Tori Amos Gets Abnormal On New Disc!
Tori Amos took the world by storm with her 1992 Atlantic debut, Little Earthquakes. Deeply provocative and shockingly personal lyrics sung over hypnotic and endearing piano melodies proved to be the forte of the red-haired piano rock goddess. Over the years she has experimented in various genres and increased her devoted fanbase tenfold. Seventeen years later, Amos returns with her tenth album (and her first release with Universal Republic Records,) Abnormally Attracted To Sin.
The album opener, “Give,” is a lush electro-rock romp that sounds like a stand-out track from any Portishead record. Amos growls the lyrics, which are rich in blood-and-love imagery, over dark synths and electronic drums. The chorus turns the entire song over, turning into a soaring aria that gives the track Amos’ trademark stamp. The first single, “Welcome to England,” is a song written in the typical Amos fashion, with piano riffs playing along with electric guitars and lush synthy bits. “Strong Black Vine” is pure orchestral rock, featuring Amos jamming on the organ while stings play and she sings in impressive harmonies about saving a boy from “that evil faith.” The next tune, “Flavor,” would do just fine as a second single. With a soothing electronic drumloop and a delicate auto-tune complimenting Amos’ gorgeous vocals, the song focuses on the mysterious intangible force of love. “Not Dying Today” turns the mood to strong-willed and upbeat, with happy drums and lots of guitars roaring all over the place; Amos seems at home here and her good spirits translate into her vocals seamlessly.
Track number six, “Maybe California,” is a typical Amos ballad with soft instrumentation, a lovely piano melody, and gorgeous strings. “Curtain Call” is one of the best tracks Amos has ever written; it is dark and atmospheric and powerful. Beginning with thunderstorm samples, once the intricate piano melody and moving drums kick in, the reader is launched into a haunting tale of drugs and sex and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities gone missing. “Right on cue, just act surprised as they invite you to take your curtain call,” she sings. “Fire To Your Plain” is a short and sensual number with retro synths and a trip-hop drumbeat. “Police Me” is gloriously all over the place, with plenty of electronica touches, synth riffs, and electric guitars. “That Guy” could quite possibly be passed off as an unreleased James Bond theme song, complete with lush strings and soaring vocals; this track would fit in just about anywhere on Broadway, but until then it works just fine on this disc. “Abnormally Attracted To Sin” is a standout track here, with lots of glam rock guitar riffs and a killer bass line. The electronica-rich chorus is lush and ambient, like underground club music from space. “500 Miles” is a catchy pop tune with a 60′s vibe; it works perfectly as a road trip song and the electric guitar-rich outro is achingly beautiful. “Mary Jane” is the sole piano-only number on the disc and the lyrics are clever and definitely tongue-in-cheek, focusing on a teenage boy that wants to spend some time with a certain illegal herb.
Some of her songs place her vocals so you can hear them well and others are a little more off track. One of her newer tracks, “Lady in Blue” is dreamy and jazzy and just gives out that calm vibe to her fans and her audience. Many of these songs are great for people looking for a little bit of comfort and soothing.
Although sonically Abnormally Attracted To Sin is all over the place, the beauty lies therein. Each track is completely hand-crafted and the vocals and instrumentation are lush and powerful, like a last minute conversation at three o’clock in the morning before a dear friend takes a flight back halfway across the globe. Although it is much more polished than her debut, Amos proves that even with a lot of glitter and sheen (or, in this case, synths and electronica touches) she can put out an album that has just as much heart as an intimate confession in a notebook.
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