Product Description

Judging from the songs that litter her debut, this 18-year-old singer-songwriter is at odds with every situation in which she finds herself. While exotic beats and luscious pop textures decorate the space around her, Apple takes a defiant stance with everyone she addresses. In song after song, she looks for her "own hell to raise" or "to take flight"; or else she paints herself as a "Shadowboxer" or "Criminal". Overand over, Apple presents herself as a hard-to-please emotional invalid, a societal outcast for whom songwriting is the only release.
Apple masks this confessional writing with simple-but-arty, piano-based melodies that recall Tori Amos.There are also jazzy touches to much of the presentation, which hint she might be a Rickie Lee Jones for an alternativenation. At times, particularly on "Slow Like Honey", which combines her husky, up-close-and-quiet voice with Jon Brion's tasteful vibraphone, a surprisingly subtle, smoky atmosphere develops. But, as with the rest of Apple's presentations,it becomes a dark lounge filled with Alanis-like notions ofsexual politics.

Track Listing

1. Sleep To Dream
2. Sullen Girl
3. Shadowboxer
4. Criminal
5. Slow Like Honey
6. First Taste
7. Never Is A Promise
8. Child Is Gone
9. Pale September
10. Carrion

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11010 in Music
• Released on: 2000-04-17
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Tidal is the debut album by Fiona Apple, a New York singer/songwriter/pianist who was 18 years old at the time of its 1996 release. Apple is obviously talented--she has a dark, smoky alto and a knack for an arresting turn of phrase--but she's still several years away from realizing her potential. For every fresh lyric she writes ("Daddy longlegs, I feel that I'm finally growing weary of waiting to be consumed by you"), she provides two examples of embarrassingly precious schoolgirl poetry ("Adagio breezes fill my skin with sudden red," from the same song, "The First Taste"). She also has yet to refine her moody piano chords into actual melodies, though "Shadowboxer" comes close. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

Stunning
It's amazing Fiona Apple is nowhere near as popular as she deserves to me. I heard about her through word of mouth, because I'd heard a lot of people that liked the same artsists as me recommend her. So I bough this album on a whim. I'm so glad I did...

On first listen, I was blown away, mostly at the power of Fiona's voice. It's so stunning, and different. Secondly, for a first album, the songs are so individual and brave, the lyrics brilliant and interesting...

It took a few listens to get into it (I found "When The Pawn..." much easier to get into), but after I 'got' all the songs, so to speak, I couldn't stop listening to it...
The first song, "Sleep To Dream" is amazingly powerful, an amazing song in which she slates a guy that's messed her around: 'You say love is a hell you cannot bear / and I say give me mine back and then go there, for all I care'. It's a real power-song, and has a really strong effect on the listener.
"Sullen Girl", which follows it, is, on the other hand, a sadder, emotional song, about self-doubts, and she also sings of her rape in it. It's beautiful, and very powerful, especially when she sings 'But there's calm under the waves / in the blue of my oblivion'...
Then comes "Shadowboxer", an amazing song, and my personal favourite, in which she sings over the beautiful, jazzy melody, in her deep voice, of a lover that's messing her around... 'Once my lover, now my friend / What a cruel thing to pretend'...'Oh, it's evil babe, the way you let your grace enrapture me'...anyone that's ever loved someone even when they should know better will be able to relate to this song... 'I was onto every play / I just wanted you' indeed...

The album has it's sensual, softer moments: the seductive, longing, sensual "Slow Like Honey", for example, where she moans 'it's my big secret / gonna win you over / slow like honey, steady with mood...' And "The First Taste", another pretty, seductive song...
And those sensual moments are juxtaposed with the angry, self-doubting songs...but Fiona always comes out the winner. We get the impression here she's a sensitive, searching girl, but she's also strong and believes in herself, and accepts her faults and individuality, which is what makes the album so brilliant...

For anyone that likes something a little bit different, you should adore this stunning album.

Tide comes in
Fiona Apple has become one of those few singer-songwriters who is known for her talent, with only two albums to her name. Her debut "Tidal" is more uneven than her sophomore album, but Apple's rich voice and exquisite musicianship make up for the occasional lyrical stumbles.

