Yeah Yeah Yeahs will release Mosquito on April 16th

Maybe it was the fact that the band came out of New York City at the same time as The Strokes and greatly conflicted with the sleek style of that band. Maybe it was because the band name itself dripped of irony, or maybe it was due to the simple fact that people just could not neatly categorize the band and its whirring, maniacal music into a certain genre or trend. Whatever the reason, questions surrounded the authenticity of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ chaotic act and pulverizing music at the beginning of the band’s career, and some dismissed it as a mere attention-grabbing ploy. They would conclude that Karen O could not actually have a natural proclivity to act in such a reckless, unpredictable manner or to sing vitriol lyrics with such an animal ferocity. It seemed incomprehensible, and therefore had to be just an ironic, calculated act from these New Yorkers.

Over thirteen years and three proper albums since the band’s formation, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs consistently proved those initial skeptics wrong. The actions, performance and music of the group was not an act for the sake of irony or parody, but clearly came from a place of real emotion and passion. A band cannot survive, no matter how real, on bravado and aesthetic alone, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs solidified themselves through a combination of immense talent and a knack for songwriting. Frontwoman Karen O was at her most unhinged and feral on the band’s 2003 debut, Fever to Tell, and the sheer force and raw energy of her vocals may have overpowered the rest of the music in lesser hands. Yet drummer Brian Chase and guitarist/keyboardist Nick Zinner complemented, directed and channeled her vocals, creating music that felt like a singular, frenzied aural assault that indubitably rocked. On Fever, Zinner’s guitar work was masterful in that its hard-hitting crunch provided a seemingly perfect vehicle for Karen O’s wails and growls, and Zinner aptly took over when needed in order to restore or maintain the songs’ structures and melody as well. Even with Karen O’s impressive, schizophrenic vocals on display (just compare the aggressive “Tick” with the gentle “Maps”), it was arguably Nick Zinner’s guitar-shredding ability that stole the show on the band’s official debut.

Show Your Bones, in contrast, left the listener with an even greater respect for Karen O both as a vocalist and as a lyricist. Bones toned down the raucousness of the debut and turned up the production, resulting in a more polished musical outing for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Though some may have wanted another album in the same vein as Fever in terms of the chaotic, vitriolic nature of the music on that debut, the band chose to slightly alter its style with this release. The signature moments in which Zinner and Karen O in particular become unhinged were still present on Bones, yet the group selectively picked its moments to truly unleash. Consequently, the songs were given a chance to breathe, which allowed the beautiful vocals of Karen O to take center stage. When the band did channel the primitive energy of Fever, the moments, because the band smartly picked its battles here, were given an even greater weight and more forcefully impacted the listener. The combination of this newfound refinement with the band’s signature sound created some of the best songs of their career, such as “Gold Lion,” “Phenomena,” and “Fancy.”

Show Your Bones (2006)

Though there was a slight alteration to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs‘ initial sound with Show Your Bones, few listeners could have prepared for the stylistic transition that would accompany the band’s third proper album, It’s Blitz!. The guitar of Zinner took a backseat with Blitz, and the band instead opted to make electronica the driving force of their music. When rock bands attempt this specific alteration, the results are usually mixed, yet any apprehension about Blitz dissipated upon listening to the second track, “Heads Will Roll.” It became clear that the visceral, passionate sound of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs that dominated their debut and sophomore releases would not be absent. Rather, the group’s signature drive and vigor translated quite brilliantly to an electronic sound, which is only further evidence of the massive musical talents of each of the members. Though it is largely beat-driven, Zinner’s guitar is still pervasive throughout the record, adding an extra punch to the already-powerful and infectious beats that propel each song. This melding of rock and electronica was perhaps most effective on “Dull Life” and “Shame and Fortune.” Just in case any doubted the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ability to make a danceable track all on their own, “Heads Will Roll” definitively answered that question and was actually one of the major highlights on the group’s most accessible album to date.

It’s Blitz!

With such sonic differences from album to album, it is impossible to predict what Mosquito will bring on April 16th. Considering the heralded track record of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, this unpredictability is nothing to fret about, and recent performances by the band hint at the idea that this fourth release might be the band’s best yet. If this is the case, the best album of 2013 may arrive on April 16th.

