Oh Fiona, where fore are thou, Fiona? When we last left you there was controversy over an album you had recorded that your label had supposedly rejected, only to see a re-recorded version of said album appear in 2005 after a barrage of fan activity demanding its release. Wait, a barrage? Demanding? Maybe those are overly strong words, but there was fan activity, positive press about leaked recordings and a lot of polite requests for Sony to allow the album an official release. The twist is that Ms. Apple began making public statements about how she wasn't pleased with the original version of the album which she produced with Jon Brion, leaving people to wonder if a rift existed between the two. Whether bad blood existed or not, it was short lived as the two have performed together live since and are working on a new album that may see release this year, but the controversy about their unreleased album continued to fester regardless with people wondering whether Fiona's sentiments were honest or spoken at the behest of a label whom she was contractually attached to. We may never know the intricate nature of Sony and Apple's relationship, though it's rather clear you either love the Mike Elizondo produced version of the album or you hate it, and most people I know rest on the latter side of that sentiment.
Are you wondering if you read that last sentence correctly? Mike Elizondo, the songwriter, producer and regular collaborator with hip-hop artists like Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and Eminem? Yes, that Mike Elizondo produced the officially released version of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine. It's by no means a terrible effort, especially since all of the songs from the Brion version of the album are present and they are as wonderful as ever, but it's peculiar to strip the sheen and magic of Brion's recordings only to have them replaced by tracks that almost sound like bad attempts at mimicking his style. Was this a silly attempt to appease a label that simply didn't want the Brion version of the album? Why not simply remix the Brion sessions and remove all his psychedelic touches? Wouldn't that have been quicker and less expensive? Don't get me wrong, Elizondo is an extremely talented producer and songwriter who knows his way around a studio, as is ?uestlove who provided percussion and the other musicians that helped out, but was it really necessary to re-record something already near perfect? Did Fiona really dislike Brion's version that much? If yes, then why the rumblings that she had second thoughts about not releasing his version after Elizondo's made it to the marketplace? Two of the tracks on the Elizondo version of Extraordinary Machine are Brion productions, with Better Than Fine remaining more or less identical to the leaked version and the title track featuring an alternate vocal take.
Whatever the truth of the Extraordinary Machine debacle, the end result is that curious listeners have two versions of the album to examine, although you may have to do a little research to find the Brion version. Jon Brion has said that his version of the album, as it leaked, isn't necessarily complete, even though the bells and whistles are in place alongside what sounds like a finished mix. Brion may have meant that Apple didn't feel it was quite finished, but again, who apart from them and their inner circle really know? An apparent rough mix of Better Version Of Me also leaked, featuring a far simpler mixdown as one would expect from a rough version. Sadly though, all of these fine recordings leaked only as 192kbps MP3s and superior versions have not yet appeared. Perhaps we will find ourselves lucky enough to see a finished, mastered version of these recordings receive some sort of official release, or at least a lossless version of the album as is, but until then this version should tide all over just fine as the recording quality is good, the tracks very listenable and the music wonderful.
Kudos to the wonderful Apple and Brion, as well as Elizondo, ?uestlove and all associated with the Extraordinary Machine circus. Brion's version may be my preference but Elizondo is no slouch and his version is at least interesting, at most an intriguing detour. That's not meant to be taken disrespectfully, but I'd be lying if I told you I thought Elizondo's version was superior. Nonetheless, plenty of great music to go around while I await the return of Ms. Fiona Apple and Mr. Jon Brion. Don't make us wait too long guys, it's been six years already, but hey, if we're going to wait a while more, why not put a FLAC of Brion's version of EM on BandCamp for the devoted to purchase?
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine: The Jon Brion Version
01 Not About Love
02 Red, Red, Red
03 Get Him Back
04 Better Version Of Me
05 Oh Well
06 Oh, Sailor
07 Used To Love Him
08 Window
09 Waltz
10 Extraordinary Machine
11 Please, Please, Please
12 Better Version Of Me (Version 4)
It's worth noting that Version 4 of Better Version Of Me leaked separately from the main album and is a rough mix. It was accompanied by an interesting note embedded in the metadata that read:
It has some good bits, but I still think we never have topped the second version. Ideally, we would combine some of this with that, but obviously we can't. Sigh. Ask the others what they think — I know she was partial to both of them, particularly the second
Interesting bit of data, isn't it? It's worth noting that Jon Brion has complained about the leaked version of the album publicly, stating that he felt the leaked tracks didn't represent what he and Fiona created in the studio. Could there be another set of completely different mixes somewhere? Seems kind of unbelievable and a bit unlikely in my opinion, but again, despite the fact this statement sounds rather redundant, who knows?
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