love this album, love the production, love the sequencing -- the sad songs leading up to the burst of joy at the end. i like a lot of songs off her other albums, but i tend to pick and choose which ones to listen to in isolation. this feels like a full and complete package to me.
― the bibles fake lol don't trust a book (reddening), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 22:35 (eleven years ago) link
yes I do too. This weekend it snuck its claws into me.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 22:52 (eleven years ago) link
Seconded re: the article mentioned above. Read it today. She's apparently fond of the weed and the whole article had a surreal feel to it, almost as if she and the writer were doing a performance art piece. It really made me want to hear this record thoug, so there's that.
― kwhitehead, Wednesday, 27 June 2012 02:44 (eleven years ago) link
Didn't like it for the first few listens, but now I can't stop playing it, especially "Hot Knife" (best on the album), "Werewolf," "Anything We Want," and "Valentine." Too much shrieking and hollering on "Regret," though.
― LimbsKing, Wednesday, 27 June 2012 13:11 (eleven years ago) link
it's quite a brave album how she just puts her vocals and poetry out there to be scrutinised -- not concealed behind many embellishments. a lot of her observations misfire, but some strike like a dagger. and both these elements are propped by really jagged piano chords that make everything she sings sound vulnerable and on edge. my favourite so far is "left alone" i think, which gives itself up 100% to the dark side and is suspended in one big, long swell of riled emotion. i'm sure she's alienated a lot of people with this album, but those people are probably not really willing to buy into what she's trying to put out there, so...
― charlie h, Saturday, 30 June 2012 03:40 (eleven years ago) link
God, 'Anything We Want' is just magical, isn't it?
― Austin, Saturday, 30 June 2012 03:58 (eleven years ago) link
Never been a big fan of hers, but damn, what an album. Really loving the vocals on "Regret" and of course "Hot Knife," but it seems like there's something unique about all the songs that make this so solid. Not sure why it struck such a chord, but it did.
― slagterm, Sunday, 1 July 2012 23:49 (eleven years ago) link
you made your major overtures when you were a sure and orotund muttand i was still a dewy petal rather than a moribund slut
^^all-time great opening couplet
this album is so so good. i find it oddly life-affirming
― bitch I'm on the 242 (lex pretend), Friday, 13 July 2012 00:46 (eleven years ago) link
i wrote about this: http://www.factmag.com/2012/07/13/fiona-apple-the-idler-wheel/
― bitch I'm on the 242 (lex pretend), Friday, 13 July 2012 11:41 (eleven years ago) link
Every Single Night is an earworm, heard it tonight and it clicked. For a minute I thought I was listening to an obscure Nancy Sinatra or Dusty Springfield joint.
Hot Knife is good too. This might be better than I originally thought.
― Moka, Tuesday, 17 July 2012 04:35 (eleven years ago) link
The feet shuffling on "Periphery" have really grown on me.
― LimbsKing, Tuesday, 17 July 2012 14:13 (eleven years ago) link
well i heard "every single night" the other day and it is wonderful, def gonna listen to this EVENTUALLY even tho i am really bad about "getting to" albums i want to listen to
― teledyldonix, Tuesday, 17 July 2012 15:37 (eleven years ago) link
Worth a read.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 18 July 2012 15:40 (eleven years ago) link
'sultry analysand'
!
― j., Wednesday, 18 July 2012 16:17 (eleven years ago) link
I adore the minimalism of the instrumentation and imo it suits her vocals better than anything I've heard before. As much as I love Jon Brion I just did not like Extraordinary Machine for this reason. The drums in some of the songs on Idler Wheel remind me quite a bit of Wildbirds and Peacedrums.
― Grease Jones (scottfree), Sunday, 5 August 2012 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
Werewolf is wonderful
― Matt Armstrong, Thursday, 20 September 2012 07:08 (eleven years ago) link
For true
Revisiting this for the first time in a couple monthS, still hits hard
― Raymond Cummings, Monday, 10 December 2012 11:58 (eleven years ago) link
I can totally see why someone wouldn't like this, just like I could Tuneyards say, but I reckon they would be listening with prejudice. It's great.
http://devonrecordclub.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/fiona-apple-the-idler-wheel-etc-round-42-toms-selection/
― yugi ex, Thursday, 20 December 2012 11:37 (eleven years ago) link
"Every single night" is such a smoking opener. I am awed that this woman begins her album with such an explicit "hey guys, I'm craaazeee" lyric, feels empowering to listen to
― you, your max is on fire (flamboyant goon tie included), Thursday, 20 December 2012 13:42 (eleven years ago) link
Ha ha braaaaiiaiaiain! brain! braaaiaiaiaiaiain! brain! Remember 1999 when a girl would sing about something not-cute and people would call her crazy? They were RIGHT suck on IT
― you, your max is on fire (flamboyant goon tie included), Thursday, 20 December 2012 13:44 (eleven years ago) link
"Werewolf" still capable of fucking me up everytime
― Raymond Cummings, Friday, 21 December 2012 12:44 (eleven years ago) link
That track floored me driving this morning.