Check out the Yeah Yeah Yeahs playlist below, and also check out the band’s recent performance at SXSW:

Following a successful record is always a tall order, let alone an album that has since been regarded as one of the best alternative albums of the past decade. Merriweather Post Pavilion, the eighth studio album by Animal Collective, took the indie music world by storm in 2009 and eventually garnered mainstream recognition. The band’s fanbase experienced exponential expansion, as the album offered up the most accessible tunes of the usually complex, abstract band’s career.  Exactly how Animal Collective’s sound would progress after such a landmark achievement was the subject of much speculation over the past three years in anticipation of this release. Would the group continue along the path of accessibility and large hooks, or revert back to the more esoteric sound of their previous records?

In essence, Centipede Hz is simply unlike anything Animal Collective has released in its decade-plus career. As if to emphasize this notion, the album begins with a ten-minute assault on the senses in the form of two tracks, “Moonjock” and “Today’s Supernatural.” The recordings are simply overwhelming on first listen. Unabashedly busy and dense, the aural senses are overloaded with a high-energy, loud sound that is incomparable to any other in the world today. It jolts the listener into an entirely new, futuristic sonic atmosphere inhabited only by Animal Collective. Fortunately, the vocals of Avey Tare (Dave Portner) possess an innate ability to guide the listener through the whirlwind of sound to a conceivable hook. His impassioned, intense pleadings on “Today’s Supernatural” remain engrained in the audience’s head long after the last note of the song leaves the speakers.

Breathing room is given by way of the Panda Bear (Noah Lennox)-driven “Rosie Oh,” a Beach Boys-inspired jam that eases the tempo and intensity. Centipede Hz never fully reverts back to the density and furious pace of its first two tracks, but settles into a groove of sorts for the remainder of the album. The innovative, otherworldly sounds work particularly well on standouts “Monkey Riches,” “Pulleys,” and especially “Amanita,” arguably the record’s greatest highlight.

Due to the countless layers and multifarious nature of the music, it will indubitably take multiple, concerted listens in order to fully appreciate what the band has created with Centipede Hz. For those who only find enjoyment on Merriweather Post Pavilion in Animal Collective’s catalog, this latest album will almost certainly disappoint. Yet the listeners who enjoyed the challenging, abstract qualities of the band’s previous recordings will surely find Centipede Hz a rewarding experience if enough time is spent with it. Buried underneath the barrage of heavy, seemingly impenetrable sounds that pervade the record are those all-too-familiar hooks unique to Animal Collective. With the discovery of these hooks, one will not only be able to enjoy the sonic world that the band created here, but also the place of Centipede Hz in a body of work that will be debated about long after the band has played its last song.    9/10

From Left: Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Avey Tare (Dave Portner), Deakin (Josh Dibb), Geologist (Brian Weitz)

“If you grow up in West Texas, there are a lot of ways to be lonely.” A music career that would alter and inspire the craft of countless musicians, Orbison never shied away from the overt expression of lugubrious emotion. One could attribute the despondent feeling that pervades many of Orbison’s works to his hometown, to the many personal tragedies he endured throughout the course of his fifty-two years, or simply from his own inherent temperament. Regardless of what fueled his artistic output, there is no real debate as to the quality or power of his recordings. For any music fan it is almost a necessity to explore the work of Orbison, for there is an overwhelming probability that he has had a profound influence on at least one of those artists currently in the iTunes library or record collection.

In all likelihood, those who claim to be unfamiliar with Roy Orbison have heard at least a song or two through the medium of film or television (his music has appeared in over 119 movie and TV titles, in fact). A safe bet is that “Oh, Pretty Woman” has been heard on multiple occasions, most likely accompanying some comic scene or environment. Those who hear the tune and immediately dismiss Orbison as some pop act of a past world are, however, sorely mistaken. Even in one of his more upbeat, freewheeling’ music excursions, the theme of loneliness still plays a role in the narrator’s emotions during “Pretty Woman.”

