Tori Amos - Tales of a Librarian: A Tori Amos Collection (Bonus DVD)
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.92 You Save: $15.04 (79%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.15 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Tales of a Librarian: A Tori Amos Collection (Bonus DVD)
Free Music Review: Tales of an Amazing Career.
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm a newcomer to Tori Amos' music, this being my first purchase of any of her music. I wasn't expecting much but by the first song's end I was sold. Her vocals are pristine and sincere with a grit that you don't get much anymore. Her piano playing compliments her voice perfectly. The piano isn't so loud that you have to strain to hear her voice, her vocals are put proudly on display. This will be, without any doubt, the first of many CDs I buy of hers.
Her writing could be considered somewhat controversial when she's singing about religion. This happens in several songs, those are indeed, some of the best songs though. God is probably my favorite track on this CD. It's a song that incorporates more than just a piano, but her lyrics are what stand out the most to me. Winter is a beautiful ballad, her voice is absolutely breathtaking here. Heartrenching is the best way to describe this song, you can truly feel her pain as she progresses through the song. Me And A Gun is another stand out merely for the fact that it's a capella. With touchy subject matter and a gorgeous voice how could this not be a stand out. Tear In Your Hand is a rather upbeat song. I really can't describe this song, I just love the way she throws her voice in the bridge, everything about this is ear catching.
The DVD is extremely minimal but it's a nice treat. The live tracks are taken from a private sound check. This is where she proves that her voice sounds exactly the same live as it does on a CD, the sound check contains three tracks with Northern Lad standing out the most to me. There are two audio tracks-Putting the Damage On and Mr. Zebra-and while you're listening you get to see some candid pictures of Tori and then photo shoot pictures. There is also a photo gallery and lyrics you can view at the main menu.
A few of the best songs on this CD are Precious Things, Mary, God, Winter, Crucify, and Tear In Your Hand. Every song is deserving of a listen or ten. This is a great collection of songs for newcomers like me so I reccommend this to everybody, I think anybody who is open-minded will find something that will captivate them in this disc.
Free Music Review: Great Books from The Library
Hit: 5 Stars
It's never easy to fill a greatest hits or best-of collection by an ecletic and prolific artist like Tori Amos. I wouldn't even call this a greatest hits or a best-of. It's neither cos Tori never really had any chart-busters except for the minor hits Cornflake Girl and the remix of Professional Window. This is not really a best-of cos some great tracks such as China and Caught a Lite Sneeze were left of it, decidedly since Tori already left Atlantic and to prevent cannibalization of sales of older albums.But nevertheless, this is a competent 20-track anthology from one of rock's greatest and introspective artist. From her emotionally charged debut where she croons the superb Crucify to the confessional Silent All These Years, Tori Amos brought with her greater aspirations and creativity with each release. On her most bizzare album yet, Boys for Pele, she scored her biggest UK hit Professional Widow in a remixed form since the original was too avant garde for radio. Her most accessible album From The Choigirl Hotel also gave us such great songs like Spark, Raspberry Swirl (not here) and Cruel. Tori Amos' appeal has always lie in her ability to write about her intimate experiences in life and illustrating them vividly in musical forms. There are times when she gets all weird but her consistency has never been tampered.
All selections here are remastered, showing that Tori values her songs and fans that she would take the time to remaster her older hits for greater aural pleasure and re-record two b-sides (Mary and Sweet Dreams). There are also two unreleased tracks Angekl and Snow Cherries From France, both of which add to the stellar body of work from Tori.
Well there are imperfections especially when other better known tracks are left out and none of the tracks from Strange Little Girls (her last Atalntic album) and Scarlet's Walk make an appearance. Atlantic's intentions are all commercial but at least we still get to enjoy a fine enough collection from the revered rock lady. Old fans will enjoy the memories while casual fans can begin to appreciate.
Free Music Review: The Best Tales Of A Strange Librarian
Hit: 5 Stars
On November 18th, 2003, one of the five most influential rock stars of all time according to Q magazine released her first ever collection. Tori Amos, the American pianist, composer and singer made up a compilation, entitled Tales Of A Librarian, of twenty of her favourite songs which she describes to be her musical autobiography.The album is not just another ordinary "Best Of", however, as Tori has personally revisited and reconditioned the original material "to offer a new perspective" on some songs she particularly enjoys. Furthermore, two new compositions ("Angels" and "Snow Cherries From France") are included, as well as a couple of extremely rare non-LP songs ("Mary" and "Sweet Dreams"). In addition to all this, a bonus DVD comes along with Tales Of A Librarian, featuring songs recorded live during sound check of the final show of Amos' 2003 North-American tour.
