Tori Amos - The Beekeeper
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Free Music Notes for The Beekeeper
Free Music Review: This embodies you...
Hit: 5 Stars
Tori's 19 song, almost 80 minutes in length, 8th album is a curve in a different direction for the once choirgirl. 'The Beekeeper' has much more than just Tori and her piano from her earlier albums and steps it up with bass, guitars, and drums.
This is another concept album like 'Scarlet's Walk', and is sorted into different gardens. The gardens are as follows:
*roses and thorns ('Sleeps with Butterflies', 'Marys of the Sea', 'Jamaica Inn')
*rock ('Hoochie Woman', 'Cars and Guitars', 'Witness')
*desert ('Barons of Suburbia', 'General Joy', 'The Beekeeper')
*elixirs and herbs ('Toast', 'Martha's Foolish Ginger', 'Sweet the Sting')
*the orchard ('Mother Revolution', 'Ribbons Undone', 'Original Sinsuality')
*the greenhouse ('Goodbye Pisces', 'Ireland', 'The Power of Orange Knickers', 'Parasol')
Though most of the songs on here won't give you goosebumps like the older Tori when she was spontaneous and furious but she's older now and experimenting new ways to create her music. 'The Beekeeper' isn't an album that will grow on you, you either like it or you don't. Some Tori fans love it while others will hate it. It's all in your perspective. It's no 'Little Earthquakes' or 'Boys For Pele' because it's not a repeat album. Tori NEVER repeats herself. She has a sound, masters it, then moves on. People need to learn to let go. Not every album is going to be like 'Little Earthquakes' or 'From the Choirgirl Hotel' - that's not Tori. She goes through musical phases and I'm glad she does, hearing the same old thing time after time is boring and that's how many other artists I used to adore have now lost my interest. For some reason, I don't think Tori will ever lose my attention. She's evolving and I doubt she will ever lose her imagination.
The album starts off with the piano driven 'Parasol', the way her voice wraps around the lyrics is gorgeous and the repetition yet reversed lines are captivating. The next track, 'Sweet the Sting', is a groovy, funky, risk-taking song. The harmonies are beautiful. 'The Power of Orange Knickers' features Damien Rice, their voices blend perfectly together. The song itself is breath taking, 'who are these terrorists?'. 'Jamaica Inn' is surely to be a fan favourite with its honest lyrics and sweet melody: 'the sexiest thing is trust'. Next is 'Barons of Suburbia', you can hear the sweet piano and Tori's soprano backing vocals. Lyrically, it's a story teller and it's reminiscent of the Scarlet's Walk era. Next is the single 'Sleeps with Butterflies' and in this song, you'll find beauty, grace, and inspiration. The tickly piano and Tori's signature voice, it's brilliance. 'General Joy' is just that, it's a fun song and the vocals/lyrics remind me of the Little Earthquakes era.
'Mother Revolution' is reminiscent of Tori's early, slower, sad songs. It's pleasant and the piano is done perfectly. 'Ribbons Undone' is a sensitive, sweet ballad dripping with light piano and sensual vocals. Lyrically inspiring and intelligent, a definite must listen. 'Cars and Guitars' is different, but quite enjoyable. Tori's deeper range is still there. The lyrics seem like something you would hear on a Scarlet's Walk single as a Bside but there's nothing wrong with that. 'Witness' is an upbeat and organ driven song. It has a choir backing her and she talks a little fast at parts but that's Tori's unique way of mixing it up. Not similar to any other Tori track I've heard and that's great. 'Original Sinsuality' sounds like older Tori with the soaring vocals, it reminds me of 'Cooling' or 'Upside Down'. 'Ireland' is quite possibly the weakest track mostly because it doesn't even sound like Tori, but it's still enjoyable. It's not like I would skip it.
'The Beekeeper' is somehow creepy and is one of my favourites. The atmosphere she sets is impecable. 'Martha's Foolish Ginger' is another fun song, very summery. I like the instrument arrangements. 'Hoochie Woman' is another fun one, has this weird groovy thing going on and the vocals when she says 'Hoochie Woman' are fabulous. 'Goodbye Pisces' is a sweet yet sad song. 'Marys of the Sea' is a louder, piano song. The vocals are perfect and will be a fan favourite I'm sure. Lastly, 'Toast', a sweet way to end the album. It's how Tori ends most of her albums - on the softer side. It's 80 minutes of bliss.
