It's called "Why Don't You Love Me?"
Soooo good!
This song is on Tori's new "Midwinter Graces" album, and it's also in her musical, "The Light Princess."
I'm not going to waste your time reviewing Tori Amos's brand-new album, Midwinter Graces, because 1) Others have written excellent and well-researched reviews (see Undented for links to many); 2) I'm obviously biased; and 3) Anyone who is a Tori Amos fan doesn't need a review in order to give any of her new work a chance.
But that doesn't mean I don't have anything to say about it.
First, in my opinion, this is Tori's best album (as a whole) since 2001's Scarlet's Walk. I never stop hoping that she will tap back into the energy that unleased Boys for Pele on the world, because that album's raw emotion and experiemental composition and orchestration is, simply, a beautiful piece of architecture. But Scarlet's Walk, which Tori calls her "sonic novel," is a true masterpiece. Taken in from beginning to end, and taking the months (years?) necessary to parse the human, historic, geographic and spiritual elements that make up the album, it's simply a work of genius. Those who think it is too even-keeled are mostly fans who miss Tori's fire, and those who think it is too esoteric simply are not convinced that it's more than pop music, or aren't interested in music being any more than simple entertainment.
Midwinter Graces is Tori's second "librarian" work. It is the product of what makes Tori Amos unique and it is an example of her high ambitions coming together into a master work. All of her personal culture (minister's daughter, mother's daughter, feminist, expat, mother) and spiritual struggles and inquisitiveness (varieties of Western religious history and spiritual and magical beliefs) are threaded through these songs--but they don't suffer from it.
There is not a bad song or a failed experiement on this album. While some songs are straightforward reinterpretations of Christmas music, most are Amos essays, commentaries on her relentless faith that Christianity and other religious beliefs have strong, even holy, roots, but that they've been eroded by time and human corruption.
But don't worry: If that's something that you hate about Tori Amos (it's the main reason I love her, personally), you won't hear it if you choose not to. Midwinter Graces can be received as a simple gift of lovely holiday music that reaches back into history and forward into the future, and which is based on, above all other things, love, family and peace among men and women. There is nothing profane or even objectionable, unless you object to other people having points of view that are not exactly the same as yours.
The one song that pushes the 'holiday' genre envelope is also the best on the album. And most exciting, Tori reveals in the interview video that comes with the iTunes album download, that song, "Winter's Carol," is actually taken from her musical-in-the-works, The Light Princess.
During the period when I interviewed Tori in February of 2008 for Geek Monthly magazine, she wasn't shy about talking about the musical. Since then, she has said little about the project, although some of her comments have suggested that the project might be experiencing developmental difficulties, and might even be on hold. And let's be honest, Tori works best when following her own muse, not the instruction of stage directors and producers, and to imagine a (likely) piano-driven stage musical interpretation of a Victorian fairy tale about a princess who can't keep from flying except when she's underwater...well, let's just say that's classic Tori ambition.
But after hearing "Winter's Carol," I'm not only excited about the musical; I'm confident that it will live up to its potential, at the very least musically. I will be one of the first in line for tickets. And yes, I will fly to London just to see the play.
This album is a gift. If you haven't bought it yet, here is a preview someone made. (Just a note about this preview: It doesn't do justice to a lot of the songs--including "Winter's Carol"--as they typically undulate from verse to verse to chorus and back...so don't judge based upon 30-second previews!)
Happy Midwinter!
The amazingly gifted, insightful and intelligent Tori Amos has graced us with Midwinter Graces, her first-ever seasonal album.
As might be expected, the album draws on historically religious and seasonal arrangements, but Tori tweaks them all, adding surprising (and surprisingly reverent and respectful) elements that make them all her own.
The music speaks (sings) for itself, but the most exciting and one of the most beautiful tracks of all is "Holly, Ivy, and Rose," a duet with Tori's daughter Natashya. It's gorgeous.
