s more or less a shut in these days. So it was fortuitous that she emerged right at the start of the pandemic with this record made essentially alone in her home, on garage band, with just voice, piano, and a range of traditional and non traditional percussion instruments. It’s the sound of isolation, but also of craving connection and the mixed bag that is dealing with other humans, romantically and otherwise. It’s not her best work, imo, but it is very very good and unique. This is from 2020, so this wasn’t in the original book, but fan sourced for the list. Do you need to hear it before you die? Nah, but it is very good and you probably haven’t ever heard a release from a “major” artist (at least an established artist who had mainstream success) quite like this one

I love Fiona. Even when I don't love certain songs of hers, I will always listen; she's very striking in her lyrics and accompanying music. This album started off a little too musically experimental for me, though, as usual, her lyrics are interesting and kept me listening. I enjoyed the last two thirds of the album a lot more. Apparently, the percussion on this album is largely improvised; sometimes this seems obvious, and other times less so. This album is definitely one that many should listen to, if they are Fiona fans.

*2000 *First deep dive into Fiona Apple. *This is a really interesting album. I’ve listened a couple times and will listen more. *I like it. RATING - 8/10

Eeek eeek eeekekekekekekeek!!!!

Super good album

Visceral and rhythmic, with the hooks often chanted or at least chant-ready— this is Fiona at her rawest and least fucks-giving. Still the undeniable musicianship is there, the tunes can stick in your head, and the bravado does not always overshadow the vulnerability. It’s a great work in anybody’s catalog, and the first two tunes serve up a 1-2 punch out the gate like Elton did with funeral for a friend/ love lies bleeding.

damn she is good. pitchfork was right.

This was good. Weird interesting. Mostly vocal only a few instruments.

yeah no it’s incredible lol

125/1001 Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ I realise that Fiona Apple pre-dates Regina Spektor, but on first listen, this was my immediate comparison and obviously that's no bad thing for me. There's a lot to unpack here, but it's unconventional and I really appreciate that.

Fav: For Her Least Fav: Fetch The Bolt Cutters What a contrast from her other album on this list, it’s very impressive. Had no idea GarageBand was capable of these sorts of things

loses one star for that weird dolphin noise she makes on the first track

It's adventurous, that's for sure. As with most music of this ilk, you have to be in the right mood and allow multiple listens to fully appreciate it. But I like that it is different and as an artistic statement it's mostly successful. As a side note, it interesting that Fiona Apple has only released 5 albums, with the gap increasing each time. Next album should be out in 2032!

I alternated between big interested and being irritated by this. Mostly good though

Beautifully chaotic and angry. Like a well reasoned longstanding argument occasionally spilling over into emotional outbursts.

First time hearing this artist and was impressed. One of those rock solid albums from start to finish. Definitely will be checking out other albums from Ms Apple

I do love this album, and absolutely connect to the chaotic style and outlandish percussion. The first three songs in particular are standouts, and the overriding theme of 'freedom' matches the style of the music perfectly. The only criticism is it is a touch too long and the style becomes a tad wearing by the end of the album. Nevertheless, strong 8/10

I love this album

Not all great

4/5, though that's rounded up from 3.5 for sure.

Interesting sound. Very sparse; not overproduced.

I liked this a lot more than I was expecting. It's more cabaret style which turns out, I like.

In April 2020 this album came out and it really captured the mood of being stuck at home during a pandemic. 5 years later the music is still good but it's not the instant classic that everyone declared it to be. Apple's best album, When The Pawn..., isn't even on this list which is a shame.

Any Fiona Apple is good Fiona Apple.

Strange. A bit jangly. I wasn't sure if I liked it, but I gave it another listen this morning and I definitely liked it. I would listen again.

She became fiercer and funnier with age. Thought provoking album overall.

These songs are filled with emotion and observation of difficult scenarios and topics, but delivered by someone who is confident and secure in their presence and art. There is intention behind every sound and word, unapologetic but not strident, beautifully woven into a bold soundscape.

I think I am almost ready to like Fiona Apple

𝘍𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘵 𝘊𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 is raw, inventive, and deeply personal, with Fiona Apple using unconventional rhythms, clattering percussion, and her commanding voice to create something truly unique. It’s not an easy listen, but its boldness and emotional intensity make it rewarding and memorable. A fascinating work of art that stands apart from mainstream singer-songwriter albums.

Quirky, a little tedious in places but overall fun and enjoyable

Love her voice. Lover her style. I am in my mid 40s yet her music hits a certain way with me.

Favourite track(s): Shameika; Under The Table; Heavy Balloon A very intimate record, almost like a live session. The first track on the album immediately sets the tone both in terms of intimacy as well as weirdness. The whole album does sound weird at times, combining familiar elements of pop and jazz with unusual (percussive and vocal) sounds - especially those barks come to mind, or the end of Relay. The second half is maybe a little less impressive, more repetitive. Nevertheless, overall, Fiona Apple certainly has constructed a very personal sound signature, new (to me but likely in general as well) and interesting.

This at times seemed like one long stream of consciousness but I liked it. Interesting use of unconventional percussion throughout which ironically overshadows the piano that Apple is known for. Rating it higher as a drummer myself and as a nod to my childhood friend who produced it.

Apparently I’ve been sleeping on Miss Apple since Tidal. I enjoyed this. Her piano playing is so unique and I thought the stand up bass was a star on this. Flow-y / poetic vocals were also a nice departure from formulaic music you tend to hear meow days. Ladies, Ladies, Ladies, Ladies! 3.5 with a lil round up.

I remember this was lauded at the time and I think even picked up some AOTY awards. It's easy to hear why as she sounds fantastic on it! An unconventional album with experimental rhythms, found percussion and ambient sounds, somewhat reminiscent of **Tom Waits** and it's held together by her captivating vocal and piano. Thematically it's extremely challenging, exploring trauma, confinement, self-expression and resilience, often expressed very literally and graphically. Although I've heard it before, it was only one time and it was really too much to take in during one listen and even in this 2nd one. I'll be coming back to it though; it's probably purchase material and those 4 stars may be joined by a fifth.

