God

by

Tori Amos

Edit

Amazon sent me an email asking me to review this CD. I have never written a review before. So: Six months ago I was sorting through old VHS cassettes (I'm in the movie business and get lots of 'em), and came upon a movie called "Hand of Fate." The movie was never released, and is good. The song over the end credits was by "Tori Amos." I had never heard of her (I'm 56 years old and listen mainly to Schoenberg, Henze, Boulez -- those folks), so I logged on to Amazon.com, found out that she has made lots of records, and ordered several based on buyer reviews (like the one you're reading now). One of the CDs I bought in this first group was Tori's single of "God." "God" (the song from her album "Under the Pink") is, needless to say, brilliant; its expressionism and atonality appeal to me especially as a Schoenberg fan. Tori's Cherokee version of "Home on the Range" is staggeringly, jaw-droppingly eloquent, and the two pieces of her "Piano Suite" make me long for her to compose more instrumental music. These are some of the loveliest piano minatures I know.

I have come to realize that what women have accomplished in "popular" music over the past 15 or 20 years is one of the most thrilling events in the history of artistic expression. And Tori Amos is certainly a prime example, if not THE prime example, of this, others being Gillian Welch, Patty Griffin, and Emily Bezar (whom, by the way, I discovered thanks to Amazon.com picking up on my interest in Tori. Amazon.com is the world's foremost music "educator," in my opinion. Yes, they often DO know what you would like, and what you should listen to.)

So: Three big thank yous are in order: First to whoever touched me with that "Hand of Fate" and led me to Tori; then to Amazon for making her work available to me; and last (but, as they used to say, not least) to Tori Amos. Tori, you move me every day. My jaw just keeps on dropping lower and lower with everything you do -- while my heart soars higher and higher. As the poet Haniel long wrote, "You, who make music of everything you touch, in the dark room of my life touch me. Touch hunger, make it Apollo, in the dark world."

I love the song "God" from Under the Pink, but I don't usually buy singles. Tori Amos is my big exception, I'm trying to buy all her music. I bought this because I thought I'd enjoy "Home On the Range", "All the Girls Hate Her", and "Over It." I was unpleasantly surprised to find that the last two songs were just instrumental and there was no singing at all. Tori played very well and all, but I buy her music because I like her voice and lyrics. Home On the Range was nice, but it's just that--the song "Home on the Range." Nothing spectacular. So, this was not Tori's best display.