Tori Amos

[MaryMayo33]

I read her new book at the bookstore yesterday. Muy interesante. I got to work 2 hours early so I got a good chunk of it read then and continued stealing glances at it while I was supposed to be working. It's called Piece by Piece, and it's basically interviews with her by Ann Powers, where she talks about her life and her music and religion and whatever else comes up. She's very very well spoken, I think, about a lot of things that are hard to speak about.

I only have Little Earthquakes and Scarlett's Walk. I think I'm still in a "Little Earthquakes" moment in my life, songs like Crucify and Winter are still so meaningful to me. I know those issues of self doubt and judging yourself very harshly for your mistakes. Little Earthquakes, among many other things, is the sound of beginning of a journey towards becoming a stronger you, without all the cheezy self help book rigamarole.

I know it may not be as accomplished as some of her later stuff (I've heard a lot of her other songs even if I'm not really familiar with them) but it's an important album to me.

And Scarlett's Walk is very very pretty. I still have yet to decide what a lot of the songs mean. I kind of listen to them and am like...hey that's pretty...and I think a lot of the emotion gets through on the music alone but I haven't really interpreted them like I know I could.

I know Boys for Pele is like an exorcism really. It was popular among my friends in high school, back when it was the latest album she had done. Those were the first Tori songs I ever heard. and I dig the harpsichord on Blood Roses and the way she sings. All though I was kind of pissed of at her at the same time because I didn't understand a lick of what she was saying but there was so much fire coming from her voice that I wanted to understand...and it pissed me off she wrote lyrics the way she did. Now I kind of get the idea of the songs a little bit more I think, why she might have had that anger and the need to write songs like that. Probably I only understand it because I have had my own issues with relationships since then but in high school I was kind of unexperienced and naieve and hadn't gone through very much that I could relate to that album. I don't think I'm there yet in having the strength to deal with those issues but I now just see it as later on in the journey facing issues that eventually we're all going to have to face.

I might get some more of her albums some other time. I'm really hard up for $ right now (actiually she's coming to Florida in a few days and I don't think I'd have the $ to see her even if there were tickets left, which I don't think there are) But reading the book has got me on a Tori kick. I dig the part where she talks about the end of her time with Atlantic, near the end of the book, a great example of her ability to make it through a tough situation with class and integrity.

So anyways what do you guys think of Tori? What do you think of Scarlett's Walk (c'mon I know a few of you had lots to say about it before I got the album but I just don't remember what you said because I hadn't heard it yet so I had nothing to connect your comments to..) Little Earthquakes? Do y'all think that album is crap or does it sound like the beginning of a journey to you, too? What should be the next album of hers I get...Have you heard the new one? Opinions?



--MA

[Atomsk Iscariot]

I have yet to read Piece by Piece, but it does seem an interesting read, so I'll be sure to pick it up later on your recommendation. And I also have yet to pick up The Beekeeper, but it's something I'll probably end up buying eventually.

My first Tori album was Little Earthquakes, and I basically bought it on the whimsical logic of "Hey, 'Silent All These Years' is FUCKIN' BEAUTIFUL. The rest must be as well, right?" I love it when I'm right. As much as I feel that album's been eclipsed by some of her other work, it still holds a dear place in my heart. The title track still gets to me, with its decidedly strange yet incredibly affecting vocal melody. I can't really explain it beyond that. Oh, and "Winter." Motherfucking "Winter." Her lyrics were also ace back then.

My second was, interestingly enough, Boys for Pele, because before all of this, "Hey Jupiter" was the song that really got me interested in this woman. Needless to say, I was surprised. At first, a bit hesitant. But after a few years, it's grown to be my favorite Tori album and one of my favorite albums of all time. Lyrically, it's abstruse as FUCK, but musically, it's her most consistently beautiful album. "Horses." That is all. It's also the beginning of her musically separating herself from the goddess known as Kate Bush. And, despite the over-the-top obscurity of the lyrics, I'm just enamored with the entire concept of the album and how it runs through that specific of section through Tori's life. "Going through boys like Pele," so to speak.

I own From the Choirgirl Hotel and Scarlet's Walk as well. Choirgirl is incredible, and, once upon a time, it was my favorite of hers. "iiieee" is one of her strongest songs, as well as "Jackie's Strength," which gives me the shivers every damn time I listen to it, right around when she sings "make me laugh..." Though I don't really like "Black-Dove (January)." In fact, it's probably that song that keeps it from being my favorite Tori album. It's somewhat the same thing with Scarlet's Walk. Despite the fact that it seems really bloated (this coming from someone who doesn't think Pele is overlong in the slightest), "Pancake" and "Strange" don't really appeal to me at all. Some of the songs also seem to be grasping for her Little Earthquakes sound, and nothing quite bothers me more than an artist going backwards.

... for you, I recommend getting Under the Pink next because it's a natural progression from this point, I would think.

[Foxing Peculiar]

I kind of like Tori despite myself these days. She's someone I really have to kind of be in the mood for, but I spin her stuff now and again.

