I Megaphone

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AlanisMorissette.01.jpg
Tori Amos in 1993 Zoran Veselinovic.jpg
Critics compared Heap's sound on I Megaphone heavily to that of fellow alternative rock singer-songwriters Alanis Morissette (left) and Tori Amos (right)

I Megaphone was compared by several critics to the work of other female singer-songwriters, most notably Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette. [9] [8] Writing for Tulsa World , Thomas Conner  [ de ] wrote, "Heap has all the restraint Alanis Morissette didn't bother to learn...Her use of plunky piano makes tunes like 'Sweet Religion' shadow even a few Tori Amos standards." [12] In a review for Consequence of Sound of Heap's third studio album, Ellipse , Alex Young wrote, "[I Megaphone] sounded very much like the aggressive female rock that was getting airplay at the time." [13] Speaking of the comparisons to Morissette, Heap said, "I've never liked her. I just don’t think she is very real. But what gets me about the comparison is that people who don't like her will see this 'Imogen-Alanis' thing and then stay away from my music, not even give me a chance. That really is the worst thing about those lazy comparisons." [4] In regard to the comparisons to Amos, Heap stated, "When Tori [Amos] first came out, they would say she sounded like Kate Bush. Now they think she sounds like Tori. Plus, when I wrote this album, I'd never even heard of these people." [1]

For The Irish Times, Joe Jackson wrote of the record that there was "something fascinating" about Heap, noting that "the real power and poetry [on I Megaphone] probably stems from her semi-strangulated cries, the rush of crushed chords on the keyboard, the way her voice soars without restraint. Imogen has already been largely dismissed by many critics. I suspect that in time she will make them eat their words." Jackson added that tracks such as "Sleep", "Useless", and "Getting Scared" "define their own space, to a great degree". [9] Tom Demalon of AllMusic described I Megaphone as "A compelling album chock-full of engaging melodies delivered in a memorable voice," naming "Angry Angel", "Candlelight", and "Come Here Boy" as highlights. [11] Eric Hiss of The Standard-Times wrote that the album was "a potent sonic cocktail that moves from chunky grooves to classical hybrids and careens back to sinewy guitar riffs" and "a soulful, intoxicating blend of pop", adding that its songs "aim for impact". [10]

In 2018, "Getting Scared" was identified by Margaret Farrell of Stereogum as Heap's seventh-best song. Farrell referred to "Getting Scared" as the "star pupil" of I Megaphone, and called the album "refreshing and even surprising" compared to her later work. [5]

Commercial performance

Following its release, I Megaphone was barely promoted by Almo Sounds, and sold few units. However, the album received moderate airplay on radio stations throughout the US. [10] Heap's contract was discontinued following the dissolution of Almo. [3] [14]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Heap, except where noted.

I Megaphone
Imogen Heap I Megaphone album cover.png
Studio album by
Released16 June 1998
Recorded1997
Studio
  • RAK Studios (London)
  • Quad Studios (New York)
  • Chapel Studios (Los Angeles)
  • The Barn (Philadelphia)
Genre
Length48:42
Label Almo
Producer
Imogen Heap chronology
I Megaphone
(1998)
Details
(2002)
Alternative cover
IMegaphone Japan.jpg
Japanese reissue cover
I Megaphone — Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Getting Scared"
  • Heap
  • Sigsworth
4:53
2."Sweet Religion" 4:03
3."Oh Me, Oh My" 
  • Heap
  • Kahne
5:05
4."Shine" 
  • Heap
  • Stewart
  • Kahne [a]
4:40
5."Whatever"
  • Heap
  • Fil Eisler
  • Heap
  • Kahne
3:44
6."Angry Angel" 
  • Heap
  • Stewart
4:45
7."Candlelight" 
  • Heap
  • Kahne
4:39
8."Rake It In"
  • Heap
  • Eisler
  • Heap
  • Stewart
3:50
9."Come Here Boy" 
3:58
10."Useless" 
  • Heap
  • Stewart
5:19
11."Sleep" 
  • Heap
  • Kahne
3:46
Total length:48:42
I Megaphone — Japanese issue (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Airplane"
  • Heap
  • Heap
4:20
13."Whatever [Demo]"  3:55
Total length:57:18
I Megaphone — Japanese 2002 reissue (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Aeroplane"
  • Heap
  • Sigsworth
  • Heap
  • Sigsworth
4:20
13."Feeling Strange" Heap4:38
14."Blanket" (Urban Species featuring Imogen Heap)
  • Urban Species
  • Raw Deal
5:47
15."Kidding" (live hidden track) Heap4:31
Total length:1:07:58

Notes

Sample credits

Personnel

All credits adapted from liner notes. [15]

Performers and musicians

Production

  • Guy Sigsworth – production (track 1), programming (track 1)
  • David Kahne – production (tracks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), additional production (tracks 2, 4), engineering (tracks 1, 3, 5–7, 9, 11), mixing (tracks 2, 4)
  • Dave Stewart – producer (tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10)
  • Nik Kershaw – production (track 9)
  • Nick Addison – engineering (tracks 2, 4, 8, 10)
  • Phil Bodger – engineering (tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10)
  • Alex Silva – programming (tracks 2, 4, 8, 10)
  • Andy Wright – programming (tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10)
  • Steve Bush – additional programming (track 1)
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Roland Herrington – mixing (track 1)
  • Pete Norris – recording (track 11)

Design

  • Matt Hardman – background artwork
  • Josh Eve – art direction, design, layout
  • Dwight Marshall – cover photography
  • Chaz – photography

Notes

  1. Also written iMegaphone or I-Megaphone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Kaufman, Gil (16 July 1998). "Imogen Heap Gets Personal On Debut LP". MTV News. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  2. Goggins, Joe (3 September 2014). "DiS meets Imogen Heap: "I wanted to live in the moment"". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Roberts, Michael (7 December 2006). "Imogen Heap". Westword . Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jackson, Joe (22 April 2001). "The Heap Treatment". Hot Press . Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  5. 1 2 Farrell, Margaret (9 November 2018). "The 10 Best Imogen Heap Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  6. "Women Talking Dirty - Original Soundtrack". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  7. "Imogen Heap In One Auckland Show Only". Scoop . 26 January 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  8. 1 2 Sinagra, Laura (13 January 2006). "With Her Synthesizer, She Mesmerizes". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Jackson, Joe (14 August 1998). "Imogen Heap: "I Megaphone"". The Irish Times. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hiss, Eric (31 January 1999). "Imogen Heap can reach for highest stars". The Standard-Times . Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Demalon, Tom. "I Megaphone - Imogen Heap". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  12. Conner, Thomas [in German] (27 November 1998). "The pre-Christmas crunch". Tulsa World. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  13. Young, Alex (23 August 2009). "Album Review: Imogen Heap - Ellipse". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  14. West, Naomi (14 October 2010). "Imogen Heap: fully connected". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  15. Imogen Heap – I Megaphone. Album booklet. Almo Sounds (Interscope Geffen A&M Records).