IleneG's Full Review: Strange Little Girls by Tori Amos
Ok, I have been letting this one ride out for a month now, due to my shoulder surgery but I finally am ready to break my silence on the subject of Tori's newest project, Strange Little Girls(SLG). Oh first off, let me remind everyone who might know, and explain to everyone who doesn't, Tori Amos likes to call all of her songs, Girls, as if they are her daughters.
You know I have now been to see her 3 times live with this show alone, and the people I have heard complain about this album have mostly been men...hmmm..wonder why. What is even stranger, is that after the show, I hear how much their opinions change...interesting if I might say so myself!!
Ok, I, like many, was very hurt to find out that Tori's project SLG was not going to be anything new from Tori, heck it wasn't even going to be B sides which is what I was expecting. Then I found out this project was going to be covers of songs done by men, which Tori felt had a female voice hidden inside of each and became intrigued. Many people felt that this is a cop out, or that Tori is losing her touch, but this is simply FALSE!!!! If you listen to this album you will see each of these songs sounds 100% different than the original version, and all of it is due to the Fairy dustof Tori!
Yes, I will admit there are songs I could live without on this album(Raining Blood being the one), but I understand their place and meaning. There are songs on this album that are so haunting you can't help but get chills when you hear them('97 Bonnie and Clyde and Time). There are songs you want to get up and just jam to(Strange Little Girl, and Rattlesnakes), and there are songs that just make you think(Enjoy the Silence).
To me this album came at a time that was much needed in this world. It was 1 week after our horrible tragedy in America, and the voices of some of the songs changed views for many on everything. I remember picking up my copy of SLG(I got the Happiness is a Warm Gun cover first, I have since gotten the other 3). I was so excited, I had heard the 3 tracks that were out on the internet, Strange Little Girl, Heart of Gold, and '97 Bonnie and Clyde before hand,and I couldn't wait to get this album from the first moment. Yes, I was disappointed to know this album wasn't going to be original, or B sides, but I was also extremely excited that she was doing covers, since I have always loved the way Tori covered songs at her concerts. I immediately opened it up and put it in my mother's cd player and headed out. My mother and I enjoyed listening right from the start, making us both itching for the concert to happen(1 week later). I remember listening to every single song, humming along, and singing along to tracks I knew. I also remember the moment my mother made me stop everything to listen to the words of Time. She heard the song and went into tears. I don't know what it was about this song that was so beautiful but it had us both hitting the replay button on her CD player, to the point I thought I would wear out the CD!
I remember getting to a TV set to see Tori that very night, Sept 18th, on David Letterman, where I expected her to sing, Strange Little Girl, but was happily surprised to hear Time. I don't know what it is about the song, but it makes me want to stop and listen, and I keep doing it every time.
There are many faces of Tori on her album covers, and booklet, yet in many ways this resembles the many faces of Tori herself. How she evolves and moves with every project she takes on. This album is definitely a direct result of her experience with motherhood, and it doesn't make it a bad thing. In many ways it is like a story to read to her young child, full of changes and movements, yet coming back to the beauty of what is down deep...the beauty of music and space. There is a direct correlation to music and space... and yes it is shown on this album. There is a reason for the way the track was laid out, and was placed on this cd, and for that I am thankful that Tori knows how to write and read a good story, and tell it to the fans.
If you really hate this album I am sorry to hear it, but look deep down, there must be 1 redeeming quality you like on it, such as '97 Bonnie and Clyde which is so bone chilling both on the album and live you can't help but get shivers up your arms. One other thing is, most people don't realize this is Tori's 10th anniversary. This tour is her anniversary tour, and is made up of mostly her old stuff. In fact I think she only played 4 of her new tracks at the show, all of which were beautiful('97 Bonnie and Clyde, Rattle Snakes, Enjoy the Silence, and Time).
So you might not like the idea of it being a covers album, but some of the fans do(myself included). If after 1 listen you say EWWW fine, but do yourself a favor and listen a second time with an open mind, and pretend you are hearing the songs for the first time...and maybe then you will see something beautiful inside of this monumental album, Like I do!
Strange Little Girls Track Listing and original performers:
1) New Age - The Velvet Underground
2) '97 Bonnie & Clyde - Eminem
3) Strange Little Girl - The Stranglers
4) Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode
5) I'm Not In Love - 10cc
6) Rattlesnakes - Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
7) Time - Tom Waits
8) Heart Of Gold - Neil Young
9) I Don't Like Mondays - The Boomtown Rats
10) Happiness is a Warm Gun - The Beatles
11) Raining Blood - Slayer
12) Real Men - Joe Jackson
The new studio album from Tori Amos, Strange Little Girls, is an assemblage of songs written by men, but performed by Tori from the perspectives of a ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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