Fiona Apple - When The Pawn… [ENHANCED] [1999]
Posted on May 13th, 2008 by admin in Alternative
Fiona Apple may have been grouped in with the other female singer/songwriters who dominated the pop charts in 1996 and 1997, but she stood out by virtue of her grand ambitions and considerable musical sophistication. Even though her 1996 debut Tidal occasionally was hampered by naiveté, it showcased a gifted young artist in the process of finding her voice. Even so, the artistic leap between Tidal and its long-awaited 1999 sequel When the Pawn Hits… is startling. It’s evident that not only have Apple’s ambitions grown, so has her confidence — few artists would open themselves up to the ridicule that comes with having a 90-word poem function as the full title, but that captures the fearless feeling of the record. [Download Here]»
Carry On up the Charts: The Best of the Beautiful South was the surprise British hit of 1994, going platinum five times between its late fall release and the summer of 1995. The success was surprising, because while the Beautiful South had been modestly popular, their last few albums were sliding down the charts. However, their hits collection, Carry On up the Charts, flew to number one and stayed there for weeks. It’s nothing more than all their singles, yet compiled together they make the most convincing case for the Beautiful South’s sly, cynical sophisticated pop. 
The former British teen sensation kicked off his singing career with the stellar Grammy-nominated Born to Do It, which blended 2-step, R&B, and pop. With his second release, Slicker Than Your Average, Craig David shows a different side. While Born to Do It was filled with romantic lyrics, Slicker Than Your Average shares David’s feelings about fame, with a small dose of his trademark love songs. On the title track, David takes a stab at those who criticize his “squeaky clean” image and musical style: “Now they’re telling me that I’m too R&B/How I turned my back on the whole UK garage scene/Now they’re stressing me when/I know there’s so much more to see.” Broken hearts and playing the field are prominent topics as well. 