Boys For Pele
by Tori Amos

Music and lyrics go great together. It must have been a fine day when they found that out! Over time the idea stuck and lyric writing became a way to vent frustration, anger, sadness, joy, etc. Many other artists are do it to get their "message" across. I'm not sure where this album lies. Very very wordy though. Attempting to stick it's head out from the crowd but I forgotten what it has told me. Lots of soft piano and margarine vocals. Few surprises along the way. 'Professional Widow' is club thumper which you wouldn't expect on a Tori album. Anticipates later works on 'From the Choirgirl Hotel' such as 'Sparks'. Both were arguably the two biggest singles from each but boy does the song mislead the uninformed buyer here. This is lazy Saturday night Tori. 'Beauty Queen/Horses', 'Father Lucifer' and 'Putting The Damage On' are all little ditties on the piano and never really go any where. That first song, I didn't know she was singing until 3 minutes in! The sweeping choruses and biting arrangements of 'Little Earthquakes' are gone and left with boring. 'Caught A Lite Sneeze' and 'Muhammad My Friend' do make nice additions in the neighborhood. Overall, vanilla plain album. Good to go.

Her best album. No more stupid distorted guitar arrangements everywhere doing absolutely nothing. No more pointless strings sections that try to make every song sound "friendlier". No more overdubs on Tori's voice covering her raw emotion just because mainstream audiences prefer clean vocals. This time Tori was given total control over the production and format of her songs and album. She discarded what was not necessary and kept what's really valuable. This is Tori Amos as she really wanted to be heard.

Absorbing and challenging album from Tori Amos. Full of light and shade. A real grower.

From RoundTheBend TOP 100 COMMENTER 09/02/2012 05:24 | #49805 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Great thoughts in the music, great music, but can’t list it as something that grasps me completely.

From ilovelctr 08/20/2011 05:49 | #26463 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

The album tried very hard to be more alternative than her previous works, and it succeeded in doing so. My problem with it is that it lost its melodic touch while managing to be so special. Bottom line, however, is still worth listening to, literally and definitely.