Fetch the Bolt Cutters

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.

Not a fan of music with screechy screech, dogs barking, and weird noises. Jack White pulls off weird noises. IMO this does not, at all.

Such a clear and evocative tale of womanhood in 2020 while also being perfect diverse musical masterpieces in every track.

I couldn't find any reference to this album in the 1001 books or even the ex-1001 list. Fiona Apple's Tidal is on the list, but I'm unsure why this one is here. 🤷

As for the album, if you'd have told me that it was recorded during the COVID lockdowns, I wouldn't have been surprised... but that it was recorded before then, yikes, talk about going stir crazy!

An event album by an elusive and beloved 90s singer/songwriter, this was bound to get rave reviews but that 10/10 by Pitchfork brought out the contrarians. Is It worth the hype? I think it is. Don't think it's quite 10/10, but it is a damn fine record and I would give Fiona Apple some grace considering her previous 2012 effort WAS a 10/10 record and a contender for best album of the whole decade.

Here she has a full band and she is using them in a way you wouldn't necessarily expect. You can imagine them marching around the room, hitting random percussion on walls on some of these tracks.

The energy on the record pulses and expands outwards, it feels almost cramped like it was recorded in a cell with the musicians struggling for freedom. The fact that it was recorded on GarageBand is really something but you can definitely hear it at times.

You'd think all the chaos and slight amateuristic nature of the record (especially the a-side) would maybe be overwhelming at times. And for some it clearly is - the 1/5 reviews are testament that some people cannot handle the chaos present here. But it's no Trout Mask Replica or even Tom Waits, it has a pop core which makes these reviews baffling - can they not handle a slightly unconventional pop record?

I wonder if any of those reviewers got to the b-side, the emotional anchor of the album. The instrumentation is more conventional for a run while Fiona sings of heartbreak and loss. Her voice becomes the main focus of the record and she has the voice of one of the great jazz or blues singers (I am not being hyperbolic). This culminates for me in the heartbreaking release at the end of Cosmonauts, and the chilling a cappella of For Her.

If I have one complaint, the record doesn't quite sink the landing after this. It's not a victory lap but rather a thematically relevant mantra about resilience in the face of trauma.

Fiona Apple may never release another record (a reality I hope will not be true... though she is not very prolific and it is hard to truly know) but this is a true thesis statement and a beautiful way to end things if she does stay away from music.

If you told me this morning that I’d end up listening to this 4-5 times today, I would have called you a liar to your face… and then I would have acted against my own self interest and non listened to it that many times even though I kinda wanted to. That’s just the kinda person I am, and maybe that contrarian impulse is exactly why this (objectively weird) pop album resonates with me.

The autobiographical songwriting feels very akin to a Taylor Swift album but where Taylor can feel like musical theater, this feels more like open mic poetry reading. The lyrics are raw, personal, sometimes dark, and sometimes darkly funny. The instrumentation and song structures feel very improvised which I’d later find out is because they were. I spent at least two full listens debating what genre this actually was, and if I’d classify this as jazz. Apparently someone decided it’s just pop, so well just stick with that.

I went into this cold, without the backstory or the circumstances of the recordings or anything. I still don’t know the stories behind most of the lyrics, but I now understand that this was recorded at Fiona’s house over a period of about 5 years with a few collaborators and edited entirely with GarageBand.

I love this album

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.

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.

Fiona Apple just got better and better as a musician and songwriter over the years. Fantastic stuff!

3.23

Pretty interesting but can be a bit repetitive at times.

There are some artists I listen to for the generator, and when finished think I can now tick them off my list and never listen to them again thanks very much. So, you can imagine my surprise when I got another Fiona Apple album. The last one didn’t do anything for me but I liked the first track. This one I actually liked less. I felt it was boring despite the artist/producers trying to make it sound fresh and innovative, it felt they were trying too hard. The longer I listened however the more I thought it was okay so it went from 2 stars to 3.

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

This was a challenging listen as someone who usually prioritizes vibes/instrumentals over lyrics. Fiona demands full attention here, and while I usually find it distracting to read lyrics while listening, here it felt essential (and rewarding!). Her delivery is so erratic at times that if you can’t follow by ear, you’ll miss the core of what makes this album work: the storytelling. And that storytelling is great! The production complements her voice beautifully, with little musical details that feel like responses to what she's saying.

I won’t revisit this album often, but it did make me reflect on the value of lyricism in a way few albums do, and I have to appreciate that.

Standouts: Ladies • Cosmonauts

That was a pretty odd album. Not bad but odd.

Trash.

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

Beautifully chaotic. I enjoyed that despite my previous protestations that I prefer music I can sing along to at high volume - this feels cathartic in a completely different way. And I love the percussion and her voice.

I feel like this is better than a 3 but not quite a 4, but as I need to pick, I'm going for 3.

3/5