Piano: The Collection (Spkg) [Box set]

Tori Amos | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 26, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 5
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B000GIWS5Q
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,740 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Intimate, confessional, poetic, and defiantly independent, Amos' songs touch on self, family, religion, femininity, pain, and love with a searching spirit that translates powerfully into songcraft. This momentous box spans the depth and breadth of her extraordinary repertoire, spotlighting both album versions and a sprawling tapestry of rarities. Disc A - Little Earthquakes extended Disc B - Pink And Pele Disc C - Pele/Venus/Tales Disc D - Scarlet/Beekeeper/Choirgirl Disc E - Bonus B-sides.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

99 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally Tori., September 26, 2006

By 

Invisiboy2001 "invisiboy2001" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Piano: The Collection (Spkg) (Audio CD)

This CD boxed set is a real treat. Sooooooo many remarkable Tori Amos recordings in one place! Most of the hits are here (Where is "Talula"?) -- as well as a wealth of hard-to-find b-sides, 10 previously unreleased tracks and alternate takes of familiar Tori gems.

And wait until you hear the re-sequenced, expanded edition of Tori's solo debut "Little Earthquakes"! It's like hearing the album for the first time. The reconditioned sound is top-notch! And the four added-back-in outtakes are tremendous. I love it, love it, love it!

However ...

1. No covers? Tori wrote all these songs, with the exception of two traditional numbers. At the very least, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" should have been included. Tori does an amazing version of that song, one that Kurt Cobain himself loved. And it was heavily played on alternative radio back in 1992.

2. We get the re-recorded version of "Mary". Um, why? The original version is much, MUCH better and is EXTREMELY hard to get ahold of on CD. Besides, fans already have this new, sanitized version on "Tales From a Librarian," where it was an A-side (and promoted as a single), from 2003. Also, why in the world is the newer "Mary" on the "Bonus B-sides" disc? It was on an album, so calling it a b-side is inaccurate.

3. "Purple People" isn't noted as such in the liner notes, but it is an alternate version. Not as inviting as the other version, but still a tasty morsel. "Beauty Queen/Horses" is also an uncredited alternate mix that contains slight electronic vibe under the track, which was not on the original "Boys for Pele" version.

4. We get two versions of "Professional Widow," but neither remotely resembles the album version, either musically or lyrically. Kind of a disappointment, because the original album track most effectively relays the song's story.

5. I was bummed that "Humpty Dumpty" was not included. I think that is one of Tori's best b-sides. Such an mean-spirited little ditty; I love it!

That's it. All the "flaws" (for lack of a better word) I could find.

This collection is DELICIOUS. If you are a Tori fan, this is essential to your collection.

Thank you, Tori, for 15 years of soul-searching and -searing music.

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Strong Collection, October 5, 2006

By 

Brandon J. Smith (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Piano: The Collection (Spkg) (Audio CD)

The basic criticism of this collection is that it includes too few b-sides and non-album tracks (certain key songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and the original version of "Mary" are omitted), and too many album tracks are (most people who would buy this collection more than likely already own not only the original albums, but the "Tales of a Librarian" collection as well). As a career-spanning collection, there are pros and cons to having as many album tracks as there are here. Mainly, it can be frustrating to shell out for the same songs over and over again just to get the previously unreleased songs.

On the other hand, to have a collection of only b-sides, demos, and live recordings would be to take many of these songs out of context. Particularly on the first disc, "Little Earthquakes Expanded," we have the classic breakthrough album presented in its entirety, with added songs not tacked on at the end, as reissues typically do, but placed strategically within the album. For me, it improves the album greatly, my one problem with the album being its relentless intensity. The added tracks serve to vary the pacing of the album, making it more listenable even as they lengthen the playing time.

Regardless of previous hits collections, putting all of these songs together in almost-chronological order ("Venus" songs appear before "choirgirl" songs, for some reason, and some b-sides are scattered a bit) is a tour-de-force presentation of a restless, wonderfully diverse artist. Though Tori Amos has a very distinctive sound, being able to listen to her career over the course of 80+ tracks reveals a lot about how she changed over the years, which elements of her music she chose to change, and which elements she always retains.

As can be expected, most people will wonder why a few songs weren't included (for me: She's Your Cocaine, Raspberry Swirl, and Taxi Ride), but it's easy enough to mix those in yourself if you keep music on your computer or mp3 player. And, for the most part, they got it right (for all the songs included, there is only one groaner, the live version of Professional Widow on the second disc.)

The sequencing is mostly well done, and the package is very nice. The cds each have their own individual cases, so they're protected. The book is informative and entertaining, containing Tori's trademark eccentric comments about her own work, as well as some rather interesting discussions about how her songs and different sounds came about.

This likely will not be the last Tori collection to come into existence, so hopefully a few years down the road we'll see more of a straight-up gathering of b-sides and hard-to-find tracks. For now, though, I think this is an outstanding collection, ranking for me alongside Tom Petty's "Playback" as being as good a box set as one could hope for. It should be interesting to see in which direction Tori will choose to go next.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A simple Rare and Unreleased package would have sufficed, October 26, 2006

By 

The Wedge "wedgeworld" (Santa Barbara, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Piano: The Collection (Spkg) (Audio CD)

Most of what I feel has already been said in other reviews so I will simply recap.
1. No Covers. Where is Smells Like Teen Spirit, Angie, Thank you, Do It Again etc?
2. Just the rare and unreleased please. I own all the Tori albums and don't really need a recap (Though Tori points out that disc one is they way Little Earthquakes might have been, so that is kind of cool)
3. I have never liked the Digi pak, I like the jewel box. Digi paks wear out and are hard to deal with.
4. Now I have to find a place to store this obnoxious box. Sorry Tori or whoever designed it but I just want the music and the liner notes, I don't need another box to hide away somewhere.

WIth that said, this is a great box to give someone who wants some Tori and has none. It covers many of her best songs and her comments in the book are interesting and insightful.

I also recommend more men to give Tori a listen. As one of her male fans I like to compare her to music legends like Kate Bush.

Obviously die hard fans will have to own this one and nothing I say will change that.
Enjoy.