Fetch the Bolt Cutters
by Fiona Apple
  • Record Label: Epic
  • Release Date: Apr 17, 2020
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 1396 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,131 out of 1396
  2. Mixed: 58 out of 1396
  3. Negative: 207 out of 1396
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  1. ooit
    Apr 19, 2020
    4
    After seeing all the praise being given to this album I decided to give it a try and after 3 listens through I feel like I'm missing something. It's like i'm listening to a completely different record than everyone else. There are a handful of solid tracks like I Want You To Love Me (aside from the grating vocals to close the song), Rack of His, Ladies, and Cosmonauts. The problem withAfter seeing all the praise being given to this album I decided to give it a try and after 3 listens through I feel like I'm missing something. It's like i'm listening to a completely different record than everyone else. There are a handful of solid tracks like I Want You To Love Me (aside from the grating vocals to close the song), Rack of His, Ladies, and Cosmonauts. The problem with making music in the kind of head space she seems to be in is that you toe the line between brilliance and pretentious drivel. Personally, I feel like the album wandered into the latter too many times for me to enjoy (Relay and Newspaper stand out in particular). It's hard for me to become immersed in an album if I'm rolling my eyes or shaking my head during half of the run time. If there were more memorable melodies to match the dissonance then I could see myself enjoying it more but there's just not much to grab onto for me. None of this is to say that I don't respect her ability as a musician or her talent for creating an atmosphere. It's just not an atmosphere that I want to be in regularly.… Expand
  2. atanganeli
    Sep 1, 2020
    4
    I don't understand why they think it's the biggest album of the year, songs with lyrics and repetitive sounds on all 13 tracks are the best songs of the year?
    The album is cool and I think it is one of the best of Fiona Apple but I don't think "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" is a totally cohesive album. It sounds kind of tiring when I reach the thirteenth track since all the songs have the same sounds.
  3. guitfiddler95
    Apr 21, 2020
    6
    Not her best work, honestly blown away by all the praise it’s getting. This maybe would’ve been a great album if it had come out in the 90’s, Idler Wheel was much more interesting sonically and still sounds more modern. The only thing that appeals to me as a producer is the gritty, textured percussion. I get that the lyrics are meant to be more relatable to women but still disappointing toNot her best work, honestly blown away by all the praise it’s getting. This maybe would’ve been a great album if it had come out in the 90’s, Idler Wheel was much more interesting sonically and still sounds more modern. The only thing that appeals to me as a producer is the gritty, textured percussion. I get that the lyrics are meant to be more relatable to women but still disappointing to a fan looking forward to hearing innovative compositions rather than a bunch of raggedy piano jams with quirky vocal delivery.… Expand
  4. AlexMane
    May 18, 2020
    5
    Not nearly as good as I expected. A seriously overhyped record that's sometimes great, sometimes alright, but most of the time it's just meh. And, to be completely fair - Fiona's folky vocals over pots-and-pans instrumentation sounds refreshing in theory, but in practice it just doesn't work, at least for me. Another example of an album that suffers from the hype it's surrounded by.
  5. peyman_eun
    Apr 18, 2020
    5
    Please don't make this album overrated. Really even hasn't one memorable song. I like Fiona Apple but this isn't a great album and I didn't enjoy the album very much.
  6. dola1323
    Apr 17, 2020
    4
    I can appreciate Fetch the Bolt Cutters for its unique vision and thought-provoking lyricism, but its many quirks, bizarre vocal inflections and volatile arrangements are overwhelming at times for a new Fiona Apple listener like me. Tracks like Relay and Newspaper are void of almost all instrumentation with the exception of vocals and percussion, and the album primarily relies on layeredI can appreciate Fetch the Bolt Cutters for its unique vision and thought-provoking lyricism, but its many quirks, bizarre vocal inflections and volatile arrangements are overwhelming at times for a new Fiona Apple listener like me. Tracks like Relay and Newspaper are void of almost all instrumentation with the exception of vocals and percussion, and the album primarily relies on layered chants, yelps and howls to fill in the blanks. While Apple's vocal performance features a wide range of emotions, it rarely stands out from a technical standpoint and consistently devolves into idiosyncratic chants and war cries. The album ends on a really sour note in On I Go, a tone-less track riddled with whispers, droning vocals and the occasional dissonant buzz in the background. Without any consistent melodies, hooks or instrumental convergences to latch on to, I have a hard time seeing this album demand replayability or appeal to those outside of Fiona Apple's existing fanbase. 4/10… Expand
  7. weing
    Apr 17, 2020
    5
    The worst Fiona Apple's album. One of the greatest songwriter of all times doesn't decide if the lyrics are songs or podcast. Absent concept, most songs have an identical beginning, making the true music lover sick.
  8. cdmartin8
    Apr 27, 2020
    4
    Edit:
    It's funny, all the "most helpful" reviews are the one where someone gushed for a few lines, probably paraphrased some things they read in the Pitchfork review, and threw up a 10. And yes, these were apparently very helpful to all the other sheep that wanted to jump on the bandwagon, wrote "Brilliant!" and put up another meaningless 10. Ba-aa-aa-ah!
    Edit: Okay, I’ve listened a    Edit:
    It's funny, all the "most helpful" reviews are the one where someone gushed for a few lines, probably paraphrased some things they read in the Pitchfork review, and threw up a 10. And yes, these were apparently very helpful to all the other sheep that wanted to jump on the bandwagon, wrote "Brilliant!" and put up another meaningless 10. Ba-aa-aa-ah!

