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Tori Amos - Unrepentant Geraldines CD (album) cover

UNREPENTANT GERALDINES

Tori Amos

Crossover Prog


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5 stars Tori Amos has been an artist I have had a fond interest in just over the past few years ago. Having gotten into a lot of female singer songwriters, I was told that I may enjoy Tori Amos' music...and low and behold, turns out I do.

For anyone who hasn't heard Tori's music before, the best way to describe her is like a more comprehensible and easily accessible Kate Bush. But even then, describing Tori like this is a bit of an insult to her. Her genius is unfathomable and her talent is legendary.

Tori's career in the past few years has been one of interest but could also be seen as slight writers block. Her last full length album "Night Of Hunters" while in my opinion is a masterpiece, wasn't completely Tori's own material as each song was based on a piece of orchestral or classical music. Her last compilation album, "Gold Dust" was recorded orchestral versions of her material and before that "Midwinter Graces" was a collection of arranged carols and hymns. So, being her first proper full length in 5 years, how does the album hold up. Very well actually.

In fact, I would go far to say that this may be Tori's strongest album to be released since the late 90s. While Tori's material in the last 10 to 15 years has been pretty good, her spark that really drove her career in the early days was starting to dwindle and now it seems that that spark is back. Now, she isn't in her early 20's anymore, so her sound and lyrics are backed up by a more mature sound, but there is something there that wasn't there before, or at least in a long time. One of the aspects of Tori's music which puts her miles beyond any artist is her lyrics, and on this album she really shines. With the album's concept based around paintings and overtly anti religious feminism, some of the poetry on this album is beautiful and powerful at times, being overtly creative to be understood by most human minds.

The album's lead single "Trouble's Lament" is pretty much a beacon showing Tori's return to form. With religious imagery mixed with female views and geographic locations, the lyrics paint a very vivid picture. Brilliant vocals and a pretty cool song arrangement.

One of my favourite tracks on the album has to be "16 Shades Of Blue." Mixing electronic beats with Tori's brilliant piano playing, the arrangement is pretty interesting and very different, making it one of the standout tracks in the album.

"Promises" is a very interesting tune, as it has both Tori and her daughter Tash duetting together. The song has a pretty cool arrangement, with a pretty great vocal performance from both Tori and her daughter.

One of the oddest tracks on the album is "Giant's Rolling Pin." Reminding me of some of the more comical songs on Paul McCartney's material in The Beatles. With some joyous musical moments and some pretty creative lyrics, the song is like a fairytale for children but with an adult twist.

Two of the album's most beautiful moments can be heard in "Selkie" and "Oysters." Both songs contain some of Tori's most beautiful piano playing in years and even some of Tori's best vocals.

The album's final track "Invisible Boy" is a brilliant ending to this album. An incredibly emotional song about one of Tori's friends who passed away, she is almost on the brink of tears at certain points in this song. A beautiful ending to a pretty amazing album.

In conclusion, this album is really a landmark achievement for Tori, showing that her creativity has not dwindled one bit. Going back into the past and re finding herself, she has proved that like wine,you only get better with age.

8.6/10

Genres: Baroque Pop, Art Rock, Art Pop, Adult Contemporary, Progressive Rock, Electronica, Piano Rock, Alternative Rock

Country of origin: USA

Year of release: 2014

Report this review (#1177825)
Posted Wednesday, May 21, 2014 | Review Permalink
4 stars The American musician Tori Amos' music was totally new for me until yesterday. I had heard about her and read a review of her latest record and was very curious to hear it for myself. Since the debut "Little Earthquakes" 1992 she ahs done thirteen records and the last one came last year and it is called "Unrepentant Geraldines" and it came two years after her record "Gold Dust". The music of Tori Amos is very pure and stripped. Mostly it's just Tori Amos' voice and piano. There are also the guitar of Mac Aladdin and some instruments of Mark Hawley. The album lasts for almost an hour and has fourteen wonderful songs to enjoy. The cover doesn't represent the content, the cover isn't poetic enough for me.

Tori Amos overwhelmed me! I could not think that the music would be so vital and vibrant, so personal and powerful. It mixes a lot of what I like much: great melodies, folk tunes and themes, a fantastic high voice and a unique vocal style. As you can guess I liked the album very much; it was actually one of the most exciting records of 2014.

All of the fourteen songs are good and the majority are fantastic. Three are unbeatable: "America"(10/10) which made me amazed directly, the progressive "Giant's rolling pin"(10/10) and the romantic mood or old times felt "Unrepentant Geraldines"(10/10) are songs you must hear and some other wonderous tracks should be mentioned: "Trouble's lament"(9/10), "Maids of Elfen-mere"(9/10) which was so old English and "Selkie"(9/10). Furthermore "Wedding day"(8/10), "Weatherman"(8/10) and Invisible Boy(which ends everything)(8/10) and also the other songs are very fine.

