Extraordinary Mach

If you at least kind of like Fiona, you pretty much already know the story. A year ago I had zero interest in Fiona Apple. Yeah, she had a few really good songs, but to me she was little more than the skinny girl that was hanging out with P.T. Anderson on the “making of” portion of the Magnolia DVD. I do, however, recall one of my managers playing her debut album at least twice per shift back in the late months of 1997 as I was just becoming familiar with the lifestyle of a record store clerk.  

For those of you who don’t know the story, I offer you the gist of what has become Fiona’s third album, Extraordinary Machine. Originally recorded with Jon “On the Keys” Brion, Machine was left uncompleted and, thus, was shelved sometime in 2003. Fans eventually became impatient, and somehow a bit of pop lore was spawned. Apparently, Sony Records would not allow Machine to see the light of day; after months of basking in her most devout fans’ adoration, Fiona finally came forth, claiming that Sony had little, if anything, to do with the hold-up, eventually going on to say that she had re-recorded the album with a new producer and that fans could expect it to hit shelves very soon. Apple maintained that the album never met her or the label’s aspirations and was left unfinished on purpose, although thousands of fans obtained bootlegged versions of what has come to be known as “The Jon Brion Version,” and, let me tell you, Brion’s version sounds perfectly complete.

There’s much more to tell (freefiona.com, etc,) but basically, Fiona ended up re-working most of the album with producer Mike Elizondo earlier in 2005. Sony capitalized on the free press brought on by the questionable rumors and released the album with no hesitation and plenty of cross-marketing. So that’s that. Some fancy the Elizondo version, while the bulk of her fan base remains loyal to the Brion production. Either way, Fiona Apple has penned one of 2005’s very best albums.

The two Brion songs that remain (“Extraordinary Machine” and “Waltz”) are unquestionably two of Machine‘s highlights. Other standouts include the current single and should-be hit, “O’ Sailor,” “Better Version of Me” and “Not About Love,” which also has a low-budget video graced by comedian Zack Galifianakis (for those of you in the know: major cool points for Fiona). Most notably for Brion-loyalists is the memorable “Parting Gift,” which was not only the sole track not on the earlier recordings but features some of Fiona’s most clever, effective writing to date.

For the most part, Elizondo’s recordings are left relatively bare, making for a much different listening experience than Brion’s always saturated productions. Some of Elizondo’s versions, such as “Not About Love” and “Better Version of Me,” have been improved greatly by their new, economical arrangements, while others, specifically “Red Red Red,” seem better left to Brion and Apple’s overactive imaginations.

In the end, it doesn’t matter who produced the album; Machine thrives on Fiona’s newfound confidence and maturity, as well as her always steady knack for songwriting and composition. Somehow, I’ve become the music store manager that plays Fiona twice per shift. Extraordinary Machine is a classic work that, like her two other albums, will always sell and be adored, Brion or not.    8.5/10

Written by G. William Locke