I’m admittedly behind on the Fiona Apple bandwagon. That’s mostly because of my edgy metal years that I grew out of near the beginning of the 2010’s and realized there was more music to like out there. I also never caught her 2012 return The Idler Wheel… until six years later when I was looking back through important and critically acclaimed records of the decade. I know, shame on me. I have been missing out on one of the most widely loved singer-songwriters from the 90’s and I wish I found out about her sooner. Her piano oriented rock style accompanied by the basic instrumentation found in rock like bass and drums has been unnaturally consistent at reaching greatness and beyond with the exception of her 2005 record Extraordinary Machine which I’ve always been lukewarm towards. Even with that record it still showed Fiona Apple’s skill as a potent singer-songwriter being able to connect her emotions with the listener even when the story conveyed wasn’t relatable. That is what truly separates her from any run-of-the-mill singer-songwriter, and is why her extensive periods between records feel so rewarding rather than tiring.

On her newest record Fetch The Bolt Cutters, Fiona Apple takes a slightly different route with her music. Lyrically the tracks on here are still personal dealing with being herself and escaping societal norms that held her back from speaking freely, but the framing is done through a compelling feminist lense on a handful of songs. This perspective gives a theme of not being afraid to speak up to wrongdoings directed both at her and society as a whole. A strong foundation backed up by Fiona Apple’s heaviest instrumentation yet conveying her anger and frustration in a cathartic manner. These characteristics set Fetch The Bolt Cutters apart from her her last record’s keen subtlety and same with the rest of her discography giving the record the feeling of further personal growth and a very minor reinvention.

Opening the album unfortunately is not one of her better tracks, “I Want You To Love Me”. Mostly it comes down the chorus where Fiona Apple’s voice begins to develop a sour crackling as if hurt, but is an unflattering inclusion next to fluttering pianos and with the lyrics covering her accepting her faults and hardships that occurred and using that acceptance of what her life has been as a platform for moving onto a new lover that is out there. Also the end of the second verse is too wordy and the deconstruction of everything at the end is not my cup of tea. That bridge is amazing though with its strings and pounding drums that hit harder with the raspiness in her voice. The following track “Shameika” utilizes the same pounding drums throughout its track exceptionally with some low piano notes that become a cacophonous flurry on the bridge and seep out into the verses. The sentiment behind the track is unique to hear and is a very mature way of looking at someone from your childhood who seemed like a bully at the time but Fiona Apple realizes that she was actually a very nice girl that tried pushing her to do better and utilize her potential. Next is the title track which may have a smooth flow to it between the soft percussion and elastic bass notes, but the message is powerful using the metaphor from the title “fetch the bolt cutters” to convey escaping an undesirable situation in life and pursuing the potential mentioned in the prior track. The extra sounds thrown in like the dogs barking are a evocative touch pushing the idea of being stuck on a chain.

“Under The Table” follows with a slow walking pace to it that sounds glorious when its chord progressions and cavernous percussion rumbles at the end. It fits the song’s theme of not keeping your mouth shut when talked down to whether at a dinner party or because you’re a woman. Mantras like “I would beg to disagree but begging disagrees with me” and “Kick me under the table all you want; I won’t shut up” repeat throughout the track both part of the chorus and as additional background vocals pushing the frustration behind the track. “Relay” on the other hand has a rugged marching groove to it which makes the repetitious chorus hold more weight in its message about anger being infinite and everyone involved with the anger losing. Ending the track is an interesting contrast showing Fiona Apple choosing to distract herself from the person who hurt her rather than forgiving them while she whispers of silence. Following is “Rack of His” which once again revolves around a problem women deal with, but also is connected heavily to a past relationship of hers. The man described in the track seems to get with a lady and ends up ruining her and putting her back up on the “rack” (a metaphor relating to a guitar rack) just to move onto the next girl he can disregard. The instrumental behind the track is fairly simple with marching percussion and airy pianos and guitars accenting it although they feel a little too flat.

Next is probably my favorite track off the record, “Newspaper”, which features more hard-hitting percussion that is thunderous with creepy pianos riding on top and ghoulish background vocals that harmonize with Fiona Apple near the end of each verse. It’s aggressive, yet has a tone of confusion fitting her discussion of past friends she really wants to talk to again but don’t hear back from them potentially because their significant others don’t want them to. It is a little paranoid but works with the framing where she may be frustrated but isn’t going to get her hopes up. This theme ties in with the sweet and sultry next track “Ladies” which is about not letting the men in your lives stop you from seeing your friends. More background vocals hum in the back in a much more beautiful tone adding a sense of unity between women. The next track, “Heavy Balloon”, is close to “Newspaper” being one of my favorite songs off the records and having some teeth behind it. Fiona Apple howls her way through the chorus over echoing percussion with shimmering tambourines and a steady bassline that breaks into some fantastic yet subtle solos. All of it fitting the creative interpretation of depression where the heavy balloon represents that unfathomable weight that hangs over people dealing with it and holds them down. Sticking with the creative metaphors is “Cosmonauts” which uses the title to represent two people who instantly connect and love with each other, but them being together too often and too long begins to create tension. The pianos give off a romantic mood that becomes grandiose with the crescendo on the chorus.

Nearing the end of the record we get “For Her” which is fast paced with its hoedown percussion and rapid vocal layered to sound gospel-like especially when it slows down near the end. Its lyrics uncover a harsh reality where women are taken advantage of and abused/raped then manipulated to make them feel that it wasn’t rape sometimes because of their relationship to each other. Although becoming less common as time goes on, there is still a need for a song like this for the scumbags hiding in society. Following it is “Drumset” which seems like a simple break up song, but includes lyrics pointing out being told it was Fiona Apple’s fault and the man refusing to talk it out because he has to lie to retain his manhood. Even though the lyrics aren’t as simple as they appear, the instrumental is and unfortunately uninspiring with some clattering drums and a moseying bass that don’t match the lyrical depth. The final track “On I Go” ends Fetch the Bolt Cutters off with a bang with the primal chant “On I go, not toward or away; Up until now it was day, next day; Up until now in a rush to prove; But now I only move to move”. As she repeats these lines the percussion rumbles around her and feedback heavy guitar crush in sync with the bass drums like a punch to the senses.

This review was longer than I expected, but as I gave Fetch the Bolt Cutters more listens more tracks began to click. My complaints began becoming few and far between. Honestly that is how most of Fiona Apple’s records sat with me; great at first but its best qualities are a slow burn. It’s quite the testament towards her talents as an excellent songwriter. The heavier edge behind a good amount of the tracks also struck a chord for my personal love of heavy music even if it’s far on the lighter side of heavy music. I’m not quite ready to say this is her best album, but it sure as hell is up there. Like usual, it was definitely worth the long wait if it meant another excellent record.

Best Tracks: “Shameika”; “Fetch The Bolt Cutters”; “Under The Table”; “Relay”; “Rack of His”; “Newspaper”; “Ladies”; “Heavy Balloon”; “Cosmonauts”; “For Her”; “On I Go”

Worst Track: “I Want You To Love Me”

Rating: 9/10

Released: 04/17/2020

Label: Epic Records

Genres: Singer-Songwriter, Piano Rock, Art Rock, Art Pop

Remember this is all my opinion and I would like to hear yours. Love it, hate it, anyways I can improve on my presentation? Make sure to subscribe to the blog by WordPress or email to receive notifications of new reviews that come up. Who knows, you could find a gem you otherwise would have missed. And of course, keep being a music nerd!

RATING SCALE

Perfect Excellent Great Very Good Good Meh Disappointing Bad Horrible Pitiful Bottom of the Barrel