Fiona Apple and Blake Mills performed a collaboration concert, titled “Anything We Want,” at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre last Thursday. After drinking half a bottle of wine and playing Tidal (1996) once through, I was ready to have my psyche rattled and heart lit afire by a gut-wrenching performance. About thirty minutes later, I found myself casually swaying among a crowd of 30-somethings, wondering how these two musical forces ever came together. I admit I was disappointed that Apple did not perform most of her own “classics,” yet, in their place, the audience was introduced to her collaborative side. Apple seamlessly joined her soulful, contemporary style with Mills’ spiritual, country-esque method. The unexpected collision took some getting used to, but by the time the two performed “Don’t Tell Your Friends About Me,” I was comfortable with their unique sound. In the end, the night was alight with Apple’s undeniable stage presence, and I left pleasantly sedated by Apple’s and Mills’ perfectly damaged sound and haunting lyrics.
