Tori Amos - To Venus & Back
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Tori AmosBrand: AMOS,TORI
Edition: Music CD
Format: Live
CD Release Date: 1999-09-21
Music Label: Atlantic
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Bliss
- Juarez
- Concertina
- Glory Of The 80's
- Lust
- Suede
- Josephine
- Riot Poof
- Datura
- Spring Haze
- 1000 Oceans
- Precious Things
- Cruel
- Cornflake Girl
- Bells For Her
- Girl
- Cooling
- Mr. Zebra
- Cloud on My Tongue
- Sugar
- Little Earthquakes
- Space Dog
- Waitress
- Purple People
Free Music Notes for To Venus & Back
Free Music Review: The Freak Flag Still Flies on Planet Tori
Hit: 5 Stars
To Venus and Back is, even in the Tori canon, a unique record. Originally planned as a live album, it unexpectedly grew a full-length studio record in the process; as far as I know, it's the only example of such a division in the history of (relatively) mainstream rock music (well, my roommate just informed me that Neil Young did a similar thing called Journey Through the Past, but that was a single album that was a side of each, and I think it's out of print). Aside from the bracketed example, bands often record a few new studio cuts to sweeten up their live offerings, but this one is truly different. The difference is Tori herself, of course; she never does anything by any method but her own, and surely that counts for something.
The studio half of To Venus and Back picks up where '98's From the Choirgirl Hotel left off, with the synthesisers, drum machines and 'treated' vocals that were so prevelent on that record still very much in evidence, adding elements of spice and artificial glitter to Tori's usually very organic songs. Like its predecessor, Venus achieves a fair balance between these supposed opposites; the synth, fake drums and other sound effects are used quite effectively, merely providing adornments that enhance songs that are strong enough to stand up without them. Many acts, if you take away their computers and 'backing' tracks, they have no legs to stand on; these days, we'd barely have a music scene if all the computers crashed! With Tori, this is not so: 'Bliss,' the song that opens the studio half (and was its second single), is an excellent example. It stands on its weird, provocative, whatever-you-think-they-mean lyrics and its basic hook; the next song, 'Juarez,' however, does depend a bit more for its haunting effectiveness on technology. Oh well, they can't all be perfect for the stage, and perhaps some songs just aren't meant to be played live (ask the Beatles about this, why don't ya?). It works well on record. 'Concertina,' the third single, is a sweet little song; perhaps that's all there is to say about it- besides this: read the words. There's more going on here than meets the ear.
'Glory of the '80s,' the last single (I think; I might have the order slightly wrong), is a delightful, danceable piece of autobiography: Tori actually was in a commercial with Raquel Welch at the nadir of her professional existence; that lady actually told her to 'tone it down' when Tori's natural magnetism and energy inevitably threatened to upstage her. It's an excellent evocation of the plastic paradise that was Ell-Lay circa 1980-whatever; you can almost hear the endless phonies sipping wine-coolers and sniffing coke with C-notes in the background. 'Lust' follows (doesn't it always?), with the good, old Bosendorfer a bit higher in the mix than is typical on this record, and to good effect; it sounds like water dripping onto parched, needy ground, and her voice is honey sultrily satisfying a deadly sweet tooth. Sorry; just can't devise a better metaphor right now; this record makes it hard to think. . .
'Suede' is next, another slow-burner that plays like an Eastern mantra that, if repeated enough, will surely lead to enlightenment. One of the album's best new tracks, 'Josephine,' follows; it's a bit of historical balladry set to a martial rhythm, from the point of view of Napoleon on the battlefield, still thinking of his distant love. Aside from 'Bliss' and 'Glory of the '80s,' it may be the best song here. Perhaps the oddest title comes next: 'Riot Poof.' This one is quite difficult to describe. It has the tang of good funk to it, as well as more weird lyrics that one would be hard pressed to define in a sound-bite or less, so I give up. Now we come to 'Datura,' perhaps the most danceable and remixable tune on this, Tori's most danceable overall record. The lyrics evoke William Burroughs during his cut-up phase, and like the song's coda, where she says again and again, 'dividing Canaan,' are abstractly provocative, the sort of thing you can sit and devise a kaleidoscopic plethora of meanings for. I must say, doing that is one of the great pleasures of Tori's work, but it's perhaps fortunate that her lyrics are not the foundation of any major religions (yet). If they were, there would already be a thousand denominations squabbling over their meaning.