Despite being of uncommon quality, some negative points about the collection also have to be taken into consideration. Much attention was given to her first solo album, Little Earthquakes (1991), from which six songs have been taken, while not even one composition from her last release, Scarlet's Walk (2002), features among Tori's best "tales". Also, only four insignificant songs (except for the funny "Professional Widow") were taken from her epic third album released in 1996, Boys For Pele. This has probably disappointed some Ears With Feet which is how her fans call themselves, as hymns like "Hey Jupiter" or "A Sorta Fairytale" are missing from Tori Amos' long-expected first compilation.
Tales Of A Librarian may not be the perfect selection for all ears, but Amos' personal taste is surely worth taking into account. Songs like "Me And A Gun", which tells us "the things that go through your head" when you are being raped, and "Cornflake Girl", greatly appreciated by the critics, more than make up for any possible failing due to Tori's eccentric opinion about her own career.
Free Music Review: My favorite librarian....
Hit: 5 Stars
Although there was some stuff left out from here later CD's, I feel that this best of is a great collection of Tori's work. The most intense music from her work was included here (e.g. Silent all these years), despite the fact that there are moments where it just seems glib (Mary, God). I don't know what to think about this genius, so me being a critic seems pretty unfair...all that I do know is that this woman sends me places with her music that no one else can, and there are just simply bone-chilling moments on this CD that is worth the price of admission...the DVD is a great bonus, but I kind of would have liked some live concert stuff versus the 'sound check'. Well, heck, it is still Tori and I liked it anyhooo.
I guess that fans like me are the ones that have helped propelled Tori into the star she is...and rightfully so, because she is one special woman. This collection is great for those that don't have all of her stuff, and want a composite of her work up to 'Scarletts Walk'. I am not sure that the bonus tracks are worth the price of admission - it is just up to you, the other mega-million Tori fans...All I can say is that this intense collection of music is not for the timid - it reaches out to ones ready to take on listening to lyrics about real life, love and pain - not the crap the floods the airwaves today...
I am not exactly a young guy (46), and hearing Tori brought me back to the 70's where I felt a lot of quality female singing and songwriting was happening. The years beyond that had their moments, but hearing Tori was a welcome relief to what seemed to me as becoming a battle-zone of angry and kind of crappy female singers....please don't get me wrong, as I still love Stevie Nicks, Linda Rondstat, Pat Benatar, Janice Ian and Joni Mitchell...guess Tori just brings me back, and forward at the same time...
Tales...just get it NOW!!!!
Free Music Review: Tori Amos's breathtaking sonic autobiographical tale.
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a beautiful piece of sonic art, a collection of a tale from Tori Amos. Whether you are a long time, big "fan" (a.k.a. Ears With Feet) or just getting to know Tori and her music, this album could satisfy either palate. Straight from he mouth of Tori Amos, the CD is described as "It's more of a sonic autobiography; a collection of songs that are closer to telling the story of this woman's life." On the cover of this CD + DVD is Tori Amos dressed in pink sitting in a swing back black chair which ties in her fantasy of thinking of herself as a Librarian, a storyteller. The album opens as a fold out of four squares -- left another picture of Tori in her Librarian character albeit with a different hat and change of clothes, next is the CD, beside that to the right is the DVD and finally is a folder incasing the Tales of a Librarian CD + DVD booklet. The booklet includes lyrics to the songs on this CD and 5 pictures of Tori in her Librarian attire.
Tori revisits the songs she has sung and played for over a decade. Starting from the album Little Earthquakes, Tori tells her journey. The collection of songs on Tales of a Librarian were personally picked by Tori. If you know her music by heart you will be able to hear Tori reworking the songs. It's quite a treat but the album is a desert with a cherry on top.
The DVD is fabulous both in sound and visual. Watching the DVD you feel as if you get to be front row of your own private Tori concert. The footage on the DVD was recorded during sound-check on the last day of her Lottapianos (2003) tour. There is no band on stage, just Tori and her piano.
Tales of a Librarian is a beloved gift to my Tori Amos collection. It truly is a special set. I have listened to it over and over again. It's a wonderful album to have. I definitely give this album five out of five pink stars.