Customer Reviews

From the Choirgirl Hotel

5 star:		(299)
4 star:		(62)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

Have you ever wondered what the "fuss" about Tori Amos was? Have you perhaps heard one of her more successful singles in recent years (say, A Sorta Fairytale or Sleeps With Butterflies) and perhaps, blasphemy of blasphemies, thought she was a bit lightweight, a bit trite, a bit, dare we say it, uninteresting?

Well, if you did think those things, you would be wrong, and From the Choirgirl Hotel is the album to prove that to you. Choirgirl is a lot of things, but lightweight is not one of those. It is a dark, dense, intense, harrowing, experimental and adventerous trip, where your guide is 1/2 Sylvia Plath and 1/2 Chopin, with dashes of Massive Attack and Jimmi-Hendrix-if-he-had-taken-up-piano (for flavour).

I am an unabashed Tori Amos fan. I will admit that I'm biased in her favour. I would rate all of her 8 major studio albums from "good" to "amazing," having come to her music as a hard-core piano student during the mid-90's, when songs like "Blood Roses" and "Father Lucifer" seemed more like Bach and Debussy than like anything else on the airwaves at the time.

But why chose this album, then, as it marks the now 8-year trend of Tori moving away from the baroque, challenging, symphonic compositions that characterized her first three albums? Choirgirl was the start of her break for the mainstream, a move that culminated in 2005's disappointing MOR-mush of "The Beekeeper." It seems rather odd that I would venerate it above all others.

I do so because, while 'Choirgirl' is one of Tori's most accessible albums (especially for fans of dark alternative rock), it also shows her at the top of her game as a songwriter and instrumentalist.

Even though, for the first time, the piano took a backseat in some songs and was entirely absent from one (the slinky, sexy "cruel"), this album also contains some of her most breath-taking passages at the keyboard. Listen to the bridges of "Spark" and "Black Dove," the improvisational sections of "Liquid Diamonds," the piano breakdown in the 4th section of the multi-movemental "Hotel," the lithe, graceful playing of "Jackie's Strength," and the accomplished jazz stylings of "Pandora's Aquarium." All of these moments stand as testament to the fact that Tori started her life in the world of music at age 3, as a child prodigy, and that, if she had applied herself in a different direction, she could legitimately make it as a concert pianist with a classical repetoire.

This album is hard-hitting. Each track is a gem; the weakest of the set would be a standout on any album by a lesser talent. What's more, she doesn't bog the album down with filler (as in "The Beekeeper") or sometimes lose herself in self-indulgent ramblings (as can be argued for "Boys for Pele"). Sure, the lyrical ambiguity is here as per usual, but the ratio of comprehensible metaphors to head-scratchers is balanced in the former's favour.

"From the Choirgirl Hotel" is tight. Over the 50-odd minutes it takes to play the album from start to finish, its 12 tracks are 12 musical punches to the gut, and if you give it your time and your attention, I'm sure you will finally understand what the fuss about Tori Amos is.

Honestly, there is not much that I can say about Tori Amos that I'm sure hasn't already been said concerning her brilliance, emotional overflow, and the adaptation it takes to enjoy her music. It is hard for me to say which of her albums is her best, and perhaps it is no coincidence that my three favorite songs of her's are all on "Choirgirl Hotel." "Pandora's Aquarium" is simply beautiful, with lyrics such as "Line me up in single file with all your grievances..."That line alone gives the song such a beautiful feel.

But more appropriately, there is "Liquid Diamonds," probably the unspoken hero of this cd. Her piano and the drums in the opening part of the song are transfixing, and her lyrics just blend in so perfectly, "There's a secret in me, It's plain to see that it is rising, but I must be floating, Liquid Diamonds."

And finally, the other song that grabbed me was "Hotel." It is interesting if you listen to that song all the way through its transitions and instrument sounds make it seem like pure musical story telling, with a feel of pain and curiosity throughout the song, and then this wonderful sensation of relief and survival in the last few moments.

Despite the fact that all of the songs on "Choirgirl Hotel" have their own unique and heartthrobbing, emotion-wrenching styles, Tori Amos has achieved with her fourth album something that can only be described as special.

I finally took the plunge and bought this disc. I had been discouraged from buying it by many other Ears with Feet, thus the reason why it took me so long to jump on the bandwagon. But when I finally bought and listened to it...my GOD. I have never heard anything as innovative and filled with so much emotion. It starts out with an amazing rock influenced song about the miscarriage she suffered called "Spark". "Cruel" is a brutally honest, dark song about the power-play in relationships, and Tori tries to describe and understand her own malicious behavior. Some of my favorites being "Black-Dove" and "She's Your Cocaine" as well as the haunting tune of "iiee" and "Liquid Diamonds" My favorite song of the entire album would have to be "Playboy Mommy," a song Tori wrote for her dead daughter who she miscarried. I listen to this song every chance I get, for the simple reason that this right here, is raw emotion. The entire piece is without a doubt heart-breaking. It reminds of the suddenness of life and the mourning of life unlived. The pure and unadulterated love on this track is enough to leave you in tears for hours ('In my platforms I hit the floor, I fell face down, it didn't help my brain at all, then the baby came before I found the magic how to keep her happy, I never was the fantasy, of what you wan...wanted me to be, don't judge me so harsh, little girl......I'll say it loud here by your grave, those angels can't ever take my place').

