Fiona Apple – Tidal | Vinyl Me, Please Essentials | 2LP 180g 45 RPM
Fiona Apple’s Tidal is one of the defining singer-songwriter debuts of the 1990s — a remarkably assured album that introduced an artist with a voice, songwriting style and emotional intensity entirely her own.
Originally released in 1996, Tidal established Fiona Apple as far more than a promising newcomer. Built around her distinctive vocals and piano playing, the album moves between intimate balladry, sophisticated pop and darker, jazz-inflected arrangements. Songs including “Sleep to Dream,” “Shadowboxer,” “Criminal” and “Never Is a Promise”helped establish the album’s reputation, while producer Andrew Slater and an impressive group of musicians created arrangements with considerable depth and atmosphere.
This is the highly regarded Vinyl Me, Please Essentials edition E053, specifically the 2020 repress, identifiable by its newer-style VMP Essentials obi.
For this audiophile edition, Tidal was remastered from the original analogue tapes by Ted Jensen at Sterling Soundand presented across two 180-gram LPs at 45 RPM on black audiophile vinyl. The 45 RPM format spreads the album across four sides and makes this a particularly attractive edition for listeners looking for a premium vinyl presentation of Fiona Apple’s debut.
Importantly, this copy is complete with all original Vinyl Me, Please extras: the VMP Essentials obi, 12-page lyric booklet, exclusive art print and cocktail recipe, all housed with the records in the gatefold sleeve. Complete VMP copies are particularly appealing to collectors, as these separate inserts and extras are not always retained with used examples.
Musically, Tidal has lost little of its impact. Apple’s songwriting is sophisticated and uncompromising, while the arrangements leave ample room for her piano and distinctive vocal phrasing. Nearly three decades after its original release, it remains an essential part of her catalogue and a landmark of 1990s alternative pop.
Edition details
Artist / title: Fiona Apple – Tidal
Label: Clean Slate / Epic / Sony Music
Series: Vinyl Me, Please Essentials – E053
Catalogue number: 88985420001
Edition: 2020 VMP repress
Country: US
Format: 2 × LP / Album / 180g / 45 RPM / Club Edition / Reissue / Remastered / Repress
Vinyl: Black Audiophile Vinyl
Remastered by: Ted Jensen
Mastering: Sterling Sound
Pressed by: Memphis Record Pressing
Packaging: Gatefold sleeve
Complete with: VMP Essentials obi / 12-page lyric booklet / art print / cocktail recipe
Every item at Mr. Hansen Records is conservatively graded according to the Goldmine Standard. Vinyl records are professionally cleaned before dispatch, and all orders are securely packed with collector-grade care.