Interessant. Soort art pop singer songwriter. Best complex. Moet er nog wat meer naar luisteren.

At first the album kind of reminded me of Regina Spektor: nice piano playing, good vocals, and a light mix of other instruments, but then it got quite a bit experimental. And I think that really worked out. I don't think all of the songs are great, but I do think they all provide something to the context of the album. And then some of the songs are really good. I'm a little surprised by how much I ended up liking it. There are some moments that aren't great, but it ends up being a really good album beginning to end. Favorite Song(s): Under the Table, Ladies

Enjoyed this a lot more then the last Fiona Apple album that I heard. I understand the hype now.

Kind of weird but catchy in places. Nice vocals, might listen again

Did I mostly enjoy this? Yes. Will I put this on again? Probably not. It’s artsy and weird. I enjoy this as a work of art. The music is varied enough to make up for apple’s tendency to repeat one short stanza over and over rather than have more of a bridge to chorus structure

The first few songs in I was thinking this was just an ok album but the further in, the more I liked it. So it’s a 4 star for me.

Petit ovni tellement plaisant. Comme d'habitude avec Fiona Apple

Definitely one of the more unique albums I've heard that came out semi recently. Like a crazy artist but also a genius put it together. Nice voice, poetic lyrics. Good, but weird enough to need to be in the right mood for it

Much more experimental than her 90s stuff. Still has a great voice.

Big fan of Fiona Apples music. This might not be her best one but it’s pretty unique. Love the heavily percussive homemade sound.

I really couldnt decide between liking and hating this. Certainly wasnt bored

Brilliant, provocative and raw. I enjoyed this album even though it took me some time to get into it. Experimental, creative, playful and powerful. Would listen to it again.

7.5/10

Really great stuff. Mechanical, anxious, and raw as a frayed nerve, but still wrapped up in exquisite jazzy arrangements and production, it perfectly gets across Fiona's painful experiences. Well deserving of the accolades it got when it first came out.

Probably one of the most intimate albums ever, listening to Fetch the Bolt Cutters feels like having a conversation with a friend or looking into their mind. It is no small feat to get this personal. I also saw she did the album on GarageBand and am blown away by how good it sounds.

I remember listening to this when it first came out because Pitchfork gave it a 10/10 which they never do. Remember thinking it was ok but never came back to it, so lets run it back. This was so weird and fun. Super experimental which I really appreciate. I can hear why they gave it a 10. I don't know if I can go with a 5 but its a super high 4.

Not heard this one yet. Very engaging album. Fiona Apple's iconic vocal style is obviously the allure here, but her lyricism continues to intrigue me after years of listening to her music. After nearly 700 albums on this list, it's rare for me to feel like such a recent inclusion actually earned their spot. As others have pointed out, the themes of isolation and loneliness were very relevant when this album was released, despite taking half a decade to record and produce. Definitely an interesting album and I think it will be interesting to return to it later down the road.

This has been on my list! As a child I didn’t understand the lore around “Criminal” but as an adult in 2020 “Under the Table” consumed me. It was an obsession song. This is female angst at its finest! The lyrics are incredible. Don’t worry men who don’t get this album, it’s not for you.

Very interesting album. Not something I listen to a lot but I’m always intrigued when I do put it on.

Some of it is brilliant and some of it is awful. 3.5.

I didn't have high expectations for this album, but I really enjoyed it. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

Hesitant between a 3 and 4 hear, but I will rate it on an easy curve.

I enjoy when artists do something different and unconventional. This album was creative, unique, and fun to listen to. The only things that bothered me were the overall length, and the fact that so many songs had added seconds/minutes of random noises tacked on at the end.

I like Fiona Apple a good deal and listened to this record a few times when it released. I remember liking it, but haven’t revisited it for whatever reason. So, I’m glad to revisit it now. I still like the record—quite a bit, actually—but I now remember why I haven’t come back to it since 2020: when I think about throwing some Fiona on the headset, my go to is always When the Pawn…I’m enjoying registering to Fetch the Boltcutters, but it makes me want to throw on When the Pawn. The thing is, I enjoy things about this record that aren’t really on her others. The percussion on this record is interesting and I wish there was some of this on her earlier work (it reminds me of some of the percussion on some of the later Tom Waits work). The arrangements on this record feel more experimental and I think it works. The songs are largely great…but not as strong as When the Pawn (which I think is a 5-star record). This record doesn’t disappoint me at all, I just want more When the Pawn…of course, I don’t expect that she’s going to write the same stuff in 2020 as she did in 1999, and I think there are obviously ways that she’s grown as an artist since then. 3.9/5—this is a super solid and enjoyable effort that has its own niche in Fiona’s catalogue. There are a couple meh tracks, but she does some stuff on it that she hasn’t really done before, and which I’m not sure too many folks could pull off so well. That said, I’ve worked through Fetch the Boltcutters a few times now; there’s a number of songs that are good, and a couple stinkers, but it lacks the overall replay value of When the Pawn and Tidal. I like it, I’ll listen to it again, but I’ll be hitting up those aforementioned records first.

Liked it more than I thought I would.

When this came out it got so much attention as Pitchfork gave it one of their rare 10 ratings. Heavy burden. Honestly, it's good - but it's not this mind blowing masterpiece it was made out to be. It's interesting, it's Tom Waits lite - as in it has some odd percussion and beats, good lyrics and a palatable voice. Is it a 10 out of 10 album? Nope. Is it an interesting album and worth a listen? Yes. Best Tracks: Shameika; Under The Table; Ladies

Great album! Really original stuff

Shameika is a slap. Apple's angular, almost baroque compositions are unlike anything else you hear nowadays - her collabs with Jon Brion ennobled her to each new heights, and she does that here.

Quite enjoyed this. Relay was great. Ladies was a nice slow groove that showed off her voice. Heavy Balloon is a banger. There was a lot of variety between songs with a lot of blues influence. The lyrics absolutely capture your attention. Refreshingly different.

