Artist to the Core

Editorial note: Opinions expressed here are solely those of the blogger

I was in the car recently, driving home, when I stumbled upon what I figured was a great Regina Spektor song. Strong piano melody. Right-in-your-face vocals. Catchy, but not in a Pop song kind of way. Then I realized it was a Fiona Apple song – “Shameika,” off her new album Fetch The Bolt Cutters. I kept listening, almost furtively, like I was doing something wrong, going against some principle.

After arriving home I began making dinner and, while listening to the rest of Fetch The Bolt Cutters, tried piecing together what it was I had against Fiona Apple. And I suppose, as ridiculous as this sounds, it was based on this unfair perception I had formed of her years ago. Back when the song and video “Criminal” were everywhere and Apple gave a much reviled acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. I pegged her as some young, entitled, pretentious whack job and dismissed her work as contrived shtick.

But while listening to Fetch The Bolt Cutters, I wasn’t focused on Fiona Apple as a person or persona – I didn’t need to, but on the work itself. Song after song, all unique, tuneful and well-constructed, with a common thread. It felt rewarding to be listening to an album in the traditional sense of the word.

As I listened I also thought of what it means to be an “artist” – a term so ingrained in our world yet so completely subjective. I thought of the music artists that tend to fall into my bread and butter listening category. Many of them experienced their commercial heyday in the 1970’s or 80’s and known by people, if known at all, by a handful of songs. I’d imagine most people associate these artists and fans with the particular era in which they first heard the music. Then, if the music didn’t resonate, I’d imagine too that many of these people wrote the artist off. But I know that Peter Frampton, UFO, Iron Maiden, Anthrax – you get the picture, have been consistently recording new material and touring this entire time. These artists have endured; people just don’t realize it.

And then I realized I had done the exact same thing with Fiona Apple. I formed an opinion of her; an unfair caricature, actually, more than 20 years ago and never let it go. Then completely disregarded anything  she did following that moment in time. The only thing that made the caricature dissipate was actually appreciating her work. It’s ironic, don’t you think? (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

If you’ve read this far, I’d ask you to consider someone about which you have perhaps formed an unfair perception and it’s prevented from appreciating what they have to offer. Perhaps it’s an artist or public figure; maybe it’s just a private citizen; someone from your own orbit. Someone who has been out there all along, providing value. But you just haven’t seen it because you haven’t stopped to look (or listen) for it.

Image credit: Getty