Singer-songwriter Fiona Apple has been absent from the music scene for far too long (almost seven years!) However, after years of scattered appearances, speculations, and a riot, Fiona is finally back — almost. According to Twitter and Perez Hilton, Epic chair L.A. Reid confirmed last week that Fiona Apple will definitely be releasing an album later in the year. Speculation about the singer’s next album has been swirling for a few years, since the controversial release of her 2005 album - Extraordinary Machine. Complications and personal problems seem to plague the singer. In 2000, she suffered a meltdown on stage in New York's Roseland Ballroom due to rattled nerves and on-going stress. In 1998, she confessed in an interview with the Rolling Stone that she was a victim of child abuse and then aforementioned riot occurred, so a prolonged break between albums seems understandable. When she did a surprise show with Jon Brion late last year, she said, “I can’t remember any of my new songs because they’ve been done for a fucking year.” to which Brion added, "Not her fault!"
Fiona has clearly been dissatisfied with Reid’s management of her material so his "welcome back" tweet might be more of a "welcome back to Epic!" peace offering rather than "welcome back to music" In any case, Fiona Apple was an artist than was sorely missed by her fans. Her debut – Tidal, was released in 1996. Tidal is a spectacular debut, featuring the melancholic and sultry "Shadowboxer", and bitter and angsty song "Sleep to Dream" and "Criminal" – Fiona’s breakthrough single that won a 1998 Grammy Award for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance". “Criminal” also featured one of the sexiest music videos of that decade.
Her second album (released 1999) – When the Pawn…(album title too long and pretentious to type out fully). Despite the name, this is a stunning album; featuring the singles “As Fast As You Can” and “Paper Bag” with its infectious, lilting melody and topped with wistful but ultimately dashed hopes for finding a new love "whose reality I knew, was a hopeless to be had."
Her last album - Extraordinary Machine was expected to be released in 2003 but was delayed several times by the record label without explanation. Extraordinary Machine was named the 49th best album of the 2000s by Rolling Stone. It features the singes "O' Sailor", “Not About Love” and "Red Red Red" Extraordinary Machine also won "best new album of the year" in Entertainment Weekly's 'Best of 2005.
Since the release of her last album, Apple has made quite a few public appearances; she featured on Iconoclasts -Sundance TV show with Quentin Tarantino back in 2006. She had occasional guest performances with Brion, collaborations with Andrew Bird and Margaret Cho, and has done Buddy Holly covers, indicating that she not off the completely off the radar yet. Fiona Apple has released four magnificent albums; so her impending album release this year is certainly something to get excited about.
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