I can't remember

I opened this one with a clear idea.
Now, I can't remember.

Female voices (pt.2) - Sia Furler

Listen to "Destiny" (by Zero 7) and you'll know her. Or, at least, you'll wish you knew her already.



Babs Sahretti (from girlieaction.com) writes about her:
Sia Furler, a native Australian, was born on December 18th, 1975 and was destined to be an entertainer. At a young age she would perform for her family and friends with her interpretations of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Men at Work. If one should be so lucky to peruse her family albums, they would certainly find photos of Sia as a child adorning pink tutus and roller skates in poses fit for Cirque du Soleil. When Sia was 9 she performed with her father’s band The Soda Jerx covering the song “Shimmy Shimmy Coco Bop”. Beer drinking Aussies found her to be quite entrancing.

Once mature enough to explore her natural talents, Sia decided to leave Australia and discover her place in the world, taking with her only her confidence, her sense of adventure and a fresh box of tampons.

It is believed by some Sia-ites that on a journey through the famed neighborhood of Rappongi, Japan, Ms. Furler came to a crossroad, much like the heralded guitarist Robert Johnson. Little is known about the actual events that unfolded, but some say that in the face of adversity and desperation Sia Furler renounced material need in order to preserve her innocence and perfect her craft, thereby solidifying her professional calling card: a distinct balance between sophistication and incorruptibility. Others say she simply bought a ticket and got the hell out of Dodge.

Soon after, she would find herself in England, an island of the Britains, where she further developed her talent, singing with musical outfits such as Zero 7 and making two solo records. But often depressed by the god-awful weather, and highly influenced by the famed song “California Dreaming” by The Mamas and The Papas, Sia once again moved on to Los Angeles, where under the gubernatorial umbrella of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ms. Furler completed her most profound album to date “Some People Have Real Problems”.

Sia’s new album is most notably recognized by her compelling voice, at times fierce and resounding at others, immaculate. All the while projecting sincerity through lyrics that swing between emotional self-awareness and youthful exuberance, Sia Furler writes music which scores a wide spectrum of sentiments for the listener. So the next time you ask yourself “who is Sia Furler”, perhaps you should be asking yourself “who isn’t Sia Furler.”

Female voices (pt.1) - Fiona Apple

Listen to "Fast As You Can", "Never Is A Promise", "Please Please Please", "Across The Universe" and you'll become addicted. Addicted, I said.

Her bio (at "Epic Records") reads:
Out of virtually nowhere, 19-year-old Fiona Apple established herself a visionary singer and songwriter with her 1996 debut album Tidal. With gems like "Shadowboxer," "Criminal," and "Sleep to Dream," the vocalist/pianist reaped critical and commercial success almost overnight. As aficionados found echoes in her songs of such legends as Nina Simone and Carole King, Apple found herself at the vanguard of contemporary pop. Released in July 1996, Tidal went gold in December and currently is certified triple platinum for sales of more than three million copies.

"The quick success was a bit strange to get used to," she says today. "But the album was, for me, a great workout of the mind. It pushed me. I realized that I had to live every second, not shut myself off from anything. Deliberately, I didn't read any reviews when Tidal came out. I didn't want to gauge myself by anything I was hearing or reading. I didn’t want to get stuck in mirrors--I wanted to carry on."

With When The Pawn, Fiona does considerably more than "carry on." She takes her music down deeper avenues, alternately more artful and more real. And she took her time in doing so, first developing ideas for songs while on the road. "I didn’t really have a piano to work on," she says, "so in my head, I'd play around with certain rhythms, ideas for drum sounds. Generally, I’d think of writing whenever I was overwhelmed by something in my life." Finally back home in Los Angeles ("there, I have a piano--a cheap one I've rented," she laughs), she crafted her material.

Everything began to coalesce when Fiona chose to work with producer and multi- instrumentalist Jon Brion (Aimee Mann, Rufus Wainwright). "We're friends." says the singer. "He'd played all over my first album. And he's wonderful to work with. Jon has a million ideas in his head and references of almost everything that's ever been recorded."

The album's supporting cast included keyboardist Patrick Warren, who adds his patented touch on the chamberlain (a pre-synth sampler, its keys activate 8-track tapes of various instruments); virtuoso drummer Matt Chamberlain; and other veteran players on woodwinds, bass, guitar and percussion.

Throughout When The Pawn, the playing is elegant, assured. From the shifting rhythms of "Fast As You Can" to the distorted guitar of "Get Gone" to the majestic gospel-like purity of "I Know," the music approaches a jazz sense of freedom. Fiona's lyrics match this risk-taking: in the bittersweet tenderness of "On the Bound" ("It's true, I do imbue my blue into myself"), in the wordplay of "To Your Love" ( "My derring-do allows me to dance the rigadoon/Around you"), in the close-up cinematic detail of "Love Ridden" ( With the focus I gave to my birthday candles/I've wished on the lidded blue flames/Under your brow").

Fiona Apple grew up on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and can hardly remember a time when she didn't sing. "I'd come home from school and hang up my keys on a keychain that was right beside a mirror. I'd look in the mirror and realize that I was singing. I sang all the time." Her father a television actor, her mother a former dancer and singer, Fiona listened early to jazz standards--still her music of choice--and began exploring her creativity. She read (John Irving and Maya Angelou remain favorites), dreamed, played piano, and soon began writing songs. Her meteoric rise began with a simple three-song demo tape.

From a first gig (in Paris, no less) to Saturday Night Live guest spots; profiles in Rolling Stone, Time, and The New York Times; and early tour dates with Chris Isaak, Fiona moved on to stellar appearances on the 1997 Lilith Fair tour and sold-out headlining concert hall performances. Her videos for "Criminal" and "Sleep To Dream" became ubiquitous on MTV as Fiona's music seized the imagination of listeners attuned to a new sound--a sound of naked emotion and profound artistry.

In September 1997, Fiona Apple won the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist In A Video for her performance in "Sleep To Dream." In February 1998, Fiona's song "Criminal" won the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. The following September, her "Criminal" video won another MTV VMA, this one for Best Cinematography.

When The Pawn proves that Tidal was no accident, but paved the way for richer music. "For a while, I was really afraid of not being able to write new songs," Fiona admits. "I've never wanted to put out an album I wasn't proud of." Trusting herself and her vision, in time Fiona found that new music was emerging.

"Mainly I write to clarify my thoughts and feelings," she explains, "and when I sing, I just concentrate on getting my point across. I just want to make a statement and make it right."

With every song on When The Pawn, Fiona Apple "gets it right." From the yearning of "Paper Bag" to the fury of "Limp" to the lovely resolution of "I Know" (which Fiona, with a laugh, calls "probably the only happy-ending song I've done"), she embraces the full range of human emotion. And in that embrace, lies the bravery of Fiona Apple and the beauty of the music she makes.