Customer Reviews

Tidal

5 star:		(180)
4 star:		(52)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Fiona Apple has become one of those few singer-songwriters who is known for her talent, with only a few albums to her name. Her debut "Tidal" is more uneven than her sophomore album, but Apple's rich voice and exquisite musicianship make up for the occasional lyrical stumbles.

"You say love is a hell you cannot bear/And I say gimme mine back and then go there for all I care," Apple sings in the first song, her alto suspended somewhere between a purr and a snarl. Backling her up is her own textured piano playing, backed by a heavy bass lick that pops up every few seconds like a tribal drum.

But unworthy lovers aren't the only topic that Apple tackles here. She also explores personal changes ("And I suddenly feel like a different person/From the roots of my soul come a gentle coercion"), hurting others in love, and "You'll say "don't fear your dreams"/It's easier than it seems."

Her songs are painfully deep in themselves, but it's all the more shocking and stunning when you realize that she was only eighteen when the album was released. Her music exudes the sorrow, anger and emotion of a woman twenty years older, mixed in with the ever-changing personality of a young girl. Music like this can't be calculated; it can only ever be real.

Her youth does show in songs like "Pale Summer," or certain awkward lines like "Oh, your love give me a heart contusion/Adagio breezes fill my skin with sudden red." It sounds a bit too overblown, in a high-school poetry way. But Apple has a rare way with simpler lines, giving them a verbal punch that a shadowboxer couldn't match. "I have never been so insulted in all my life/I could swallow the seas to wash down all this pride!" she snarls in the first song.

But honestly speaking, Apple could sing some really dreadful songs and they would still sound good -- her voice is another thing that was much older than she was, the sort of thing you'd expect to find in a thirtysomething torch singer. Her husky alto carries the songs with a rare intensity, backed with swelling strings and her delicate piano melodies.

There are a few lyrical stumbles in Fiona Apple's debut "Tidal," but it's still a pop masterpiece. Beautiful, intense, heartfelt and heartbreaking.

Was Fiona Apple really so young when she released this album? Was she already such a great composer, vocalist, pianist and producer? Amazing! Is there a single song on here that is not hypnotic? Absolutely not! Sullen Girl, Shadowboxer, Criminal -- these are all glorious tracks that should make anyone wonder where this girl came from (and especially where she has disappeared to) and where she developed such a seasoned view. She's like the Rickie Lee Jones or Joni Mitchell of the 90s. Fiona, please come back and give us some more great music.

Fiona Apple was signed to a major label in 1995 on the strenght of a demo tape of a few songs. She was 18, and a major label signing an unknown teenager was possible only because we now know (in retrospect) that 1995-96 were the heydays of the "alternative music" scene, and anything was possible.

"Tidal" (10 tracks, 51 min.), released almost 8 years to the day, was auspicious in many respects. The confessional writing style, the jazzy-smokey pop (don't even think Norah Jones, but more a jazzier Tori Amos or Aimee Mann), it all struck a cord. And a few killer songs helped tremendously of course. "Shadowboxer" became a breakout hit, and justifiably so, it still sounds good today, 8 years later. Other oustanding tracks include the opener "Sleep to Dream", "The First Taste" (with great lyrics like "Darling Just Start the Chase/I'll Let You Win/But You Must Make the Endeavour"), and "Pale September", featuring the vibraphone which is used throughout the album, very effectively. However, the very best of them all "Never Is A Promise", a haunting ballad.

Since "Tidal", Fiona has released only one other album (1999's oustanding "When The Pawn"), but supposedly we will finally see a new album later this year. Meanwhile, "Tidal" is aging quite nicely. Strongly recommended!

Now this is some truly, honest to God gorgeous music, you can just relax to it and let it take you away. Fiona A. is one talented woman, and quite sensual in her songs. Although I love Tori Amos myself, Fiona's music is very different despite some similarities (a.k.a piano, having been raped)

High Points: I'm in LOVE with her sound, it is very unique in my opinion and has a dreamy, moody quality to it. Her voice is also awesome, it can sweep down deep and sultry and then soar high and sweet (wish there was more singers like that). AND not ONE song is bad (although I usually skip Pale September and Carrion for some reason). Favorite songs are Sullen Girl (the piano is beautiful and the lyrics are my favorite out of all the songs "but he washed me shore and he took my pearl, and left an empty...shell, of me."), The First Taste (this really would be great to dance to, the vibe is awesome and her voice just glides through it), Slow Like Honey (sooooo seductive, Fiona tells why her man can't resist her.)

Low Points: Hmm...can't think of any haha! This whole album stays pretty consistent in feeling and sound, but if you have no patience for slow songs than you had best stay away.

This piece is really a stand out to me, and I wish there was more music out like this, in fact, I think we need it. To get away from having to be all edgy and beautiful and pumped up... and just chill. Yeah, that would be cool.

