‘The Idler Wheel’: The album Fiona Apple kept a secret from her label
Whenever musicians feel betrayed by their labels, it usually sets off an emotional chain reaction that either results in moving onto a new label or extra trepidation with the follow-up record. In the case of Fiona Apple, working past Extraordinary Machine needed an element of delicacy, the kind that had to be taken on in the shadows, free from the disrupting hands of insidious external forces.
Like many artists, Apple seems like the type who rarely settles down to focus on material she knows will form the basis of a record. While some enter writing or recording sessions with this in mind, Apple usually prefers to write when it feels right, allowing inspiration to strike organically rather than forcing herself to work on something that might not look, sound, or feel authentic.
As a result, many of her albums have started casually, with Apple allowing thoughts and ideas to roam freely without indicating anything to labels or other members of her team. It makes sense, in a way, as humans often tend to be able to stick their minds to things without additional pressures or knowledge that someone else is waiting for the task to be completed.
However, with Apple’s fourth record and follow-up to Extraordinary Machine, this approach intensified. Not only did she get to work in comfortable solitary, but she also kept the fact hidden from her label, though less as a conspiracy against their practices but more as a means to focus on what she knew was important at the time. Extraordinary Machine had faltered after several leaks and delays, so, for the next record, Apple was intent on avoiding being twice bitten.
The Idler Wheel began to come together in the early 2000s, with her label, Epic Records, only becoming aware of its existence in 2012 when she took it to them. However, during the writing process, it seemed that keeping it under wraps was the best course of action, not just because of what happened with Extraordinary Machine but also because of what Apple had to tap into to create art.
For instance, some of the songs, like ‘Every Single Night’, tackled her own demons and struggle with being in the spotlight. Living in LA at the time, Apple rarely went outside except for small performances at a club she felt comfortable in. However, the song seemed somewhat healing for the singer, as its lyrics tackled fighting to face your issues rather than running away from them.
Ultimately, the lack of pressure, as Apple described it, and the fact that “nobody was looking over my shoulder”, allowed her to write liberally as though the words were hers and hers only, free from the burden of judgemental ears, and a pure display of everything she felt at the time. It’s a challenge to be so vulnerable, but Apple’s retreat from the public made sure she could create with more authenticity than ever before.
