The Idler Wheel Is Wiser than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More than Ropes Will Ever Do Image
Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 35 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 174 Ratings

  • Summary: The singer-songwriter began recording her fourth studio album in secret in 2008 or 2009.
  • Record Label: Epic
  • Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
  • More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 35
  2. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Jun 19, 2012
    100
    It's essential 2012 listening for anyone interested in popular music as art.
  2. Jun 19, 2012
    100
    The beauty of The Idler Wheel… is how it transmits each of those feelings in excruciating, frank, and lovely detail.
  3. Dec 20, 2012
    80
    It's an album that demands something of the listener, but rewards it in spades.
  4. Jun 19, 2012
    60
    Half of the album is magnificent, and stylistically contradistinct, while the other half exists in some offbeat and off-putting terrain that will either elude its listeners, or alienate them.

See all 35 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 47
  2. Negative: 4 out of 47
  1. 10
    I say with zero hesitation or exaggeration that this record is a masterpiece. Sometimes when I'm listening to the Idler Wheel I need to get up and punch the air and jump on top of things. I mean, it's an incredibly strong emotional and physical reaction. She has punched me in the gut and I'm still winded. Expand
  2. 8
    As you can see 7 years means a lot to her because that was the process of the album's entitlement. And at the same time waiting 7 years doesn't mean anything to her while being absent.

    On this album, Fiona's obsessive experiences & interpersonal analogies pulls notable percussion instruments which seem to be more like her guide to create musical exotic patterns.There is a lack of harmony missing intentionally but instead of that she gives every character its own intention. First one her piano: in some songs its pretty simple and almost nonexistent but in others it sounds more like a desperate monotonous tune repeating just like a constant thought on her mind. Her voice is emotionally over felt and she dares to place in all songs every set of words she needs to say. Drums & percussion are surprisingly environmental in some songs and multi-rhythmical in others going mostly by its own or following the piano. Really well executed.

    Of course its hard to understand some of her lyrics but these type of artists remind us that there has to be a richness in music as well on the lyrics to appreciate their work.
    Expand
  3. It IS indeed a nice album but not as great as her first two records... It lacks the passionate chords from Tidal and the emotional lyrics from When the Pawn.. The music from the 90s is way too superior to simply compare it with the effortless results artists are coming with nowadays... Expand
  4. 0
    THE IDLER... is one the most overrated albums that i counl hear in my entire life, its a completely waste of time try to understand every song that conposed this album, i love Fiona's interpretation but the album like a whole thing don't convince me, maybe is the meaningless lyrics or the awful and akward rithm, i cannot say more of this album, never will be a masterpiece like Adele's 21, recently named one of the best album ever play by a female singer, this is that i call a good album, I'm sorry Fiona, good luck to the next try. Collapse

See all 47 User Reviews

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