I Megaphone

I Megaphone is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Imogen Heap. It was released on 16 June 1998 by Almo Sounds, and later re-released in Japan by Aozora Records on 23 January 2002. The album was primarily written by Heap, starting when she was 15 years old, with co-writing from Guy Sigsworth and Fil Eisler. It was first produced and recorded solely by Heap and Dave Stewart, though it was subsequently re-recorded alongside producers David Kahne and Guy Sigsworth. It is an alternative rock record with largely confessional lyricism, addressing themes ranging from adolescent drug use and revenge to perseverance and religion. The album's title is an anagram of "Imogen Heap".

I Megaphone
Studio album by Imogen Heap
Released	16 June 1998
Recorded	1997
Studio	RAK Studios (London) Quad Studios (New York) Chapel Studios (Los Angeles) The Barn (Philadelphia)
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	48:42
Label	Almo Aozora
Producer	Imogen Heap David Kahne Dave Stewart Guy Sigsworth
Imogen Heap chronology
I Megaphone (1998) Speak for Yourself (2005)
Alternative cover
Japanese reissue cover
Singles from I Megaphone
"Getting Scared" Released: 1997 "Shine" Released: 30 March 1998 "Come Here Boy" Released: 1998 "Oh Me, Oh My" Released: 1999

The album spawned several singles, including "Getting Scared", which was featured on the soundtrack of the horror film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, "Shine", "Come Here Boy", and "Oh Me, Oh My". The album's Japanese reissue featured four bonus tracks, including the singles "Aeroplane" and the Urban Species song "Blanket", which became her first song to appear on the UK Singles Chart. While some critics dismissed the record upon its release as derivative of the work of fellow singer-songwriters such as Tori Amos, Kate Bush, and Alanis Morissette, others praised the album for Heap's vocal performance and piano playing. Almo did little to promote the album, however, causing it to be a commercial failure, and the label shut down before Heap was able to release a second album.

Development

The writing of I Megaphone started with "Come Here Boy" when Heap was 15 years old.[1] Parts of the album were recorded in the United States and Jamaica.[2] Although Heap originally recorded the album solely with Dave Stewart of British pop duo Eurythmics, she re-recorded the album six months later alongside David Kahne and Guy Sigsworth (the latter of whom she would later form Frou Frou with)[3] after realizing, according to her, that it was "over-done" and that there was "too much going on".[4] The title of I Megaphone is an anagram of Heap's name.[3]

Release

In January 2002, Aozora Records re-released I Megaphone in Japan, featuring new artwork and bonus tracks such as "Aeroplane", "Feeling Strange", and "Blanket"[5]—a collaboration with British hip hop band Urban Species which became Heap's first charting single, appearing at number 56 on the UK Singles Chart.[6]

On 11 December 2009, Heap released an iTunes-exclusive live EP titled iTunes Festival: London 2007. The EP contains all tracks from the first issue of the album in the same order, and B-sides "Leave Me to Love", "Blanket", and "Kidding" (the latter two appeared on the Japan reissue of I Megaphone). The EP also contains two Question and Answer sections where Heap takes questions from audience members.

Singles

The album's lead single, "Getting Scared", was released in 1997, and appeared on the soundtracks for the 1998 horror film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and for the 1999 comedy film Women Talking Dirty.[7][8] "Come Here Boy", the third single, was released in 1998, and appeared in the 1999 film Virtual Sexuality.[9]

Composition

I Megaphone is an alternative rock album.[10] Of the album, Heap stated, "Everything I’ve been through since I was a kid had to be confronted in these songs."[4]

The album's opener, "Getting Scared", is a "vengeful"[11] track described by Gil Kaufman of MTV as "A spare, creepy tune anchored by a thudding drum-machine beat, chaotic piano and blasts of industrial noise". It was written by Heap about a "revenge fantasy" about a former roommate and friend who betrayed her trust by telling people one of Heap's intimate secrets about her childhood trauma that, according to her, "turned out to be real".[1] "Sweet Religion" is a song about Heap deifying a former lover, while "Oh Me, Oh My" is a song about Heap's attempts to look for God on which she "wails soulfully".[4][12]

"Shine" is written about perseverance and self-preservation and incorporates elements of trip hop in its production.[1][12] "Whatever" is addressed to an ex-lover of Heap's.[12] "Angry Angel" is an "aggressive"[13] song about Heap's own experimentation with recreational drug use from a young age which features "saw-edged" guitar riffs,[12] while the instrumentation of "Candlelight" is built around an old family piano in Heap's father's house.[12][4] "Come Here Boy" is a "sensual"[13] piano ballad written when Heap was 15 years old about a 40-year-old man with whom she was in a relationship at the time.[4] "Rake It In" is written as a screed against record companies; "Useless" was described by The Irish Times as "tragic".[11] Heap stated that "Sleep", the album's closer, was her favorite track from the album. "Sleep" is a "spare" song featuring piano and violin, written about "the split second when you wake up and everything is absolutely perfect, and then, you remember what you have to do and nothing is quite the same after that."[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[13]

Critics compared Heap's sound on I Megaphone heavily to that of fellow alternative rock singer-songwriters Alanis Morissette (left), Kate Bush (center), and Tori Amos (right)

I Megaphone was compared by many critics to the work of other female singer-songwriters, most notably Tori Amos, Kate Bush, and Alanis Morissette.[11][10] Writing for Tulsa World, Thomas Conner 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."[14] 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."[15] 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 and Bush, 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".[11] 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.[13] 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".[12]

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.[7]

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.[12] Heap's contract was discontinued following the dissolution of Almo.[3][16]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Heap, except where noted.

I Megaphone — Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Getting Scared"	Heap Guy Sigsworth	Heap Sigsworth	4:53
2.	"Sweet Religion"		Heap David A. Stewart David Kahne^[a]	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"		Heap Kahne Nik Kershaw	3:58
10.	"Useless"		Heap Stewart	5:19
11.	"Sleep"		Heap Kahne	3:46
Total length:				48:42

I Megaphone — Japan reissue (bonus tracks)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
12.	"Aeroplane"	Heap Sigsworth	Heap Sigsworth	4:20
13.	"Feeling Strange"		Heap	4:38
14.	"Blanket" (Urban Species featuring Imogen Heap)	Peter Akinrinlola Heap	Urban Species Raw Deal	5:47
15.	"Kidding" (live hidden track)		Heap	4:31
Total length:				1:07:58

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer

Sample credits

• "Rake It In" contains a sample of "Sexy Girls", written and performed by Gert Wilden
• "Useless" contains a sample of "Liquid Days", written by Philip Glass and David Byrne, and performed by Glass

Personnel

All credits adapted from liner notes.[17]

Performers and musicians

• Imogen Heap – lead vocals, piano
• Randy Jackson – bass (tracks 6, 8, 10)
• Eshan Khadaroo – drums (track 1)
• Andy Kravitz – drums (tracks 2-5, 7, 9)
• Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums (tracks 6, 8, 10)

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

References

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