Overall, 'the Beekeeper' is different and musically creative. It's not like most Tori material but it's still Tori.
And by the way, MusicalGenius "Jeremy", Poe had the hit "Angry Johnny" not Tori Amos and you don't make music for the fans, you make music for yourself. You're obviously not a Musical Genius.
TRACK LISTING AND RATINGS (* = my favourite):
01. Parasol*: 5/5
02. Sweet The Sting: 4.5/5
03. The Power Of Orange Knickers*: 5/5
04. Jamaica Inn: 4.5/5
05. Barons Of Suburbia: 4.5/5
06. Sleeps With Butterflies*: 5/5
07. General Joy*: 5/5
08. Mother Revolution*: 5/5
09. Ribbons Undone: 4.5/5
10. Cars And Guitars: 4/5
11. Witness: 4.5/5
12. Original Sinsuality*: 5/5
13. Ireland: 3.5/5
14. The Beekeeper*: 5/5
15. Martha's Foolish Ginger*: 5/5
16. Hoochie Woman: 4.5/5
17. Goodbye Pisces: 4.5/5
18. Marys Of The Sea*: 5/5
19. Toast: 4.5/5
Free Music Review: Worth the buzz
Hit: 5 Stars
I think this could be Tori's best, or most consistent, CD. I began by putting 12 of the 19 songs on my iPod. Now all of them are there. It doesn't have the raw emotion of Earthquakes or Pele, but the songs are more intricate, multi-layered, and wise.
Song by song:
Parasol: Not an immediate grabber, but it's dark, swirling and hypnotic after a few listens.
Sweet the Sting: A soul-infused standout, complete with gospel choir and Tori crooning. Nice serpentine imagery.
The Power of Orange Knickers: Tori and Damien Rice chant "The Power of Orange Knickers" at the beginning of the song like an incantation. This one sticks in your head, and is almost impossibly catchy.
Jamaica Inn: I skipped this track at first, but it's grown on me. It's subtle and pretty like a flowered dress.
Barons of Suburbia: Lots of time signature changes make this song lively and memorable. Tori yells, SHE IS RISEN, BOYS at the end.
Sleeps with Butterflies: You've heard it already. I don't think it goes into adult contemporary territory, because it's saved by Tori touches: not clinging to the tail of your kite; go on and fly, boy.
General Joy/Mother Revolution/Ribbons Undone: These are sleepers. You may not like them at first, but they're like Swiss clocks. Lots of intricate parts that make them worth listening to again.
Cars and Guitars: Sounds like a song about a relationship that dissolved because the guy was gay. "You went to the drive-in to order some boy." Tori has fun with her voice here, growling in the lower registers, then shooting up high and wistful.
Witness: I love the refrain, singing too fast with words tumbling over each other. Sounds like an intriguing mix of Kate Bush and Tori. Really two songs in one, because it starts out funky and playful, has a plaintive piano interlude in the middle, then gets strong and funky again.
Original Sinsuality: Short & sweet girl-and-piano song. For all the fans who are saying "Where's the piano?" - it's front and center here.
Ireland - Yes, Tori says "Driving in my Saab" but I think she is poking gentle fun at herself, and the sha-na-nas are sweet and reveal Tori's cozy side.
The Beekeeper - really nice electronic number. About death ("I'm the one who taps you on your shoulder when it's time"). Somber and interesting.
Martha's Foolish Ginger - at first, this was my favorite song on the album. Good drum work by M. Chamberlain. The lyrics are nostalgic against a faintly ominous musical backdrop - "Take with me down memory lane/Past the watermelon stand."
Hoochie Woman - a fun track with hand claps, R&B beat, and a story line about a woman whose man cheats on her, then asks her for a loan. She reminds us that she brings home "the Bacon." Playful, a welcome counterpoint to the more serious parts of the album.