this cd is beautiful. i was very very apprehensive about buying it after reading all of these negative comments, about how tori's changed. very true. but if you look at it, each album has shown growth...LE was her debut...UtP added some rock...BfP added more instruments..and this album adds the band. so what? after her preceeding three albums, i didn't know what else she could do - i mean, come on, there are only so many songs that one can do with just a piano and her voice. and i know, that's one of the things that made tori unique. and many of her fans like her because she's unique; not like ANYONE else out there. (even kate bush - i like kate, but she sounds like tori did in her YKTR era, not now.) are you even aware of how many artists are using just their voices and their pianos? or just guitars? look at jewel. fiona apple. blah blah blah. tori started the trend. and she's moved on. she still doesn't sound like anyone else i've heard of. anyhow, this work is beautiful..."Playboy Mommy" is a tearjerking track..and "iieee" strikes me...it's amazing. buy this. you won't be disapointed. = )

"From the Choirgirl Hotel" barely edges out "Little Earthquakes" as my favorite Tori Amos album. Whether it's the snowy softness of "Black Dove" , the unique, pensive sounds of "Spark" and "Iiieee", the flowing melodies of "Jackie's Strength", or the lambent sensuality of "Cruel", all the songs make this album stand out.

Tori's songs are all thought-provoking and beautiful as always, but here she expands her reach a little. "Raspberry Swirl" is a departure from her distinctive soft piano sound, but still displays the unique brand of thoughtfulness and sheer strangeness that drew me to her music in the first place.

My personal favourite is still Boys For Pele, but sonically this is the most consistent album she's ever made. Beautiful, tight and deep rooted songs about the miscarriages that she suffered back in those days. So that's the concept for this one: the hurt and pain of loss and how to dance with it so that it doesn't destroy you. Every song is cathartic. A tour de force album!

This album is truly a masterpiece. It is incredibly moving and spiritual. This was the first Tori Amos album that I bought after becoming a fan of hers a couple years back, and since then I have accumulated quite a collection of her albums, however this still continues to be my favorite. She has truly beautiful music that shines on this album

I am not a very big Tori Amos fan, but I listened to this CD in the car of a friend and I remember the mood the music itself put me in, so I bought the album right away. Sometimes you listen to music to uplift you while you're driving or doing your thing around the house. Then there's times when you want to stare out your windows and watch the trees move around insync to sound (is this just me?) and the track "Cruel" is just the song I wanna hear while doing this. Then there's songs like, "Liquid Diamonds" where Tori's voice is both haunting and alluring, great to have playing if you're into painting or doing something artistic. The song, "Playboy Mommy" works if you're walking around on a dreary fall day, trying to kick wet leaves from the ground. This is a great album for people who need their own personal soundtrack in their lives. The actual sound of the music, for me, is massive, stretching and almost hypnotic, Tori's voice can stretch in any direction with this sound. This album is dreamy, moody, slightly bitter and completely worth adding to your CD collection.

After two mediocre albums (Under the Pink and Boys for Pele)Tori makes a brilliant come back.Her mix of techno and piano is out of this world.The more I listen to this album the more I love it, there's just no way to describe it.Tori has said each song is supposed to represent a women and her story, hence the title.Unlike her last two albums which were confusing and sometimes silly Choirgirl is more like the real Tori.Alot of pain (Spark,Iieee,Playboy Mommy,)and frustration (She's Your Cocaine, Liquid Diamonds,Hotel) make this a dark and moody album,but it's worth it.Tori also remembers her earlier years with two moving piano songs Jackie's strength and Northern Lad.Another brilliant song is Black Dove (January),I love the way it starts of slow then goes techno.And Raspberry Swirl is her wildest song to date.Pandora's Aquarium is the only song I did'nt really care for .Tori's best album since Little Earthquakes.

This album is astonishing. Although I enjoy all of Tori's albums, this one is in my opinion the best. Many things lead to this. For one thing is that they're is so many different types of music being put to use here. From classical to gothic to world to alternative; they are all put to use through out this album often more than one on a single song. Also a very under looked improvement is Matt Chamberlin on drums. He may be almost unnoticeable but he brings very much to the cd. I always think when I'm listening to say, "Waitress" off Under the Pink and think "God this would be a perfect recording if there were better percussion.

There isn't really a bad song on this album, infact almost all the songs are excellent. "Spark" is an extremely powerful opener with a fast pace break down. "Cruel" is one of the songs that help give this album such a dark atmosphere. "Black-Dove" is very classical sounding and is the closest thing to her old work on this album. "Raspberry Swirl" is a dance song. I usually hate these songs but I love this one and no, not just cuz it's Tori. When I bought this album I hadn't any of the tracks but knew this was a dance song. I figured I would hate it but ended up liking it. It still has its problems as at some points it gets a little corny (i.e.:"let's go"). "Jackie's Strength is absolutely beautiful. A nice, slow, peaceful track. It has a very overwhelming feel at points such as "if you love a lot you'll lie a lot, guess they did in Camelot". "Iieee" is one of the best tracks on the album. With a gothic/world music sound its one of her best songs ever. Everything from the acapela moments to the lyrics is completely haunting. "She's Your Cocaine" is the most rockin track on the album and is another gem. One thing Tori really didn't do good on "Boys For Pele" was stay within her vocal range. That was the first Tori album I ever bought and I had the impression that she wasn't much of a singer (loved her music but thought she didn't know her own voice). Here she shows her vocal talents especially on "Northern Lad" and "Hotel" where she almost sounds like an opera singer belting out the songs. "Northern Lad" is another excellent track. "Playboy Mommy" may be my favorite Tori song. It's about her miscarriage but I am a strong believer that the sad experences in an artist's life (epically musicians) lead to the best music. This is musically excellent. This is a good example of how the drumming is much better than it used to be. It's a simple but beautiful straightforward song where Tori puts it all on the table like so few other musicians do.

Anyways Tori has proven once again that she is one of the best artists out there today.