Pop Tom Waits, maybe Interesting, unconventional listen Feels like the work of an Artist (with a capital A for importance) Uncompromising Really glad I listened but I can’t imagine reaching for it again

Really like Fiona Apple. This was a 4.5/5 but I like her other album better

Kind of surprised by how much I enjoyed this, but I don't know why. Probably because its a FEAT to release an album 24 years after your debut that complements the aesthetic and intensity of that early album but also extends and reflects on it. Sounded great.

i did not get the hype on this when it first came out but damn, it sure hit this time. 4.5

I already liked this album but was additionally pleased to see the title is apparently from The Fall, and the reason Cara Delevigne is on this is because she sounds a bit like Gillian Anderson's character. 3.5 rounded up

Oh man. This album is honestly bordering on a 5 for me. Each song has so much force behind it that it almost approaches metal at some points. The use of percussion, the vocal mixing and overdubbing, the melodic style, and the repetition really turn give this album a great deal of power. I wasn't a huge fan of the lyrics, but they weren't bad by any means. Great album! Favorite Track: Relay

I listened to this back in 2020 when it first came out and didn't get much from it back then. The previous Fiona Apple album on this list also didn't really leave me too flabbergasted, though it did have some standout songs. Really can't remember much from this to be honest, so I don't mind a revisit. Hoping I get more out of it today. No real expectations heading into it. I Want You To Love Me Interesting start. There's a lot of personality to her voice. Really like how layered and varied it gets throughout the track. Especially the grittier parts. The lyrics are pretty interesting, especially with the science allegories in there. Passionate chorus. Decently impactful piano. Good. 4/5 Shameika A strange sonic experience. I like the chaotic instrumental moments quite a lot. Think the play well off of the hurricane/strom imagery in the lyrics. Feels like an artistic expression of the act of reassuring oneself. I'm a bit ambivalent about the chorus, as I apprecieate what it represents, though I'm not sure if I'm in love with how it sounds. Love the details in the percussion. Good. 4/5 Fetch The Bolt Cutters The found objects used for the percussion is cool. There's a bit of theatricality to the vocals here, which she uses to great effect. At the same time the lyrics, though a bit difficult to fully grasp, are relatable. The chorus is really effective at summarizing the message of the song. I also love the vocal layering. Great. 4.5/5 Under The Table I like how it's presented in a relatable setting. I like her confidence and argumentative personality on the track, seems strong willed. She sounds a bit drunk, or at least a bit pissed off, like she's baring her fangs a bit at this person. Effective chorus, love how spectacular it gets throughout the track. Good. 4/5 Relay Solid metaphor presented in an interesting way. Again, impressed with her vocal performance. She channels a lot of anger and vitriol into her delivery. Really enjoy the instrumental section of the track. Great outro. Great. 4.5/5 Rack of His That's such a cool instrumental. Has haunting qualities to it. Impressive performance yet again. Love the carthartic loudness that comes through at times. When the intensity drops off it has this sort of drowning effect which is really pleasant to listen to. The quieter sections almost has her sounding tired, before she drifts off. Good. 4/5 Newspaper Spooky. Haunting and full of anger. Love the dynamic instrumental. Has a sort of rant like quality to it, though it never loses focus. Again, what a performance. Feels extremely personal and real. The anger and despair is really powerful. Emotional and brutal with concerning lyrics. Fantastic. 5/5 Ladies What fun lyricism. There's some really infectious and fun language here. Great verse structure, good message. Charming pieces of imagery. Impressive vocals. I really like the chorus as well. Simple and fun instrumental, the bass carries a lot of weight throughout the song. Great. 4.5/5 Heavy Balloon Don't get what the song really is about, but the lyrics are really well constructed. Makes for a memorable time. Especially with that gritty and powerful vocal performance. It's varied and dynamic, with a hint of soul and a lot of personality. Gorgeous backing vocals. Love the song structure. Great. 4.5/5 Cosmonauts Not the most complicated thematically or lyrically, but really effective. Infectious and catchy. Love the space theme. The way the song just explodes at the end is really fun. The instrumental provides a beautiful atmosphere, especially when the additional vocals come through. Great vocals again. Fantastic. 5/5 For Her What an absolute ride. Stunned. 5/5 Drumset Emotional and personal. I feel her bitterness and confusion. Feels like being confronted while a rhythmic beat is banging on in the background. Catchy with a lot of energy. Good. 4/5 On I Go Mantra like. Love the percussion and the distant background vocals. Intense. Interesting way to end the album. Good. 4/5 A strange, aggressive assault of complicated emotions and scary realities. Feels personal, raw and thematic with quirky but descriptive lyrics and layered performances. Chaotic, shocking and effective. Tells stories and displays emotions with the same amount of care and detail. Fiona Apple lends her amazingly performed delivery to these tracks, where her performance carry the energy and the message behind the lyrics. She has grit, she has tenderness, she has class and she can really belt one out if needed. Adding this to the experimental song structures and the often strange instrumentals, you get something memorable and unique where each track twists and turns into surprising directions. Often leading to a variation of gorgeous, ominous or vitriolic territories keeping you invested. All this experimentation with structure, with instrumentals and with her own performance leads to this album being as memorable as it is. However this makes it sacrifice a bit of that musicality, where the songs are memorable as experiences, but not always exactly replayable. Lacking that accessibility and infectiousness that makes a song stick, regardless of how artistically impressive it is. That being said I still enjoyed this immensly based on artistic merit alone. It's a fresh and unique experience, but I wouldn't say it's for everyone. 4.5/5 Leaning closer to a 4/5.

Intense album. Super angry. Melodic here and there. Very creative. Important question though. Will I put this back on again for a relisten? The album is melodic in fits and starts. Tracks 2-6 are surprisingly melodic. While 1 and 7 could use a melody or two. This is not easy listening music. Of course we get track 8 which is catchy after the monotony of track 7. All told, Fiona Apple has her own sound, and she’s very talented. I enjoyed this. But I can’t see me listening to this ever for fun. 3.8 stars

Solid.

