new EM

The album will be released this fall, reconfigured and reproduced.

http://www.fiona-apple.com/

Huge news. I love the leaked tracks, should be interesting to see the reaction to the retooled stuff.

Funny. I always heard that the album was done and sitting on a shelf somewhere because the record executives couldn't find a "hit".

Something still stinks to me. I never made the effort to download the leaked version, I assumed it would get a quiet release eventually, but I guess I'll have to double my efforts. I imagine it won't go away upon release of the new version though.

And since the article mentioned it, am I only the person that thought the Grey Album was just garbage? I couldn't make it through 2 or 3 tracks before forcefully removing the disc from my computer.

Fan-fucking-tastic!

Excellent news! I love the leaked album as I'm also a big fan of Jon Brion's, but more Fiona material is always good.

Listening to the re-tooled "Oh Sailor" right now.

Maybe I've just grown too attached to the leaked version in the past 6 months, but it sounds off, over-produced. Its still the same song, just with some shiny attachments that I don't really want.

I mostly agree with you. But, honestly, these songs were so incredible that I'll consider both EM1 and EM2 masterpieces.

I love these songs so much that I'm not even that bothered by the extra production (fluff) added to Oh Sailor.

They should have released both versions in a double cd set.

CNN said it's coming out October 4th.

I wish that today was October 3rd.

Hmmm.. very good news.. I was on iTunes last night looking for a song when I saw the banner ad for Fiona's new songs. Pretty good stuff.

I'll have to see if I can track down the leaked versions so that when I buy the CD in October, I can have both versions.

You can listen to the entire reproduced album here: http://www.myspace.com/fionaapple

I guess I'm too close to the bootlegs, because most of the new material disappoints me.

Very disappointing that she dropped "Used to Love Him."

I think it's still on there, just retitled "Tymps," for some reason.

Wow, that title is quite different (and I have no idea what it means), so I just assumed it was a new song.

Thanks.

PS-I'll be buying the dualdisc and keeping my original EM cd too with this cover art.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y96...fionacover.jpg

I also prefer the leaked version; this one just isn't as interesting. I suppose that'll be a moot point if it isn't iTunes compatible, though.

Decent article in USA Today...

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/n...na-apple_x.htm

It's still kind of odd that Fiona claims she wasn't satisfied with EM, the label wasn't happy with it, no one except almost everyone that got the leaked version and some very good music writers who all thought it was brilliant.

I wish that I could sit and let her listen to my bootleg, I'm sure she'd get a kick out of that (of course, I'm buying the new one), and ask her to tell me song by song what she doesn't like.

I still think it's brilliant. Makes me wonder if she wants to believe the newer versions are better or that she needed to work on the songs more, just because of all that she went through with the original songs not being accepted by the studio.

It's got to be very difficult for a band or a singer to ever feel a song is done. I'm sure I will like her new version, but I think EM was done when she handed in the songs that I already have.

I just hope I don't have to wait 6 years for another record and I also hope EM is a hit for her, with all she's been through and, hopefully, so whatever she does next doesn't need to be pre-approved by suits who are looking for "hits".

Initial impressions of the new album, compared with the leaked versions...

1) Extraordinary Machine--Close to the original, but unfortunately a tad less playful, making it not as engaging. Her voice in the original is so perfect, and here it's just a bit flatter.
2) Get Him Back--One of the best songs on the bootleg loses a lot of its personality.
3) O Sailor--Improved! Never really got into the bootleg version, but this one feels more "finished" (yes, polished, but also more complete).
4) Better Version of Me--Different and not as effective, except for that great slow spot in the middle. Nice touch. But overall, new instrumentation seems clunky and processed. The energy just isn't here anymore.
5) Tymps--Originally titled "Used to Love Him," the instrumentation here has changed to something interesting, although the original was also outstanding. Man, the leaked version is so quirky and cool and involving. This one...not as much. The emotion seems blunted. But it's still a good song.
6) Parting Gift--New to this release. Great song.
7) Window--Toss-up. The original had an unfinished, raw quality to it, but this one also loses a little oomph. In the end, I think I like the new version a bit better.
8) Oh Well--Not a favorite song on the bootleg, and not a favorite here. This one feels more finished, but not by a lot. Fiona's voice sounds far less raw, and I think that's a good case here.
9) Please Please Please--This song, which a lot of people think is Fiona's response to Sony's tinkering with her album, is much the same as the bootleg version, with minor instrumentation changes. It's an okay song.
10) Red Red Red--Probably the most drastically changed song on the disc, this one's slowed to a crawl, and I think it's for the better. It has a haunting quality now. Very nice. I didn't really like it in the leaked version, but now I love it.
11) Not About Love--Oh, they ripped the strings out of this one! Big disappointment. And what's with the drum-machine beat? Too bad.
12) Waltz--No changes here. What a wonderful song. I can listen to this one over and over again. Great way to close the album.

Good review Jason.

Target has the DD version for $13 this week. I didn't even see it in any other store ads, so this may be the best price possible.

Anyone have info on what's on the DD version?

From Amazon.com:
DVD SIDE * Entire album in Enhanced LPCM Stereo * Brand-new videos for "Not About Love" and "Parting Gift" (live), never before released * Live performances of 5 songs filmed at the club Largo in Los Angeles, including "Fast As You Can" and "Paper Bag" * Behind-the-scenes footage

Can't wait to get this in my hands. I haven't gone to my record shop for a midnight release in MANY years, but I'll be there tonight.

Rolling Stone seems to love it. I wish they had reviewed both the "first release" and this one too.

Fiona Review

Rolling Stone did review the boot version. It was a short one paragraph review, during the summer sometime. All I remember is they gave it 3 1/2 stars. They gave the official version 4 stars.

she is so hot!!! however, i wish this album was better...im a bit dissapointed. gotta listen some more...hopefully that will cure it.

EW gives the new version an "A".

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/...4_4_0_,00.html