    Edit:
    Okay, I’ve listened a more and am even more convinced this album is nowhere close to the 10 that all you gushing automatons keep heaping on it. Insightful, bold, creative lyrically, yes. But musically uninteresting. And this is a musical album, right? Not poetry? So what’s with all the 10’s?

    Let’s look at a couple tracks, shall we? I Want You To Love Me: Some pretty piano flourishes behind meandering, structure-less verses followed by a chorus that’s three words and two notes. “Yooooooooooooooou love me.” What is interesting, enjoyable, or creative about that? And the title track: Some of what sounds like rapping on things in your kitchen, then some more of the structure less, meandering verses followed by an extremely simple, energy-less, musically blah chorus, “Fetch the bolt cutters, I’ve been in here too long.” And repeat. Finish with some dogs barking. OMG, the genius! Album of the year! Seriously, WTF?

    Sure, put this up for some poetry or literary awards. Hold her up as a feminist icon, role model. Sure, I’m with you. But musician of the year, heck no. And the sad thing is Fiona doesn’t have to choose between lyrically amazing and musically gorgeous. She has at least three other albums that are both. It’s why I’m a big fan. But apparently that’s over now. Lowering my rating to 4.

    Original review:
    I’m a huge Fiona Apple fan. For me, this album doesn’t compare to her first three. It’s not nearly as accessible or musically affecting. And granted I’ve only listened a handful of times, but I don’t think it ever will be. Sadly, as is often the case, all the unconventional-ness and artistic bells and whistles the critics gush over are the very things that make it a ho-hum listen for me. Don’t get me wrong, I hear all the creativity, emotion, honesty, etc. that went into it and respect her for it. But that’s not the same thing as that indescribable, goose bump-causing feeling I get from music I love. And when an album like this is regarded so highly by critics I have to wonder what it is they’re reviewing. Is it music as music, or music as an overall piece of art? I can’t help but think it’s the later and whether it’s actually enjoyable is an afterthought. Or even a detriment. (Kinda like how having a “happy” or satisfying ending seems to make movie critics drop a star, as if being enjoyable to the average viewer is a bad thing.) To give critics the benefit of the doubt, maybe when you get to a certain professional level of music appreciation, being artistically bold and musically affecting become the same thing. But it’s definitely not for me and there’s nothing wrong with that. On the contrary. I think critics should give more consideration to who they’re writing their reviews for. Themselves?