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In addition to the tangible storylines that surface in almost all of his recordings, what also appears to attract filmmakers to Orbison compositions is the seeming dichotomy between his lyricism and vocal delivery. His voice emits an almost operatic tone that superficially gives the impression of calm serenity, a sense that everything is under control. Yet peel back the layers of his voice and delve further into what is being sung, and the listener discovers conflict, sorrow and loneliness. Few filmmakers have used this dichotomy to such glaring effect as the enigmatic David Lynch. Take the iconic scene from Blue Velvet in which the song “In Dreams” was used to soundtrack a particularly suspenseful scene. Though Orbison initially balked at the idea of his song featured in the Lynch film, he eventually grew to appreciate the added depth and darkness that it gave to his track’s lyricism and sound. The vocal delivery may have been smooth and opera-like, but the scene further revealed the darkness and pain potentially hidden in the somber lyrics of the legendary songwriter. It is a moment that not only helped revitalize the career of Orbison and introduce him to an entirely new generation of listeners, but forced the audience to realize and examine the serious emotional turmoil present in the artist’s work (if they hadn’t done so already). At once dark and light, with a heavy storytelling element, it is no wonder that so many filmmakers utilized the works of Roy Orbison into visual imagery and pivotal scenes.

Still unconvinced about giving Roy Orbison a concerted listen or two? In 1963, the musician was chosen to tour with a rising band by the name of The Beatles over in Great Britain. With little stage theatrics, or nary a movement for that matter, Orbison stood at the mic and belted out his creations to an audience in pure awe of his ability. After 14 encores that night, members of The Beatles, out of growing frustration and impatience, physically held him back from performing through another encore. If he can upstage one of the greatest bands of all time, he is surely deserving of at least one obligatory listen.

“There was a single one
Then there were ten
With ten made a hundred
And a hundred million

You came and spoke to me
I saw your face
Your words were like raindrops
From a storm in a vase

Each generation different

He was made to love her 
She was made to love him
And their offspring loved them

And in the marriage of eagle and snake
The parents are fertile
But their offspring is blank

The fire rages and all through the night
The flame is contagious
But the heat feels alright

Can’t recognize our poverty

He was made to love her
She was made to love him
And their offspring loved them

There is a darkness I feel coming down
And shadows that lengthen from the sky to the ground

And a silence that can swallow sound

He was made to love her
She was made to love him
And their offspring loved them

He was made to love her
She was made to love him
And their offspring loved both of them”

- Dirty Projectors, “Offspring Are Blank”

Dirty Projectors have long been the object of indie affection, and this love affair will undoubtedly continue with the release of their excellent Swing Lo Magellan LP last week. The Brooklyn band creates compositions that are innately easy on the ears and can immediately be appreciated and enjoyed. Though the music possesses subtleties and complexities that ultimately add a weight and staying power to the art, the listener need not spend repeated listens and expend an overwhelming amount of patience in order to fully appreciate and “understand” the record. Some self-important types may knock this level of accessibility, but this means next to nothing for the throngs of fans that Dirty Projectors have amassed over the course of their six albums. Swing Lo Magellan, in fact, may be the group’s most infectious release to date, for each track sounds as if it could stand alone as a successful single. Contrary to what some music critics may imply, it is incredibly difficult to create music this catchy and appealing, and to do it with the consistency that Dirty Projectors have shown throughout their career. “Offspring Are Blank” is the opener on Magellan, and examines the relationship and contrast between generations, and of parents and their offspring.

Darren Cunningham, the electronic producer behind the “Actress” moniker, creates orchestrations that you will most certainly not hear on the radio or at a raucous gathering. For those looking for cliffhanging bass drops or adrenaline-pumping beats, look elsewhere. Cunningham utilizes subtlety and aims for a cohesive piece with R.I.P., creating ambient, atmospheric music that relies just as much on static and silence as it does synths and beats.

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9. Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action at a Distance

Lotus Plaza is the solo project of Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt, who further solidifies his artistic and musical talent with Spooky Action at a Distance. The tracks that comprise Pundt’s latest output are catchy and accessible, providing a soothing and easy listening experience without ever having to skip a track. This type of consistency on an album is difficult to find in the age of the mp3, making this record all the more valuable and necessary.

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8. Lambchop – Mr. M

For those that follow ResonantPassage, the inclusion of this album is no surprise, as it was named the best album of the month for February. Critics and listeners alike agree that Mr. M is one of Kurt Wagner’s finest achievements as an artist. Like the music, the lyrics of Wagner are both straightforward and understated, and many a line on this latest record intrench in the listener’s memory. A blend of singer-songwriter, folk and rock, the skillfully crafted lyrics and music of Mr. M amalgamate to produce an end result that remains one of the best of the year.

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7. Liars – WIXIW

The way of experimentation still continues to prove fruitful and successful for New York’s Liars, as WIXIW throws the audience into the slick, gray world of electronica and succeeds in creating a singular mood and atmosphere. It fully immerses the listener and holds his or her attention for the entire album. Read our review here.

