Customer Reviews

Crucify

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Whereas this EP, particularly Tori's cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" seemed to introduce Tori Amos to many listeners, I only discovered it after I had embraced the magic of the Little Earthquakes and Under the Pink CDs. Unlike the vast majority of artists, Amos releases EPs containing wonderful, must-have songs not included on her albums, and this Crucify EP is her consummate EP offering. First, there is a remix of Tori's powerful song "Crucify" (although, to be honest, I can hardly tell the difference between this remix and the original song). Next is "Winter," perhaps the most beautiful song Amos has ever recorded. The true magic of this particular CD rests in the remaining three cover tracks. Tori makes the Rolling Stones' "Angie" her own, singing it with great emotion and her patented edginess of voice--the end result is a hauntingly beautiful song. The eye-catching track on the EP is the cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." She strips this song down to its lyrical core and makes of it a really tender, beautiful piece of music. Finally, Tori stamps her individual imprint on Led Zeppelin's classic "Thank You." The piano-playing is superb, and she performs some lyrical gymnastics that would make Robert Plant himself jealous, but I tend to lose the song amidst the music. As a total package, this EP reveals the power Tori Amos possessed very early on in her career. Some may buy this just to hear the actual words to "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but even the unsuspecting are almost guaranteed to find themselves wrapped up in Tori's musical web of beauty, grace, and meaning.

The Crucify EP, more than a single and less than an album, was my first taste of the way Tori worked back then. She was probably the most prominent and consistent EP-artist in the '90s, as nearly every single she put out was released in this format, with at least two, and usually three or four, extra, non-LP songs on it. If you were a completist, as I was (and still am), this made collecting Tori both frustrating and quite rewarding. To wit: while you would always get a profound feeling of accomplishment from finding some, say, UK release of 'Silent All These Years' in the import section of the local Sam Goody or Hastings, there was always, in those final years before the internet and sevices like this, at least one that you just couldn't get no matter how hard you tried. The Crucify EP was never one of these; ever since its release, it has always been right up front with the LPs, where you can always find it.
Of course now, in the days post-ebay, post-amazon, finding all of Tori's myriad EPs is easy; all it takes is money and an internet hookup (and the nerves and patience to dig through ebay and wait out any number of auction opponents). Still, in spite of the fact that you don't even have to go to that much trouble to find Crucify, and in spite of the fact that it will never cost you fifty or seventy-five dollars, it stands up with the best of those rarer, more costly EPs. The single mix of the title track that begins the record is excellent, the kind of track that reminds one that the 'remix' isn't always a waste of studio time, and that it can sometimes add another dimension to a song, or bring out an element of it that isn't emphasised in the album mix. This is followed by the album version of 'Winter,' which would wind up with an EP of its own; while there's no particular reason for it to be here, it fits the context and is just a damn good song anyway. But the reason to buy this record, for most of us, is the three tracks that follow: the covers. These are stark, simple recordings, just Tori and the piano, and they are perfect in their simplicity. Her version of the Rolling Stones' 'Angie' is breathtaking; a slow-burning, passionate rendition that exceeds the original in emotional quality and brings out the melodic potential of the song that the Stones neglect; pardon the cliche, but she truly makes it her own. Ballads simply are not their specialty; they are (one of) Tori's, so she had little trouble taking a seemingly tepid ballad by a non-ballad-oriented act and making it a thing of great passion and beauty. Next up, she did something that really took nerve: she took the ultimate rock anthem of the age, and, with no more than her voice and 88 keys,without changing a word, converted it into damn near a new song. Supposedly, Kurt Cobain liked Tori's 'Teen Spirit,' which is nothing like his original, but for lyrics (you can understand them in this version, by the way). I've always believed that there's no point in covering a song if you don't have something new to contribute to it, some variation upon the standard interpretation. Note-for-note remakes are for bar-bands, 'tribute bands' and the like; when a genuine artist covers a song, he or she should be able to present it to you in a new way, from a perspective other than that of its originator. Tori's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' haunting yet comprehensible, does this beautifully.
Which brings us to the end: 'Thank You,' by Led Zepplin. The Zep had a more profound influence upon the young Myra Ellen Amos than any other musical force, perhaps; it certainly shows in her vocal style, and her tendency toward mystical epics on record. Either way, her version is etherial, evoking mental pictures of sunrise beaches and highland mists as well as any Zep original. When I saw her live, at the Backyard in my home town of Austin, Texas days after Hurricane Katrina, she did Zep's 'When the Levee Breaks' in tribute to the people of the gulf coast; it was one of the highlights of the evening. Tori probably does Robert Plant better than anyone these days, quite possibly including the man himself.
In conclusion, even though there's no difficulty in finding it, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, the Crucify EP is a wonderful piece of work, entirely worth the trouble you don't have to go through to find it.

