Strange Little Girls

Tori Amos | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 18, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic
• ASIN: B00005NKYQ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (392 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,193 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Tori Amos's idea for Strange Little Girls was to present covers of men's songs from a female perspective. The concept is fairly unique--although Liz Phair had a similar idea with 1993's Exile in Guyville. But while Phair fashioned original lyrics in response to the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, Amos sticks with the script when reciting lyrics from acts as diverse as the Velvet Underground, Depeche Mode, Neil Young, Tom Waits, and Slayer. She transforms the material, though, by singing in a pained tone, weighing the lyrics with heavy emotion and stripping most of the songs down to their simplest elements--often just a string section, a drum machine or a piano, leaving the original music almost unrecognizable. The most poignant of these tracks is definitely her cover of Eminem's "97' Bonnie and Clyde." The first-person story of a man dumping his lover's dead body takes on an ugly sickness and brutality with Amos's almost-whispered narration. As with most of these songs, Amos removes the pop façade and leaves the listener with a stark picture of the message behind the lyrics--whether that message concerns violence or male identity--in a statement both subtly political and stunningly beautiful. --Jennifer Maerz

Product Description

No Description Available.
Genre: Popular Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 18-SEP-2001

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Confusing, but not confused., October 20, 2001

By 

Lord Chimp (Monkey World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strange Little Girls (Audio CD)

I'm not sure I'll ever completely grasp Tori Amos' vision for this album. Strange Little Girls is an record of cover songs, and as I understand it, Amos wanted to give a female perspective to how men see women in music. Either the gender politics are beyond me, or she didn't do it quite right (I'll wager it's the former). She definitely hits the bull's-eye a few times though. The song that best accomplishes her goal is her harrowing rendition of "'97 Bonnie & Clyde," Eminem's vicious song about a man who kills his wife and throws her in the sea to get rid of the body. Amos's naked delivery of the song, hushed, spoken vocals over a spooky strings sample, is downright frightening. I think that fact that it makes me uncomfortable to listen to it is a testament to her success.

"Raining Blood" is one of the most shocking songs here. The original, by "extreme" metal band Slayer, was full of fierce vocals and crushing guitars. Here, Amos strips it to nothing but a piano and a weird bass synthesizer, and ironically injects the song with more menace and evil than the original ever had. It's a creepy cover that plays out more like the soundtrack to a nightmare than a song.

Amos' alteration of tone with these songs often changes them radically. What was an innocent little song before becomes threatening, wrenching, or indignant. Think back to the Crucify EP, where Tori completely warped Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in a way that completely changed the impact of the song (at least for me). That's the effect she's going for, I figure. Her experimentation doesn't always work though. "Heart of Gold" is so cacophonous and the vocals so awkward that I can't really appreciate it. "Real Men" is pretty, but quite similar to the original. Even when I don't understand the message, I appreciate the lovely singing and minimalistic music. "Enjoy the Silence," "Rattlesnakes," and "Time" are all beautiful songs, even if Amos' implications of sex are beyond my meager brain.

I wouldn't say I'm disappointed, mainly because I wasn't even sure what to expect. I like this album, even if I must concede to not entirely understanding it. Artistically, she probably knows what she's doing. Even so, I'm eager for another release of original material.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bliss of another kind...., October 9, 2001

By 

"bearcat007" (Lacey's Spring, AL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strange Little Girls (Audio CD)

I wasn't planning on reviewing this CD. However, after reading all the negative reviews and various harpings on Ms. Amos's creative abilities I felt I had an obligation to share what I think of this CD to the world.

Simply stated, I think it's brilliant.

It's not particularly creative in concept (Liz Phair had particular success with her answer to the Rolling Stone's Exhile on Main Street with the album Exhile in Guyville). It's not even like this is Tori's first time with reworking covers. The Crucify ep back in the early nineties featured a great cover of 'Angie' and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'.

However, "Strange Little Girls"'s strength lies in the delicate way that Amos has reimagined the songs themselves. She's added a new slant to every tune, giving new light and shade over the tune and lyrics with simple inflections of her voice. With a different tone she can make a love song into a threat, and this ability keeps each song interesting in its own way. Here is my song by song review of "Strange Little Girls".