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6. Chromatics – Kill For Love

Chromatics, another one of the ever-prolific Johnny Jewel’s projects, is perhaps his most successful thus far. Like the rest of the albums on this list, Kill For Love possesses a tangible world all on its own. The production is (unsurprisingly) of the highest degree, and it is clear that each and every note and sound on the record was thoughtfully placed and perfected. The toils of Johnny Jewel’s labor payed off in dividends, as this will go down as one of the best, most intricate releases of 2012. Read our review here.

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5. Jack White – Blunderbuss

If this record had been released by anyone not named Jack White, Blunderbuss would be making the rounds on blogs and websites to the point of nausea. Yet it seems that most, and understandably so, regarded this as another quality release from White and moved on about their business of attempting to find the next big thing. Consequently, a Jack White album may ultimately become the most underrated release of the year. Skeptical? Check out the guitar riff on “Freedom at 21.”

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4. Twin Shadow – Confess

In both interviews and in his music, George Lewis Jr. of Twin Shadow (who happens to grace the cover of his latest album) projects a bravado and effortless cool. His compositions are sparse by nature, yet there is an emotional complexity and earnestness that adds a great weight to each track. Confess is a bit more grandiose musically than his debut, but does not lose the endearing qualities of Twin Shadow in the process. Rather, they become enhanced by the heightened production, and the listener benefits.

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3. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…

Nothing much here can be said about The Idler Wheel… that has not already been said. It is yet another masterpiece from Fiona Apple, a journey through the conflicted mind of one our generation’s greatest singer-songwriters. Wheel is truly inspired, and the emotions expressed throughout feel utterly authentic. Read our review here.

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2. Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory

With Attack on Memory, Cloud Nothings establishes itself as a dangerous band. Dylan Baldi and company sound angry, and the record has an immediate, urgent feel to it. Combine this raw emotion with the expert production of Steve Albini, and one has a great rock record of 2012. Here’s our review.

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1. Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse

It seems that Ty Segall has chosen 2012 as the year to officially establish himself as rock’s next big thing. Slaughterhouse marks his second release of the year already, with a solo album also planned for later this year. Yes, this album feels and sounds as if it was recorded and put together in a matter of days, but that is precisely the beauty and appeal of the record. It has captured a whirlwind moment in time, a blistering garage-rock jam session, and the result is a passionate and wildly compelling maelstrom of “fly-off-the-handle” guitar riffs, vocal wails and headbanging. It may not have been mulled over for months in the studio, but sometimes imperfection can sound quite perfect.

BEST SONGS

1. The Antlers – “Drift Drive”

2. Yeasayer – “Henrietta”

3. Thee Oh Sees – “Lupine Dominus”

4. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”

5. Purity Ring – “Fineshrine”

6. DIIV – “Oshin (Subsume)”

7. Big Boi featuring UGK and Big K.R.I.T. – “Gossip”

8. Smashing Pumpkins – “Pale Horse”

9. The Avett Brothers – “Live and Die”

10. Childish Gambino – “One Up”

BEST LYRICS

“When there’s no one here in the tryouts
Who will live through your first day’s trial
Of confusion when your faint and crooked smile
Had to leave

When you’re painted like a warrior
Though you know it’s a raining war
When the first who spoke, but wasn’t really sure
Was your heart

Your fear of the leading light
If they are with you and your heart won’t fail
To see through a fearless eye
And know that danger finally goes away
still you’re trying
but there’s no leaving now

And with your quiet damn devotion
to be lost like your child again
claim forever is a close and honest friend
To your ways

Will there be time to harvest rivers
That for so long refused to grow
All the little things you need to build a home
For your love

Your fear of the leading light
If they are with you and your heart won’t fail
To see through a fearless eye
And know that danger finally goes away
Still you’re trying
But there’s no leaving now”

 - The Tallest Man on Earth, “There’s No Leaving Now”

BEST ALBUM

Liars - WIXIW

There are few bands today capable of actually changing their sound from one album to the next. Sure, a plethora of groups and artists have attempted this feat, and an acknowledgment of their bravery should be given for delving into such a risky venture. Yet a band achieves a truly successful shift when the album itself is highly enjoyable, displays a deft execution of the stylistic transition and still maintains those core virtues that define the group. All qualifications are met on the most recent record from Liars, WIXIW. With this latest the New Yorkers make a relatively severe sonic shift into electronica, yet the results are far from jarring for the listener and fan. In fact, the record flows effortlessly through its eleven tracks, maintaining a single, intriguing mood that builds an immediate atmosphere and remains there. WIXIW may possess a superficial calm on its electronic, sheen surface, but foreboding and desperation seep through the pervasive synthesizers and the commanding croon of frontman Angus Andrew. Nowhere is this more apparent than on “Flood to Flood” and “Who Is the Hunter,” which together feel like the apex and fully realized potential of the Liars’ latest musical direction. Give WIXIW a few focused listens, and the payoff will be more than rewarding.

