Photos by Carrie Battan
"I only write [music] when I'm angry or sad or something, because that's when I just have to write. I only will work if I absolutely have to. If I'm having a good time and I'm happy and things are going really well, why would I wanna stop what I'm doing and go write at the piano?" That's Fiona Apple on "The Late Late Show" with Craig Ferguson in 2006, explaining why we sometimes see very long gaps between her releases-- and why the albums wind up creating such an impact once they come to fruition.
If Apple's appearance at NPR Music's SXSW showcase at Stubb's tonight was any indication, her upcoming album-- her first in seven years-- was written and recorded out of pure emotional necessity. Apple performed three brand new songs, along with eight of her better-known cuts from the first three albums, transitioning seamlessly between each mini-era of her output. (See the full setlist below.)
During the first couple of songs, the vocals were turned down too far, and she seemed slightly shocked at the fact that she was even on stage: "I started spacing out," she said during one of the few moments she stopped to speak to the crowd. "Because I was like, 'Fuck!' I'm doing a show."
But the beloved Fiona intensity picked up speed during the first new song, "Anything We Want", in which she narrates intimate imaginings of escaping to a dream world with a lover. In no time the trademark live-action Fiona was in full force, complete with exaggerated trembles and shakes, singing that hovered close to growling or screaming, minutes-long jam-outs (she brought along a full band), full-body heaves of breath and demonic facial contortions.
"Anything We Want" (mistitled on YouTube):
It was characteristically dramatic, but you could never accuse her of affectation: "Every single night's a fight with my brain," went the chorus for another new one, a plucky, minimalist song called "Every Single Night" that hinges on neurotic, hyper-emotional inner monologue. "I just want to feel…everything," she sang. As harbingers go, that's the best you can imagine.
Fiona Apple performs tomorrow night at Pitchfork's showcase at the Central Presbyterian Church.
Best crowd interaction: Fan 1: "Old girl's still got it!" Fan 2: "She's like… 30" (She's 34, by the way)
Most productive crowd input: "Turn the vocals up!" (The vocals were then turned up.)
Moment you could feel Fiona laughing at her younger self: Hint of a smirk during the line from "Paper Bag" that goes, "I thought he was a man, but he was just a little boy"
Vocal peak: "Carrion"
Most adoring fan: Her bassist, who seemed to be in awe of her every move
Beverages consumed on stage: Exclusively hot tea
Number of words spoken to crowd: Under 50
Number of words needed: None
Her goodbye: "Have fun tonight, you guys. Have lots of fun."
Set list:
Fast as You Can
On the Bound
Paper Bag
Mistake
Anything We Want
Valentine
Sleep to Dream
Extraordinary Machine
Every Single Night
Carrion
Criminal
Check out all of Pitchfork's SXSW 2012 coverage here