― Gukbe, Friday, 21 December 2012 13:21 (eleven years ago) link
respect this album more than I like listening to it. but I should revisit it again.
― akm, Saturday, 22 December 2012 17:29 (eleven years ago) link
Just got it this week and am loving it.
― your damn bass clarinet (Eazy), Saturday, 22 December 2012 17:31 (eleven years ago) link
Jesus christ, this fucking album. Speaking as an unabashed Fiona fan, I have no idea why I put off listening to it for so long. The sparse, minimalist rawness suits her so well that I kinda retroactively wish she'd never gotten mixed up with Jon Brion (even though those albums sound great). So many wonderful untethered moments here. Upon first listen, it sounded like a musical version of Isabelle Adjani's performance in Possession, which is about as high a compliment as I could pay an artist.
― Alien Lays (Old Lunch), Monday, 31 December 2012 01:48 (eleven years ago) link
I'm so in love with this album
'Anything We Want' killllls me
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 24 March 2013 00:31 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks for the "It's Only Make Believe" cover upthread. Whazzabout this cover of Macca's "Let Me Roll It"?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM11NrlF8Dc
― Johnny Too Borad (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 26 March 2013 02:44 (eleven years ago) link
what a still
― hoospanic GANGSTER musician (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Sunday, 28 April 2013 05:14 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG1VVFfOnYQ
― Gukbe, Thursday, 25 July 2013 06:41 (ten years ago) link
I need more albums like this. Any recommendations?
― woolsuit, Friday, 22 August 2014 22:36 (nine years ago) link
Lisa Germano's Geek the Girl feels tonally (if not necessarily sonically) similar to me.
― Two Scoops of Plump, Juicy Raisins (Old Lunch), Friday, 22 August 2014 23:04 (nine years ago) link
This album is pretty sui generis, no?
― Treeship, Friday, 22 August 2014 23:16 (nine years ago) link
Wildbirds and Peacedrums
― faghetti (fgti), Friday, 22 August 2014 23:37 (nine years ago) link
Cousins: Mary Margaret O'Hara's Miss America and Jesca Hoop's Silverscreen Demos.
― the one where, as balls alludes (Eazy), Saturday, 23 August 2014 04:02 (nine years ago) link
listening to this album a lot recently, and it is still so singular and great.
every record fiona makes is the perfect record for that time in my life.
― dc, Wednesday, 13 April 2016 20:08 (eight years ago) link
otm
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 13 April 2016 20:17 (eight years ago) link
Do love this record so very much.
― Austin, Wednesday, 13 April 2016 20:46 (eight years ago) link
fiona really elevates this andrew bird song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZwtWExDmoI
― dc, Friday, 27 May 2016 16:21 (seven years ago) link
On my shortlist for favorites of the year.
― Austin, Friday, 27 May 2016 16:45 (seven years ago) link
forgot how fucking good this album is.
― In a slipshod style (Ross), Saturday, 16 December 2017 13:26 (six years ago) link
one of the best wordsmiths to ever grace music
― In a slipshod style (Ross), Saturday, 16 December 2017 13:39 (six years ago) link
I can only take the deep dive back into this album after I've had some time away from it, but boy oh boy when I do...
'Left Alone' hitting like a hammer atm. Feeling you, Fee-Fee.
― Funkface LLC (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 15 August 2018 15:48 (five years ago) link
same here old lunch - last time i put this on was dec. in the xposts there, but i had not heard it since the tour and shit i forgot how good it is - the biggest shame is how fiona seems to have no intention of releasing a new record, but only stray singles like left hand kisses - based on articles it seems she is content to live in her trailer property and smoke hash all day ymmv
― Ross, Wednesday, 15 August 2018 15:51 (five years ago) link
i'm sure she'll drop a new record, but the gaps are getting wider between each one. considering how much of her soul she puts into each one, i can't really blame her for not wanting to go through that experience more than once or twice a decade.
― ant banks and wasp (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 15 August 2018 15:54 (five years ago) link
seeing her live twice was amazing, she is such a great performer and the audience loves her infinitely.
― Ross, Wednesday, 15 August 2018 15:56 (five years ago) link
I was actually just talking about how good this album is the other day
― aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Wednesday, 15 August 2018 15:56 (five years ago) link
her poetry is super on point on this one (is on all of them obviously) and i admire how the record uses field recordings and avant-garde methods to create such raw, powerful songs
― Ross, Wednesday, 15 August 2018 15:57 (five years ago) link
'Regret' is a raging blast furnace that reduces me to ash, every time.
― Funkface LLC (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 15 August 2018 16:09 (five years ago) link
― Ross, Thursday, 16 August 2018 15:47 (five years ago) link
"based on articles it seems she is content to live in her trailer property and smoke hash all day ymmv"
who can blame her
― akm, Thursday, 16 August 2018 17:42 (five years ago) link