Customer Reviews

"The Original Bootlegs" (12 CD Box Set)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Let me begin by saying, I am a huge Tori Amos fan. I even saw the Boston show included here. I have all the albums, B-Sides, and sheet music. I love her music, and I play through all her songs at the piano. I was thinking: "Jesus, this 12-CD set is a DREAM!"

But this release is a disappoint. If you cherish your pirated CDs of the Dew Drop Inn Tour, or if you love the second disc of "To Venus and Back", then you'll be disappointed, too. Don't expect more of the same.

Tori doesn't show the the mental and emotional involvement that characterizes her early work, nor the musical command and masterful showmanship so clearly on display for the Choirgirl tour. She makes more mistakes here than I've ever heard. Yes, she gets a bit mush-mouthed in "All Through the Night", and it's cute the way she stops and corrects herself. But she makes mistakes on the piano, which I've NEVER heard her do. More than once. She repeats sections of songs absent-mindedly, as though she had tuned-out. I realize she does this on purpose sometimes, but you can tell the difference. I'm beginning to think she cancelled the band because it would have required something she didn't have time for---rehearsal.

The worst part---and what makes this a 3-star rating---is her vocal instrument: it is severely out of tune. She's such a fabulous musician, usually with such great pipes, that she must know this. It is impossible for her to listen to these recordings and not realize that there are whole sections of songs where she is clearly singing flat or singing around the correct pitches. It's like she hasn't warmed up. I remember being so mesmerized by "Total Eclipse of the Heart" during the concert, but the CD doesn't lie. It can be painful. Think of "To Venus and Back": her voice could soar in full-throated passion, she had thickness in her middle register, her top was clean and piercing, she was in control of her breath support. It is rare to experience such moments on these bootlegs. I suspect she's stopped taking voice lessons.

The irony is, I think her songwriting is better than ever. But she's not keeping up with herself. Maybe she just wants time off to spend with her family.

The good stuff: I for one am happy to see so much from the Boys for Pele album (my favorite). She had been avoiding this material for a long time (too raw and dark, I think). She does "Beauty Queen/Horses," "Caught a Lite Sneeze," "Hey Jupiter", "Marianne", "Little Amsterdam", "Doughnut Song" and "Putting the Damage on".

Also rare are "Icicle" & "Mother", "Liquid Diamonds", "Suede," "Pancake" & "Carbon," "Ruby through the Looking Glass", "Apollo's Frock" and "Garlands". She really spins out the atmosphere. There are beautiful, meaningful improvisations here.

Still, considering there are 6 concerts, the set lists are not varied. I'm not talking about the way she frames each concert with "Original Sinsuality" and "The Beekeeper." Indeed, her two-minute piano intro to "Original Sinsuality" changes dramatically with each concert. It's engrossing. The problem is that some songs appear 3-4 times: "Barons of Suburbia", "Cloud on my Tongue", a cut-up "Yes, Anastasia", "Cool on Your Island", "Parasol", "Jamaica Inn" (I dislike the live arrangement with organ), "Father Lucifer", and "Leather". But we never ONCE hear "Marys of the Sea" or "Goodbye Pisces," easily among the strongest songs on "The Beekeeper" album. She actually sounds bored in some of these repeated tracks. In light of the great rarities, it leaves me wondering what might have been, if Sony had been more thoughtful or if Tori had showed more desire to explore her discography.

There are some great covers: "Like a Prayer" is mystical (she doesn't remember half the lyrics), "Livin on a Prayer" and "All Through the Night" are driving, and "Total Eclipse" is ambitious if not quite successful.

Summary:
Beautiful piano playing, her most sophisticated work, but marred by some mistakes or lack of involvement. Singing is unpracticed. Sound quality is crystalline. Good rarities, but too many repeated tracks between concerts. All in all, an uneven release.

Recommendation:
If you're a rabid fan like me, you already have this set and nothing I can say will deter you. In fact, I'm going to listen to these CDs and love them anyway, remembering the golden days.

