The Beekeeper

Tori Amos | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 22, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00076EPQM
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (341 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,694 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #15 in Music > Alternative Rock > Singer-Songwriters

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

After Scarlet's Walk, Tori Amos' 2002 ambitious sonic travelogue that took her to all 50 states, penning love letters to America along the way, the fiery earth-sprite has fashioned another high-minded concept album, tying her 19 songs--and one not-so-hidden track--into a garden motif that's part a retelling of Alice In Wonderland, another A Little Shop of Horrors. The Beekeeper chronicles her rather autobiographical protagonist's journey through what seems to be an overgrown labyrinth of the subconscious as she experiences a series of life-altering events and emotions. In addition, living in Cornwall for the past decade has certainly had an effect on Amos, she even takes inspiration from Daphne Du Maurier's classic novel Jamaica Inn, which takes place on that rugged seacoast, but the greatest change is the grit in her voice; on a song like "Hoochie Woman," she sounds like she's channeling Chrissie Hynde--a welcome change from some of the preciousness of her earlier work. She also surprises with the steely, eloquent resolve on a song like "Goodbye Pisces" one of the better break-up songs in recent memory. The Beekeeper returns the quirky singer to the same whimsical terrain of 1992's Little Earthquakes, but with much stronger storylines, and a much more assured and nuanced voice. Her best yet. --Jaan Uhelszki

Recommended Tori-phernalia

Tori Amos: Piece by Piece	Tori Amos - Welcome to Sunny Florida	Little Earthquakes
Under the Pink	Tales of a Librarian	Scarlet's Walk

Product Description

Another installment in the fabulously successful 'All That' series. 3CD's beautifully packaged together, featuring tracks from such artists as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Eartha Kitt, Marlene Dietrich and many more. Warner. 2005. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amos Reaches New Heights With 'The Beekeeper', February 22, 2005

By 

Rudy Palma "The Writing Fiend" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Beekeeper (Audio CD)

With her newest creation, "The Beekeeper," Tori Amos has proven herself an ever-evolving musical force, never content to rest on her laurels or stick to a tried-and-true formula. With the lengthy collection of 19 tracks, separated into six themed 'gardens', the CD runs 80 minutes long and is full of both quality lyrics and intriguing subject matter where the red-haired pianist delves into the biblical history, ancient myths and the relationship between parent and child that transcends death and the passing of time.

The disc begins with one of her sharpest opening tracks, "Parasol," a tale concerning deep shock of betrayal. "The Power of Orange Knickers," which features vocals by singer/songwriter Damien Rice, finds Amos articulating betrayal on a grander scale, likening each human soul to a terrorist in the sense that we obliterate our innermost truths:

"Can somebody tell me now/Who is this terrorist/Those girls that smile kindly/Then rip your life to pieces?/Can somebody tell me now/Who is this terrorist/This little pill in my hand/That keeps the pain laughing?"

In "Marys of the Sea" Amos waxes on the largely unknown biblical story of Mary Magdelene, a recurring theme in her music, chronicling her journey after fleeing Jerusalem to the south of France, while opening herself off to fear in the context of Irish mythology with one of her most luxurious melodies yet, "Jamaica Inn."

Another exemplary track is "Sleeps With Butterflies," the set's lead single which finds the artist outrightly explaining what she needs, addressing the need for give and take between male and female to make a relationship work:

"I don't hold onto the tail of your kite/I'm not like the girls that you've known/But I believe I'm worth coming home to/Kiss away night/This girl only sleeps with butterflies/So go on and fly then boy."

The lyrical highlight of the disc comes with the heart-rendering title track, where Amos confronts her fears of her mother's mortality and the fact that they will one day have to part, mentioning her brother who was killed in a car crash this past November:

"Don't be afraid I/Promise that she will awake/Tomorrow somewhere/Wrap yourself around the tree of life/And the dance of the infinity of the hive/Take this message to Michael."

Furthemore, she reflects on her deep love and appreciation for her daughter in "Ribbons Undone," delivers one of her most savory melodies yet with "Cars and Guitars" and makes commentary on the war effort with the endearing "General Joy." She also adds a dash of humor to infidelity with "Hoochie Woman":

"He called me up and said `she has needs'/I said `you'll find `em on Barney's fourth floor'."

"The Beekeeper" is also available in a limited edition package that includes a bonus DVD with further insight into the album by Amos along with another song, "Garlands." Her newly released book "Piece By Piece," co-written with music journalist Ann Powers, has also been released to coincide with the new album and includes further detail on her creative process.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Out of steam, April 30, 2005

By 

Vicki L. Tsang "v_wishful" (MI, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Beekeeper (Audio CD)

I've been a big Tori Fan for the last 15 years or so and have loved almost all her music up to Strange Little Girls, which I never really got in to. Maybe it's just me but I'm finding it harder and harder to get in to her newer albums. I stuck with Scarlet Walk until I found my love for it. With this album I literally had to force myself to play it over and over again until the songs became familiar enough to be somewhat enjoyable. Dont get me wrong, theres still some lovely pieces and a couple like "Sweet the Sting" and "Beekeeper" are more instantly enjoyable. I just feel that Tori herself sounds almost bored in most of the tracks ("Parasol" "Ribbons undone" etc) and the other tracks she has adopted a grit in her voice which begins to grate after a minute or so into the track. I'm disappointed to admit that I have to skip through several of the tracks ("cars and guitars", "witness" and a couple others) because I simply can't stand her voice. I hate to think it, but I think she might be running out of steam. After all, she has presented herself with some pretty hard acts to follow in the past.

So I dont hate it (well little bits of it I do), but I can't really recommend it as much as many of her other albums. Sorry.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Where's Tori????, March 5, 2005

By 

Kevin Gessino-kraft "clegolfpro" (Lakewood, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Beekeeper (Audio CD)

I am a Tori Amos fan. And I'm sorry that it has come to this, but I cannot sit back and just accept that this is a great album simply because it is a Tori album. It isn't a great album. It's an okay album at best. Now after 5 full listens through, I want to know where Tori is on this album. Tori albums challenge the listener to open up and deal with her power. Her amazing voice and all it's wonderful inflections. Her piano pushed to the brink. It isn't there. Instead we are given cheesy adult contemporary background drumming and useless guitar "stuff." We have to listen to a bunch of lousy back-up singers drowning out the one voice we all came to hear. And that tiny little sound you might hear in the background over all this nonsense is Tori's piano so neglected on this album it might as well not be there at all. This is a mostly powerless album. There isn't any challenge to the listener and there isn't enough emotion to pull at a single heart string. The two best tracks are the only tracks that are "Tori and the Piano." #12 "Original Sinsuality" at about a minute and a half is the first notice that Tori Amos is actually on this album. The we have to wait until the very end, #19 "Toast" to hear that she didn't just make a cameo appearance in the middle. It is a fantastic finish, but too little, too late. I am a Tori fan. And as such, I hope the new music will get a welcomed makeover when performed live. We all know what she is capable of, so I'm not giving up all hope until after the show. Buy it, it won't hurt you, but it won't inspire you, either.