Re: Tori Amos discussion

[TKR@ac.dal.ca]

Path: dal1!tkr
From: tkr@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: rec.music.gaffa
Subject: Re: Tori Amos discussion
Message-ID: <1994Aug5.003422.26393@dal1>
Date: 5 Aug 94 00:34:22 -0300
References: <1994Aug2.200523.14401@unix.brighton.ac.uk>
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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In article <1994Aug2.200523.14401@unix.brighton.ac.uk>, pptjc@brighton.ac.uk (Peter Chow <pptjc@uk.ac.bton.vaxk>) writes:
> I discovered something today. It's been bugging me for some time now 
> but I think I have the answer.
> 
> The question? - "Why don't I like Tori Amos?"
> 
> This was a tough one because I actually do like a lot of her tracks 
> a bit. The problem here is those last two words "a bit". In most 
> tracks I find something that I like or that I *really* like but 
> they are isolated and the whole leaves me unconvinced.
> 
> My sister only has the 'Little Earthquakes' album and the 'Cornflake 
> Girl' CD single so I can't speak for her new album but what I've 
> heard so far hasn't made much impact on me.
> 
> It's not a question of skill, Tori is a very competent 
> singer/songwriter/musician. The production is interesting and has 
> variety making the recordings involving. In fact, in terms of 
> production it seems a more intersting album than Kate's first; at 
> least that was my immediate impression upon playing Tori's album 
> directly after 'The Kick Inside'.
> 
> It's not really the songs themselves either; The lyrics are good, 
> delivered with expression and emotion. I could get used to her piano 
> style which has a definite jazzy feel sometimes and her 
> predisposition to dischords and the _angular_ shape of the music 
> (sudden changes in the feel or flow of the melody).
> 
> Much has been made of the comparisons between Kate and Tori but I 
> tried to put such thoughts aside while assessing Tori's music. 
> However, in the end it was a comparison that led to my 'discovery'.
> 
> Kate's songs have the same strength of emotion as Tori's but when I 
> listen to Kate it is with the clear understanding that the songs 
> personalities are those of actors. There is a strong escapism 
> element to them. This is where Tori's songs differ. They seem to be 
> real, too real. This would not be a bad thing except for the anger 
> and even sometimes hate that she expresses. It is this that leaves 
> the bad after-taste with me.
> 
> This goes some way to explaining why I like 'Cornflake Girl'. It is 
> a fictional work and has some of the most obscure lyrics I've ever 
> come across. This works in it's favour though as I can spend ages 
> pondering what on earth it's supposed to mean, if anything. The 
> track is also one that has more dynamics in the melody (less 
> monotonic than some of her vocal lines). It also reminds me of 
> Susanne Vega a bit.
> 
> OK that's it. My one and only posting relating to Tori Amos.
Interesting points.  While I do enjoy "Little Earthquakes" immensely, I could in no way compare it to "The Kick Inside" which is my all time
favorite, no contest.  But I see your point.  The Kate Bush
parallels were made too often and too easily; it automatically
sets you up to judge one artist's work by the other.  I agree with
you on the reality bit...Tori Amos' songs are so real they hurt.
Sometimes they're embarassingly intimate; I prefer to listen
to Amos alone because it's a private experience.  Bush, on the
other hand, has broken ground by going in precisely the
opposite direction: exploring the limits of fantasy and macabre,
beautiful unreality.  At least in her pre-Hounds days, could
be argued pre-Sensual days.  I mean, how can anyone listen to
the Infant Kiss, or Oh England my Lionheart or the Saxophone
Song and not get a sense that that the ordinary laws of the
universe might be suspended, just for a little while?  Amos
is earthy, and rejoices in positive/negative sexuality, pop
status, and women's roles.  Bush looks at these from a more
unearthly perspective.  This is not to criticize Tori Amos--
I was enchanted by her work the first time I heard it!  But
I have always thought that the links were overdrawn, or at
least drawn heavy-handedly.