If you're NEW to Tori and you've heard stories that she's great in concert, DO NOT get this set. Save some money and buy "To Venus and Back" instead. There isn't a bad live track on it. "Cooling", "Sugar", and "Cornflake Girl" are mind-blowing (Tori at her VERY best, which is saying something), "Cruel" and "Waitress" are revelatory. It will transport you.

4 Stars for the casual fan
5 Stars for the serious fan

Official live albums and bootlegs are always a gamble. The major flaw with official live albums is that the recordings are often wrought with overdubs and studio re-recordings that often kill the songs. Bootlegs are often far more organic, but you never know what the quality of the recording will be. How many times have we spent $25.00 for a bootleg concert that sounds as though it were recorded on a home tape machine? A major flaw with both live albums and bootlegs are that the artist/band's performance often sounds thin, and the songs are usually not up-to-par with the studio recordings.

A fairly recent phenomenon, official bootlegs are usually the best bet. Recorded straight from the soundboard and on to CD, the quality of the recordings are usually quite good and there are no unwanted overdubs are studio-re-recordings.

This brings us to the new Tori Amos box-set "The Original Bootlegs," recordings gathered from her 2005 World Tour. Simply stated, if you are a fan of Tori Amos, this new box set is a must have. "The Original Bootlegs" does a fabulous job of capturing the ambiance, the essence of the show. I had the privilege of attending the Boston (8/21/05) show, and when I listen to this CD, it really recreates the performance for me. It honestly feels as though I were reliving the show. Sure she makes mistakes here and there, but I think those flaws have been exaggerated by some of the other reviewers. She doesn't play everything perfectly, but this is a recording from a one-person live show, you can't expect everything to be impeccable. The mistakes do not diminish the greatness of the material, at any rate.

You could make a case for the redundancy of the box set being a flaw. It would have been great to hear some of her material (that was not performed, probably due to the complexity of the songs i.e., "Raspberry Swirl") with a full-back up band. So one could argue that some of the shows should have been stripped-down with only piano and organ, (as these shows are) and some of the shows should have been full band affairs. But to argue that point would be missing the point of this box set. "The Original Bootlegs" serves as a time capsule, a testimonial to Tori Amos's 2005 world tour. It was a tour of basic piano/organ renditions, so that is what you get here.

Obviously, not every song that you know and love is on the set, but most of them will be. Amos goes throughout her entire catalogue and each album is given fair treatment. Having to hear the same song more than once isn't really going to be a problem, because the same song is never played quite the same way each time. Sometimes the tempo, arraignments, and various other nooks and crannies will stand out to the attentive ear. The inclusion of the gospel singers on several songs from the Hammersmith (6/4/05) show works nicely. While it would have been nice for a few more songs to have been included, and others played only once (instead of two or three times) the track selection is mostly excellent.

One of the best attractions of this box set is its numerous arrays of cover songs. Some of these songs like Joni Mitchell's "Circle Game" are obvious choices that one would think Amos would do a great job covering. However, most of these songs initially seem really out-of-place. Who would expect Tori Amos to cover Cyndi Lauper "All Thought the Night," Bon Jovi "Livin' on a Prayer," and A Flock of Seagulls, "I Ran"? But Amos really pulls it off and makes these songs her own. And if Tori Amos can play a piece of s#.t like "Livin' on a Prayer" and make it sound good, that says something.

If you are a casual fan, you may want to stick with Tori Amos's studio albums before investing a lot of time and money into this. But for the Tori Amos faithful that already own all her studio albums, this box set is a must-have. Tori Amos's studio albums are only half the story. She is one artist that you do not want to miss in concert. "The Original Bootlegs" will forever immortalize Amos for future generations and for all time. Whether it is 2005, 2010, 2057, or 2105, "The Original Bootlegs" will take the listener right to the show and recreate a magical moment from history. This box set does a superb job of capturing what makes her shows so special.

Also, you can't argue with the price. $70.00 for six full concerts (12 CDs) is definitely a good value.

Anyone thinking about purchasing this set should think about what it is they are buying and what their expectations are. A 12-CD box is a considerable investment, not only of money but of listening time if one is to reap the benefits.

