TORI AMOS: New book and album to drop 2020

Lioness will NOT be ignored!

(Reportedly) New song title included in the upcoming book: MARY’S RAVEN.

This has GOT TO BE connected to Mary’s Eyes 😢

I want another band album 😰

R3 Um, no.

This bitch has yet to produce a SOLO PIANO ALBUM OF ORIGINAL MUSIC and you’re still pining for “banNdz albuhmz”?

No.

She needs to strap on her highest high heels and give us an album of raw, unedited, solo-piano songs. She’s teased us during the last couple of albums and I haven’t been hard on her because she’s been producing exceptional work the last 5-10 years, minus a few disasters.

Still, I want a solo fucking album from a prodigious pianist! Is that too much to fucking ask?

I’m team band as well. Loved the last album, but I love it when she rocks.

R5 So, you don’t want her to release an album of solo-piano recordings?

If her voice sounded like it used too I would. Her voice has become too thin since The Beekeeper. I miss her 90s voice. She’s still my fav though

The piano 🎹 is her voice.

New on K-tel records and tapes: "Sad Girls of the 90s"!

Jewel; Alanis Morrissette; Natalie Imbruglia; Tori Amos; Enya...

R9 is a fucking clueless moron

I would like her to re-examine a Under The Pink style recording.

I suspect that if she did, she worries that the lack of thicker orchestration might underscore some of the, well.....weakness in her voice, as it is today.

I thought “Unrepentant Geraldines” had a distinctly “...Pink” flavor.

I want a solo album along the lines of songs like Mother, Bells for Her, Thoughts, Here. In My Head, Yes, Anastasia (yes, I know it has orchestra but most of it is solo), Cornflake Girl (dame as Mother but re: band), Horses, Muhammad My Friend, Not the Red Baron, To the Fair Motormaids of Japan (!!!)), Sister Named Desire, Alamo, Frog on My Toe, Toodles Mr. Jim, Beulah Land, Never Seen Blue...

Okay, I’m going to be here forever but you get my point.

I have a suspicion that as a result of her mother’s death, she may be looking to simplify her sound and go back to something more organic or ... solo.

She started playing piano for her mom, when they were home alone, and the men were off to school and work. She’s often spoken of her mother playing records for her and then asking her to playing them back for her on the piano.

Tori knew how to play before she knew how to properly speak. It’s her true voice as far as I’m concerned, and it’s the main thing that sets her apart from her elders and peers. Her playing is so raw and elemental.

At her best, she can fill a stadium with the by turns thunderous and effervescent sounds of her piano playing.

Another perfect example of RAW SOLO Tori.

And this MASTERPIECE was in part improvised using another song (Take Me With You). She don’t need no fucking band.

Fan preview review of Resistance.

I’m definitely buying it and praying it’s better than Piece by Piece.

[Quote] The piano 🎹 is her voice.

You are correct r8. However, her vocals are her voice as well. She can emote like no other artist. It doesn’t matter if you understand the lyrics ! You know what she means by her vocal performance! I love this woman!

OP and Tori Fans, has she REALLY released good music recently? I LOVED her work in the early to mid 90s. Even Scarlet's Walk had several excellent covers, but she became so... bland and beige. Perhaps settling down, middle age, motherhood does that to you? Anyway, what's her best SONG she's released in the past 5-10 years? Or, put another way, which song of hers from the past 5-10 years would appeal most to a fan of her first three solo albums?

How precious.

R16- I LOVE Native Invader and still listen to it daily..

To answer your question-

Oysters

Wildwood

Reindeer King

Weatherman

Breakaway (I love this one)

Broken Arrow

Benjamin

I particularly love her song she did with The Bullets- It sounds like it could have been on To Venus and Back-

When she pronounces words like 'here' and 'near' like, "Neeaayuhhh heeeyuhhh" I cringe.

These precious things!

[quote]These precious things [quote]Let them bleed [quote]Let them wash away [quote]These precious things…

It’s a nice clean break.

