It’s a fairy-tale album, without the prince charming.
Fiona Apple’s “Extraordinary Machine” finally hit music stores worldwide this week. With two albums, “Tidal” and “When the Pawn…”, behind her, Apple fans have been watching this young musician to see where she is headed.
For those who religiously listen to her past works, parts of “Extraordinary Machine” will hold true to her black widow’s attitude towards love. Yet the album manages to be one of the most confusing.
Apple goes from the first title song as an all-together girl to the next song, “Get Him Back,” which echoes her love-hating roots. “Machine” is the best representation of being in love to date. It goes from happy and upbeat songs to songs about despair.
The emotional tugging of its audience toward and against love may turn off potential fans, leading them to wish Apple could have just found one tone and style for her album.
Apple seems to be struggling with the adoption of a new pop style and abandonment of her background of soft-spoken rock artist.
The real jewels of “Machine” lie more in the pop direction toward which Apple is heading. The incorporation of the full orchestra in the title track gives the song an enchanting feel. It is this incorporation, along with her lyrical words, that make “Extraordinary Machine” such a beautiful album.
Apple ends the album just as she begain it, as a “together-girl” surviving in a chaotic world, with “Waltz (Better Than Fine).” The song implies that her struggles with love and hatred have been resolved and that she is content.
Musically, this conclusion indicates that Apple’s future may be leaning toward a more upbeat style.
For a world torn with woes of war and earthquakes, Apple manages to return us to the days when our biggest worries were ones of love.
She ends the album, “Why should I follow that beat being that I’m better than fine?”
Apple is “Better Than Fine;” she is incredible.
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