When The Pawn...
Sony Product Details
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by: Fiona Apple
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Sales Rank: 6226
Sony
Released: 1999
Avg. Customer Review: 
Media: Audio CD
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Title Tracks for When The Pawn...
- 1. On the Bound
- 2. To Your Love
- 3. Limp
- 4. Love Ridden
- 5. Paper Bag
- 6. Mistake
- 7. Fast as You Can
- 8. Way Things Are
- 9. Get Gone
- 10. I Know
Product Review
Amazon.com's Best of 1999
When the Pawn Hits fulfills the promise of Fiona Apple's debut, Tidal, a strong statement given that her first outing was one of 1996's most exciting collections. Dark and emotionally dense, Apple's sophomore effort is awash in alluring and witty undercurrents that belie its creator's youth. --Steven Stolder
Amazon.com
Fiona Apple, what a character. Between the softcore video, the awards show rebuke, and now for her second album concocting history's most ludicrous title (the full thing runs 90 words long), Apple is earning a rep as a world-class oddball. Which may be the case. In contrast to many of her faux eccentric contemporaries, however, this wolf in waif's clothing seems to be genuinely astray in the straight world. And Apple is the real thing in another way--as a talent. When the Pawn Hits picks up where her eye-opening debut, Tidal, left off. With Jon Brion back in the producer's seat, the twosome concoct a heady, keyboard-heavy soundscape that perfectly complements the singer's assertive, dangerously sexy Nina Simone-meets-Chrissie Hynde delivery. Unforeseen embellishments color the arrangements, including the sinister carnival interlude in "On the Bound," the George Harrison-like guitar in "Mistake," and the drum solo (when's the last time you heard one of those on a pop album?) in "Limp." All Brion's enhancements are in service of Apple, who comes through with preternaturally confident expressions of insecure sentiments ("Change my mind, I can't decide, there's too many variations to consider") and cold-eyed accounts of recrimination and self-recrimination. Cohesive, gutsy, and finely honed, When the Pawn Hits pummels any notions of a sophomore slump for 1996's most promising newcomer. A character, yes, but what an artist, too! --Steven Stolder
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Product Details
When The Pawn...
- Audio CD: 0 pages (1999-11-09)
- Publisher: Sony; 1999
- Label: Sony
- Format: Enhanced
- Studio: Sony
- Average Customer Review: based on 526 reviews
- Sales Rank in Music: #6226
Customer Reviews
Avg. Customer Review:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Slight higher deliver time and damaged. 2009-03-21
Comment: The CD got in my country within a time of arrival slightly higher than other purchases made also at Amazon. Also, the case came full of unuseful sitcks that damaged the whole case, because i couldn't see the whole art and I had to buy another clean case. VERY, VERY BAD!
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Another Work of Perfection from Fiona 2009-03-13
Comment: "When the Pawn" is a second nod to Ms Fiona (Apple isn't her "real" last name). Her songs are still heartbreakingly honest, but with a bit more beat to them. These songs are more fun to belt out in the car. "Fast As You Can" is so great, I stumble through the words, feeling the satire anger rush through me as if to say "I know that I'm great, but I'm gonna tear you apart- best to stay away."
I love this album as much as the first. It still has the poetic lyrics, but with a bit more sound. More bass. I love her ability to mix in piano and the odd rhythms that engross her vocals.
She is truly an artist. I love her soul that emits through the songs.
Perfection.
I love this album as much as the first. It still has the poetic lyrics, but with a bit more sound. More bass. I love her ability to mix in piano and the odd rhythms that engross her vocals.
She is truly an artist. I love her soul that emits through the songs.
Perfection.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Just gets better... 2009-01-09
Comment: With Tidal being such a strong debut, it was hard to imagine what Apple would dish out next. When The Pawn... is everything Tidal was but more refined. Pretty much what one would anticipate but hardly expect. Her lyrics thankfully haven't softened, ie: Limp, and the album as a whole is a well-rounded production. Looking forward to hear what Ms Apple comes up with next...
Customer Rating:
Summary: Her best album, so far... 2008-11-24
Comment: Better than her 1st album, if that's possible. She is in constant development in both lyricist and arranger abilities. All songs are great, and Fiona defined the feeling of the late 90s.
On the Bound is a sensational song, with extreme power and depth. The production is high level, and her voice delivers exactly what we expect from the mood of the song.
She is a true artist, label that is given so easily by the media these days, to the so called "talents". But not with Fiona, she deserves all acclamation that she got, and much more.
This is a true masterpiece of modern intelligent music!
On the Bound is a sensational song, with extreme power and depth. The production is high level, and her voice delivers exactly what we expect from the mood of the song.
She is a true artist, label that is given so easily by the media these days, to the so called "talents". But not with Fiona, she deserves all acclamation that she got, and much more.
This is a true masterpiece of modern intelligent music!
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Neither memorable nor personal enough 2008-11-22
Comment: Along with Tori Amos, Fiona Apple repopularised the piano as a rock instrument in the 1990s amidst a stream of annoying grunge and techno. Influenced by long-forgotten 1970s albums like Turn of the Cards, Tori's first two albums were exceptionally personal and melodic works that for me as a first- and second-year student of Melbourne University, became beacons of hope in a musical landscape that seemed to be deteriorating all the time.
When she first emerged in 1996 with Tidal, I thought (oddly) Fiona Apple was from my native Australia and she seemed interesting enough that I bought "When The Pawn" almost as soon as it came out despite not being pleased with the new direction she seemed to be taking. With hindsight, I feel at present that my judgement has been vindicated. Just as Tori tried some quite silly experiments on her third album, on "When the Pawn" Apple is trying to be a "twisted" rocker. In the process, both her voice and piano lose out. What is undoubtedly meant to be eerie soundscapes on most tracks on "When the Pawn" tend to come off as half-hearted, notably on the opening two tracks. In other parts of the album, Apple simply comes off as tuneless.
With the exception of "Fast As You Can", which really does pull off the trick of being utterly creepy, none of "When The Pawn"'s songs have a really memorable line or lyric: instead, they sound like Alanis Morrisette trying to be an art-rock singer. The lyrics, too, tend to be too much of the angsty, Melissa Etheridge-style "wronged lover" school to really be effective: there is not nearly enough personal reflection or serious storytelling.
All in all, if you want to see a record that is truly "pretentious" whilst not achieving much, you've come to the right place. Stick with Tori's first two albums if you want some really genuine piano rock, though.
When she first emerged in 1996 with Tidal, I thought (oddly) Fiona Apple was from my native Australia and she seemed interesting enough that I bought "When The Pawn" almost as soon as it came out despite not being pleased with the new direction she seemed to be taking. With hindsight, I feel at present that my judgement has been vindicated. Just as Tori tried some quite silly experiments on her third album, on "When the Pawn" Apple is trying to be a "twisted" rocker. In the process, both her voice and piano lose out. What is undoubtedly meant to be eerie soundscapes on most tracks on "When the Pawn" tend to come off as half-hearted, notably on the opening two tracks. In other parts of the album, Apple simply comes off as tuneless.
With the exception of "Fast As You Can", which really does pull off the trick of being utterly creepy, none of "When The Pawn"'s songs have a really memorable line or lyric: instead, they sound like Alanis Morrisette trying to be an art-rock singer. The lyrics, too, tend to be too much of the angsty, Melissa Etheridge-style "wronged lover" school to really be effective: there is not nearly enough personal reflection or serious storytelling.
All in all, if you want to see a record that is truly "pretentious" whilst not achieving much, you've come to the right place. Stick with Tori's first two albums if you want some really genuine piano rock, though.