Today’s Random Weekend selection is a late track on Fiona Apple’s 1996 debut album TIdal.
Ironically, Tidal is both the biggest success and the most forgotten record in Apple’s 25-year career. She has released only five albums during that span, and it was the second, 1999’s When the Pawn…, that made her a critical darling and indie icon. The three releases since have met with lavish critical praise as her music has become less commercially accessible.
This week’s featured artist, Fiona Apple, is one of my very favorite singer-songwriters… and I stress both halves of that phrase — she is extraordinarily talented as both a singer and a writer of songs. I think a lot of artists tend to excel at one more than the other, but I place her in the top ranks of both categories.
What I find most interesting is the impact she has had on me through just three studio albums, just 32 songs. I guess that’s all it takes when the albums are as good as hers. But still, 32 songs in 13 years just doesn’t seem right. Get thee to a piano, woman!
Meet Me In Montauk 