Unhinged, creative genius of an album. Somehow manages to instil every track with a high level of quirkiness whilst maintaining highly listenable tunes.

challenging, cacophonous, dense - there's no doubt it should be on this list. but did *I* like it? now that's a question. i don't know! i struggle with wanting to like fiona apple more than i actually do. i know for sure that i love her scrappy fierceness and her unapologetic abrasiveness. it just doesn't always translate to her music. i'm still giving it a four though, shrug

GOOD

I was honestly so mesmerized by the vocal performance and lyrics, that I didn’t realize how unconventional the music is. I really enjoyed this. It’s fresh, it’s modern, it’s poetic, it’s female. That said, I’m deducting one point because there are some moments that are straight-up unpleasant.

She's intense and sometimes annoying, but also interesting and knows how to write a good tune.

Decent but old.

Wow. WOW. This took two listens. But by the second time, pretty much every single song captivated me. I really like the tone of Fiona's vocals and the lyrics, the composition, etc. it all came together really well.

Weird but strangely entertaining.

Was not quite what i was expecting was expecting something a bit lighter and more mainstream. On second listen I started to enjoy it and adjust to the slightly discordant percussive nature of the songs. A surprising 4 as will listen again.

A lockdown album, almost like no other. I think this, Phoebe Bridger's Punisher and Soccer Mommy's Color Theory saved me from total insanity during Lockdown One (nothing could help in the winter one to be fair). So it's a weird experience to be listening to it in the wild, rather than planning when to go to Lidl today to really maximise the thrill of being out of the house. Anyway, it's still absolutely great, even without the Proustian connection to 2020. Musically, it's sparse, weird and wonderful, and Fiona is so expressive, even when she's only semi-singing.

Its a journey

Extremely reminiscent of Regina Spektor, who is someone we already appreciate. We enjoyed this - right up our alley.

Haven't really come back to this since it came out, but enjoyed it more than i remembered. It's classic Fiona, not my fav by her, but a great listen. Her vocals are incredibly powerful.

3.5 rounded up

Fascinerande rytmiskt fyrverketi, kanske inte lämpat för att lyssna på i ett streck. Känns orättvist att betygsätta på en lyssning, för den växer nog, men nu är det så jag har gjort hittills. En fyra, stark fyra.

I Want You To Love Me // Shameika // Fetch The Bolt Cutters // Under The Table // Rack of His // Ladies // For Her //

Shameika is brilliant and under the table is brilliant too, I remember liking that the one time I herd the album before. And heavy balloons is pretty awesome too and Cosmonauts. Prettiest awesome 4/5

My first album with Fiona Apple and I cannot say what sound style I was expecting to hear but it was not this. Happy to share I enjoyed the album and am curious how the rest of her work sounds. Favorite Songs: Rack of His / Cosmonauts

An incredibly percussive album. It feels as though every sound, Fiona included, is used as an extra pad on a drum machine. The least discordant industrial album? Or the most nauseating pop album? I guess the polarizing reviews on this evidence this dichotomy. I get that the mixing and mastering is rough, but I think that lends itself to such a raw sounding record. Bolt cutters don't need to be polished. If it's anything, it's probably not the best introduction. Not my favorite Fiona album, but if it's yours, more power to you. Always appreciate when a piece of art is created in a more DIY fashion. It gives some hope to someone who is only marginally creative. If Fiona Apple can make something this good on Garageband, why can't you. 7.9/10 Favorite Song: Shameika/Fetch the Bolt Cutters/Under the Table

Fun pop-ish album from an artiste I haven't heard. Maybe it's recency bias but I do feel like it's kinda weird that an album from 2020 deserves a spot on this list, I don't think it's had nearly enough time to have a proper impact. That said I did enjoy it, and am thankfule to have been introduced to Fiona Apple 4/5

Love this album so much! Bolt cutters were definitely a big player in my teenage years, and so this feels like going back in time. Big fan 👏👏👏👏

很棒诶的独立音乐，摇滚？rap？电子？人声？ 反正挺好，会再听

Interesting record - leftfield, beautiful voice and actually good but not in the traditional pop kind of sense. Interesting to get more acquainted with it in the future.

2020!

Not something I can really see myself listening to in its entirety in the future. But you just have to admire the craft and the creativity on display here. One can only hope, I guess, that albums this playful, ambitious, quirky, bold and mature will continue to be produced and released in the years and decades to come. So I'm gladly rounding my rating up from a very solid 3.5.

I love the themes of this album and something about the sound of this album so unique but I can’t pinpoint what. The beats sound lighter. I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I don’t have the musical argument to describe it more accurately.

Not my favorite Fiona Apple album but still really good of course.

not usually a pop listener but this was really good, even i enjoyed it a lot! it didn’t really feel self produced

After reading the description and some of the reviews it was with a little trepidation and started listening to this one. Newsflash it’s really good and I enjoyed it a lot. Some great lyrics, “ I grew up wearing the shoes they said I could fill” I will definitely be checking out her other stuff.

i like her voice

Fantastic

Fiona Apple > The Beatles.

I like this a lot more than I did her first album. I like the percussion, sounds a bit like Tune-Yards in places. Overall I find the music a lot more appealing and that draws me into the undeniably excellent lyrics which cover a lot of emotions and mental states.

This album often sounds light, but it’s richly dark, searing with intensity and instability just under the surface. Pretty odd, but really unique, passionate, and purposeful. Great stuff. Best song: Fetch the Bolt Cutters

One of the great discoveries of this project is that I really like Fiona Apple! This isn’t as good as Tidal to me, and it took a second listen for me to vibe with it more. But hey, I liked it enough from the onset to give it a second listen. And also, Tidal is maybe my favorite album I’ve been introduced to while doing this project thus far. Also of interest - I think it’s the most recent album I’ve had? This is from 2020!

Art. Amazing. Quite unique and creative. Loved it.

One of the brighter moments of Covid was when this released.