This album is filled with Sade-esque vocals united with original lyrics and creative musical combinations creating a soulful and emotionaly charged sound. I would recommend this CD to anyone who experiences a stressful day, i.e. everyone.

I don't understand why in this days it's so hard to find new muzik that it's worth your ears, aghhhh!, but let's go back then to the basics, Miss Apple gave an impressive debut filled wtih sadness and depression, my type of album, along with Amos, Kilcher, and Merchant this ladies put the mood for the mid-90's, this album deserve the success it achieve, I don't know what's Apple been up to?, but please comeback...personal favorites are Shadowboxer, first listen of this great album, Criminal the pop crossover, but still great, Never Is A Promise makes me cry, this is the best, A First Taste, wow! makes me wanna dance?! do you believe that!, Slow Like Honey, surreal!, those r my picks, but this album is overall good fair worth your pennies, and all that things some people post and strut about, I just say, if you're sad and need some sad music to cry along, this is it, such a good painful album....way to go Fiona...

I'm a huge Tori Amos fan. So when I hear there is a singer who is similar I decide to buy the CD. I carefully put Tidal into my CD player and cautiously press the play button. I am greeted by a strange, seductive drum beat. As the song continues I find myself enjoying it immensely. The song,"Sleep To Dream" is one of the many gems of Tidal, the debut of Fiona Apple, a bbeautiful and talented new singer/songwriter. The rest of the CD is just as brilliant. The next track called "Sullen Girl" is a song which very pretty, for lack of better term, its good, but seems mediocre in comparison to, "Shadowboxer." Although "Shadowboxer" is one of the more radio friendly tunes on the album its still very soft and devoid of the modern radios stupidity. One of my favroites, "Criminal", is up next and is actually the song which persuaded me to buy Fiona Apple's Tidal. The track is very interesting both lyricallly and music wise. Next is the seductive "Slow Like Honey" which is beautifully arranged, but a bit long and labourious as the CD tends to group together the slow songs which is a bit of a downfall. "The First Taste" isn't my favroite track, althouggh it is very good, mostly bbecause the chorus backround music sounds a bit like the music keyboards have for salsa. No complaint other than that though. Possibly my favroite track is "Never is a Promise" which will bring you to tears. Its beautiful lyrics and music are my definition of beauty and this song is almost impossible to dislike unless you are a top 40 trendie person who might eat it up if your friends said it was cool. Sorry, pet peeve there. "The Child Is Gone" is good, but is too similar to the other tracks on the album. "Pale September" is a a nice little tune and you will probably like it. The final song is "Carrion" which one of my favroites because it is very different from the other tracks.
I recommmend buying this album if you like slightly feministic singer/songwriters like Tori Amos. The only really negative point about this album is the track order can bug you by putting too many slow tracks in the same group.

I recently discovered Fiona Apple's music and I have to admit, I was really missing out on something amazing. She is extremely talented; Fiona composed the music, wrote the lyrics, and plays the piano (amazingly) on every song except for "Criminal". And on top of that, her voice is very versatile. She switches from extremely low sultry tones to a high, airy voice like nothing. I would be lucky to have a quarter of the talent she was blessed with.

The main highlight of the album, for me, would have to be "Never is a Promise". It is a beautiful ballad with the perfect everything - lyrics, voice, instrumentation. It blows me away everytime. Her writing is very well-developed and mature, considering she wrote some of these songs as young as fourteen. The last chorus is the emotional high-point of the entire song, it just keeps building up to that last moment: "You'll say you understand, you'll never understand/I'll say I'll never wake up knowing how or why/I don't know what to believe in, you don't know who I am/You'll say I need appeasing when I start to cry/But never is a promise and I'll never need a lie". Amazing.

The lowpoint, even though every song is awesome in its own right, would have to be one of the last three tracks. Her voice is probably in its lowest form on "The Child is Gone" but it isn't by any means a bad song. The afore-mentioned and "Pale September" tend to drag out making the end of the album seem far away. The last song is "Carrion". I didn't enjoy it much at first, but it has grown on me. It is very versatile, beginning in verses and music nearly as soft as a whisper and turning into angry vocals and loud music by the chorus. If you don't have this CD, you should really check it out. It is high above most other CDs I own.

I had not heard Fiona apples music until last week when I found her debut cassete at a swap meet. Impressed by the beauty of her clear blue eyes I sensed that she was not an ordinary woman.

Until hearing her I have always been unimpressed by modern singers. Wolfang Mozarts Reqeium in D minot occupied my list of the best mix of music and voice. I have become enraptured with her talent, skill, intelligence, and beauty.

She deserves everything that this world has to offer that is of true value. It is my dream to one day be able to tell her this in person.

Mellow young beauty expressed in chords, words, floating vocal... Listening in repeat mode - recommended experience.