Bliss

by

Tori Amos

Edit

"Bliss" is the first single that preceded the release of Tori's newest album, TO VENUS AND BACK. Although I embrace all of Tori's musical choices, I must admit that I was irked at first by the synthetic beat that flows throughout the title track as well as the fact that sometimes the other instruments mask her trademark piano. However, as I listened to the song more and more, it seemed to fit and I love it. "Bliss" is accompanied by two live tracks, "Hey Jupiter" (from the album BOYS FOR PELE) and "Upside Down" (a B-side on the US "Winter" single and the UK "Me and A Gun"/"Silent All These Years" singles). The live tracks truly show Tori's brilliant talent, particularly with the beautiful (but shortened!) "Hey Jupiter." There is a rather amusing introduction to "Upside Down," and although the track is performed wonderfully, she performed it much better live on the UK "Past the Mission" single. These live tracks are definitely worth the six bucks -- isn't everything by Tori worth it? I give this single the highest rating.

Tori Amos sinks lower and lower into her depths of sell-out, you can almost feel how desperately she secretly (or not so) wants to become a mainstream radio hit. With songs like Bliss and 1,000 Oceans she rehashes topics she's already addressed before in an unoriginal way, lowering her previously high standards of cryptic and interesting lyric writing and intuitive, brilliant piano composition. I don't begrudge Amos of her want to get radio play and more wide-spread acceptance, but if it means she has to abandon what was once an original outlook on music to pay for her new kitchen, I wish she's just starve for her art. Chalk it up to Amos fans, self proclaimed "Ears With Feet," to make this a hit.