'Spring Haze' is up next. It sounds like a meditation on the difficulty of interpreting spiritual matters, and an expression of frustration with the inevitable vagueness of any definitions we might devise. Of course, I could be wrong. . .
'1,000 Oceans' finishes off the studio material; it's the most 'organic' sounding song on the record, depending upon nothing more than voice and piano. The percussion and sound effects are no more than light seasoning on this lovely song, a ballad concerning love at long distance, a topic anyone who tours for a living must become quite intimate with. It's an ideal conclusion for a record that most artists would surely be content to end here.
But not our Tori. Put in the second disc, and immediately the very organic rhythm of a real drum kit pounds away, followed by an equally percussive, very familiar piano riff. Why, it's 'Precious Things!' Of course; how better to begin her first full-length, official live record? It's a song all of us old-school Toriphiles hold close to our hearts. Next up is 'Cruel,' a song that would've been new on the tour here represented (I, however, am listening to 'Winter' next, having devised an augmented mix of the album including the various live b-sides from the singles, all of which you can pick up here on amazon, I believe). It stands up nicely to the live treatment, burning as brightly as on the original record, if not more so. Next up is a bit of Under the Pink, with the classic single 'Cornflake Girl' and the lovely 'Bells for Her,' then 'Girl' from Little Earthquakes, a lesser-known gem that deserves more of the spotlight. Then, increasing the obscurity factor, Tori plays 'Cooling,' the U.S. b-side of 'Spark.' Mr. Zebra,' a whimsical little thing from Boys for Pele follows that and is itself succeeded by further relative obscurities: 'Cloud On My Tongue,' from Pink, and 'Sugar,' a cult-favourite b-side from the Earthquakes-era. One of the benefits, I figure, of being a major 'cult artist' rather than a conventional rock star with a more mainstream following is the ability to basically play whatever you want live. Not having a standard string of 'hits' on the radio and MTV, but rather having a devoted following who are familiar with even the most obscure of your songs and respond to them all with enthusiasm puts both Tori and her loving cult in an enviable position. She doesn't have to do certain songs every night until she cannot stand them, and we get more diverse shows and live recordings. As her live bootleg set from the Beekeeper/Original Sensuality/Summer of Sin tours prove, aside from maybe two or three songs from the new record, each show is different; you can see her on any three nights and get a very different set each time. What more do you want?
At any rate, Little Earthquakes is the next number on this wonderful record, building up to an excellent triple encore of 'Space Dog' and 'Waitress' from Under the Pink, and finally a great b-side from the UK single for 'Spark,' 'Purple People.' All-in-all, a great show, whether augmented by the extra tracks I'm listening to or not. Special mention goes out to her band from that time, Drummer Matt Chamberlain, Bassist Jon Evans and Guitarist Steve Caton in particular. They not only complimented Tori's piano on these songs, they were full participants in the music on this aptly titled 'Plugged In' tour, making this one of the truly great live albums in Rock's long illustrious history.
Tori Amos made history in 1999 by making not only one of the great studio records of the time, but also this wonderful live one, and all in the same album. Neil Young notwithstanding, this has not been done before or since; it may never be done again. And though Tori would return to a more organic style on her next original full-length record, Scarlet's Walk (after finally pushing the high-tech production a bit too far on her 2001 covers album, Strange Little Girls), her foray into synth, drum machines, extended remixes and treated vocals, beginning with parts of '96's Boys for Pele and ending with the afforementioned covers record was as interesting, as strange and as authentic as she is. To Venus is perhaps its ultimate successful expression, but the second part serves as a reminder that while it's fun and rewarding to go to Venus once in a while, we must eventually come back down to our beautiful Earth.
To Venus & Back Poster
No Description Available.Genre: Popular Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 21-SEP-1999
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