“Tidal”

Apple’s first album, “Tidal,” released in 1996, gave the first taste of the haunting melodies she would be later known for. “Shadowboxer,” the third track off the album, shows off Apple’s stellar voice on top of an almost sinister piano riff. It’s definitely one of my favorites and the lyricism is awesome as well. This album is probably a bit slower overall than some of her later ones, but her softer tunes definitely shine. “Never Is a Promise” lets Apple’s vocals soar on the main hook, but the track still allows for the song to have a bit of her characteristic edge. I really like the strings on this album, and I’d say that this album may be a bit closer to what other singer-songwriters were doing at this time. There were certain points that sounded similar to Tori Amos on “Little Earthquakes,” and not just the similarities of the piano-and-vocals songs. Even though it may seem obvious to compare the two, both artists just really have a way of making their songs sound so full on both of the albums. 

“When The Pawn…”

Starting Apple’s sophomore album off with the song “On The Bound,” a romp of simmering fury and powerful vocals, was an excellent choice. Apple is on the prowl in this album and it’s awesome to see the punch she’s able to pack with these tunes. This LP casts a menacing ambience, sounding both warm and tense at the same time. It never really has a huge departure from the album’s main themes; it’s focused, but not one-track. She also experiments with more electronic influences on this album, as seen on “A Mistake,” and the extra risk she takes pays off. These songs seem a bit faster paced than her others, so “When the Pawn…” serves as an excellent and accessible introduction to Apple, if you haven’t listened to her before. 

“Extraordinary Machine​​”

“Extraordinary Machine” is an incredibly lush project from Apple, released in 2005. One of the things I find engaging about this project is how it’s willing to embrace more strange noises into the tunes, with “Tymps” being one of the examples of this. My favorite thing about this project is how full and warm it sounds – while there are albums I enjoy that are more on the sparse side, this project feels all-encompassing with its sound. “Extraordinary Machine” is not my favorite album of hers when compared to her others, but it is definitely one to check out if you enjoy Apple’s sound. I’m a big fan of the track “Not About Love,” myself, and I’m sure that it’ll be a satisfying listen to any Fiona fans.

“The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver of the Screw and Whipping Chords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do”

Apple’s 2012 album, “The Idler Wheel…” is a coherent project with a capital P. Whereas with some of her other albums you can take songs individually, it would be a disservice to take any song out of the context of the album. I mean, sure, you could listen to “Every Single Night” and “Valentino” apart, but you really wouldn’t get the sense of the increasing fervor of “Every Single Night” transitioning into the slow trudge of “Valentino,” which I think is really what makes these tracks work. The LP just works so well together and creates such a captivating sound and experience. Really, I’m running out of words that are synonymous with “groove” or “romp” but those are absolutely what Apple excels at. This is a bit more of an acoustic effort from Apple than her other work. As it was her grand return after “Extraordinary Machine,” it’s a bit more of a return to “Tidal,” than anything else. I feel like authenticity is a tricky word to define, but this is such a heartfelt LP that sounds more than anything, real.

“Fetch The Bolt Cutters”

This album, released in 2020, is slowly creeping up on “When The Pawn…” for my favorite album by Apple. What it lacks in groove compared to her other albums (and it does not lack groove compared to anything else), it makes up in pure spontaneity. The hooks aren’t as obviously evident as on her earlier albums, but in every listen, there are new things to pick out. The vocal melodies are odder than anything else Apple’s released, but it definitely works, making this her most experimental album to date. The intro track, “I Want You To Love Me,” an amazing song that seems to soar, sets the high standard for the rest of the album. Her lyricism is exceptional here, and it seems like this album she really lets herself free to do anything with it. The record just bursts at the seams with imagination and wonder, as cheesy as that sounds, while also harsh and unflinching at other points. It’s a glittering introduction to what’s to come, and it leaves the listener hooked.