Comparisons with Amos' previous live releases are apt to be misleading. `To Venus and Back' included a single disc of highlights taken from a tour with full band. The Original Bootlegs consists of 6 completely unedited concerts that are, except for some tracks on the London discs, entirely solo.

Given the nature of the set, it's inevitable that there are some flaws apparent in the performances. Amos' vocals are at times flat and, recorded in stunningly clear sound where every breath registers in a way that a live concertgoer would never hear, there is quite simply nowhere for her to hide. Errors in her keyboard playing are rarer, but no `highlights' disc would be likely to include the rendition of `Jamaica Inn' where she stops and swears after blundering a difficult passage.

To focus on the flaws, however, is to miss the point. The emphasis shouldn't be on the errors, it should be on the achievements: a single performer holding a crowd's attention for close on two hours with virtually no opportunity to rest (a feat of stamina that classical pianists don't attempt), showing such technical skill that she can even play a piano and an organ simultaneously. This is raw, live music-making with not a drum machine in sight.

Similarly, negative comments about repetitions in the set list serve only to downplay the variety. Yes, it's hard to argue that 4 renditions of `Cool on Your Island' isn't a little excessive for armchair listening, yet it's remarkable that there's an average of 8 unique songs per concert. The songs are drawn from throughout Amos' extensive catalogue - 9 different albums are represented as well as a considerable number of non-album tracks - and she doesn't come close to exhausting that catalogue (she debuted a song in the second-last show of the entire tour, and one of her most well-known songs, `Cornflake Girl', wasn't played once in the 81 shows). Each concert also includes covers of other performer's songs (mostly in a mid-concert segment called the Piano Bar), many of which were requested by fans and at least some of which Amos learnt especially for these performances. This is not a performer who is only capable of wheeling out the same hit songs every night.

Where there IS repetition of songs, the versions are not identical - and the benefits of such a large collection become apparent. It's possible to sift through the CDs and hear the seemingly spontaneous decisions Amos makes that set one version apart from another - to repeat the bridge of `Father Lucifer', or to end `Parasol' on the organ instead of the piano. Even when there aren't obvious textual differences, there are frequently differences in pacing and intensity that prevent the versions from being carbon copies of each other. One version of `Space Dog' is rhythmic and driven, the other a little more relaxed and lyrical. The placement of songs at different points in the set list also affects their mood. A great deal about the nature of musical performance, and of Amos' skills, can be learnt from this kind of listening to the Original Bootlegs.

Having said that, it's arguable the set could have been even better at demonstrating Amos' versatility if a more even spread of concerts had been chosen. It's not readily apparent why the 1st leg of the US tour should be represented by 3 shows out of 15, whereas the 2nd leg is only represented by 1 out of 28. This inequitable distribution means that the set doesn't demonstrate the change and evolution of Amos' set list and song versions as well as it might.

It's hard to know which of those first 3 concerts might have been left out, though. The Chicago concert is arguably the most consistently successful of all, including renditions of `Mother Revolution', `Apollo's Frock' and `Ribbons Undone' that eclipse the studio originals, a moving `Marianne' and a fine performance of Jim Croce's `Operator' in the Piano Bar. It also impressively demonstrates Amos' ability to improvise.

The Denver concert has relatively few tracks that are not repeated elsewhere in the set, but the performances are frequently more energetic than on the other discs - the dynamic version of `Little Amsterdam' at the beginning sets the tone for much of the concert. Los Angeles, too, has its fair share of strong performances, including a great `Doughnut Song' and two Piano Bar songs that will delight children of the 80's.

The London concert is unique in that it features a gospel choir accompanying Amos for four tracks from her most recent studio album, `The Beekeeper'. The results include an excellent performance of `Witness' (the only performance of the song for the whole tour). Elsewhere, the concert includes a delicate `Bells for Her' and two more 80's classics in George Michael's `Father Figure' and Madonna's `Like A Prayer', both of which Amos clearly relishes.

The Manchester concert, from the very next night, is the weakest performance included. This is primarily due to the set list, which is noticeably lacking in the more rhythmic songs required to maintain momentum in a solo performance. Some of the results are still good, especially in the first part of the concert - a `Little Amsterdam' that emphasises the song's slimy side, a thoughtful version of `Horses' and very well-shaped extended version of `Liquid Diamonds'. Following that, however, is the cold, alienating `Suede' and a wilfully slow rendition of `Strange'.

