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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
When The Pawn...
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 17 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 39 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Clean Slate/Epic
Release Date: 09 November 1999
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
The full title of this sophomore effort from the 22-year-old singer-songwriter runs a whopping 90 words: When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and if You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and if You Fall It Won't Matter, 'Cuz You'll Know That You're Right.
Also By This Artist: Extraordinary Machine
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Entertainment Weekly
Apple's piano trundles, the strings loom, the beats clop; everything, including her throaty voice, has alluring dark circles under it. With their hints of cabaret, tango, and doomed chanteuses, the melodies slither rather than pummel you.
Read Full Review >Village Voice (Consumer Guide)
For any Upper West Side showbiz kid, musical comedy is mother's milk, more "natural" than the rude attack of rock or the polite confessional of folk ... With crucial help from Jon Brion, she's got the Richard Rodgers/Kurt Weill part down, and will surely tackle the Dorothy Fields/Lorenz Hart part later.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Pawn is immediately grabbing, and instead of fading upon further plays, it reveals more with each listen, whether it's a lyrical turn of phrase or an unexpected twist in the arrangement.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
Part Jewel-with-tunes, part Tori-Amos-without-kookiness, it noodles, but only rarely.
Read Full Review >Sonicnet
When the Pawn Hits ... is so good that the next album could have a 900-word title and I wouldn't even scratch my goatee.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
She has defeated the odds to create a sophomore effort that is reflective of her earlier work but transcends those earlier limitations to create a new standard for pensive singer-songwriters in the new millennium.
Read Full Review >Salon.com
There's more to admire on "When the Pawn ..." than mere displays of guts, but if nothing else, it's the best non-apology since Madonna's "Human Nature."
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Her musical ideas and lyrics have caught up with the ability of her voice. The songs are well varied, and transition smoothly from one to the other.
Read Full Review >Nude As The News
On Pawn she chooses to rock, but in her own unique swinging way. Her songs are not ballads, but epics of rock, classical and postmodern music.
Read Full Review >E! Online
Musically this is more varied and muscular than her debut ... vocally she rocks harder. And though she still ain't exactly perky, she does sound less sullen.
Read Full Review >Launch.com
Forget the brattiness and occasional lunacy that succeeded Tidal's ascent to hit status. This is the work of an adult artist, and onethat's going to be sticking around.
Read Full Review >CDNow
Brion girds Apple's elastic melodies with off-kilter beats, giving her music a more rhythmic feel than it has previously had, while the singer herself runs the spectrum of grim emotions.
Read Full Review >Village Voice
Apple's arty predisposition and prodigious gifts allow this 22-year-old to wax poetic and make it rock because her delivery is so dexterous and forceful.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
has the talent, not to mention the fame and fortune, to seclude herself from the big bad world ahead of her. But Fiona II makes you hope that she'll find a way to use her talent as a connection to the world instead. Because she's an artist who deserves a shot at growing up.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle
Fiona's brand of heartache is a welcome, dark respite from the avalanche of popcrap.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Apple is ... crafty, covering up her rambling, dorm-friendly lyrics with sharp arrangements and sturdy songcraft.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
And for her second album of Amos-aping MTV-branded Lilith Fair fodder, the barmiest, prettiest pretender to Tori's throne of corporate crackpot chic deals unashamedly in that tired and trusted heavyweight heart-tugging currency: relationships.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.6 (out of 10) based on 39 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Vi La gave it a10:
10/10 because it is an album that can be listened to over and over again. Such well written lyrics + melodies to go with them, each song being different and unique. Definitely her best album, and the best album for female artists ever! For she embraces what it feels like to be sensitive, angry, loved, betrayed and misunderstood. This album appealed to me personally, it's reassuring that I'm not the only one who goes through this stage. GO Fiona, you rock.
S Rod gave it a10:
Definitely her best, and possibly one of the best albums by a woman ever! Top notch production, mesmerizing arrangements, beautiful and intimate lyrics. Every little thing about 'When the pawn . . ." is brilliant.
richard gave it a10:
Norah jones and alicia keyes can't come close to being this magical in writing songs for the piano. Mad props to fiona and especially to her producer Jon Brion for this gem.
C Liam gave it a10:
I found that she is exactly extraordinary from this album before listen to "Extraordinary Macine"!
Mike gave it a10:
Fiona Apples best album to date! Much better then Extra ordinary machine, which I found to be a disappointment.
Robbie C gave it a10:
The best Fiona album. I think what we all love about this album is Jon Brion, or at least the collaboration between Fiona and Jon Brion. They are absolutely brilliant together. The original Extraordinary Machine was another work of genius and the polished one proved my point.
JD Williams gave it a10:
Best Fiona album start to finish! Extraordinary is awesome but i still like When A Pawn better!