Love it. This version of Crucify definitely tops the already excellent version on Little Earthquakes, and Winter is simply stunning.

As for the covers, the Led Zep song, Thank You, is exquisite, and a wonderful tribute to her friend Robert Plant and the mighty Zeppelin. This woman rules, she's even a friend of Sci Fi icon Neil Gaiman.

While she does a good job on Angie, it's a song I could live without. Smells Like Teen Spirit was a classic Rock anthem in its original form, and Tori has worked her magic on this beautiful version, in which you can indeed hear the lyrics - which actually raised my respect for Kurt's song even more.

This is a vital acquisition for the serious Tori fan.

Okay fellow Toriphiles, take notes: there are three singles/EPs released under the title 'Crucify' that you owe it to yourselves and your obsession that you must possess them. The first is the easily found US EP that contains the legendary covers of 'Angie,' 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' and 'Thank You.' The second is the UK CD single, which contains the original studio versions of 'Mary' and 'Here. In My head' (there's another bonus track on it, but as it's found on other releases, I don't remember what it is), and there is this one, perhaps the rarest of them all (save, perhaps, for the UK Ltd. single for 'Silent All These Years' and the first CD of the two-part UK single for 'Past the Mission'). I didn't even know this one existed for years, until I saw it listed on amazon.com.
At any rate, it is a lovely little package, entirely worth whatever amazon or whomever is charging for it. The four art prints are lovely, the box is nice, and the music is, of course, an absolute necessity. Live versions of 'Crucify' are highly uncommon; in fact, this may be the only one available on CD (I just checked; it is). Hard to believe, isn't it, that a song that is so well-known and important to the founding of Tori's career isn't on any of the six official bootlegs from last year, or To Venus and Back, or any of the many singles containing live tracks that she's put out over the years. It is on the DVD Welcome to Sunny Florida, but this is the only old-school, just-Tori-and-the-piano version you can find anywhere. It's preceded by 'Little Earthquakes,' which, while not quite so uncommon, is good to have a live version of that's this early. In fact, I'd say that's the prime appeal of this short set: these are tracks from Tori's very first tour, when this material was fresh and immedate to her, still full of the evangelical fervour an artist always applies to the current work. Since Little Earthquakes holds such an important place in the hearts of us first-gen Toriphiles, it's wonderful to hear live recordings of these beloved songs from the time when she was first playing them and we were first experiencing them. Ah, such a perfect chance to wallow unrepentantly in Gen-X nostalgia. . .
The other two tracks on the disc, the ever-intense classic 'Precious Things' and the breathtakingly beautiful 'Mother,' round out this all-too-short set. About the only complaint I might make is this: why is there still not a live recording of 'China' officially available anywhere?! But I guess that isn't a flaw in this package per se; just an accidental oversight that covers Tori's whole career. Perhaps she doesn't realise that 'China' has never been released in a live version outside of the bootleg market. If any of you reading this happen to know her, please bring this unfortunate fact to Tori's attention, please.
Anyway, this rare live EP is still a wonderful artifact from the time when Tori and those of us who have loved her the whole time were still becoming acquainted, and I wholeheartedly encourage all of you who, like me, still can't get enough of these wonderful songs to do whatever you must to get a copy of this gem, as well as the other rare UK 'Crucify' release (I think 'Upside Down' is the other extra track on that, by the way). Hmm. . .am I gloating by flaunting my own possession of these rare 'precious things,' do you think? You know, I probably am. Well, I'm not so much gloating about having them as I am about the fact that I mostly got lucky on amazon and in local used CD shops, and didn't have to pay through the nose for most of them. Still: get it, and do it now. It's worth the time, trouble, expense, whatever. And who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky.
Maybe we'll all get lucky, and she'll finally release that live version of 'China' I've been waiting almost half of my life for. Maybe. . .