Fiona is super cool. She's the right kinda weird for me. Her voice/style is almost like Stevie Nicks and Aretha Franklin had a baby - it's a cool vibe. I didn't even know this album existed, but I love it.

Pretty great, glad it got recommended

i appreciated the experimental sounds, especially after the many punk albums i've been getting lately, it's definitely something different i can't really decide whether i love it or hate it... i really like her voice though favorites -- shameika, rack of his, ladies, for her

this was interesting and exciting. I looked her up to learn more about her. Good work. Art pop might be the best description

Great voice

I gave her album Tidal 4 *. This is much better, but not quite 5 *. Favorite song: Shameika

Fetch the Boltcutters is a great little piece of anxious pop. Complicated percussion tumbles over sometimes beautiful and sometimes dissonant piano and vocals. I Want You to Love Me opens with some wonky percussion before revealing a wonderful piano line and Apple singing about love. The addition of a double bass in the second half makes it even more powerful. Shameika amps up the energy with the same piano motifs combined with improvised percussion creating a tumultuous song about not fitting in. The title track continues the themes of Shameika but at a slower pace. Under the Table borrows blues and gospel structure, maybe a little too much. The rap style vocals don't necessarily hit the mark but there is some redemption in the bridge. Relay status with an anxious chant about evil before returning to the less enjoyable rapping. Again the song is saved by a fun improvised bridge. Rack of His tells a story infatuation with an anxious string line. Newspaper opens with a desolate percussion track before lyrics about what's shared between women who've had a relationship (and not necessarily a good one) with the same man. Ladies continues this theme with a more conventional pop structure. Heavy Balloon starts with a stripped back percussion and bass track which slowly grows in frustration. Cosmonauts starts with dubby percussion before morphing into a fun pop track about devotion. For Her is a hyperactive song speculating about other people. Something that could only be written from neurodivergence or trauma and not necessarily as fun as it sounds at first. As the name suggests Drumset has one of the better percussion tracks in an album that should be pleasing to anyone who enjoys good rythyms. On I Go is what I imagine Mike Patton would write if he was a woman. The track closes without resolution and leaves you feeling confused about what you just went through - the perfect conclusion. Formally the album is a treat. Arrangements quickly change pace and climaxes quickly melt into delicate and vulnerable solos. Choruses and overdubs come and go seemingly without reason. The improvised percussion and disjointed production style owes a lot to Matmos. The lyrical theme of the complex relationships that women have is worthy of Apple's treatment. I can definitely see how this album would be divisive, and I can already think of quite a few subsequent female singer-songwriter albums that sound like copies of this. The rapping isn't really called for and sometimes the chants and repeated phrases start to grate (noting that this is what I think she's going for) Suspect it won't age well if the copycats continue but this is nonetheless a great album.

So raw. So good.

Really glad I discovered this! I'm not going to try and describe the sound or influences - first and foremost this sounds like a musician/ artist stubbornly doing their thing. This album sounds authentic and sounds great without being over-produced. I like the creativity and the use of a variety of instruments (and non-instruments) esp. for the rhythm (Tom Waits fan talking here :-)). I have listened to this album three times and also to two other Apple albums. Not all of it is 100% my think, but overall I'd say, a nice antidote to polished, poppy, but utterly boring music. There should be more Fiona Apples.

Ladies, ladies, ladies, ladies ... This lady is here for it, with way more fondness than when she started off, only knowing Under the Table before today

Reminds me a lot of the Ting Tings, but if they were really good (which they were not!). Lots of percussion - just check out the list of instruments played by the four main musicians. Also one of the few albums to feature dogs as credited artists; perhaps the only one on the list? I really enjoyed it, and have added all her other albums (including the other one on the list) to my after the list listening

Pretty solid. Interesting tracks.

I like this. It has good lyrics. I’ve actually now listened to every Fiona Apple album now - the RS500 has 3 and this one has 2, she has 5 albums, and there is no overlap between the two lists.

Rating: 8/10 Experimental and quirky while also being quite catchy and fun to listen to. Would probably rate higher on repeated listens.

Mostly recorded at her home, for me this was very creative and well done.

An interesting experimental pop record. More of this stuff please.

It took me a minute but, damn, it’s a good album. 4

I like the instrumentals, especially the percussion. I think that the lyrics are the most important aspect, so quite a lot could have flown over my head, but I still liked them and found them very relevant... some vocal runs are a bit abrasive, but I feel like that is intended. Also quite a lot of the instrumentals sound the same. Favorite songs: Shameika, under the table, ladies. overall around 7/10

A pretty good album, I liked Heavy Balloon the most.

I frequent a website called Album of the Year (https://www.albumoftheyear.org/), as I’m sure several people undertaking this 1001 list do as well. Fetch The Bolt Cutters has one of the highest average critic rating of any album this century. In fact, of albums with more than 20 or so critic reviews, i.e. high profile enough to be reviewed by a wide range of critics, only Kendrick Lamar’s sensational To Pimp A Butterfly is rated higher in that time. It topped 2020 critically and was #5 that year in user reviews on AOTY as well. Simply put, this is one of the best reviewed albums of all time. This is my review so I’ll score it accordingly, but I do think it is a very good album. I listened to it a lot in 2020, and it is certainly a rare feat: it’s a good album that doesn’t sound like anything else. It incorporates a lot of sounds Fiona made just by banging on things around the house, which is cool. I Want You To Love Me is a tremendous opener. The was she changes the arpeggio piano chord to create dissonance with the vocal note she holds in the chorus is a bit of genius: it turns it from a beautiful sounding song to uncomfortable in a brilliantly subtle way, its intentional and executed incredibly well. The album is an incredible cohesive effort. It is not an easy, or even pleasant album to listen to, which is Apple’s MO. It’s an album that I think is especially powerful from a female perspective (I’m a 37 year old dude married to a female), and it’s easy to see why it’s hailed to such esteem. I don’t think I’ve revisited it since 2020 and it was fun to listen to it again.

