Wiser chords

This is not a pop album. It is an experimental, progressive adventure.

Not a single song is shallow on “The Idler Wheel...” Multiple listens are necessary to discover the message each track intends to convey.

The album’s stripped-down tracks highlight Apple’s ragged contralto voice, which magnifies the intensity of despondent lyrics. The tracks are uniform in their excellence.

“Every Single Night,” the first single of the album, begins with the dreamy sounds of xylophone but quickly devolves into the lyrical and musical equivalent of a nightmare. Its video reflects these elements, a fantastical world diffused with disturbing images.

Standout “Werewolf” tells the story of a failing relationship with creative analogy. The lyrics could stand alone as poetry but become significantly more powerful when brought to life by Apple’s sullen voice.

The vocals in the middle of “Daredevil” are unsettling, perfectly expressing the sentiment behind the lyrics “look at me, look at me.” Apple takes more chances and displays more vocal variations on this album than ever before with great effect.

By Lauren Kreiser