LogFAQs > #956669052

Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters results

The participants sorted by deviance from final results:
CasanovaZelos (12)
VeryInsane (24)
neonreaper (32)
Jesse_Custer (32)
Raetsel_Lapin (42)
Seanchan (42)
Snake5555555555 (42)
Johnbobb (44)
HBJDubs (64)

General Album Comments

CasanovaZelos: My favorite album of 2020 and #11 of all-time. Hit me like nothing else the first time through and has only solidified its status as an instant classic with every listen. It starts with a typical yet strong Fiona Apple song in "I Want You to Love Me," but the ending of that song descends into a chaos that rarely lets up for the rest of the album. "Shameika" hits with a force I've rarely seen before. The percussion throughout is absolutely magnificent. Who knew piano rock could be so aggressive? My only issue is that the final two tracks kind of trail off, while "For Her" feels like it could have been a perfect closer - not the best track by any means, but the declaration that kicks off the bridge there is so chilling that I can't believe she didn't end with it.

Johnbobb: gonna relisten of course but this album blew me away last year

Seanchan: Man...well...they can't all be winners...

First listen and I didn't connect to this album at all. Always a bad sign when I'm 5-6 tracks in and counting how many are left.

CasanovaZelos (responding to Seanchan): And to think, this is the highest rated album of all time on Metacritic (with a reasonable number of reviews, at least). As much as I love it, I'm surprised how universal the response was there.

Seanchan: Criminal is the only song I'd heard from Apple before this. And that's a pretty okay song; it's got a catchy chorus.

There was nothing here that really smacked me in the face and take notice in a good way. Certainly nothing that I would say could be a hit single. But I kinda knew that going in just based on what I'd heard. Also figured that this one probably wasn't going to be in my wheelhouse.

We'll see what another listen or two brings though.

neonreaper: I feel like half of the album doesn't really do much for me but the other half is pretty good. On my list, anything below Drumset I don't feel like I'd really need to listen to again. Some of the good parts remind me of a cross between Eternal Sonata and I Am Setsuna, but that could be just "PIANO" and I'm a simple person.

Raetsel_Lapin: I tend to have a low tolerance for repeated lyrics & Fiona Apple's style relies heavily on repetition, so this album is really not for me. I'm still glad I supported it though--it offers a style unlike anything else we've ranked, I value the opportunity to listen to things I have an aversion to, and I can at least acknowledge that she's talented.

Snake5555555555: A simply incredible album front to back. Fiona Apple experiments gleefully with a lush soundscape of some of the most varied instrumentation you will ever hear on a mainstream album. It rocks, it soothes the soul, it makes you laugh and cry in equal measure as Fiona weaves stories based unashamedly from her own life experiences, from the powerful and emotionally resonant piano rocker "Shameika" to more jazzy numbers like "Ladies", to even the punk-adjacent "For Her". There's a certain sense of shared vulnerability between Fiona and the listener, as she works as both entertainer and excavator, drudging up memories and past experiences you forgot you even had yourself. Much in the spirit of a song like "Hey Ya", Fiona's bouncy and upbeat tempos belay intense drama and it truly forces the listener to pay attention to every note and every lyric being sung. I'm personally a little surprised by the "off-putting" criticism. Despite its experimentation and deeper meanings, it's definitely quite the fun album to just listen to and take in the catchy instrumentation, appreciate its fun quirks (come on, dogs actually being credited on the album is CUTE), and vibe along to Apple's infectious flows.

Seanchan: So, I have to say, this album grew on me some with repeated listenings. Still not something I'm likely to come back to but I've gained a certain appreciation.

Jesse_Custer: Getting this one in at the last minute. I feel like this is one of those albums Id probably like more if I had time to listen a few times.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/