This is a great new seasonal album that doesn't bore with "new" interpretations of songs like "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman." It's new enough to be revelatory and familiar enough to give you that warm tingle of the holiday season.
But don't listen to me. Listen for yourself:
"(I was) extremely disappointed. Well, we go back to this concept of emancipation. The idea of 'We will overcome' from the great Dr. Martin Luther King, was made flesh as Obama was put into the office and yet at the same time another group of people were subjugated by some of those voters.
"A lot of people were saying, 'Well you have to understand that a lot of the voters are Democratic and Christians, the ones that had an issue with rights for the gay community'. And I would say how, in any way, is that the Christian path?"
Our muse, Tori Amos, sang at the annual Montreux, Switzerland music festival in 1991 (before her groundbreaking album Little Earthquakes) and in 1992 (post-superstardom). A new DVD-and-CD release commemorates these performances almost two decades later.
Tori Amos - Thank You
For fans and even musicians who may not be obsessive about Tori, this is a treasure, as we get to see a young woman of almost supernatural musical talent change from confident opening act (for The Moody Blues) to a star in her own right.
The CD track list is unsurprising, but even for those of us who have dozens (hundreds?) of bootleg tapes from the early '90s, these are among the earliest recordings and, certainly, offer up the best sound quality.
Carbon-made, found her at the end of a chain.
"Time to race," she said. "Race the downhill.
"
Behind crystalline irises, loons can dive where the world bleeds white.
Just keep your eyes on her. Keep, don't look away.
Keep your eyes on her horizon.
Bear claw, free fall, a gunner's view. Black and blue. Shred in ribbons of lithium.
Blow by blow, her mind cut in sheets, layers deep, now unraveling.
Just keep your eyes on her. Keep, don't look away.
Keep your eyes on her horizon.
Get me Neil on the line.
No, I can't hold.
Have him read "Snow, Glass, Apples," where nothing is what it seems.
"Little Sis, you must crack this," he says to me, "you must go in again.
"
Carbon-made only wants to be unmade.
Blade to ice.
It's double-diamond time.
Keep your eyes on her. Keep, don't look away.
Keep your eyes on her horizon.
As you know, we're inspired by and infatuated with goddess Tori Amos around here, and even if we weren't, this is a good and important cause so...
Let's talk about sex!
There's an awesome new fund raising initiative by bloggers called the Grassroots Bloggers Book Marketing Campaign 2008 to raise money for RAINN, the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, which was co-founded by the amazing Tori many years ago.
RAINN is an insanely important hotline for survivors of sexual abuse and assaults, and they deserve your money. So as part of this initiative, we're going to become an open book and tell you about OUR sex life. Every day we hope to give you some new little nugget that will excite you, make you laugh, or make you gag! (As for us, we no longer have a gag reflex!)
Expect the first post later today. For now, read about the GBBMC2008 and please, please, please donate to RAINN!
PS: We invite you to post comments or send us an email with your own wonderful or horrible thoughts on sex. It's part of the animal experience! Don't be afraid of it!
Tori Amos's new album is political, and she's been commenting a bit on Britney Spears since the VMAs, as well. It's nothing new to Tori, though. She's not jumping on a bandwagon. She has talked for years about how the music industry consumes young women and then discards what's left. Clearly, there's not much left of Britney.
Here's a Tori performance followed by a bit of chitchat about the album and her feelings on Britney.
And since we're all about fashion here, here's Tori playing for a 2005/2006 Viktor & Rolf show in Paris. Enjoy!
We love Victor and Rolf because Tori Amos loves Victor and Rolf, and we'll follow her anywhere.
But...what?
Tori, dress a boy in this and make it look hot.
What's YOUR Guy Style?
Email us a picture or two
showing your personal style
and include a sentence or two
about what makes you stand out.
Remember: Accessories count,
so don't send us anything totally naked.
The most stylish guy will be featured here
each week
or month
or whenever we feel like it!
myguystyle@gmail.com