Against all odds, Amos then pulls out the finest moment of the entire 12 CDs, a performance of Oasis' `Don't Look Back in Anger' that is simply electric. It's made even more remarkable by Amos' revelation that she was still practising the song around an hour beforehand! After that, though, the performance goes downhill, as Amos clearly recognises when she stops in the middle of `Never Seen Blue' to complain about the frog in her throat. The whole thing ends unsatisfactorily with a somewhat aggressive version of `Sweet the Sting' that is not in keeping with the mood of the rest of the performance.

The final concert, from Boston over 2 months later, makes up for the oddities of Manchester. Inclusion of this performance in the set clearly demonstrates the evolution of Amos' performance during the tour. For starters, the set list has changed noticeably - two thirds of the concert is made up of unique songs. The performances of individual songs have also mutated, with `Barons of Suburbia', `Tear in Your Hand' and `The Beekeeper' all being far longer than previous incarnations. Again, it's the ability to hear these changes that gives value to the box set over individual concerts.

The Boston performances are strong, including a haunting `Caught a Lite Sneeze' and a touching `Playboy Mommy'. The fine covers are crowned by a passionate delivery of Aerosmith's `Dream On'. The collection is suitably rounded off with a version of `1000 Oceans' that feels almost religious with its church-organ tones.

The Original Bootlegs are clearly not for everybody, but serious listeners who want to hear a genuine musician at work will find there's a wealth of material here that will repay their efforts.

I saw Tori Amos in concert for the first time this past summer in West Palm Beach on August 10th, 2005. I was surprised to see that it was just Tori Amos, the Bosendorfer and the B3 Hammond organ. I was hoping to hear the sounds of Matt Chamberlain's drums and John Evans' bass that accompany Tori's vocals and music so well. I mean, after listening to live tracks recorded during the Plugged Tour on To Venus and Back, and watching the final show of the Lottapianos Tour on Welcome to Sunny Florida, how could one not? I do not know the true reason behind why Chamberlain and Evans did not join Tori on the Original Sinsuality Tour and the Summer of Sin Tour, but I personally think that it would have been more of a success if they had joined.

Nevertheless, after sitting through an exhilarating yet somewhat disappointing concert, I was thrilled to find that Tori was releasing a series of six double-CD official bootlegs. Five of the bootlegs were recorded during the Original Sinsuality Tour (three in the United States of America, two in the United Kingdom) and only one was recorded during the Summer of Sin Tour (United States of America). I ordered each bootleg individually elsewhere so I might as well have this product. I just do not have the blind-embossed slipcase or the six hexagon stickers with the artwork for each bootleg, but I do not find those to be important. I have to admit, part of the reason I bought these bootlegs is the elegance in their appearance, but I do not wish to bore you with those little details.

After eleven hours and fifteen minutes of listening to these bootlegs, I felt the same exact exhilaration and disappointment I did in West Palm Beach. There are moments when Tori's vocals and music are exceptionally exquisite. (Both alone and with the Gospel Singers.) I have smiled and I have almost cried. Tori's interactions with the audience are absolutely hilarious. (Keep note of that and watch out for "Don't Look Back In Anger".) However, there are moments when Tori's vocals and music are not as great. This may be as a result of getting older or not practicing, I am not sure. There are moments when Tori messes up on her own lyrics or does not sing the song as a whole. It's incredible; the tiniest change or mistake can be so annoying or distracting. The other thing that I did not like was that Tori sang Barons of Suburbia, Cloud On My Tongue, Cool On Your Island, Father Lucifer, Jamaica Inn, Original Sinsuality, Parasol, Sweet The Sting, The Beekeeper, Winter and Yes, Anastasia at least three times or more. Do not get me wrong, most of those songs are my personal favorites. I just wish Tori had put more thought and variety into the setlist for each bootleg.