"You say love is a hell you cannot bear/And I say gimme mine back and then go there for all I care," Apple sings in the first song, her alto suspended somewhere between a purr and a snarl. Backling her up is her own textured piano playing, backed by a heavy bass lick that pops up every few seconds like a tribal drum.

But unworthy lovers aren't the only topic that Apple tackles here. She also explores personal changes ("And I suddenly feel like a different person/From the roots of my soul come a gentle coercion"), hurting others in love, and "You'll say "don't fear your dreams"/It's easier than it seems."

Her songs are painfully deep in themselves, but it's all the more shocking and stunning when you realize that she was only eighteen when the album was released. Her music exudes the sorrow, anger and emotion of a woman twenty years older, mixed in with the ever-changing personality of a young girl. Music like this can't be calculated; it can only ever be real.

Her youth does show in songs like "Pale Summer," or certain awkward lines like "Oh, your love give me a heart contusion/Adagio breezes fill my skin with sudden red." It sounds a bit too overblown, in a high-school poetry way. But Apple has a rare way with simpler lines, giving them a verbal punch that a shadowboxer couldn't match. "I have never been so insulted in all my life/I could swallow the seas to wash down all this pride!" she snarls in the first song.

But honestly speaking, Apple could sing some really dreadful songs and they would still sound good -- her voice is another thing that was much older than she was, the sort of thing you'd expect to find in a thirtysomething torch singer. Her husky alto carries the songs with a rare intensity, backed with swelling strings and her delicate piano melodies.

There are a few lyrical stumbles in Fiona Apple's debut "Tidal," but it's still a pop masterpiece. Beautiful, intense, heartfelt and heartbreaking.

What A Talented Lady
I have to admit this isnt my usual taste of music im a neo-soul fan but Fiona Apple expanded my music taste not only is her song writing very good but her voice is sooooo cool its very alto and mysterious i first heard of her from the fantastic "Criminal" which i caught the last minute or so on VH1 and that was it i was hooked i listened to clips on Amazon before i purchased the album and i wasnt that satisfied as they only allow 30secs :(
So next day i went to HMV to hear the album and i fell in love with it and i havent stopped playin it since

1.Sleep To Dream/This song is very instrument orientated her vocals are really cool and the lyrics are just so true and smart this is probably one of my favourites 10/10

2.Sullen Girl/This is my favourite song on the album this is my theme tune i feel like this sumtimes and im sure all you lot as well can relate to this song its actually very soulful just listen to the fantastic lyrics and you'll be captured 10/10

3.Shadowboxer/Again this is quite soulful i can relate to what she sings shes very smart considering she was only 18 when this album was released in 96 the song really picks up after the first verse the chorus is my favourite part with the nice violins in the background 10/10

4.Criminal/The song that introduced me to her i still love this song very much but i played this song so much ive kinda grew tired of it again i can relate to this song and im sure all the ladies out there can as well the video was really cool as well 10/10

5.Slow Like Honey/I like the way this song starts off her voice on this song is amazing i really like this song its very mellow and u can chill to this song this is also quite soulful 10/10

6.First Taste/I was unsure about this song at first coz it takes a while to pick up but when it does its great i love the beat and i think everyone can relate to this song 10/10

7.Never Is A Promise/She's a very good pianist i like the intro to this song its great her voice sounds great on this track as well this song actually made my cry lol 10/10

8.Child Is Gone/This song is great this is like sayin shes no longer a gurl anymore shes a woman i really like this song she knows what shes talkin about 10/10

9.Pale September/Oh My Gawd! what a song its very eerie seems like summin that should have been on "The Others" soundtrack its just got that vibe this is a great song 10/10

10.Carrion/A great way to end the album its a mellow laid back song but with an edge its very soulful love it 10/10

My opinion this is probably one of the best albums ive ever heard i was taken back frm how much i actually liked it as i sed not really my normal music taste but this album was a head turner for me DO NOT IGNORE IT!!!!

Standouts: All Of 'Em!!!!

Favourites: Sullen Girl,Shadowboxer,Criminal,Slow Like Honey,Carrion

Flops: None