“As you find you have none

Take back what you need

I find that everything was in the past, it doesn’t last

In the share of what’s to come

Leaning to get it done

Take back what you need back”

- Matthew Dear, “Headcage”

Matthew Dear, on his latest EP Headcage, melds the singer-songwriter element with the highly electronic, creating a group of songs uniquely in its own category. Though known for his techno prowess and DJ skills, Dear has shown listeners a more diversified side to his music on this release. Some electronic purists expressed disappointment and yearned for a Dear release that fully embraced his techno roots. But to disregard this EP as a mere aberration may be to underestimate his true artistic scope and creativity, for he has never fully rested on one particular sound or blueprint since his first full LP in 2003. Whether his pursuits particularly appeal to one fan or another will always be innately unpredictable and subjective, yet the idea that Dear continually challenges himself should be fully embraced by all of his listeners. The greatest music almost always seems to emerge from creative duress.

ResonantPassage has a proclivity for psychedelic rock, and thus after immediately hearing this release by Ty Segall (with his touring band) in its entirety, Slaughterhouse became one of this site’s favorite albums of the year. This may sound like mere hyperbole, and it very well may be to those who do not have that same craving or appreciation for garage or psychedelic rock. For the listeners who find a catharsis in having a frenetic guitar riff blast their eardrums with a wild abandon and a complete lack of deference for delicacy or studio meticulousness, this album is a must-listen. Slaughterhouse feels undoubtedly “of-the-moment,” a blitz of no-holds barred rock that only further solidifies Segall’s ability to absolutely shred with his guitar.

Be warned however, for the production quality of Slaughterhouse is definitively lo-fi and sounds much more DIY than his sleeker solo record (released last year). In essence, it is this recording style that further adds to the character of the album. Does the cover art really suggest anything other than a grimy, psychedelic rock record overflowing with maniacal energy? Knowing that the music essentially flies off the rails for the entirety of the album, Segall knows not to overstay his welcome, and Slaughterhouse smartly clocks in at well under forty minutes. Consequently, the listener will almost impulsively play it through immediately again. Rock n’ roll of this order will never go out of style or lose its effectiveness, no matter what direction the state of music will take in the coming years.    8.5/10

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Sound familiar? It appears that music culture is at another crossroads of sorts. A new trend has gained traction and has unequivocally swept up the masses not just in the United States, but around the world as well. To call it electronic music, for the sake of this debate, is a bit incomplete. Besides folk music, most all other genres possess an electronic element, whether it be a hint of synthesizer, a drum loop or the obvious electric guitar. This new movement, however, separates itself in that it is solely electronic, created entirely by machines. These machines include (but are not limited to) a laptop, drum machine, keyboard or synthesizer. Being that the beat and sounds are completely driven and crafted by these machines, there is a technical perfection in both the studio records and the live show. The creators of this music are referred to more as producers or DJs, and if there are vocals on the tracks, they are usually sampled bits. One man or woman is able to create a big sound without the aid or help of other musicians or a band, per say. Some of this “new” electronic functions strictly as dance, others as trippy moody pieces and some as a combination of the two. The form that has broken most into the mainstream is the strand of electronic music that specifically and emphatically emphasizes the bass in its music, performing drops (when the bass hits the hardest) that ignite the crowd into a euphoric, head banging frenzy. Even the harshest of critics of that music cannot help but succumb to the infectious force of thousands being galvanized by a huge, propulsive drop of bass from the likes of DJs Skrillex, Bassnectar, Diplo and others. Pitchfork actually did a complete 180 on its criticism of Skrillex after witnessing his live show at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