Goodbye Pisces - beautiful song with music that sounds like waves.
Marys of the Sea - a strange mixture of '70s sound and melancholy, with Tori wailing "Hey" over the rising chords.
Toast - Tori's farewell to her brother Michael.
Free Music Review: Amos Reaches New Heights With 'The Beekeeper'
Hit: 5 Stars
With her newest creation, "The Beekeeper," Tori Amos has proven herself an ever-evolving musical force, never content to rest on her laurels or stick to a tried-and-true formula. With the lengthy collection of 19 tracks, separated into six themed 'gardens', the CD runs 80 minutes long and is full of both quality lyrics and intriguing subject matter where the red-haired pianist delves into the biblical history, ancient myths and the relationship between parent and child that transcends death and the passing of time.
The disc begins with one of her sharpest opening tracks, "Parasol," a tale concerning deep shock of betrayal. "The Power of Orange Knickers," which features vocals by singer/songwriter Damien Rice, finds Amos articulating betrayal on a grander scale, likening each human soul to a terrorist in the sense that we obliterate our innermost truths:
"Can somebody tell me now/Who is this terrorist/Those girls that smile kindly/Then rip your life to pieces?/Can somebody tell me now/Who is this terrorist/This little pill in my hand/That keeps the pain laughing?"
In "Marys of the Sea" Amos waxes on the largely unknown biblical story of Mary Magdelene, a recurring theme in her music, chronicling her journey after fleeing Jerusalem to the south of France, while opening herself off to fear in the context of Irish mythology with one of her most luxurious melodies yet, "Jamaica Inn."
Another exemplary track is "Sleeps With Butterflies," the set's lead single which finds the artist outrightly explaining what she needs, addressing the need for give and take between male and female to make a relationship work:
"I don't hold onto the tail of your kite/I'm not like the girls that you've known/But I believe I'm worth coming home to/Kiss away night/This girl only sleeps with butterflies/So go on and fly then boy."
The lyrical highlight of the disc comes with the heart-rendering title track, where Amos confronts her fears of her mother's mortality and the fact that they will one day have to part, mentioning her brother who was killed in a car crash this past November:
"Don't be afraid I/Promise that she will awake/Tomorrow somewhere/Wrap yourself around the tree of life/And the dance of the infinity of the hive/Take this message to Michael."
Furthemore, she reflects on her deep love and appreciation for her daughter in "Ribbons Undone," delivers one of her most savory melodies yet with "Cars and Guitars" and makes commentary on the war effort with the endearing "General Joy." She also adds a dash of humor to infidelity with "Hoochie Woman":
"He called me up and said `she has needs'/I said `you'll find `em on Barney's fourth floor'."
"The Beekeeper" is also available in a limited edition package that includes a bonus DVD with further insight into the album by Amos along with another song, "Garlands." Her newly released book "Piece By Piece," co-written with music journalist Ann Powers, has also been released to coincide with the new album and includes further detail on her creative process.
Free Music Review: Genius!
Hit: 5 Stars
It's her musical autobiography, though most of her albums have always felt that way so this doesn't seem all that new. She visits completely new musical stylings that are a total departure from her earlier works, save "Scarlet's Walk" and the new tracks on "Tales of a Librarian".
1. Parasol - up tempo with that wailing organ sound she seems to have fallen in love with. Smooth and intoxicating
2. Sweet the Sting - My personal favorite; rocking, sultry, that organ, a very funky drum beat and a chorus backing her up. Very funky gospel, delightfully dark
3. The Power of Orange Knickers - a smooth duet reminiscent of "Pretty Good Year" and the structure of the piano breaks in "Space Dog", both on her "Under the Pink" album
4. Jamaica Inn - Upbeat with sunny guitars, taken from a book of the same name
5. Barons of Suburbia - a trademark revenge song, presumably about neighbors, very angry piano and rolling bass
6. Sleeps with Butterflies - a very mature song that relies mostly on an acoustic guitar for drive, her voice is light and airy
7. General Joy - Very "Under the Pink" it sounds nothing like "The Wrong Band" but for some reason it reminds my husband and I both of that song
8. Mother Revolution - Slow; girl and piano like her earlier stylings with more of a beat, evolving into a lounge song that you can imagine playing during the credits of a movie
9. Ribbons Undone - like most of the songs it starts slow and evolves into a faster tempo, using more of the band. Still very moving, her voice is fragile
10. Cars and Guitars - slow rock, perfect for driving on a sunny day with the top down. I'm not sure if this was a single, but it should be a top selling one!
