Fiona Apple
The Idler Wheel is Wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
Reviewed 6-23-2012
Hervey Okkles

Fiona Apple, her first in seven years. And a REALLY long title. This is a great release, about as good as that sorta "singer-songwriter" sound will ever be. Weird, off-kilter vocalizations, and man, can she sing in weird directions. Minimalist accompaniment throughout... all plinky little rinky-dink piano, some minimal amateurish drumming, some clicking or clacking everywhere else. A very clean sound in her voice, which is magnetic and compelling, but lo-fi and county-fair ramshackle in its instrumentation. Abstract lyrics with nice interesting words everywhere.

It's weirdo chanteuse, basically. But it's all well, well realized. RIYL: Melanie (does it possibly help anybody to say this sounds like Melanie?), Aimee Mann & Regina Spektor (although this is better). But basically, Melanie, in the best way possible.

1. (3:33) ** Plinky toy piano. Minimal. Some jangling. Full voice on top of everything. Enchanting, hypnotizing, offkilter chanteuse near-yodeling at parts..
2. (3:28) ** More plinky piano, but chanting with background harmonies, kinda spooky and thundery, weird and cool multi-rhythms...
3. (3:32) Very Jon Brion. Sad piano, breaks into a happier drive. A bit orthodox and standard, but with a "you you you" unnatural repetition which is pretty neat.
4. (5:03) * Climbing piano work, joined by askew sideways vocals... weird trashcan percussion later. An angry dirge.
5. (4:50) ** Odd dull drumming intro, repetitive walking piano, then rushed jazzy vocals. '50s jazz for a detective TV show sound. High notes are reached for dubious reasons. Drumming gets manic.
6. (3:12) A bit too pop-sounding in melody... it's about werewolves, but it's a miss.
7. (4:58) ** Circular piano loops, full-sharped-edge voice... A little belty, but goes some weird places, and some nice harmony joins in. Ends with a lot of what sounds like feet walking on gravel.
8. (5:16) Kinda dull, boring... worth missing.
9. (4:40) Soda bottle percussion... another fairly staid track, but pretty.
10. (4:02) ** Weird energy opens it... with tympani going wild. Backing tracks enter, schizophrenic and weird, scatting about butter. Gets chatter and cluttered by end.