With these “new” electronic acts overtaking the mainstream, indie and rock genres, one has to wonder whether music has yet again approached another crossroads in its history. Is this the transitionary period where the rock band slowly gives way to the one-man band consisting of machines and a laptop? It seems absurd to comprehend something so extreme at this point in time, but will the listener see more and more rock bands give way to the movement by further implementing electronics into their orchestrations? Harken back to when Dylan plugged in that electric guitar. People were angered because they believed there was a greater purity, a greater authenticity in the sound and idea of the acoustic guitar. The same sort of resistance is seen in many rock bands and their highly devoted fans today. As the guitarist for Black Lips stated in the middle of their raucous Bonnaroo set earlier in June, “This is the original electronic music.” It is a righteous defiance to this new sound. Fifty years or so later, there is that idea and feeling of purity attached to the sound of an electric guitar and of a band creating something greater than the sum of its parts.

And that is where this supposed shift in music differs from that past transition to the electric guitar. In many ways, the electric guitar could duplicate that general sound of the acoustic guitar. It was still a man and his guitar. He had to play chords, and he could still solo. The sound may have been a bit different, but the overall setup and execution remained largely similar. Not so when one compares this electronic music to the original. Along with the almost total absence of the guitar, the most glaring difference between the two is in the live performance arena. Sure, the likes of Skrillex and Bassnectar, both of which create music that posses the ever-entertaining bass drop, can get away with that “one-man-behind-a-DJ-table” performance, for the music is meant to work the crowd into a frenzied, energetic movement. But what about the likes of James Blake, Four Tet or Actress, whose electronic creations rely more on atmosphere and subtle tempo shifts? The live setup of having one man behind a laptop or keyboard the entire time becomes a little more noticeable and a bit of a hinderance. With rock or folk music that relies on subtleties, the audience can watch the artist playing the instrument (or a band playing multiple instruments). There is a great element and risk of human error present, making the execution of the music immensely engaging. This is not to say that Blake and company are not crafting incredibly difficult, nuanced music that requires a wealth of talent and creativity. Yet when the artist is behind a laptop or pressing different machines and buttons on a table, it is simply harder for the audience to fully engage because they cannot truly see and marvel at the execution of the song. Considering this, the idea that the “new” electronic music will one day have the capability to perform and fill an arena like the more traditional bands is a still not quite feasible at this current time.

The first annual CounterPoint Festival, featuring a variety of electronic acts, will be held in Atlanta from September 27-29 this year.

In conclusion, it appears that until the new brand of electronic music is able to discover a way to translate their recordings into a more engaging, entertaining live performance, the “original” electronic music will continue to be the premier type for the time being. For how much longer that time lasts, however, remains to be seen. Once this final piece of the puzzle is solved for this movement, it will be intriguing to see how the state of music will continue to evolve. At least one former rock star predicted this transition years ago. Here are the words of Jim Morrison from 1969: “I can envision one person with a lot of machine-tapes, electronic setups-singing and speaking, using a lot of machines.” Eerily enough, music has begun to fulfill this very prophecy.

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This is what happens when an artist with limitless talent creates art on her own terms. No deadlines, no media blitz and no meticulous or revolutionary studio wizardry are found on The Idler Wheel… This is Fiona Apple, a singer-songwriter who prefers only to release music when it is absolutely inspired. Maybe that is why her newest album is able to connect almost immediately to its audience. He or she knows that each lyric and each vocal delivery is not forced or manipulated, but comes from an authentic emotion that is boiling over in Apple and needs to be let loose. This is why Apple has no need for costumes, bombastic live performances, outrageous quotes or some jarring stylistic change from one album to another. No gimmicks are needed when the music can speak for itself, and speak for itself The Idler Wheel… does.

The first song (and first single) “Every Single Night” aptly explains the psyche of Apple, and could act as an official ode to the tortured artist. In fact, much of the lyrical subject matter that pervades the record deals with internal conflict. Whether she is claiming that she needs a chaperone to guard against herself in “Daredevil” or that she enabled herself to get mistreated in “Werewolf,” it is abundantly clear that Apple takes as much issue with herself as with others. It is this constant acknowledgment of her own imperfection that gives these songs a power and makes her angst and bitterness at some of the antagonists in Idler Wheel… all the more real and relatable. Ultimately, Fiona Apple’s latest triumph is a testament to what happens when palpable, inspired emotion is conveyed with superior lyrical dexterity and vocal prowess. This album will most certainly be around in those year-end lists in December, possibly at the top.

The Idler Wheel… was released on June 19th, 2012