Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Weird but strangely entertaining.

Fiona Apple's 'Fetch the Bolt Cutters' is a visceral, unflinching masterpiece. It's a unique percussive landscape from found sounds where raw emotion bleeds through every track, from the percussive slams of mattresses to the unedited, dripping anger in her vocals. The album's power lies in its fearless confrontation of trauma and the yearning for liberation. Apple's lyrics, as exemplified by the stark 'Good morning, good morning/ You raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in,' cut to the bone, making this an essential and deeply affecting listen

The negative reviews are hilarious because the point of the album is exactly what they don't like. I've always meant to listen to this and thanks to the list I finally have. It's figuratively and literally a deconstructed criminal.

Its not really what I would go out and listen to again, but if someone said that they liked this album I'd probably want to be their friend.

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.

Why the fuck is this album on this list? And why does Fiona Apple have 2 albums on this list? Modern day Kate Bush. This album is made up predominantly of garbage. The album cover is dumb as fuck to match the album.

Favourite songs: Heavy Balloon, Under the Table

Least favourite songs: I Want You to Love Me (a perfectly good song that for some reason has a chicken getting railed for the last 30 seconds of the song), Fetch the Bolt Cutters (1 minute of dogs barking to finish this song off..... Wtf), Newspaper, Ladies, For Her, On I Go

2/5

I like Fiona Apple, so I know I'd like this, but I'm in a terrible mood and really can't appreciate this for what it is. I can definitely say the barking dogs would suck no matter what kind of mood I was in

3.75

Hated the dolphin-core towards the end of the first song...
The instruments are so boring and the piano seems off. I know this was written and recorded during the pandemic, which explains why it was made all alone in a room with forks, walls, the neighbors dog and her singing in the shower.

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

This is so recent! 2020 is basically right now. I like the idea of Fiona Apple, although the reality of Fiona Apple is more hit and miss. Regina Spektory with a few goat yodels.

Highlights: 'Under the Table', 'Relay' (relay-table), 'Drumset'

Lowlight: 'Cosmonauts' (don't yell at me fiona!)

Percussive piano, jazzy bass, and madcap drumming - it's an unstable teetering foundation on the cusp of spinning out of control, giving the album a nervous unsettled mood. Despite the emphasis on rhythm, the grooves never take off, stuttering, stoping, starting, remaining constantly off kilter. It's a big sound in a small package, like an experimental orchestra rehearsing in a crowded storage room, for a cluttered claustrophobic aesthetic. Pretty cool, but don't really get the hype.

Favorites: Ladies

The percussion on this is really interesting and I like that this whole album feels like it was made in her house. The more intense moments feel earned as well. Probably not something I would go back to much, but I’m glad I listened. Favorites were Shameika, Under The Table, Ladies, and Heavy Balloon.

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 hate this kind of music. Really a pain to listen to.

I liked it but I shouldve liked it more.

Gemaakt om anders te zijn. We kennen de artiesten die zichzelf teveel als eigenwijze kunstenaar zien inmiddels wel. En gelukkig is de zang van het eerste nummer (I Want Youououououououou te Love Me) dan ook verschrikkelijk en eindigt dat nummer met belachelijke kreetjes. Mooi kan ik het ook helemaal afkraken!

Maar dan wordt het vervelend, want af en toe pakt die licht schurende stem die wat los staat van de muziek mij ineens. Vind ik zo'n rare frats toch wel weer leuk.

Gelukkig kan ik het halverwege toch echt niet meer aan. Hoef ik deze geforceerde kunst toch mooi geen voldoende te geven.

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

Chaotic

To summarise - random dolphin like squealing, dogs barking, heavy breathing. Piano keys being smashed around and what sounds like a kitchen drawer being rattled

You can hear the lockdown insanity in real time as the album went on

Felt like fetching the bolt cutters to chop my ears off and end the suffering

1 ⭐️

It's quite quirky in the composition and delivery, with a lot more experimentation compared to her earlier stuff. It's not bad.. a good number of songs are really nicely put together musically and have something about them. There ARE some good songs in here, but I'm not feeling the overall vibe, or I'm just not tuned into the energy of it enough. I did find myself liking it more and more as it went on though, so maybe it's a grower.

3.5 rounded down.

The album started pretty decent and then the end of the first song assaulted me with a tribute to Yoko Ono, which I did not appreciate. Newspaper was alright

No sé por qué exactamente, puede que por la voz de Fiona Apple (la cual escucho por primera vez hoy) o por las letras simples pero divertidas, que me lo he pasado increíble escuchando este disco. Una sorpresaza que se merece las 5 estrellas porque me ha parecido mágico. Puede que hasta vea algo más de Fiona Apple.