In Britain, Fiona Apple is almost unknown. She's never had a hit single. One song on When The Pawn... did get a little airplay, and the album itself gained a little recognition for its title. Tidal is easy to find in record stores, so she must be popular to some extent, but the majority of the population have never heard of her. However, the upshot of all this is that when you listen to her music you truly hear it; there's no preconceptions of a pouty pop sensation, so you can strip away all the MTV gloss and listen to the music for what it is.
Tidal is a wonderful album. The pleasantly light jazzy piano and the thick, slow rhythm just washes over you, leaving you feeling kinda warm and fuzzy and lazy. Her lovely, tired voice drips out her terribly old lyrics, and you can't help but feel a little despair for someone so young - she was just 18 when she started recording - who's so old. I see her in a quiet, small bar, singing to a sparse audience who hang on her every note as she carelessly toys with their hearts for a short while. She's strong. She's been aged by the world, but she'll be ok.
I'm listening to the album now, if you haven't already guessed. See what it does to your mind? Beautiful.
And who could help but love those lips, especially when behind them lurks such a voice, and behind that such a mind?