It’s a nice clean break.

R22, Why are you posting a picture of an old colleague of mine?

Just to be clear, my post was a fond homage to LFF, who is a Tori Amos and Jessica Lange fan.

OP is that Mark/Matt dude again who says things like:

"I've unraveled like a colorful maypole again"...

Sweet Jesus.

However, I love Tori and I always wish she had more fans at DL just so we could have our fanboy/fangirl discussions.

And where the FUCK are you getting that there is a new album in 2020?

Just because of that one new song which may or not be real? (Mary's Raven)

Phew! Just finished a 10+ minute improv I was lucky enough to record.

I was like -

R19 - appreciate it. Listened to each of them. Breakaway was my favorite, too, but there's no way any of them equal the work of her first three albums.

Tori's so prolific that I'm surprised it's been well over two years since Native Invader was released and there hasn't been any confirmation of an upcoming album yet (even though that it isn't a particularly long gap by most artists' standards).

You should listen to Climb from Native Invader r30 Stunning lyrics. I generally prefer her older stuff, but this and Bang are two of my favorite songs she has written

Bang is equally r30

R19 here. CLIMB had the prettiest opening and probably the greatest lyrics on the album. But after that opening, I don't know, the song melody and structure bores me.

Bang is good, but I felt that it should have rocked harder.

So funny that the two most popular songs on the album (with fans) I felt very little for.

Breakaway, was barely talked about...

Has her surgery settled yet?

R35- Yes, about 5 years ago :)

She must still do massive fillers and Botox because she has NOT a wrinkle at the age of 56!

Thank god that shit settled. That Beekeeper brow lift upset me 😰

R37 - Oh my god. YES!! That's exactly what (and when) is was!!! (I personally felt it was a brow lift and upper eye lift) her eyes are what changed the most, she always had that wonderful hooded lid thing going, it was liked the doctor scooped out her eye sockets. Her eyes were so wonderful (Watch any video on Youtube during the TVAB and Scarlets Walk era) And that surgery made her eyes open and wide. It was so NOT needed...

[quote] That Beekeeper brow lift upset me

lol I can relate. I stopped being a fan after Scarlet's Walk, her newer stuff just doesn't do it for me

I love love love this look

How is this limited songstress even relevant in this day and age?

She is far from limited, troll. Name one other artist who can perform a different set list every show. Set lists are usually chosen the day of the show. With hundreds of songs to choose from that is a feat in itself.

Amen R42. Its always such a treat waiting on the setlist for any given night. Love, love, love her

Kate Bush wannabee that would grind her ass and pussy into the piano bench during performances.

Irritating then. Irritating now.

Only now she fucked up her face with plastic surgery.

R44 = Courtney Love

Even though her last several albums have been disappointing to many, she is an entirely different experience live. As R42 mentioned the setlists change nightly guaranteeing a unique experience. Plus the stories she tells always bring the laughs. I try to see her 2-3x each tour. It's fun meeting people who are hardcores and see 5, 10 or more shows a tour.

I’m confused about this set list changes daily stuff, she can’t get it together to play the same show each time and puts her band through some random lineup each night? That sounds down right psychotic, I feel sorry for those musicians who must never know what’s coming.

She hasn't toured with a band for several tours. It's just her, a piano and keyboard, which she often plays both at the same time. Plus her covers are always brilliant. She does two each night.

She so washed up she can’t afford a backing band?

[quote]Name one other artist who can perform a different set list every show. With hundreds of songs to choose from that is a feat in itself.

Any piano bar lounge act does this nightly. That's exactly what Amos is.

R49 you obviously know nothing about her or you're trolling. I'm going with the latter.

Book tour dates.

Sorry, let's try that again.

Book tour.

Anybody who actively hates on someone as genius yet non-mainstream as Tori Amos is slightly retarded.

R44 r45 speaking of Courtney Love, Tori Amos had a grunge album out that was so horrible it was laughed at by everyone in the industry I think there was only a limited amount of copies printed and so the next album after that was her "real debut"

Look it up.

Jesus r56! Are you really that stupid? She talks about this album all the time and it wasn’t grunge, you fucking moron! It was late 80s synth and it was titled “Y Can’t Tori Read”. She tells the entire fucking story every time she discusses her SOLO debut Little Earthquakes. You seem slightly dim, r56.

Tori is so wonderful. So perfect!

Again, Tori haters suffer from certain shall we say deficiencies.

They’re deficient.

Quit trying to make Tori happen.

I'm not sure an album that was both overlooked and underrated could ever be considered either iconic or a resurgence.

Anyone who has deluded themselves into thinking someone has hurt them (when they haven’t), and posts a bunch of information they think are facts (but aren’t) isn’t playing with a full deck, especially when they post what they think is a picture of that person (and isn’t), even after knowing what they full well look like.

Inexplicable. Head-scratching.

I hope you seek more help. You still have a ways to go.

With all these books, movies, and tracks dropping everywhere it’s a wonder no one has been killed.

I loved her song Oil Spill!

Tori gives me life! And I love Oil Spill!

Her book tour sold out in no time.

R61 There ya go, bitch.

And before you continue, I know of a couple of [bold]crimes[/bold] you’ve committed...

Don’t push it, toots.

As for me being crazy, why yes, I can be. Especially when pushed.

LFF, so far, you’ve thrown out a bunch of stuff that is simply not true (Matt, pals, LA, etc). I’ve called you out, and you go silent. You wrote that I hurt you, and then you play coy and refuse to believe me when I write that I have no idea what you’re talking about (And I still don’t), especially given my history. I’ve been genuine with you in our interactions on public boards as well as private conversations. I’ve spoken highly of you on many occasions for YEARS out of your earshot. I’ve defended you when people have put you down.

And now you act the way you’ve been acting the last couple of weeks, because ... ? I have zero idea. You’re disturbed to think you’re acting appropriately. You’re not. You’re engaging in silly games.

And anyone can google “Cinesnatch” and find that photo. I’m not sure what you’re trying to prove. You can find out other stuff about me as well. So what. I have nothing to hide. Are you trying to intimidate me?

If you can’t handle this like a mature adult, then press the red buttons. I really don’t care. I wish you’d care more about what a jerk you’re being right now.

So, it has been a couple days, Alexis. Whatever you "have" on me, you have me confused for someone else. Something has happened between January 2019 and now that has changed your opinion of me and I don’t know what that is. Whoever hurt you, I have no idea what it has to do with me. I have no idea what your verification process is, but it’s flawed. Why didn't you ever come to me directly if you were so convinced it was me who did whatever they did to hurt you? There were very accessible, humane ways to go about doing this. And, based on the way I’ve treated you overall over the years, I’ve earned that respect and treatment.

You insinuated I live in Los Angeles (I do not; I haven't lived there in over five years, which is more time that has passed than most of our interactions on the internet). I haven't lived in the same country as you for years. You were wrong and you've said nothing.

You insinuated I'm friends with a Matt (I have no Matts in my life other than a friend's husband, who I haven't seen in literally years and don't correspond with, and lives in the middle of nowhere, so I doubt he has ever met the likes of you). You were wrong and you've said nothing.

You insinuated I have “pals” associated with DL and/or you. I have zero awareness of knowing anyone who has ever met you. I have never met you. I don’t know your full name. I don’t even know where you live. You were wrong and you've said nothing.

You claimed I've committed crimes IN BOLD (I haven't). You were wrong and you've said nothing.

Like any adolescent could, you googled "Cinesnach" a few weeks ago and posted a picture of an old colleague of mine (who wrote theatre reviews for my blog years ago) thinking it was me (which is strange, because you had already seen what I looked like before). That was a mess and inappropriate to involve my old colleague (which you never apologised for). Then, you googled "Cinesnatch" again and posted a picture of me the second try. To what effect? To intimidate/threaten me? Well, it didn't work. It won’t work. I’m not scared of you Alexis. But, I am scared for you. You’re acting erratically in very ugly ways.

While I have gotten a bit passive-aggressive at times the last few weeks since you turned on me, I have wanted to say some really nasty things to you due to anger. But, I have held back out of respect to you. I’ve been very open, honest, and vulnerable to you on a public forum. It wasn’t easy, particularly because you remain so cryptic and stubborn about this fictional narrative you have running through your head about me. I am hurt by the way you've conducted yourself with me on DL this last month (since I picked up on there being something wrong). I've been quite fond of you over the years, championed your talents (including your piano playing and fitness), as well as your strength (for surviving what you've been through) and passions, and have sung your praises and insisted you were misunderstood by those who dragged you (even though I've never met you in person). I've given you no reason or proof to turn on me like this. Yet, here we are. This has all been very confusing and disappointing. While you've been mistreated, abused, and traumatised by others in your life, it gives you no right to respond to me in such a way when I've done nothing to you, but opened myself up to and have given you my full attention and regard. I don't know if you're back on drugs, if you need to be medicated/counselled, if you have been fed misinformation by who knows whom or why, but if your goal was to drive me away, consider your mission finally fucking accomplished. I am officially driven away. Goodbye.

Holy FUCK!!! That's who he is- "Mark Alexis"!!!!! His posts have always had that bi polar over dramatic flair.

Like his "I've become unraveled like a colorful maypole" line that still makes me howl.

I could not think of his name.

Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to out anyone. Alexis has also been very vocal and consistent with his love of Jessica Lange and Tori Amos across the internet (part of his charm IMO), and the tone of his posts is often unmistakably distinct and he sometimes signs off by his names. He makes no secret of his identity (also part of his charm) and he has a great imagination and a creative way with words. But, I was trying to reach out to him on a human level, hence the use of one of his first names, as well as mine.

My main point is that he was hurtful, regardless of what he believes. And he hurt me. He was hurtful and in the land of reality and facts, he had no justification.

I've known of his presence for seven years when he started coming back in various incarnations to AW after getting banned. We started interacting with each other a couple of years ago via PM on AW, Twitter, and Discord. I know this is just the internet, but I grew quite fond of him. Everything I wrote is true. I did adore him I did champion him. I did defend him. A little over a year ago, he got extremely paranoid and insufferable, and we drifted apart. While I didn't reach out to him, neither did he. A month ago, I started reaching out to him on DL, and he started acting extremely nasty towards me. I still don't know why. All I can conclude is that he is either consumed by his own delusions (again) and/or someone (for who knows what reasons) fed him misinformation about me.

This whole thing is gross and ugly and it stings. I know deep down he's a good person. I know this. But, I have to draw a line and I'm drawing it here. Hopefully, one of these days, he'll take responsibility for how he has acted.

I have no idea what's going on here, but that line "I've become unraveled like a colorful maypole" makes me wonder if whoever you guys are talking about is someone from that old Unforumzed site? There was a hell of a lot of unintentionally hilarious and cringey descriptions like that going on over there, they were kind of known for trying to sound as enigmatic as Tori and failing badly.

PS, if that picture at 66 is of Cinesnatch, then all I'll say is: 😍 Handsome man!

Onto good Tori tracks from recent years, I think most tracks from her recent albums Unrepentant Geraldines and Native Invader are really great! I really like "Up the Creek", "Bang", "Wedding Day", "Selkie" and "16 Shades of Blue" for a start.

R72, I MAY have read that on Unforumzed! I know that Alexis is a musician himself and I will leave it alone. As I am getting nasty- R71- I don't even know what the deal is with your situation but you sound very intelligent and should keep posting!

R72- I said above that still listen to Native Invader daily- It is a keeper for me- I think its her most underrated work ever.

I HATED 16 Shades of Blue though! HATED. Didn't dig Chocolate Song either.

Selkie, Oysters, and the title song from UG are by far my favorites~

The hidden gem on NI is Benjamin. My favorite is probably Wildwood and Breakaway, then Benjamin, Bats, and Broken Arrow. And Reindeer King is almost its own album...I almost forget that it is on the album and probably its greatest masterpiece.

Torn Anus?

Nobody gives a shit about her anymore except for OP.

Oh yes R73 "Reindeer King" is amazing! "Almost it's own album" is such a great way to put it, I seriously have listened to it before and gotten lost and forgotten there's a whole album to come after.

For me, "16 Shades of Blue" at the time I heard it was the first time since the 90s that I'd really been able to personally identify with her lyrics. That song being all about the fear of never getting a chance to do anything because society tells you you should've already begun no matter how young you are, and mistakes aren't welcome and there are no second chances was very real to me then. I do know this song is quite divisive though.

I agree with you on Chocolate Song, mostly because every time I think about it, I start to hear the flake advert: "Only the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate tastes like chocolate never tasted before..." and then I think of Eddie from Absolutely Fabulous trying to soothe Saffy by singing that song to her, and I'm laughing and can't take Tori's song seriously.

I think what I like about the two recent albums is that they are strong, consistent albums in their own right, even if I don't love every song, and they are enjoyable to listen to all the way through. I struggled with some of the 00s albums, which felt much less cohesive. As much as I tried, American Doll Posse in particular seems so airless to me, it's hard to listen to.

Plastic Surgery Disaster Mama!

Tori's going to be having 3 livestream events on May 5th-7th in lieu of the originally scheduled book tour. You can also buy autographed books and submit a question for the livestreams at the links on her site.

You bitches are some messy queens and I am living for it!

Great and long new interview with the New Yorker out today.

The final quote is amazing. "Well, I refuse to capitulate. I’m not going out to pasture, for the boys’ club. They can go fuck themselves. I’m not going anywhere."

Her analysis of what Russia is doing is exactly the way I see it. I don’t understand why it’s not mainstream conversation in the US.

Her new book, RESISTANCE, is out today. I am listening to the audiobook while I work.

She has such a soothing but emotive voice, and it’s really interesting to hear her read lyrics to her song instead of sing them. Some emphasis is quite different than the sung versions.

More than that, though, she really has a tremendous amount of insight and my God, what a heart.

I just can't even look at her anymore after whatever the fuck she did to her face. Travesty.

Your focus on superficial concerns is making you miss out on some really brilliant music and wise insights.

Some people will always feel like the old women need to be burned as witches as they age. Shame.

So far loving this book

Her facebook live Q & A (with Tash moderating) was quite good. She has a few more livestream events lined up for the book release.

She's doing another live Q&A from Chicago, 1pm. Free streaming on YouTube.

Really enjoyed the book, especially the later chapters about dealing with her mother's death. Very emotional and intense. The first half of the book was a lot of things I already knew, but then I've been a big fan for decades so I've heard about her background plenty of times in press/her first book.

Both livestream interviews she's done so far have been great, she has a lot of insight into dealing with this craziness and keeping yourself going as a creative person. The New Yorker piece was excellent as well. I've noticed that the press for this (and the last record) seem to be much more positive, I feel like she's finally crossed over in reputation to being someone like Stevie Nicks/Patti Smith where she gets respected for her longevity and artistry as opposed to being treated like a kook as she was for much of the 90s/00s. I'm sure some of that is due to the work still being good, but I think a lot of it is due to people who were fans growing up now being the people writing about/interviewing her so they take her seriously instead of dismissing her out of hand and the culture at large catching up to the things she was talking about in the 90s.

I haven't started the book yet R89, but your second paragraph is spot on. I was supposed to be seeing her Saturday night in SF for the book tour. Disappointed I won't be but the live streams have been great, although I wasn't a huge fan of the moderator of today's. I enjoyed Tash much better in that role.

Tori Amos just saved my sanity!!! Not even kidding.

I live in DC in a usually very quiet neighborhood. Someone outside, some dude bros, have been YELLING drunkenly since about 5:00. It’s after 9 now. They sounded like they were right outside my window but I didn’t see anyone. It has been grating on my nerves for hours.

I finally lost my patience and I put Tori Amos’s “Professional Widow” on repeat on my phone, propped it against my window screen facing out and closed my window, and one of the people drove away and the others went inside!! They had been sitting outside behind row houses across the alleyway from me.

Tori is my guardian angel.

Tori Amos just saved my sanity!!! Not even kidding.

I live in DC in a usually very quiet neighborhood. Someone outside, some dude bros, have been YELLING drunkenly since about 5:00. It’s after 9 now. They sounded like they were right outside my window but I didn’t see anyone. It has been grating on my nerves for hours.

I finally lost my patience and I put Tori Amos’s “Professional Widow” on repeat on my phone, propped it against my window screen facing out and closed my window, and one of the people drove away and the others went inside!! They had been sitting outside behind row houses across the alleyway from me.

Tori is my guardian angel.

R92 wasn’t Professional Widow about Courtney Love?

R93 Supposedly. But all that mattered for my purposes tonight is that the song combines howl-screeching with a harpsichord and loud percussion, which is a good dudebro repellant.

Thanks for the inspiration R92 My block just did the 7pm salute. I think I'll salute them with the screeching stylings of this.

I just finished the audiobook. Brilliant.

I was not emotionally prepared for the concluding chapters about her mother or encouraging artists. I lost my mom two years ago and I lost all my will to write and paint around the same time. This book hit me a lot harder than I expected, and I have very high expectations of Tori Amos.

I'm really looking forward to reading this now. It sounds like it's a lot better than Piece by Piece was (which had some parts I still thought were enjoyable/interesting, ie the music industry parts and her health issues around getting pregnant). Just reading interviews with her lately it's amazing how firm her finger is on the pulse of what is going on and how intelligent her understanding of human beings is.

R97 Yes, both the political aspect and the empathic and psychological aspects are strong in this book. Be aware that the throughline that connects all the disparate topics and life events she discusses is artistry as a means of expression, sometimes life-saving expression, and as a cultivated discipline. She writes a lot (a lot!) about her relationship with muses, and she’s unabashedly serious about that. It’s a spiritual treatise in her unique way and from a vantage point from which she views creative works as the product of a human spirit’s and mind’s collaboration with that of a divine force—and again, she approaches that principle seriously and not as a metaphor. That’s the only negative note I’ve seen in reviews of the book, along with the loose structure of it, but I view it as a strength having come to respect her so much that I am totally open to her worldview.

Most of the reviews I’ve seen have been very positive and respectful.

The New York Times just published an incredibly dismissive and condescending review, which associates the book with angry Wiccan girls who carry amethyst crystals around with them. It’s fair to suggest that a book that talks about how an artist is inspired by “the muses” may be a little New Age-y for many people, but I feel like this reviewer didn’t really read the book. She didn’t seem at all affected by its gravitas or by Tori’s strong writing.

Publisher’s Weekly called it “soulful,” Booklist called it “thoughtful,” Kirkus Reviews said it’s "A dramatically inspired volume of lyrics and legacy presenting Amos as an artist, an activist, and a sharp, thoughtful musician with a commanding voice.

It seems really weird that The New York Times would shrug it off completely as a trifle.

That NYT review is... among other things, a reminder that Lauretta Charlton is a remarkably weak, arrogant writer.

R100 I’m not familiar with her. But yeah, her “book review” is really a childish, snarky commentary on her stereotype of the 1990s that just uses Amos’s book as an excuse to write what she wanted.

I like that Tori's singing voice isn't too distant from her speaking voice, unlike most singers these days (male and especially female).

R102 Her singing voice (live) also sounds like...her singing voice (recorded), unlike most artists these days.

This interview with Sarah Kendzior and Andrea Chalupa about the role od artistry in resisting an oligarchical overtake of democracy is worth listening to whether or not you appreciate Tori’s music or her book.