Fiona

Just finished watching the first part (caught the last part last night) of Elvis Costello with Death Cab for Cutie, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Fiona Apple.

What such a stellar line-up was doing buried on VH1 Classic I have no idea. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wanted to see it. Not that I suppose I'm the exact demographic associated with current alt/college faves. But still... VH1 Classic??

Anyways. The general idea was that in each segment Elvis & guest were paired up and did some of each other's songs, often trading verses therein. "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" was just as beautiful when Elvis was singing... in fact, many of the songs were quite surprisingly complimented by having the non-original performer take them on.

I'm already going through my MP3s to see which songs I've missed listening to in the past. I'm suspecting I may have to rip some of them from the show (I recorded it).

Fiona always grabs my heart by the balls (yes, you heard me) when she sings, such is the intensity of emotion in her voice and in her words, and seeing her perform live just adds one more dimension to that intensity.

She only writes when she's in the depths of anger or sadness, she says in one of the interviews that parenthesize each performance. That co-incides with what I've felt, what I've experienced in my own songwriting... mood dictates art, and intensity is a reflection of a moment.

Listening to Fiona Apple makes me want to submerge myself the darkness that my logical side always tries to avoid. In relationships. Like the one I was just talking about.