Noted music publication Pitchfork have just named the latest Fiona Apple record one of the best in years, giving out their first perfect review in close to a decade.
Earlier today, US artist Fiona Apple unleashed her fifth studio album, Fetch The Bolt Cutters. Her first new album in almost eight years, the record was a long time coming. However, it seems to have been worth the wait as well, with numerous publications naming it as one of her best to date.
One such publication to give out a positive review was none other than Pitchfork, whose rating system for records has often become one of great discussion amongst fans of indie, rock, hip-hop, and pop.
For quite some time, Pitchfork reviews carried a great deal of weight in the indie community, though recent years have seen many readers view the publication’s opinion as holding far more prestige than is warranted.
Regardless, “perfect” reviews – that is, those ranked 10 out of 10 – are exceedingly rare, with only 11 records previously receiving such a rating. The first release to achieve a perfect 10 was 12 Rods’ 1996 EP Gay?, while records by Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, Radiohead, and Wilco have all received such an honour.
However, for close to a decade, it’s appeared almost impossible for an artist to pull off the once-revered feat of getting Pitchfork to give them a perfect score. In fact, the last record to do so was Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which did so in November of 2010. Since then, there’s been plenty of high scores, but never another 10/10 until now.
Check out Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters:
Releasing their review of the new Fiona Apple record a few hours ago, the publication labelled her new record as an “unyielding masterpiece,” and claiming that “no music has ever sounded quite like it”.
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“Fetch The Bolt Cutters seems to almost completely turn the volume down on music history, while it cranks up raw, real life—handclaps, chants, and other makeshift percussion, in harmony with space, echoes, whispers, screams, breathing, jokes, so-called mistakes, and dog barks,” writes reviewer Jenn Pelly.
“All of this debris orbits around the core of Apple’s music: her voice, her piano, and most of all her words, which have always been her primary instrument. It creates a wildstyle symphony of the everyday.”
Though many may criticise or dismiss the idea of a positive review from Pitchfork, the fact remains that they’re somewhat conservative with high praise, and for them to dish out a perfect score indicates that this is truly music worth hearing. Regardless of your opinion, it might just be worth giving Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters a spin.
Check out ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’ by Fiona Apple:
