 
Tori Amos was a pivotal player in the 90's alternative rock explosion. With her unflinchingly candid lyrics and haunting vocal melodies, she had just the right amount of angst to fit in at a time when Nirvana ruled the day. Armed primarily with a piano Amos created a blueprint for a new female singer/songwriter movement and gained a multitude of fans in the process. Pain and suffering often makes an excellent muse and Amos’ strengths have always lied in her honest exploration of personal experiences. This autobiographical trend continues on her 8th studio album The Beekeeper. Lyrically The Beekeeper seems even more abstract than previous albums as Amos unravels a storybook garden fantasy full of literary experimentation. To put it simply, you might strain a muscle trying to decipher Tori’s metaphors hidden among the alliteration and onomatopoeia.. What will be much more clear on this album is that Amos, now in her forties, has mellowed. Many of the arrangements are much lighter and, dare I say, cheerful. One listen to “Ribbons Undone”, an ode to her daughter, and it is obvious that Amos has taken a new direction. Hardcore fans might flinch at this evolution from creative anger to relaxed complacency, but those listeners that were always a bit put off by Amos’ anger will find this album much more accessible. –- Margaret Pitcher |
Tori
Amos