I can appreciate that Fiona's sound is quite unique, especially on this album. The sound of the album kind of exists in its own context and as a jumping off point from Fiona's previous albums (except for some loose associations, influences, or what have you). The home-recorded percussion really contributes to the atmosphere. I just feel like Fiona's songwriting, or lack thereof, has never really grabbed me too much. The sing-song style of her vocal melodies is just kind of ... ehh. The "using anything in my house for percussion" is a nice idea but sounds unpolished and annoying after a few minutes. The vocals are also mixed so bright and are so omnipresent that I can't stand them for long. Not that the vocal mic she used is particularly bad, but it could've been darker and smoother.
That said, this is still better than at least half the crap out there these days and has merit in its inventiveness and uniqueness alone. Part of the strength of the release (which was probably anticipated by Fiona's team to some extent) is all the chaotic press -- being released during this "downtime" and getting a perfect score from Pitchfork, the backlash from some, and how that press will inevitably fuel the endurance and legacy of the album. At any rate, I didn't know Pitchfork gave it a 10 before I listened and just thought, Hey, a new Fiona Apple album; I'll give it a listen. I was lukewarm after a song and a half, got bored, started getting a bit irritated, and shut it off. Came back and didn't find my opinion changed much.
