Fiona Apple
When The Pawn...
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Fiona Apple
When The Pawn...
Epic/Clean Slate, 1999
RiYL: Aimee Mann, Heather Nova, Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos |
Apple bravely expands her sound to include woodwinds and the warm fuzz of the Wurlitzer organ. While on her debut album Tidal, Apple mostly chose to swing, on Pawn she chooses to rock, but in her own unique swinging way. Her songs are not ballads, but epics of rock, classical and postmodern music. The transitions in "Fast As You Can" resemble a Fiona version of the theme to "Super Mario Brothers II". In the game, the music changes with each level. But in this version, every time Mario gets the princess she tries to convince him to have nothing to do with her.
Apple's writing is impressive and would weigh like concrete even if the music didn't play, and here she has surpassed the decent standards set on Tidal. If only she could convince her other soloist sisters (Mariah, Alanis) to make their words so big and beautiful instead of catchy and flashy, the music world would be a better place.
Apple's poetry is direct. "Paper Bag" shakes the listener:
"Hunger hurts and I want him so bad / Oh it kills / Cuz I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up / I got to fold cuz these hands are too shaky too hold / hunger hurts but starving works."
It remains to be seen what the poem that graces the album's title means or why Apple decided to name it so. But the cover is translucent, and through the red you can see Fiona's beautiful smile and blue-green eyes. It's like she is inviting you to into her fucked-up, sad world. And if you can't get past the cover, then don't come in. But if you do enter, this smiling hostess is there to welcome you.
SHARNA MARCUS |