This is a great album, Lots of variety and great music and lyrics. I really enjoyed it. Shameika and I want you to love me are 2 great songs to open the album and real set the tone and it goes from strngth to strength from there. Favourite song: On I go and under the table Least favourite: All tracks were good Album artwork: Cool cover

I quite enjoyed this. Genuine.

Such a dreamy album! Deserves to be listened to under acid or shrooms!

Fiona Apple is a talented and accomplished songwriter, singer and performer. I've personally been a more casual fan since she first debuted as I was just entering high school. FTBC is certainly an interesting and eclectic album with some amazing arrangements great songs, but it didn't hit me the way it did most of my friends when this first came out. I'll give it a solid 4.

Really good - raw, claustrophobic, fresh. I’ve never listened to a Fiona Apple album before, although she’s been recommended to me. I’ll revisit this one and I’m looking forward to hearing more of her work.

This is the definition of artsy music.

Beautiful majorly loved the starting part of album

Thoughtful and raw. I forgot how much I love Fiona Apple

Very artsy fartsy album. Interesting, too. Didn’t know what to expect going in because I had never heard a Fiona Apple song before. She does have a good voice and crazy range. The songs themselves are not always enjoyable. Not boring, but ear grating. Standouts: Fetch The Bolt Cutters, Under The Table, Rack of His, Ladies, and Cosmonauts.

Dug this a lot. Listened to the first couple of songs a long while ago but never got around to listening to the whole album, so I'm glad it showed up on this list. It never quite stays on the same track for too long which is nice as it keeps you on your toes.

Kind of a banger, and then I listened to the lyrics

I like all her albums - When the Pawn is the best - this one is a 4 star album among many 4.5 stars.

Appreciate this is a very good album - one of the best "modern" ones we've had on the list. Not quite for me, but I did enjoy listening.

I had to listen to this twice as I couldn't work out if it was really good, or a bit too hipster and wanky...... I've fallen on the side of really good, but some of it is not as good as the rest. Think I preferred the latter half of the album. Some of the lyrics are pretty powerful. Highlights: I want you to love me Heavy balloon Ladies For her Cosmonauts

Percussion-driven expertimental/arty bedroom pop…Interesting album that was released at a unique time in world history. There are 2 key aspects driving this album: Apple’s vocals (sound, delivery, lyrics), and unique percussion/beats. Otherwise, relatively sparse arrangements involving piano, bass, and some other instruments - but random percussion instruments is the main musical focus. It strikes a balance between conventional and unconventional. Lyrics are sung vs spoke. Some typical poppy melodies, and some are somewhat strange and make ya go huh? (But cool). She quips humorously, sometimes aggressively direct. Some traditional percussion and rhythms, some random objects and odd arrangements. Super professional and somewhat amateurish at the same time. It’s a unique and empowering album that's certainly worth a listen.

This is amazing. So much emotion welling through her vocals

Love

Had a great series of stories to tell, and told them in a delightfully fresh way

This is the second Fiona Apple record I've listened to, after Tidal (which I gave a 5/5 rating). And I have to say, the creativity here is pretty ridiculous. As in, I can easily see it being ridiculed. There are so many wacky, unfamiliar, nifty ideas being tossed around here that it was a little hard to keep up, and it's easy to imagine people being turned off by that. "Quirky for the sake of quirky". That being said, I bet this gets better upon relistening. Looking at the Spotify listens, I actually disagree with the apparent consensus that the opening three tracks are the strongest. I was surprised and a little disappointed when starting the album, because these songs (I Want You To Love Me, Shameika, Fetch The Bolt Cutters) were nothing spectacular. Just standard, non-catchy, instrumentally rich stuff with a fresh 2010s sound. But then Fiona's music really started to grab me. Under The Table is pretty much a textbook "good song" - literally so, because I remember our music teacher playing Under The Table to my music class back in high school as an example of how to write great music. The overlapping vocals, revision and variation of previous sections, fun but sensible key changes, and a gradual build-up of emotion. Relay, Rack Of His, Newspaper, Ladies, Heavy Balloon, Cosmonauts, For Her... all of the following songs are similarly really enjoyable. For the cons: the production is poor, and not tastefully so. It's in the uncanny (bad) valley between the wild 60s/70s sound and the clean production that should be expected in the 21st century. The percussion, so touted by other reviewers as the general highlight of the album, sometimes sounds a bit washed out, with the high-frequency cymbals (e.g.) bleeding into some of the other instruments. Also, the final three songs - For Her, Drumset, and On I Go - are all technically good, but lean on a similar "hook" element: a pretty, girl-group-esque self-harmonisation for the entire track duration. It honestly sounds fantastic, but I wish those three songs had been moved further apart in the track listing. 4/5 Key tracks: Under The Table, Relay, Ladies, Cosmonauts, For Her

I only knew a couple of songs by Fiona Apple, but I enjoyed this record. There is something about her voice and the lyrics. I'll give this one another listen in the future.

I finally am starting to get fiona apple. Really good lyrics and a unique sound

Listened several times and this album really grew on me. Although some of the music itself wasn’t landing for me at times, it’s the lyrics that really pulled me in. Other reviewers have described them as “angry” and “immature,” which baffles me. I feel that Apple was being real and confessional. And damn right, she’s angry. She has every right to be in light of the things she sang about (being bullied, raped, and silenced), which sadly, many women can relate to. I hope this album served as a bit of catharsis for her, as well as for anyone who has been in her shoes.

4.5/5

A good album that I bought when it came out.

4 - I think I really liked this, was very interesting. Sometimes. I thought it was a bit off but some really nice parts.

Its a 10, pitchfork already said so. Fave Tracks: I Want You To Love Me, Cosmonauts, For Her 3.6/5

I'd like it more if it was shorter. But overall a cool album, liked the DIY sound. But i got tired of it halfway through.