New Age: This is a great opener. At times thoughtful, at others hysterical. Very catchy and very assertive: Right up front Tori lets you know that "It's the beginning of a new age" in her music. (A)

'97 Bonnie and Clyde: This is a very disturbing song, told in relentless whispers. It's difficult to listen to and has a tendency to be a bit overly dramatic upon multiple sessions, but it makes its point and makes it well. (B)

Strange Little Girl: This song has a sound similar to Bliss off of To Venus and Back. It's radio friendly, but is subtle enough so that it doesn't grate on the nerves. (A-)

Enjoy the Silence: This is one of my favorites. It's quiet and bare, completly the opposite of the original. Bitter and ironic, it sums up the entire album with a few words, "Words like violence break the silence". Indeed, Tori's whole point in the inclusion of this song is that one IS responsible for one's own words. (A+)

I'm Not in Love: Cold, bare, and not cuddly. Tori's tone is sneering, and arrogant. It's a song that is about layers - She emphasizes the lyrics: "It hides a nasty stain thats lying there", and her voice makes you wonder: Where exactly did that nasty stain come from? (A)

Rattlesnakes: I know a lot of people that love this song; it's their favorite song. I find it a bit bland and a bit similar in style to some of Madonna's recent hits. I'll give it a (B+).

Time: This song, although beautiful, does not hold my attention. Performed live, it captivates, but it's leaves one distracted at best in CD form. (B-)

Heart of Gold: This is perhaps the most controversial of all the covers, save Eminem's. Tori basically replaced simplicity with double voices and a heavy guitar riff... Purists will loathe this remake, I find it the most rockin' song on the album. (A+)

I Don't Like Mondays: Great. Soft as a lullaby until one listens to the violence in the lyrics. (A)

Happiness is a Warm Gun: A bit preachy and long, but also fun and funky in the vein of 'Datura' off of Venus. An interesting perspective on gun control (B)

Raining Blood: This one took some time to warm up to, but now I love it. It's menacing throughout, which is a fairly difficult mood to mantain considering its just Tori and a piano. (A)

Real Men: My favorite off the album. You'll have to hear it to understand. (A++++++++)

All in all, this is not a light album to play during a party. It's closest sister album is probably 'Boys for Pele' - both are dark and speak of unrestrained violence. "Strange Little Girls" will doubtless be misunderstood for many years - Perhaps we will learn to view these songs not as covers, but more as new works of art to be understood on their own terms.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars COMPELLING & AMBITIOUS, A MISUNDERSTOOD GEM., September 26, 2005

By 

Subfusc "Anthony M." (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strange Little Girls (Audio CD)

Before I begin about the album itself, I'll explain why it was even made in the first place.

Tori had a seven album contract with Atlantic records from 1988-2001. Within that duration of time, although she had great success starting with 1992's "Little Earthquakes" & foward, she was in constant quarrell with Atlantic records who wanted her to capitalize on her previous successes when Tori wanted to experiment & grow artistically. This turmoil climaxed after 1999's "To Venus & Back" when Tori decided she needed a change. But she still had one more album to make in order to fulfill her contract with Atlantic. After refusing to give Atlantic anymore self-written material, the idea for "Strange Little Girls" began to come about.

"Strange Little Girls" is not your avarage cover album. If you are looking for her to merely reiterate the original version of each song, you are in the wrong place. In true Tori fashion, she challenges the listener. She takes each of these songs & makes it almost unrecognizable from the original. Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold" once a wholesome ballad of love & regret, now flipped into a spawling mosaic of electric guitar riffs that seemingly melt out of your speakers. Or Slayers "Raining Blood", once overtly angry & thrashing, now simply taken to the bosendorfer & slowly unraveled into a haunting exile like a secret serpent from a dark layer.

One admirable thing about Tori is that every project is put forth with great enthusiasm & detail. She could have easily just slapped some songs by other people together & called it a day. But each song is accompanied by a character depicted in 13 photos in which tori takes on each alias.