Fiona Apple performs on the opening night of a U.S. tour at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon, November 22, 2005. Apple is set to release The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do, her first album in seven years.

Acclaimed and habitually reclusive performing artist Fiona Apple has been road testing songs from her upcoming June LP, titled The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do, her first album in seven years. At least three months before the album's release, she's racking up in-depth analyses about her new station and what audience the maturing singer now speaks to. This is not to mention the 412k fans clamoring on the singer's Facebook page, begging Apple to tour their cities and gushing about the upcoming album. After premiering a few new cuts at a select couple of SXSW shows, Apple wrapped a short string of U.S. dates.

Monday, as Maura Johnston catalogs, Apple stopped by New York City's Bowery Ballroom for a 13-song set. Apple did perform a few new tracks. But a crowd request for The Beatles' Across the Universe yielded results. Apple appeared really comfortable on the lower register of the John Lennon-penned classic, as evidenced below.

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