Tidal by Fiona Apple is more than just an album; it’s an evocative exploration of her experience with trauma as a young woman. The name, Tidal, reflects the highs and lows of her experiences and their significant extremes. If you are not familiar, Apple is an elusive songwriter from New York City who became famous through her first studio album, Tidal. Released in July 1996, it became the first of many of her albums to reach the top 100 Billboard charts. The album is most known for the fourth track, “Criminal,” a song about Apple using her sexuality to get what she wants.
The first track “Sleep to Dream” is a raw and unapologetic song that invites listeners to get a glimpse of Apple’s intimate, feverish dreams. The rhythmic instrumentals, infrequent drums, and clicks that are layered on top of her vocals create a hypnotic, atmospheric experience. This track set the tone for the rest of her moody album. “Sullen Girl” directly juxtaposes “Sleep to Dream” with its slow piano composition that captivates listeners. The lyrics delve into Apple’s experience with being sexually assaulted by a stranger and her paralysing depression that follows the assault.
The confessional, mature lyrics combined with the piano ballads and poeticness of Tidal are extremely impressive for an 18-year-old girl. “The Child is Gone” is a self-aware exploration of losing innocence and emotional detachment. My favourite lyric is “The child is gone…I’m a stranger to myself.” I wish I were as intelligent as Apple because her lyricism earns her an easy spot in my top five artists.
The lyricism in Tidal is what sets it apart from the rest. Apple’s poetic expressions flow naturally and seamlessly interact with the instrumentals. The cadence of her voice is melodical itself and seems to follow her natural breathing patterns. Her words take effort and patience to understand and can be relatable to her audience; however, paired with her unique rhythms, they become so distinctly hers.
My favourite tracks from Tidal are “Shadowboxer”, “Criminal”, and “Sleep to Dream”. Apple said “Shadowboxer” is about “angry desperation”— “when your mind is fighting with your heart and when you know something isn’t good for you, but you want it anyway”. This track explores being drawn between the good and the bad and that pit in your stomach when you decide that your heart wants it and your body will pay for it. “Sleep to Dream” is about a guy who wronged Apple. The lyrics, “I have never been so insulted in all my life”, “I tell you how I feel but you don’t care”, and “I got my own hell to raise” are my favourites from the song.
Because of the intense content that Apple is singing about, her music doesn’t follow the conventions of most songs; her focus is on storytelling, emotions, and authenticity over perfection. Apple’s technical undertaking of music makes her songs less accessible to those who aren’t willing to sit with her songs. This intentionally sets her apart from most songwriters as she establishes that not everyone will understand her story—and that’s okay. However, if you stick around, you’re taken on an eloquent exploration of isolation, depression, and the oceanic unpredictability of being a woman.