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... out of many, many more, of course.
1.) A Day in The Life by the Beatles
2.) Everyday I Kick Myself by Webb Wílder
3.) Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper
4.) Peaches en Regalia Frank Zappa
5.) From Ragtime to Rags by Ralph Covert
6.) My Ex by All
Now go and find them before I mention these and you go, "Huh?" again.
I'm listening to the new Fiona Apple album Extraordinary Machine. I'm thinking to myself, "Gee, what if the Beatles tried to release Revolver as a new album today?" I figured out that the result would have been that the execs at EMI/Capitol would have taken one listen to the album, wrote the band an angry letter saying, "I don't hear a hit single." finding it shelved, only to be leaked on the internet by George Martin in a rush of defiance to their label. The end reuslt is a three year backlog of new material due to a period of deliberate silence by the band. Eventually, the Beatles capitulate to the label's wishes and re-record the album, but with Mr. Martin sidelined by the label, the band is forced to have the Glimmer Twins produce their album, trashing the original drum tracks from Ringo and using the drummer from the Lovin' Spoonful. The result is a album that sounds too eerily close to their previous album, but with a sligtly harder edge, using the latest, hippest drum beats.
That's pretty much what happened to our dear Apple. Only TWO tracks remain from the original album which were produced by Jon Brion (ironically enough, a producer in the lineage of Sir G. Martin). Particularly of note, the title and leading track,"Extraodinary Machine" is indicative of the direction Fiona was going until Epic Records pulled the plug. They were even recorded at the famous Abbey Road. The rest was re-recorded by Mike Elizondo, Snoop Dogg's producer. He brought in his people, meaning that I have no idea if Matt Chamberlain ever drummed on this album at all. [EDIT Chamberlain and Jim Kelter originally played percussion and drums on the original version.] Those tracks were produced in Los Angeles.
But... despite sounding like an extension of her last album, When The Pawn Hits the Conflict He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes To The Fight And He’ll Win The Whole Thing ‘Fore He Enters The Ring There’s No Body To Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand And Remember That Depth Is The Greatest Of Heights And If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where To Land And If You Fall It Won’t Matter, Cuz You’ll Know That You’re Right., it's actually a strong album.
The once, desparate and blusey "Red Red Red" under Brion's hand showed a fearlessness to shiver the listener, similarly to "Mercy on Broadway" by Laura Nyro. Under Elizondo's hand, the same song is subdued under a wash of Enoesque atmospheric guitars and given a strict 12/8 measure to adhere to. "No shouting please, Ms. Apple" "Tymps" stands out beacause it was recorded as if it was going to be a hip hop song, oddly enough. "Not About Love", despite the sheen, was largely left un-fucked-with by Elizondo with wild tempo changes and variances of dynamics, something that made the original EM a marvel.
The rest of the album you get glimpses of Fiona really reigned in. The new producers did very well in keeping it all under control making sure that Fiona turned in an album that is properly acceptable to RIAA's needs to make more money, than art, which is their right. Thus engaging us in a lesson on what folly it is for a producer to remain too true to an artist's vision, when a board of directors is calling the shots.
1.) A Day in The Life by the Beatles
2.) Everyday I Kick Myself by Webb Wílder
3.) Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper
4.) Peaches en Regalia Frank Zappa
5.) From Ragtime to Rags by Ralph Covert
6.) My Ex by All
Now go and find them before I mention these and you go, "Huh?" again.
I'm listening to the new Fiona Apple album Extraordinary Machine. I'm thinking to myself, "Gee, what if the Beatles tried to release Revolver as a new album today?" I figured out that the result would have been that the execs at EMI/Capitol would have taken one listen to the album, wrote the band an angry letter saying, "I don't hear a hit single." finding it shelved, only to be leaked on the internet by George Martin in a rush of defiance to their label. The end reuslt is a three year backlog of new material due to a period of deliberate silence by the band. Eventually, the Beatles capitulate to the label's wishes and re-record the album, but with Mr. Martin sidelined by the label, the band is forced to have the Glimmer Twins produce their album, trashing the original drum tracks from Ringo and using the drummer from the Lovin' Spoonful. The result is a album that sounds too eerily close to their previous album, but with a sligtly harder edge, using the latest, hippest drum beats.
That's pretty much what happened to our dear Apple. Only TWO tracks remain from the original album which were produced by Jon Brion (ironically enough, a producer in the lineage of Sir G. Martin). Particularly of note, the title and leading track,"Extraodinary Machine" is indicative of the direction Fiona was going until Epic Records pulled the plug. They were even recorded at the famous Abbey Road. The rest was re-recorded by Mike Elizondo, Snoop Dogg's producer. He brought in his people, meaning that I have no idea if Matt Chamberlain ever drummed on this album at all. [EDIT Chamberlain and Jim Kelter originally played percussion and drums on the original version.] Those tracks were produced in Los Angeles.
But... despite sounding like an extension of her last album, When The Pawn Hits the Conflict He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes To The Fight And He’ll Win The Whole Thing ‘Fore He Enters The Ring There’s No Body To Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand And Remember That Depth Is The Greatest Of Heights And If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where To Land And If You Fall It Won’t Matter, Cuz You’ll Know That You’re Right., it's actually a strong album.
The once, desparate and blusey "Red Red Red" under Brion's hand showed a fearlessness to shiver the listener, similarly to "Mercy on Broadway" by Laura Nyro. Under Elizondo's hand, the same song is subdued under a wash of Enoesque atmospheric guitars and given a strict 12/8 measure to adhere to. "No shouting please, Ms. Apple" "Tymps" stands out beacause it was recorded as if it was going to be a hip hop song, oddly enough. "Not About Love", despite the sheen, was largely left un-fucked-with by Elizondo with wild tempo changes and variances of dynamics, something that made the original EM a marvel.
The rest of the album you get glimpses of Fiona really reigned in. The new producers did very well in keeping it all under control making sure that Fiona turned in an album that is properly acceptable to RIAA's needs to make more money, than art, which is their right. Thus engaging us in a lesson on what folly it is for a producer to remain too true to an artist's vision, when a board of directors is calling the shots.