11. Witness - funky gospel, deep and dark
12. Original Sinsuality - all girl and piano, very "Bells for Her" with more flair
13. Ireland - An almost Caribbean swing to the guitar geniustically contrasted with a song about cruising to Ireland with friends. Another sunny-day driving song
14. The Beekeeper - slow and thin, melodic and dark
15. Martha's Foolish Ginger - military drums, sparse bass and light piano make this a fond remembrance song of friendship
16. Hoochie Woman - funky, gritty, bluesy, her voice is deep and raw. Love it!
17. Goodbye Pisces - smooth breakup song so much more mellow that most of her other ones
18. Marys of the Sea - smooth and upbeat, just beautiful
19. Toast (album) - woman and piano, just like the old days but with a much keener ear. Gorgeous.
20. Toast - not much different, the perfect endnote
The new Tori! It lacks the melodrama that forged "Boys for Pele" and has many of the elemental base of "Little Earthquakes", the production is brilliant. I would compare it to Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love" which, funny enough, Tori told VH1 she thought was "the best production job ever". Smart woman.
Free Music Review: Tori Amos' latest album
Hit: 5 Stars
There has been so many reviews on this album, all focusing on the same tracks generally. I have decided to do a simple track by track review: giving all the songs a mark out of 10, and if there are songs which I wish to elabarote in more detail, I will so below.
1. Parasol (9/10)
2. Sweet the Sting (9.5/10)
3. The Power of Orange Knickers (9/10)
4. Jamaica Inn (6/10)
5. Barons of Suburbia (9.5/10)
6. Sleeps With Butterflies (7/10)
7. General Joy (9.5/10)
8. Mother Revolution (9/10)
9. Ribbons Undone (6.5/10)
10. Cars and Guitars (7.5/10)
11. Witness (9.5/10)
12. Original Sinsuality (6.5/10)
13. Ireland (8/10)
14. The Beekeeper (9.5/10)
15. Martha's Foolish Ginger (5.5/10)
16. Hoochie Woman (9/10)
17. Goodbye Pisces (6.5/10)
18. Marys of the Sea (10/10)
19. Toast Album (6.5/10)
- Barons of Suburbia: I love this intro - it is around her best and inacessible intro's she has done for a long time, although the song then gets more mainstream through the verse 1, bridge, and the chorus sounds somewhat like Jamaica Inn because of it's mainstream-ness, so I was a bit disapointed with the chorus, but the rest of the song was excellent
- the Beekeeper: This is very long and could easily fit onto her Boys For Pele (my favourite Tori CD) album. The chorus is particularly haunting. It is the most original on The Beekeeper and one of her most original songs in general.
-Hoochie Woman: A short track - 2:35 which can be sumed up in one word (which is fun), it may be a bit mainstream but still fast and very good.
- Marys Of The Sea - This track is particularly underrated because it is at the end of the CD. It is very original and is strong from start to finish it is sandwiched between 2 bad tracks. It is odviously about Mary Magdeline.
Therefore, A better tracklisting would place Mary's Of The Sea as track 1, cutting Jamaica Inn, Ribbons Undone, Original Sinsuality, Marthas Foolish Ginger and Goddbye Pieces which are particularly boring, and I don't like them very much. Note that Sleeps With Butterflies was foolishly (pun intended pun intended) released as a lead single, which will be followed by Sweet The Sting (thank the record company).
I recommend you definatly purchase Tori's LITTLE EARTHQUAKES & BOYS FOR PELE which are my two favourite Tori albums and are both masterpieces, especially b.f.p which suprisingly (at 18 tracks) doesn't have a dull track.
The DVD is also very good, although Garlands is nothing special