Most Tori fans are not casual fans; we are committed fans. We do not enjoy her music; we LOVE her music. And we have listened to her studio recordings so many times, that we intimately know every breath, lip smack and sigh that Tori has committed to CD.

So thank goodness for these new bootlegs! It's not that I was bored with her "regular" CDs, it's just that these live versions are so exciting. They provide a refreshing new lense through which her music can be experienced. As anyone who has attended one of her concerts knows, Tori is not the sort of musician who tries to perfectly duplicate her studio sound. Rather, she'll add a two-minute intro; slow down the bridge; stretch out a note; try a different key; lose herself in a frantic improvisation ... it's fabulous. So when I listen to these CDs, I'm rather on the edge of my seat - it's like I'm listening to each song for the first time. And - even though I have heard some of these specific songs before (I was at the Chicago show) - I'm now able to pick up on every intricacy of her playing and singing, whereas such details were a bit more muddled at the actual concert. It is also fun to relive moments that only those who have seen her live will understand (for example, on "Father Lucifer," you may notice that Tori slows down considerably when she sings "girls who eat pizza and never gain weight" - and that the crowd erupts in applause. Those who have seen her perform this song will recall that Tori flips off the audience at this point (at least those "girls"). Or - another example: in some songs it sounds like there is an organ and a piano being played simultaneously. Indeed, those of us who have seen her concerts know that Tori is a champ and straddling her piano bench and playing both instruments at the same time).

As has been pointed out in some other reviews, certain songs are represented several times in this box set ("Original Sinsuality" and "The Beekeeper," for example, bookend every concert). I can understand why some people would like nothing but variety, but I rather enjoy hearing multiple versions of the same song - for the same reason I enjoy hearing her songs performed live. Each time she sings "Yes Anastasia" - it's a little different. I think it's fun to compare. In any case, Tori does still exhibit a great deal of variety in her set lists. She plays everything from her staples ("Winter"), to lesser known B-sides ("Apollo's Frock"), to songs from Y Kant Tori Read ("Cool On Your Island"). And - as always - her covers are interesting and phenomenally executed (Tori typically plays 2 covers every concert, during her "Piano Bar" segment). She tried her hand at several 80s songs during this tour, and it's a joy to hear how she has reworked (and frequently improved) them. Incidentally, her cover of George Michael's "Father Figure" is amazing - one of my favorites.

Some reviewers have also pointed to the number of mistakes Tori makes during her shows. Personally, I don't think she made an excessive number of mistakes, and I do not attribute any she might have made to carelessness. I don't mean to gush over everything about her (see my review of The Beekeeper for a bit of criticism) - but honestly - I rather enjoy her flubs. It adds a bit of humanity, intimacy, and immediacy to her shows.

For those of you who recognize "Leather" after its first, solitary note and for those of you who know and love the song "Sugar" - well, chances are you're a big enough Tori fan that you will absolutely love this collection. If you're not a full-fledged Toriphile, I don't want to discourage you from these CDs - because the music is solid, period - but I would recommend that you start out with her studio work. It is perhaps a bit more accessible, and you will appreciate these live recordings all the more after you get to know the rest of her oeuvre.