Little Earthquakes is, IMO her strongest record, start to finish. Mother is an incredible song. :yes:
Under The Pink is really good - it kinda expands on the musical motifs of LE. Has a couple big singles on it (God, Cornflake Girl) and an interesting duet with Trent Reznor (Past the Mission).
Boys For Pele is where she got kinda weird, but it's also the first album I got of hers and I like it more than UtP, actually. Professional Widow has a bull on backing vocals, Blood Roses is entirely harpsichord based and Hey Jupiter and Putting the Damage on are great ballads.
From the Choirgirl Hotel is her second strongest, IMO. I dig the full-band sound she really started exploring. Raspberry Swirl and Spark are both awesome.
To Venus and Back is oft-slammed, but it's okay - kind of an expansion on Choirgirl in the same way UtP expanded on LE. Suede is one of my favourite of her songs.
Strange Little Girls isn't too good. Her cover of Rattlesnakes is worth the price of the album, and there are a couple other good ones, but overall, it's meh.
Scarlet's Walk is pretty good. A little dense, but not as bad as it's reputation. Don't Make Me Come to Vegas and Another Girl's Paradise are great. I haven't listened to it in a while though.
The Beekeeper seems kind of dull, but I've only sat through it once. I'll give it another shot soon.

[MaryMayo33]

Originally posted by Foxing Peculiar
I kind of like Tori despite myself these days. She's someone I really have to kind of be in the mood for, but I spin her stuff now and again.

Little Earthquakes is, IMO her strongest record, start to finish. Mother is an incredible song. :yes:
Under The Pink is really good - it kinda expands on the musical motifs of LE. Has a couple big singles on it (God, Cornflake Girl) and an interesting duet with Trent Reznor (Past the Mission).
Boys For Pele is where she got kinda weird, but it's also the first album I got of hers and I like it more than UtP, actually. Professional Widow has a bull on backing vocals, Blood Roses is entirely harpsichord based and Hey Jupiter and Putting the Damage on are great ballads.
From the Choirgirl Hotel is her second strongest, IMO. I dig the full-band sound she really started exploring. Raspberry Swirl and Spark are both awesome.
To Venus and Back is oft-slammed, but it's okay - kind of an expansion on Choirgirl in the same way UtP expanded on LE. Suede is one of my favourite of her songs.
Strange Little Girls isn't too good. Her cover of Rattlesnakes is worth the price of the album, and there are a couple other good ones, but overall, it's meh.
Scarlet's Walk is pretty good. A little dense, but not as bad as it's reputation. Don't Make Me Come to Vegas and Another Girl's Paradise are great. I haven't listened to it in a while though.
The Beekeeper seems kind of dull, but I've only sat through it once. I'll give it another shot soon.

Hey Alex - you were one of the ones with a lot to say about Scarlett's walk. Like interpretations and stuff. Do you remember what you said?

that is so wierd that Boys For Pele is the first you and Atomsk heard of Tori...'cuz it was the same for me.

I love the harpsichord on Blood Roses, it's neat the way she plays such a delicate sounding instrument with such ferocity. (then again, she must be a Stranglers fan to cover strange little girls and their song "Golden Brown" has a harpsichord played in a very rhythmic rock kind of way....but no where near Tori's ferocity with it...) I think I might get Pele next actually. And yeah maybe under the pink soon too, since Little Earthquakes seemed to help me as I was starting my journey, and I feel I have grown a little bit stronger, maybe it's time to get the next step up and see if it's as good of a soundtrack. I know all the songs you've mentioned, God, Past the Mission, Cornflake Girl, as well as Icicle...they don't seem as heavy as Little Earthquakes but then again I don't think I'm ready to face the Pele demons yet :)

And yeah I've heard Choirgirl in my friend's car and it's neat. I'll probably get that one eventually, too.

Anyways --MA

[Foxing Peculiar]

Pele's kind of a trippy album if you're coming off of it straight from LE or UtP, but you should be fine with it, I think. :)

And Blood Roses (or maybe it was Rasberry Swirl) was the first Tori song I ever heard.

Anyway about Scarlet...lord it's been a while, but as far as intrepretations...

Well, it's obviously a travelouge (indicated by the map in the packaging) and each song represents a leg of that journey (which goes through all 50 states). Scarlet seems to act as both a character in-and-of herself, but also as a greater metaphor for the land and peoples of America, so as she travels, her personal interactions kind of serve as reflections of America's past and present.

I tried sketching out song-by-song, but I don't remember enough details to really make it worth doing. I'm sure
The Dent (http://www.thedent.com) has something on it though.

[ckwan61]

Hate to bump such an old thread, but I love Tori. I think her music is beautiful.

If any of you are interested, stop by this new Tori forum. http://toriamos.forumer.com/

[TheImplodingVoice]

I like her, but some of these girls who are very proud of having vaginas get kinda annoying sometimes

[Atomsk Iscariot]

Originally posted by TheImplodingVoice
I like her, but some of these girls who are very proud of having vaginas get kinda annoying sometimes Give me peace, love, and a hard cock. :)

[Nak Nak]

Overemotional (in the vein of regina spektor) but talented and occasionally brilliant.

[vaya con dios]

I dug what I heard of From the Choirgirl Hotel. I don't really care for her solo piano medleys, though I like what I have heard of Little Earthquakes.

There's also like, three songs on Boys For Pele I like. One is "Talula" and the other being "Blood Roses".

[TheImplodingVoice]

Blood Roses is amazing

[Barbara]

I love all of Boys for Pele. Muhammed my friend is one of my favorite songs from there

[sleepy sinner]

Growing up I heard a lot about Tori and heard maybe a few songs but never really had time to get into her. However recently I became more interested and CHEATED - I got the Tales of A Librarian compilation. I was hoping to get a sampler of some of her major songs, although I know she's done heaps more work than they could ever cram onto a 'best of'.

Anyway, the verdict was :yes: I'd love to get more of her albums, but I'm poor (that's why I was cost effective and got a best-of in the first place). Some of my fave songs are Spark, Precious Things, Way Down etc. Also I love it when I'm out in a club and Professional Widow comes on :)

[Static Split Screen]

I've always loved Tori, but I've never read a book about her. I'll keep an eye out for it.