    Probably the most artistically bold and creative of Fiona’s albums. But for me (and I’m guessing a lot of people, if they’re honest), the least enjoyable listen. 10 out of 10 for performance art. 6 out of 10 for an album of music.

    A side note: How it possible for the Metacritic score to be 100 out of 100 if almost half of the publications MC claims to consider give it a less than perfect score? Either their math is really bad or about six publications are completely thrown out. In which case, isn’t listing them dishonest?    … Expand
  9. Natelane81
    May 20, 2020
    5
    Wasn’t really for me. Pretty good but boring at times. Overall pretty good for the current state of music but there are definitely better albums out now.
  10. Yoandudu
    Apr 20, 2020
    4
    How am I suppose to enjoy this properly ? This album is a mess. Her voice is superb, but just because there are a lot of sound effects doesn't mean it's good. Sometimes less is more.
  11. DonkeyKing
    May 1, 2021
    4
    Very experimental kind of music

    It's very difficult to describe this album. I didn't have any kind of emotional connection to this kind of music and some tracks seemed a little awkward, detached and way too dissonant. Her soulful voice is great, but I think this album did not show her full potential.
  12. denizkose
    Dec 28, 2020
    5
    There is a lot of raw emotions and I appreciate the honesty of the album but the melody & the sounds are really not for me. Don't think I would listen to this album again.
  13. TheBigCheez
    Mar 22, 2021
    6
    So, this was my introduction to Fiona Apple. Maybe this is why my rating is so low, but I believe in starting in the best of an artist's discography. Anyway, to the criticism. I honestly don't get the hype. The first 6 tracks were really boring, nothing to them. They weren't very nicely produced, the lyrics were okay telling a story throughout songs like Fetch The Bolt Cutters. But, ISo, this was my introduction to Fiona Apple. Maybe this is why my rating is so low, but I believe in starting in the best of an artist's discography. Anyway, to the criticism. I honestly don't get the hype. The first 6 tracks were really boring, nothing to them. They weren't very nicely produced, the lyrics were okay telling a story throughout songs like Fetch The Bolt Cutters. But, I think this album shines in the second half, rather than the first, which is where most of my criticism comes from. My other criticisms come from my disliking of her production and her vocals. I already expressed my disliking for her production, but I feel her vocals also contribute to the mediocrity of this album. I don't know who needs to hear this, but Fionas bocals are nothing special. Even on some of the tracks I liked her vocals performance annoyed me.… Expand
  14. plw_
    Sep 24, 2021
    4
    I don't see the hype for it. Mostly boring and not really an enjoyable project.
  15. diluteacid
    Aug 22, 2022
    6
    Didn’t quite understand the complex nature. She doesn’t quite deliver as best from previous work but still a great body of work start to finish!
  16. Jackson889
    Sep 24, 2022
    6
    Definitely not one of my favorite albums and I find the album artwork to be a little weird. Its far from being unlistenable and perfect coffee table music.

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Album of 2020
18
#18 Most Discussed Album of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
98

Universal acclaim - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Under The Radar
    Aug 18, 2020
    85
    Guttural, soft, cacophonous, and poetic, Fetch the Bolt Cutters is a reminder of Apple’s genius and that we are all interconnected, one people, existing in a pulse.
    Read full review
  2. Classic Rock Magazine
    Jul 6, 2020
    80
    Forget the bolt cutters, Apple's already shed her last shackle. [Summer 2020, p.87]
  3. Uncut
    May 22, 2020
    90
    Fetch The Bolt Cutters is mostly the soundtrack of liberation, not recrimination, with Apple's piano keys, battering on the walls and barking dogs as its percussive, beating heart. [Jul 2020, p.27]
See all critic reviews »