Piątek 4 Lis 2011, 15:39
Since the release of Night of Hunters about a month ago, also my ranking list of Tori Amos albums needed an update. And I discovered that it was more than just adding a new album to the list. Some albums grew on me while others became less important to me, or maybe I over-listened them a bit. So this is my new ranking list, starting with the best one on top:
1. Little Earthquakes (1992)
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Her very strong debut album and my number 2 for a long time. I just realized that it became my most favourite album, because it contains some of the best songs she has ever made. It is a very personal and emotional album, dealing with heavy subjects like rape and guilt. I think this album has the best composition and really forms a whole.
Best tracks: Crucify, Silent All These Years, Precious Things, Winter, Happy Phantom, Leather, Me and a Gun
2. From the Choirgirl Hotel (1998)
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My favourite album for a long time, and although I am still a bit in doubt, I think it is finally beaten by Little Earthquakes. It is a very personal and dark album, dealing with subjects like her miscarriage(s), her marriage and some stuff coming from her nightmares. A lot of very beautiful, touching songs and very good use of electronics.
Best tracks: Spark, Cruel, Black-Dove (January), Raspberry Swirl, Jackie's Strength, i i e e e, Northern Lad, Playboy Mommy, Pandora's Aquarium
3. Night of Hunters (2011)
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Her most recent and first classical album. Maybe it ended up a little bit too high in the list, just because it is new and because I'm still so overwhelmed by it (and by the live concert). She describes it herself as a "21st century song cycle". All of the songs are variations on classical pieces of famous composers like Chopin, Bach and Schubert and performed with an octet of classical instruments. The songs tell a story about a woman who is left by her husband.
Best tracks: Shattering Sea, Star Whisperer, Your Ghost, Night of Hunters
4. Under the Pink (1994)
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Her second album which is more piano-based than the previous one and has a lot of dynamics. It contains some very beautiful songs about different subjects like religion and the difficulties in relationships between women. This album dropped one place on the list because of Night of Hunters.
Best tracks: God, Bells for Her, Past the Mission, Baker Baker, Cornflake Girl, Cloud on My Tongue, Yes, Anastasia
5. Scarlet's Walk (2002)
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This might be the highest climber on the list, from the 8th to the 5th place. It just took me some time but now I realize what a great album this is with its light and warm atmosphere. It contains some of her most beautiful and touching songs, but also a few that are just fillers in my opinion.
Best tracks: A Sorta Fairytale, Wednesday, Crazy, I Can't See New York, Gold Dust
6. Abnormally Attracted to Sin (2009)
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An album which was badly received among the fans I understood, but I like it a lot, although not all of the songs. I really like the lyrics about religion and the kind of facade it can be when it is only superficial. This album dropped one place on the list.
Best tracks: Give, Welcome to England, Flavor, Maybe California, Ophelia
7. The Beekeeper (2005)
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Although a lot of people see this as one of her worst albums, I totally disagree. I really like it. Because of her 4 year old daughter she didn't want it to be scary, because "there are already to many scary rock moms". It has a more soft and warm atmosphere and it deals with subjects like spirituality, life & death, sexuality and religion in a very beautiful way. It dropped from the 4th to the 7th place because I realized it also contains some stinkers, it could have been shorter.
Best Tracks: Parasol, Sweet the Sting, Original Sinsuality, The Beekeeper, Hoochie Woman, Marys of the Sea
8. To Venus and Back (1999)
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This is her most electronic album. It contains a few songs I really like, but also some that just don't mean anything to me. Except for some songs about her "garden-obsession", most of the songs are about experiences and feelings in certain situations. This album dropped two places, mostly because of Night of Hunters and Scarlet's Walk.
Best tracks: Bliss, Concertina, 1000 Oceans
9. American Doll Posse (2007)
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This is more a rock album than her other albums. It describes five different parts of Tori's artistic personality. It is also her most political oriented album up to now and her least personal I think. I don't think it is a bad album, actually I listened to it a lot. But none of the songs really grab me like some of the songs on her other albums. It remains at the same place on the list.
Best tracks: Big Wheel, Bouncing Off Clouds, Programmable Soda, Beauty of Speed
10. Boys for Pele (1996)
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Her most artistic album, on which she shows a lot of anger and rage after splitting up with her boyfriend. I like it that she uses the Harpsichord. However, a lot of songs are just too cryptic and too experimental for me. Although I appreciate the originality, sometimes I cannot even listen to it. This album dropped 3 places from the 7th to the 10th place.
Best tracks: Blood Roses, Father Lucifer, Caught a Lite Sneeze, Muhammad My Friend, Hey Jupiter
11. Strange Little Girls (2001)
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This is her worst album in my opinion. It consists of songs of male artists, covered from a woman point of view. I like the concept and the way she had herself photographed. However the songs are not that good in my opinion. I miss some power, some dynamics. None of the songs really touch me. It remains at the bottom of the list.
Best track: Real Men
(I don't have the album Midwinter Graces, because I don't like seasonal albums in general.)