As a huge fan, it's hard for me to say anything negative at all about this set. Each of the twelve discs has something that is very much worth it.
Highlights from Chicago are "Apollo's Frock, "Operator," "Space Dog," and "Barons of Suburbia." Although Barons of Suburbia is on more than one of these discs, the one on Chicago is the first from the tour, and it's interesting to listen to later shows and see how she has changed little bits of the arrangement.
Highlights from Denver are "Little Amsterdam," "The Power of Orange Knickers," "Space Dog," and "Carbon." The version of "Space Dog" on Disc 2 of Denver is my favorite one. This is the only disc of the set with The Power of Orange Knickers and Putting the Damage On.
Highlights from Los Angeles are "Doughnut Song," "Livin' on a Prayer," and "Ruby Through the Looking Glass." This is the last show in the US (in April) before Tori heads overseas to continue her world tour.
The highlights on the London discs are the best highlights of them all. The gospel choir from The Beekeeper sing with Tori on "Mother Revolution," "Witness," "Sweet the Sting," and "Hoochie Woman." This is the only time that Tori performed "Witness" and "Hoochie Woman" live, and the only time she has performed "Sweet the Sting" live on the organ. Hey Jupiter is also awesome on this disc, performed on the organ, it is the Dakota Version from the Hey Jupiter EP.
Highlights from Manchester include "Beauty Queen" and "Horses," "Liquid Diamonds," "Suede," "Don't Look Back in Anger," "Spring Haze," and "Never Seen Blue." The story before Don't Look Back in Anger is priceless.
Boston also has several highlights. This is the show that Tori dubbed "all request show." Most of the songs she sang that night were requested by people in Boston. Highlights are "Caught a Lite Sneeze," "Amber Waves," "Pancake," "Barons of Suburbia," "Garlands," and "Dream On." This was the only show of the tour where Tori played Pancake. Also, The Beekeeper on this set varies greatly from the ones on the other sets.
All in all, I would say that this is an excellent set. Casual listeners may not want to listen, but anyone who is more than slightly interested will love it. Although some of the songs are on these discs several times, they are never exactly the same. There are about 67 different songs on these 12 CDs. Most artests perform the same 12-20 songs at every show, so this is a great deal. Her performances are always great. Her voice is not the same as it was on other tours, since she is getting older (she is 42), but it is still great. These can't even be compared to shows with the band because at those shows she has to yell over other instruments. In this boxset it is just her, a piano, two organs, and the rhodes.

Great buy for all Tori hard core fans for all the great covers of other peoples songs; I especially loved her version of Jim Croce's Operator.

I had the pleasure of seeing Miss Amos perform in NYC during this Original Sinsuality tour. I was mesmerized by how immense Amos' ability was at playing the piano. At times, she would straddle the piano bench, playing the organ with one hand and the piano with the other. Truly inspiring.
These albums capture Tori solo with her piano, and the improvs and intros have never been more intricate nor beautiful. Her voice has matured, becoming more husky than what she produced in the early 90's. This produces a great contast in sound, allowing for a truly cathartic listening experience as Amos goes from the gutteral to the sublime. A must have for Tori fans.

I will start by admitting this will be a very biased review. Tori is my favorite artist and can do no wrong in my eyes.

This is an excellent collection for true Tori fans. Casual listeners may find the repetative nature of the discs frustrating. "Original Sinsuality" is the first track of disc one on each of the six two-disc sets. "The Beekepper" appears on each of the second discs. True Tori fans, however, will appreciate the subtle changes she makes every time she performs a song.

Included are six two-disc sets recorded live during her tour in support of The Beekeeper. The CD's feature her shows in Chicago, IL(4/15/05), Denver, CO (4/19/05), Los Angeles, CA (4/25/05), London, UK (6/4/05), Manchester, UK (6/5/05), and Boston, MA (8/21/05).

Each two disc set includes a few covers that show her unique interpretation of other artists' songs. She covers songs as varied as "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music, A Flock of Seagulls "I Ran," Bon Jovi's "Livin' On a Prayer," to Oasis' "Don't Look Back in Anger" (my personal favortie), in addition to other covers.

While a lot of the discs focus on her recent music, a lot of the classics are included throught the twelve CD's. "Silent All These Years," "Take to the Sky," "Winter," "Little Amsterdam," "Beauty Queen," and "Tear in Your Hand", to name a few.

From what I can tell, the discs include the full shows based on set lists available online. There is her interaction with the crowd (her story of her meeting Morrisey is priceless) and even a mistake during of a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "All Through the Night" where she stops three quarters of the way through the song and sweetly says, "Let's try it again" and goes right back and finishes the song beautifully.

I found this box set to be worth every cent.

This is a great package for all fans. It's Tori and her keyboards doing high magic! Obviously her own material is brilliant and we toriphiles all know it by heart, but the covers are also excellent and a great surprise! She's got a great voice and wonderful arrangements that make this experience the more delightful. Because the box set contains several concerts you get many hours of listening pleasure that you can hear over and over again! She's not very talkative but when she does talk it's a delight cause she can be very deep and complex but also hysterically funny! On the whole a magnificent collection!