I do enjoy Apple’s brand of rebellious music. I just think I like her earlier stuff a bit more. 4/5

This girl goes hard

Really interesting and enjoyable album, my only critique is that some songs are a little repetitive

Favourite tracks: fetch the bolt cutters; under the table; relay; heavy balloon; cosmonauts; for her

Fiona's latest record is one I've heard a lot about and was excited to revisit after enjoying her debut so much (upon revisiting it that is). Rough, analog, abrasive, frantic production alongside an interesting and diverse set of tribal and raw percussive and rhythmic elements with a borderline jazzy feel encompass this album's core sound. The rawness of it all is the real draw here; gone are the clean and poppy aspects of her earlier works. As Fiona's songwriting typically goes, she's not afraid to get personal regarding her past relationships, experiences, and future desires. She grapples with escaping her own prison on the title track alongside sexual violence issues faced by women on 'For Her'. Fiona also explores patterns and cycles of abuse in 'Relay' and 'Newspaper' as expressed through toxic or shallow relationships - vividly depicted in 'Ladies' and 'Drumset'. All the songwriting here is sound and easy to follow along with - yet it's undeniably dense and colorful - I especially love her middle-school tales on 'Shameika'. Vocally, this album contains some of Fiona's most powerful and expressive performances; her growly, explosive voice rattling the mix at times. At other times, her mellow and lowkey delivery (like on the title track) gives this album a nice balanced and holistic feel. This expectedly great release by Fiona Apple demonstrates the artist's longevity and proves that no other songwriter is doing it quite like her.

Interesting to hear this one the day after The Avalanche. There's also a bunch of weird stuff happening in this album, but it works much better as an album for me. Admittedly I've also heard this one a handful of times before. I never liked this album as much as music critics seemed to (I was originally only aware of it because it made headlines for getting a perfect score from Pitchfork or Rolling Stone or something) as some of these songs just don't work for me, but there's a lot of good stuff here. I appreciate the originality and it feels like she had a good time making it. 4.0

- Fand ich irgendwie ganz geil. Eine kleine Überraschung - Am Anfang dachte ich, dass es mir ein schnuff zu avantgarde ist. Diese coolen unangepassten und weirden Elemente haben sich dann aber relativ schnell ab dem Title Track in einen konzeptionellen Rahmen eingeordnet und ab dem Zeitpunkt hatte das Album mich. - Tolle Stimme, wahnsinnig tolle Ideen und stellenweise kranke Ohrwürmer - Das Pianopattern von I Want You To Love Me ist der absolute Hammer - Dieser roomy, hall perkussiv Sound passt super zum Stil - Teilweise in den Text reingeschaut. Waren auch schöne Bilder dabei: "Ruminations on the looming effect And the parallax view, and the figure And the form, and the revolving door that keeps Turning out more and more Good women like you Yet another woman, to whom I won't get through" - Richtig schöne Überraschung. Habe mir ein paar Lieder gespeichert. 4,25/5

1:19 to 2:01 on I want you to love me has given me chills many times over the last several years, I love it. Rest of the album is weird but often good.

Real cool

Thoroughly enjoyed. Another for the first column.

pretty interesting, experimental sound. I liked it!

I listened to this album when it first came out and enjoyed it. Since 2020 it's aged relatively well. A ton of tracks stick out while a few fall to the back. All around a strong album. 3.7/5 -> 4/5.

Last album I rated from her I said I hated her generic boring pop voice and boring instrumental and was ready to trash on her again. But this one is actually pretty good and unique!

It's alright, I was scared by the apple but it did not hurt me in the end

Brooding, soulful, and thoughtful. Very Apple…there are echoes of pandemic angst peppered throughout or perhaps that’s just retrospective insertion. She’s a specific mood, not one in I’m often.

frekar spennandi efni.

Great great great

Def crazy. Havent heard anything like it before. Pretty awesome

4.5 stars. Nice twist on pop without being overly eclectic. The jump from "Newspaper" (layered and almost experimental, creative sounds) to "Ladies" (slow almost R&B) back to back good example of the diverse sound of the album. Standouts are really clever "For Her" and catchy "Relay".

Very impressive, creative instrumentation and use of vocals while maintaining melodic quality.

I had not heard about this. Blame that on the pandemic. Very enjoyable. I could add this to my daily routine.

The title made me wonder if Fiona Apple released a metal album, but nope, that being said this is quite interesting. This feels very personal and experimental and I'll admit it lost me more than once, its just not my genre. However after sitting down and listening instead of having it on in the background it was way better. Rack of His was a standout to me, also this whole album gave me Florence and the Machine vibes.

It’s really tough to know if an album this recent will stand the test of time, but this one seems likely. She’s a world class poet

Weird cover. The album was alright, just not brilliant.

So this is where Shameka comes from. I liked this more than I expected and will likely come back to it. Added Relay to favorites.

85/100

Fiona Apple is a highly underrated and under appreciated songwriter, and Fetch The Bolt Cutters is a modern classic of storytelling through song. Absolutely worth all the accolades it received.

I remember when this came out which was almost 4 years ago already. It puts the unofficial 5 year waiting period for new albums to the test because it's fuckin good. Intense powerful vocals and some themes of loneliness and anger fit the crazy early months of the pandemic in April 2020. Yeah remember that whole thing? Society is pretty much permanently fucked from it but go on we must?

ну это интересно алкоальбом: мартини с водкой

Soulfully singing voice intertwined with gritty, jazzy and partly very unconventional arrangements. Real, really strong, STRONG being written like this. Witty and mindful lyrics. I love this instant classic instantly.

Sehr erfrischend.

Good sound great voice

Love the variety of instruments used. The lyrics need time to be consumed.

При первом прослушивании мне не зашла резкость звуков, их непонятное, режущее и ревущее звучание. Но вот я послушал во второй раз, послушал в третий раз, и теперь с уверенностью могу сказать, что это хороший альбом, в котором происходят интересные музыкальные эксперименты -- такого обилия разнообразных звуков я еще нигде не встречал. Однако все же это не бомба.

Never heard this before and it for sure has some great songs on it.

Tough album to rate. Some tracks have too interesting lyrics and good rythm to rate it 3. Unfortunately this is only 1/3 of this album. 3,9/5 but mostly for "Under the table" and "Rack of his"

Did not like at first, but grew on me as I listened multiple times. Liked the suggested songs after even better like Halal by Mazzy Star.

