Fiona Apple

This was a long time coming. After two astonishingly mature (beyond her years at least) and rich albums it looked as if female singer songwriters had a new champion, taking the torch from the likes of Alanis Morrisette and Beth Orton - but something happened... Rumours abounded of rifts with record company execs, of nervous breakdowns, anorexia and severe depression. All I knew was that in the years of silence the world lacked the originality and strange soul that was Fiona Apple. I just adore everything about her and have done ever since I saw the PT Anderson directed video of Across The Universe, the main theme to the movie Pleasantville. I next saw her popping up in the behind the scenes footage of Magnolia, with PT (who she comments on often in her new lyrics) and fell in love with her shyness, intelligence and obvious talent. Her songs fill the room you're in with mood, challenging you to feel - sometimes it's joy, sometimes anger, sometimes frustration, sometimes deep loss, but it's all there! The melodies of her previous work stretch your taste, so that if you meet them the wrong way they will scrape and jar... but that is indicative of the passion which motivates this sometime young genius. She has gone on record both in interviews and in her song lyrics as saying singing and the fame it has afforded is something that panics her and something she needed to leave for a while to find some peace of mind. And in this new record the experience she has gone through comes out in every note, every word, sweet, bitter and a little bit older. A quick glance at her website (click title) will allow you to see a set of photos that show the ever photogenic waif to be less edgy and intense, more soft, mature, yet still deeply scarred - I think she looks great, I could always melt in those eyes (gush!). But it is the music that I'm most excited about, of course - nothing is easy, there are multiple uses of discord and "noise", but each and every song is laced with beauty in some way; often revealing, touching, thought provoking and life affirming, and never, ever dull. As seems to be normal with things I worship beyond reason, this is not for everyone (those who despise a hint of jazz in any way should stay away), but for those lucky enough to get it I'm sure we are all of the same mind in wanting more, much more before another five years go by. 9/10 Kx