Customer Reviews

Concertina / Famous Blue Raincoat / Twinkle

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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I have to say that this CD is probably the best Tori single ever...and all the real Toriphiles out there can attest to that. However, i also have to say that amazon.com...(while i love them and will always buy from them!) didnt do a very good job describing it....so.....here ya go. It starts off with the "single mix" of Concertina. This is a really cool version of it. It sticks to the album version, and has some cool harmonies built into it. Track two is...i think....THE BEST tori cover EVER. It is Tori's LIVE version of Leanord Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat". For those of you who want the original version of this song...it is available through amazon.com on the CD...A tribute to Leonard Cohen. Track 3 is a live version of Tori's own song "Twinlke" which is a short little song...with a big meaning. For those of you wondering...yes, these are the same extra that are on one of the imports for "Glory of the 80's". And as an added bonus to this cd...you get a free video for Glory of the Eighties, playable via the internet only for people who get this cd...and it is in excellent CD quality, since the actual video and sound is on the cd...you just need the internet to get to it. Well, i hope that was good enough description for you all! Hey by the way....did i mention.....BUY THIS CD! ITS WORTH THE 7 BUCKS! Love, your forever fellow Toriphile.....Joe...and hey....email me sometime...we'll talk ALL about tori! joey5866@hotmail.com. BYE!

Most Tori fans will consider getting this disc for 3 reasons: (1) To get the video (2) To get the remix of Concertina (3) To get the live tracks The video is not one of my favorites, but likely the only way you will get to see it, so if you are as curious as I was, naturally this is a good thing to get. The remix of Concertina is not particularly interesting. The song sounds a bit broken with the extra vocals added in, although in some places it sounds fantastic. The live tracks are really the reason why I think the single is worth having (for those of us who don't just collect them all). Both are very well done and superior to the studio versions of these songs with which we are all familiar. I was not even fond of either song until this revelation. I highly recommend these tracks.

This single is definitely worth the money. Although I enjoyed the remix of "Concertina" as well as the live version of "Twinkle", it is Tori's live rendition of "Famous Blue Raincoat" that really stands out. The lyrics, by Leonard Cohen, are insightful and hauntingly beautiful--a perfect match for Tori's voice! She sings it like it was her own. The first time I heard it, I couldn't get the song out of my head, and no matter how many times I listen to it, it never gets old. It is simply a masterpiece--breathtaking!

I'm really happy that Tori decided to release Concertina has her next single. The new edit of it is beautiful and the Glory of the 80's video on the cd is a wonderful addition! Considering no one will play her videos. The only problem I have is not to see newer b-sides on this cd. The same live tracks from the Glory of the 80's single were used. Usually Tori has tons of b-sides on her singles. But, overall I recommend this for true Tori fans and collectors of her cds.

and it won't work - either on my PC or Mac. When I was *finally* able to get it installed on my PC and got to the screen to view the video, the site (atlantic records) says it is not available. no searching the atlantic site for it. nada. very disappointed. the cd is good - but the video was my real goal and it appears to be a dud in that respect. sad.

This single contains the same alternate tracks as "The Glory of the 80s" Pt. 1 UK Import. Obviously, this US release is easier to find and for those fans concerned only with the obtaining of B-sides this single is a a required purchase.

The B-sides for this single are the live version of "Famous Blue Raincoat" and "Twinkle." "Famous Blue Raincoat" is a Leonard Cohen cover that cannot be found anywhere else, and is a low key yet poignant attempt at one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. The archaic lyrics make it sound as if it could be a Tori Amos original, yet because it isn't it lacks the emotional sincerity that make Tori's songs so meaningful. "Twinkle" was one of the most precious tracks off of "Boys For Pele" and the live performance captures its ephermeral beauty. Combined, these two tracks make this single a worthy purchase and necessity for even moderate Tori fans.

The single mix of "concertina" always leaves me aching for more of Tori's voice... that sweet, sweet sound. This remix isn't a techno dance mix; it just amplifies the song's sweetness. Then she does a cover of "famous blue raincoat" by Leonard Cohen, which is a song that I had never heard before. I'm glad Tori covered it, because it is a beautiful song. From there, the applause leads into a live version of "twinkle," from Boys For Pele. This is a special song to me, because it inspires me again and again to not give up. It reminds me to twinkle.

Included on this single is the video for "glory of the 80's." This video features Tori in a black dress, suspended by wires attached to a square, metal frame. When finally cut free, she looks like a gothic faerie as she flies away with giant black wings. Intriguing.

When I first got "to venus and back," I was unsure how I felt about the album. Once I became adjusted to her newer sounds, it became one of my favorites. "Concertina," however had an instant allure. It is very ethereal sounding and catchy. Tori's typical visual lyrics are as always appealing and mysterious. The two live songs are "Twinkle" (from "Boys for Pele"), which is a precious song, and "Famous Blue Raincoat" (a Leonard Cohen cover). I adore this song; it has always been one of my ultimate favorites. The mystique and soul she adds to this song is virtually indescribable. When we listen to Tori's music, we always feel whimsical when she is fluttering through magical worlds, like a faerie. And when she sings songs of sadness, frustration, and loss, she conjures up those emotions in us. This is why I always say that Tori is the only one who understands and that her words, no matter how joyful or sorrowful, caress and coax us. And this is why I love Tori and her music and these songs are indispensable!

Tori's maxi-single of Concertina is by far and away the best single she has ever released. The remix of "Concertina" has a richer and deeper sound which the original lacks. I know the original version of "Famous Blue Raincoat" by Leonard Cohen, and Tori has never ceased to make this song her own. The development of the texture from his original to her first cover (on "Tower of Song: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen") to this live cover is truly breathtaking. The piano part is fuller and more active, while the vocals feel even more like her own heart pouring out to us, the listeners. The seamless segue into "Twinkle" makes for a complete "set" of songs. While the vocals on "Twinkle" sound more girlish than Tori has since Y Kant Tori Read (or even the old "Baltimore" days), the piano part is more satisfying to hear. The overall effect of the song is heightened by the added triads in the upper third of the piano. If you are a Tori-phile, this is a MUST HAVE.

The original version of the title track can be found on Amos's fifth solo release, "to venus and back." The version that appears here is a beautiful mix that heightens the effects on Amos's vocals and adds a line of lyrics and background vocals. The result is quite heavenly. The live tracks included are the same as those that previously appeared on the first part of the U.K. "glory of the 80's" singles. Just as the second disc of Amos's "to venus and back" album is a live collection of mostly band songs, this single offers a further look into Amos's live solo performances, played during "secretime" of her 1998 concert tour. The offerings here are the rarely played "Twinkle" and a gorgeous version of her stunning cover of Leonard Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat." What was unique about the "Concertina" single when it was first released was that it offered exclusive online access to the never-before-seen-in-the-U.S. video for her U.K. "glory of the 80's" single. Unfortunately, since Amos is no longer on Atlantic records, the company that put out her first six solo albums, the content has been removed.