Back in the day, when Tori Amos first burst onto the scene with that wonder of wonders "Little Earthquakes", she stirred something wicked and naughty in me. Was it the way she breathed? The way she could purr one minute and wail the next? Or was it that she wasn't trying to sound so...um, what's the word? Affected? Don't get me wrong: I recently bought her latest offering, "The Beekeeper", and it's...um, a keeper. But back in 1992, when Tori wore jeans and writhed away on her piano bench like a lounge singer in heat, she had a special spark that (I believe) has dimmed a bit over the years. The "Crucify" EP captured the essence of that spark. It was like a clever little epilogue to "Earthquakes", a way for Tori to declare "I'm here" while at the same time paying homage to her influences. It's even more stripped down than some of the more intimate tracks on "Earthquakes", and equally as effective. Check out the Rolling Stones cover of "Angie" and you'll hear the soul inside the singer.

In 1994, less than three months after Kurt Cobain died, I saw Tori at the Seattle Opera House. She opened the show with the chorus of McLean's "American Pie" and segued into "Smells Like...". It was magical, haunting, necessary. It's all there (sans the McLean cover) on this CD. And it's perfect.

Run, don't walk, to the checkout for this one.

I just wanted to write a little something as a devout Tori Amos fan. She is an unspeakably genius artist and musician and any song of hers that flows in your ear is sure to make a more thoughtful person of you. This little album is one of her greats and the cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is beautiful.

I'm 15 an I've been a fan of Tori for about 3 years now. The first album I bought was "Little Earthquakes" and the first track "Crucify" brought tears to my eyes. It has become not only my favorite Tori song, but one of my favorite songs of all time. Tori is a genius not only at lyrics, but music as well. The lyrics are just...amazing and the music will capture you like nothing else.

It starts out immediatley with "Every finger in the room is pointing at me/I want to spit in their faces/But I'm afriad what that will bring" with piano chords and a bass drum keeping the beat. Then she starts in with her georgous piano in the chours "I've been looking for a savoir in these dirty streets" and "Why do we crucify ourselves?/My heart is sick of being in chains"

The bad thing about this single is that they don't include the original, and I like the original better. I don't like how they cut out the chours and all of the added instruments.

Song review:

Crucify [Remix] - A remix of the genius song "Crucify." Sounds like the original, only with added guitars and some of the chours is cut out.
Rating: 4.5/5

Winter - Why this song is included on here, I do not know, but I'm glad it is because this is one of Tori's best songs. Winter is just a beautiful ballad. I can never get enough of it! Another Tori song that brought tears to my eyes, espically in the chorus "When you gonna make up your mind?" Beautiful.
Rating: 5/5

Angie - A cover of the Rolling Stone's Angie; and it is amazing. She completly makes it her own. Just her and a piano, and I love that Tori the best.
Rating: 5/5

Smells Like Teen Spirit - A cover of Nirvana's song of the same name. Just Tori and her piano. Amazing.
Rating: 5/5

Thank You - Another cover song that Tori makes her own. The piano work is amazing amazing amazing. Another of just Tori and her piano. Cn't get enough.
Rating: 5/5

The title track is the video-remix of the standout track from her solo debut album, "Little Earthquakes." The mix is somewhat cool sounding, but it cuts some of the lyrics from the song, and as a result, some of its soul. Regardless, the reason to buy this single is the b-sides. Amos's first recorded covers are on this single and they are not to be missed. Her emotional and inspiring reworkings of The Rolling Stone's "Angie," Led Zeppelin's "Thank You," and the cover people still talk about today, Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Amos takes these songs and makes them her own, something too few artists do when recording a cover. Also included is the album version of her own beautiful balled "Winter."

I will break ranks from the rest of the reviewers and say that I do not really care for the Nirvana cover. It does't matter - the cover of "Thank You" could be the only thing on this EP and it would still get 5 stars from me. I first heard this in my dorm 5 years ago when a friend bought it as a novelty item - the college radio station was playing the Nirvana cover a lot. I borrowed it because I thought the Crucify song was pretty good, but when I heard "Thank You" I could not believe it. Tori is a genius - in fact, she would be a genius if that is the only song she ever recorded. I had it played at my wedding. I still get chills when I hear it. The "Angie" cover is also pretty cool, but "Thank You" is unbelievable.

Tori, Tori Tori. She's great, she really is. She proved that with "Crucify". Then she has the nerve to put on a five track single and make it even better with a remix. How dare she? Well, I'm glad she did! Nothing on this CD will disapoint you if you've heard Tori Amos before. If you've not, this will be a fitting intro to her music. "Teen Spirit", "Thank You", and "Angie" are all invigorating classic remakes and "Winter" should not be forgotten just because it's the album version. It's bliss.