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GRADE: A-
CD • Call her a cicada among predictable musical nymphs. When Fiona Apple decides to emerge, it is apparent the years of seclusion have not been for naught. On "The Idler Wheel," she fully unfurls her avant-garde wings, making clear her voice — supple and stentorian — is the essential instrument. Endowed as it is with emotive range and held in check as it is from falling for obvious melodies, it makes one pay attention. Apple delves into personal matters in a typically quarrelsome way and, while not exactly of Elizabethan talents, manages some fine lyrical moments (e.g., "I'm a tulip in a cup/I stand no chance of growing up"). Successive listens reveal layers of richness in composition: her piano a source of steady heat, her unusual rhythmic and percussive forays a source of seductive depth. "Every Single Night" stands out for its rousing chorus — with a flourish as singular as Buddy Holly's hiccup. "Werewolf" shows well how minor keys can leave a catchy impression. And "Hot Knife" builds up to a whirlwind of harmony that keeps the mind buzzing — a closing track that puts one in the mood for seconds.
Rudy Mesicek