I first listened to this album when it came out and everyone was raving about it. I had never listened to any of her early work, but people who’s opinion on music I trust kept telling me how great she was. I listened through the discography and just couldn’t really get into it. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t something I loved like seemingly everyone else did. This is my first time revisiting it since it came out and I actually liked it a lot more. Still probably not going to make a list of my favorite albums, but I could see myself listening to it again in the future.

This is her best album. Experimentalism in just the right amount so as not to be boring but relevant. Enjoyable!

Real find, did not know her music. The vocals, the melancholy, the unconventional rhythms all are special.

seeeeee 8.5/10

Starke Stimme, Industrial Charme, best: Under the table

Travail de la répétition et de la litanie; expérimentation dans la disharmonie; paroles qui reviennent sur expériences de jeunesse traumatisantes; parfois cacophonique pour exprimer les tourments. Ce n’est pas mon album préféré de Fiona Apple, mais j’y retrouve son esprit aventurier et je-m’en-foutiste, son honnêteté dévastatrice, sa voix lancinante

She sounds like the sort of woman that would chop your dick off in your sleep for looking at another woman. But the music is very unique.

Boy did i dislike that first song, thought at first it would be a 1-star album. Then the beats with the unplanned feel of the vocals started to grow on me. Relay was more catchy than it should have been. Newspaper was exactly what I've felt before too. Heavy Balloon gives me the great line of "i spread like strawberries, i climb like peas and beans" what great imagery! The whole album feels like old front porch blues except made now. I ended up enjoying the whole thing.

Great rhythmic and creative album. Fiona always keep things interesting. Probably my second favorite of her albums after When the Pawn…. Album cover could use some work but the music itself is 👌🏻👌🏻

Surprisingly good

This album has such a wacky, free associative vibe to it. Ordinarily I'd be inclined not to like something like this, but it also feels incredibly relatable and honest, brutally honest. Musically, it's minimalist and percussion forward, which is incredibly compelling. It's also been quite a few years since I've checked out Fiona Apple's music, and I'm enjoying how her voice has matured. It really fits the mood of these songs. Fave Songs: Ladies, I Want You to Love Me, Rack of His, Under the Table, Newspaper, Drumset

I don't think this is her best album and "When The Pawn..." should have probably been on this list over this one, but it's still really fucking good. Fiona Apple feels like one of the most genuine pop artists in today's music sphere. Invest in asbestos.

A pretty good record. I like that it has some unforeseen parts in it.

Kyl kyl. Ihan siidee ja ennen kaikkea orginellia, mistä kyl pisteitä.

Drullugóð plata.

I liked the challenge of this album. It was more challenging than I expected, rhythmically and lyrically. A lot of stressing on different beats, musical choices different than what you would expect. I had heard about this album, but it was definitely a different musical experience than I was expecting, as opposed to her first 2 albums. My only thing is that (to paraphrase Jurassic Park) just because you CAN do it doesn't mean you should. Some of the pieces seem a little too... arhythmic, if that's possible. Even so, it's definitely an accomplishment I will go back to it.

I don't know why, but Fiona Apple keeps making me think of Tom Waits on this album. Probably because like Bone Machine, this album is built around drums, and she's a little weird (but clearly a much better singer than Tom). This album is growing on me with every listen. I like her singing style and the lyrics are compelling. Great music, just a few weird points (like the endings of I Want You to Love Me and Relay - but both are really good songs overall). Giving it a 4 because I want to keep listening, but the occasional weirdness keeps it from a 5. That said, I have a feeling that, like Tom Waits, after a while I won't even notice the weird moments. Favorite tracks: I Want You to Love Me (except the weird ending), Shameika (great story too: https://pitchfork.com/features/article/fiona-apple-shameika-fetch-the-bolt-cutters-interview/ ), Relay (awesome song - great vocal line/lyrics, love the acoustic bass and the drums - little weird toward the end, but still a great song), Newspaper (man, that built up to something amazing), Heavy Balloon (great groove and singing).

As of now, this is the best album I’ve heard released in the 2020s

Well that was unexpected and unique. I didn’t even know this album existed. I have a very unique mindset that would accompany this album. That’s all I’ll say.

Það er eitthvað heillandi við þessa plötu. Lögin eru ekki beinlínis grípandi, og þó, Under the table er það og fleiri við aðra hlustun. Og röddin er flott, flutningurinn skemmtilegur og hljóðheimurinn frumlegur. Get alveg mælt með.

Definitely one that grew on me over time. It's not one I can listen to often but dusting it off every year or so is refreshing

Very percussive and raw, both in sound and substance. Fiona clearly defied any possibility of being chained to any certain artistic expression, fetching the boltcutters to use on her own music.

Great one. Listened to this a ton during pandemic lockdown.

It's good. Not sure it lives up to the hype though.

Manic, soulful, accusatory. Rhythmic but undanceable. Difficult but rewarding listen.

Really good!

This music is very interesting. Not all the tracks landed with me but it definitely kept me interested

Really good album, had heard it once before (when it came out it got a really high review score on pitchfork) but gave it more time today to listen through. Some brilliant songs on there and the whole things got a very coherent musical style and percussion that’s quite unique sounding. 4.5

Interesting, a bit weird in places but generally OK. Pleasant to listen to

another album i've heard before, i know several people who heavily bash this album and i don't really get why. some of the songs here are so unbelievably *strong*, especially "i want you to love me", the title track, and "for her". so much to love here. though there's a small little lull in the middle for me.

It's good, takes a little while to get into the groove. Cross between Tori Amos and Vampire Weekend.

Interesting album with great parts to it

Ik vind de muziek van Fiona vaak zeurderig. Deze plaat vond ik leuk!

Ooh, this really does straddle a fine line between annoying and genius. I think I’m leaning more towards genius. It’s caught me on a good day.

Not really my thing, and yet I think it's great.