Tori Amos

Given the rabidly devotional nature of Tori Amos' fan base, any review seems almost superfluous, but this release will definitely please the faithful. As for the rest of you, is this the album with which to enter her world? Start with "Girl Disappearing" -- classic early piano-Tori, and then spin "Teenage Hustling" for some angry rocker-Tori. Her songcraft and performance abilities are so finely honed by this stage in her career that she could get away with phoning it in, but judging by this excellent release, that's not going to happen.

Of the twenty-three tracks on her ninth studio album, Tori Amos only takes credit for
singing five of them. The others, liner notes indicate, are vocalized by alternate Amoses
named Clyde, Isabel, Santa and Pip -- four mythical beauties, each with her own blog! --
intended to represent different parts of the female psyche. With the exception of "Big
Wheel," where Amos loses points for proclaiming herself a MILF, she saves Ameri... More >