(EPIC)
Tori Amos is quite possibly the most important female in music. Ever.
You'll have to excuse me for making this review potentially too personal, but I've got to say that Tori is my favourite female singer full-stop - and probably always will be.
Her way of articulating her emotions is sensational, yet for the large-part subtle. She doesn't need to scream or shout to get her point across or to move the listener. She genuinely sings from the heart, bravely bares her soul and lives to tell the tale. She lives to tell us her tales.
And she never ever fails to surprise, as this 18-track album scales 74-minutes' worth of unparalleled poetry-in-musical-motion. Where Kate Bush left off, Tori resumed, and though 'Scarlet's Walk' isn't always as immediate, as catchy or as upbeat as Tori's 'From A Choirgirl Hotel' album astoundingly was, the more you listen to this album, the more it becomes a beloved part of you.
Opening with the tasty 'Amber Waves,' her other-worldly voice is as sultry as ever, and the gracious piano and percussion accompaniment sounds simple but has such a devastating impact, plugging directly into your heart and soul and letting you in on the secrets of the world.
The most mesmerising tracks resound in the form of 'A Sorta Fairytale,' 'Crazy' and the more upbeat 'Taxi Ride.' 'Virginia' shades something of a bluegrass musical vibe, her voice harking across to Alison Krauss' angelic waters, whilst the super-chilled sweetness of 'Your Cloud' could have been written by Beth Orton.
Tori consistently draws influences from all musical genres and has successfully married dancey drum loops to a fuselage of her songs. 'Don't Make Me Come To Vegas' is fit for perfect example here, after her 45-second acappella interlude during which she disturbingly croons her intriguing 'Wampum Prayer.'
Her original musical stylings may be hugely abstract, as can be her lyrical vantagepoints. For the greatest part though, the intoxicating fusion of her music and poetic way with words ('To take your word I had to steal it' - A Sorta Fairytale) makes for yet another classic, timeless album steeped precariously high in emotion and trustable sincerity.
All hail Tori, the genius� who is a naturally beautiful one at that.
(Steve Rudd)
www.toriamos.com
www.epicrecords.com