Old album but playing it today I was just struck by the intense personal nature of each song. The music is wonderful and enjoyable all on its own but each song has a story to tell; some just plain nakedly revealing.

I'm also a fan of Under the Pink which was released after Little Earthquakes.

I've heard very little, if anything, from Tori Amos. I should remedy that.

Cheers

Little Earthquakes is one of my all-time favorite recordings. I can never escape the impression that Tori had a lifetime of experiences and demons that she was exorcising within that music. Precious Things is perfect example.

During her Dew Drop Inn tour I sat 2nd row center; and experienced 2 + hours of incredible music, just her and her piano. It was a small venue, and sat less than 3,500 people. If I live to be 100, I'll never forget what that concert felt like.

I wish that I could see her perform. Precious Things is a great song but then so are Crucify, Silent All these Years, Tear in Your Hand, etc...every song is a jewel. You may be right about her exorcising demons with this particular record...all you have to do is listen to Me and a Gun.

Yeah, she's sort of a little... different. Like Ani DiFranco. Not that she is like Ani DiFranco, but they're both sort of... different. I enjoy both, in small doses.

Tori does a nice live solo piano version of a song called Marianne on the first WXRV-FM Live from the River Music Hall collection (a bit obscure, I know, but a really enjoyable CD). Great-sounding piano, too; one of my test tracks.

I agree Tori can be quite intense. I first heard her Under the Pink and have been a fan since. Great pianist, lyricist with a great voice.

So I decided to give that Live from River Music Hall a chance and just ordered the CD. The artists look interesting and since it's a good recording, I can't go too wrong...and it has Ani DiFranco also. :)

I must be in a revealing, female, singer-songwriter mood. I'm listening to Marianne Faithfull Before the Poison right now...lotsa' hard miles...

I'll be very interested to hear what you think of it... I've always really enjoyed it, but it may be more as an artifact of a certain, rather mixed-up, time of my life (mid-1990s). Still enjoy it, though. Bruce Cockburn. Jonatha Brooke. Suzanne Vega. Cowboy Junkies Cool, cool stuff. YMMV :-)

I really like that album. Bog fan of her music. She does some intresting covers as well.

Great recording Joyce,
I only have it on cassette anymore so I dont listen to it often & have to be in the mood,Time for an upgrade maybe.
I saw her in Seattle for the "Under the pink" tour,
What stood out that I liked most were her cover versions
of Nirvana's "Smells like teen spirit" and Don mclean's
"American pie" ,She's a fabulous pianist & fun to watch!
A few weeks back at my local GW,I picked up used CD copys of The beekeeper & Boys from pele.
Im fonder of her older stuff~

I agree Tori can be quite intense. I first heard her Under the Pink and have been a fan since. Great pianist, lyricist with a great voice.

A fantastic talent indeed!:yes:

I'll be very interested to hear what you think of it... I've always really enjoyed it, but it may be more as an artifact of a certain, rather mixed-up, time of my life (mid-1990s). Still enjoy it, though. Bruce Cockburn. Jonatha Brooke. Suzanne Vega. Cowboy Junkies Cool, cool stuff. YMMV :-)

Jonatha Brooke is an amazing talent that I never understood why she didn't get more acclaim and widespread recognition. I saw in a place that holds about 150 and sat about 10 feet away, just her and the guitar. After the show she was kind enough to sign autographs. This was several years ago, that autographed cd is one of our most valued posessions. Great memories, great show, great talent!:thmbsp:

have it on CD great stuff

In the winter of 1992 I was finishing up my senior year of high school. One morning before school I turned on either VH1 or MTV and saw the video for Silent All These Years. I was blown away be her fiercely red hair, her superb lyrics and unique vocals.

Little Earthquakes is to this day one of my favorite albums. This album really hit me at the right time in my life. I was just getting ready to strike out on my own and I could relate intimately with the themes of much of the record. If I were ever to meet Tory Amos, I would thank her very much for this record: It has always been a friend to me when I needed it.

A few weeks back at my local GW,I picked up used CD copys of The beekeeper & Boys from pele.
Im fonder of her older stuff~

Boys From Pele isn't nearly as accessible as Little Earthquakes or Under the Pink. The lyrics have hints of meanings but somehow manage to approach inscrutable. Artists try out different things at different times and some work and some...not so well.