As a whole this record does a very good job to challenge the listener. The playing aren't very progressive, but I think the spirit and the compositions are, actually more than those of "pure" prog bands. My over all rating ends at 4.18 and a strong four star to Tori Amos.

Best tracks: Amerika, Giant's rolling pin, Unrepentant Geraldines

Report this review (#1380178)
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2015 | Review Permalink
4 stars "Return to form" albums are one of rock`s most beloved cliches, something that fits perfectly in this era of ageing rockers. The veteran artist that after years or decades of releasing relatively minor works suddenly finds the inspiration to match his or her "golden years" is as popular as Hollywood`s retired pilot/football player/fireman/whatever that must return to prove that he still can do it for one last time. Every time that the Rolling Stones have released a new album in the last 30 years the critics hailed it as "their best since It`s only Rock and roll".. Well. I must admit that most of the times the results don`t really match the expectations (although there are some exceptions, of course) In this case, however things get a little more complicated. Tori`s two previous opuses hadn`t been exactly poor, I actually consider them both masterpieces, but we should bear in mind that they actually contained no new music, and were recorded with classical orchestras.On the other hand, her rock albums after The Beekeper seemed to have lost part of that "something" that made Tori´s music so special for quite a few people. (of course, more than 20 years listening to her albums also help to lose that element of surprise that makes new music attractive). So, .are we back in the "pretty good years" or are we in for a total bluff? Mmmm....somewhere in the middle, I think, but a little more towards the former option. While is true that I find Unrepentant Geraldines better than anything Tori released (in the rock field) since Scarlett`s Walk , I must admit that it has its weak points, and the real magical moments are not that many. But then again, I will never be in my twenties again (unless those cyclical cosmologies are right), so maybe it`s all about me. Who knows. The production, as usual is awesome, Tori´s voice sounds incredible, the instruments are crystal clear, even though I miss Jon Evan´s masterful bass lines (why not get a proper bass player?). The album starts with the folky America, that along with second song Trouble´s Lament are reminiscent of Scarlet´s Walk album. Both very good songs, even if I could do without that interlude in America. After that promising start the albums decays a little bit with the standard ballad "Wild Ways" and the 6/8 "Wedding day" (I admit I quite like the chorus on that last one, though). Next comes the breathtaking "Wheaterman", a delicate beautiful ballad that bears Tori`s signature and will surely please old fans. The voice`s reverb is amazing in the chorus , 100% guaranteed to bring goosebumps!.Unfortunately "60 Shades of Blue" represents a sudden drop in quality, and is one to skip. "Maids of Elfen-Mere"is yet another piano led ballad, not particulary good or bad. The next piece "Promise" is ...well...a piano led ballad, but a really pleasant one this time. Tori is accompained here by her daughter, whose voice seems to have matured since Night of Hunters, she really shows promise. "Giant`s Rolling Pin" comes then and i must say that it´s probably the worst song Tori ever included on an album, something even embarrasing to listen to. I wonder what was she thinking of...the kind of songs that make me feel sorry for having lost my cd player´s remote control. Compared to that one, "Selkie" sounds almost like a masterpiece...but is not, really. Just another solo piano ballad, that´s it. The title song is a little more uptempo, a well crafted pop song, that includes some brilliant piano arpeggios that are the most interesting part (even if a little too short).The second part of the song finds Tori again alone with her piano, and has nothing to do musically with the first one, really could heve been a separate song (I actually thought it was a different song on first listening, since the CD booklet doesn´t specify song order or duration, and the lyrics to that second part are not printed). "Oysters" another piano/voice one (Well, if you don´t like that kind of songs you´d better stay away from Tori. A good one, with her characteristic falsettos and all. "Rose Dover" doesn´t cath my attention, surely below average. And the uptempo parts are plain bad . "Invisible Boy"is a beautiful piano ballad that could have been on Under the Pink or Boys for Pele, is almost that good. Then the album (I have the special edition with DVD) finishes with "Forest of Glass", and I must say that this is the song I liked better in the whole album, as it contains all the elements that made Tori`s music so unique: haunting melodies, emotional but flawless singing and playing...Just Tori and nothing else. All in all a good album that won´t dissapoint old fans, except the ones that expect something as good as the classic albums. As I said, there are some unispired songs, but you can always skip them. I must admit that I hardly find myself in the mood to listen to "Giant`s Rolling Pin" alongside "Weatherman" or "Forest of Glass". But then , there are enough minutes of beautiful music here to warrant four stars.
Report this review (#1599368)
Posted Saturday, August 20, 2016 | Review Permalink

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