I hadn't heard about Jonatha Brooke so now I'm looking forward to the new CD even more. :) It's always fun to find "new" artists.

She spent her early years in Newton-Conover (literally less than an hour from here) and her parents still live there. Every now and again she'll mention something in a song that is 100% North Carolina, and that makes me fonder of her still. The night after the concert I saw was an off night for her, and she mentioned going to see her folks from the stage.

If you ever get a chance to hear her live, I highly recommend it. Especially if the venue is small. The closer you can get to the stage, the better the experience. She closed the night with a brilliant cover of Lennon/McCartney's She's Leaving Home; and as the lights went down the security people opened the side doors of the auditorium. We we all warned not to leave by that way, so (being a good boy) I went out through the front. Sure enough, those few brave souls who left by the side doors were rewarded by a half hour long "meet and greet" outside her bus, and word has it, that she shook hands, hugged necks, and signed autographs the entire time.

Go see her. I don't think you'll regret it.

I hadn't heard about Jonatha Brooke so now I'm looking forward to the new CD even more. :) It's always fun to find "new" artists.

Try her first CD with her first 'group', Jonatha Brooke and the Story. It's called Grace and Gravity. "The Story" is Jennifer Kimball, an excellent singer in her own right. Listen to Jennifer's work of the Wayfaring Strangers debut CD, Shifting Sands of Time. That is an interesting album; located almost exactly at the intersection of a Venn diagram of classical music, jazz, bluegrass, and klezmer music. Well... I like it, anyway!

Another Jonatha Brooke FYI...
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/music/rock/messages/8/86804.html

Tori does a nice live solo piano version of a song called Marianne on the first WXRV-FM Live from the River Music Hall collection (a bit obscure, I know, but a really enjoyable CD). Great-sounding piano, too; one of my test tracks.

I received the Live from the River Music Hall CD in the mail yesterday afternoon and have been giving it a listen. There are some very nice tunes on here and it's well recorded. One of the suprises for me was the Willy Porter instrumental. I think that I need to get better acquainted with Ani DiFranco and Jonatha as both of the songs were excellent. This sampler style CD is a great way to hear a variety of good artists.

"Roadbone"... it's phenomenal, isn't it? That particular recording does have some distortion in it, actually... but it's still amazingly cool.

Did you enjoy the Tori Amos track?

Wow, haven't thought of this recording in a long long time. My ex-fiance' was a huge fan going back to Little Earthquakes, and I got sucked up into it as I went to see her live several times in the early/mid '90s. I liked her much better live than recorded (though she was great there, too). Her voice just sounded fully and even more emotional live, especially when it was just her and a piano.

Recently I discovered Kate Bush and because of that..a kind of have to question Tori Amos' "uniqueness". She seems now, to me, to be an actually less unique Kate Bush. VERY talented, but not so much 'out of nowhere' as I had thought back then.

(FWIW) I stopped short of invoking Kate Bush earlier; Tori Amos is altogether darker and scarier than Kate Bush, I'd say.

Did you enjoy the Tori Amos track?

Yes. I've heard Marianne before; it's on Boys From Pele. This is a wonderful recording however.

I wish she'd come back to the states and tour again.

I have seen her perform 4 times, all were awesome performances. With just a piano and her voice she can hold your attention and draw you into her world.
She will leave you breathless for sure. I am much fonder of her early albums but I like boys for pele, after that album she has lost my interest though. I haven't listened to her in awhile, I should revisit some of that stuff. Speaking of piano players, Ben Folds has a new album out, I think it's called, Way too normal", I'm gonna go pick that up, love me some Ben Folds, who is also a great live performer.:yes:

Try the new DVD "Tori Amos: LiveAt Montreux". Early performances from '91 & '92. Really good sound quality too.

You might also check out an Al Stewart album, "Last Days of the Century". His band helped her on "Y Kant Tori Read" and she sings back-up on his album. The newest CD version has 3 extra tracks that she co-wrote with Stewart.

'Under the Pink',is where I first encountered Tori.

I think she's a Genius.
She and Kate Bush are quite individual.
I have about 5 or 6 LPs of Tori's.