Its not a sin to like this album (Abnormally Attracted To Sin - Tori Amos)

Member Name: raypdaley182

Product:	Abnormally Attracted To Sin - Tori Amos
Date:	06/06/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of classic Tori style stuff

Disadvantages: A few of the tracks are a bit too different

This is Tori's 10th studio album as a solo artist (its hard to say exactly how many releases she has actually had with the numerous bootlegs released under her name both officially and otherwise) & its amazing to think she has been releasing stuff on her own since 1992 but she has been recording since 1988 (the now infamous "Y Kant Tori Read" which you've got to be a HUGE fan to have even heard of, let alone own).

Tori is quite an aquired taste, one of those "Marmite" muscians that you either love or hate however with some of her tracks there is a little middle ground but not much!

So whats on the album?

1 - Give.

The rather dischordant piano that opens this drops you right into the world classic Tori with sections of old tracks like "Crucify" & "Professional Widow". Tori sings a rather eerie counterpoint in a Kate Bush type style with backing synths that almost give an Arabian/Eygyptian feel that the wah-wah lead guitar reinforces. Typically kooky & incredibly listenable, its practically triphop!

2 - Welcome To England.

This is the 1st single release off the album and it is very commercial. I've got to say this one also reminds me of "Crucify" as well as bits of Cornflake Girl. The electric guitars scream of prog influences but the chorus does remain grounded in the "middle of the road" genre.

3 - Strong Black Vine.

I thought I was listening to "Live & Let Die" by Wings when this started, the string section is right in that mindset. They stay there too & this is very much like "Space Dog" so Tori is going back to her roots again here, the Hammond Organ is seriously helping things along too. This could quite easily be the stuff a movie title track is made of. Maybe someone should hire Tori to write the next James Bond theme?

4 - Flavor.

The intro of this reminds me of "Home" & "Clean" by Depeche Mode, the exceptionally barren lyrics set over very bassy drums & pianos are probably why. This one is very mellow and minimal, I think it also reminds me a lot of "Karma Coma" by Massive Attack too. Very understated in content, more in the triphop field again - Its those E-bowed guitars I'd wager.

5 - Not Dying Today.

The intro of this could have easily have been written by Crowded House or Squeeze (I do know Tori is fan of Crowded House so its not impossible that their music might have influenced her here) as its a lot like their classic stuff. Lots of acoustic guitar and tons of drum kit remind me of "Pineapple Head" so thats the Crowded House influence right there I guess.

6 - Maybe California.

Tons of heavy strings, think "Delius" by Kate Bush and you are in the right kind of ball park. It does have elements of a Crowded House influence too (I think "How Will You Go" is what it reminds me of most by them) but thats never a bad thing as they write amazing songs.

7 - Curtain Call.

An intro that reminds me of "These Precious Things" so we're back into classic Tori sounds territory again, I do wonder if Tori has been listening to "Little Earthquakes" to recapture that old sound that so many of these tracks are reflecting.

8 - Fire To Your Plain.

I did like the synth lines on this, certainly not typical to anything Tori has previous written (not stuff I have heard any way), this is very commercial indeed & I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if this was released as a single. If it reminds me of anything it'd be "Feel Every Beat" by Electronic though it has a possible undercurrent that also reminds me of "Master & Servant" by Depeche Mode.

9 - Police Me.

Oh no, I am not sure about this track at all. The frequencies it crosses are a bit too varied for me so I think I'd definately class this particular track as a miss. Officially voting this as "track most people will skip past".

10 - That Guy.

This is practically a torch song, its very much in the vein of tracks like "That Old Devil Called Love" by Alison Moyet. I like it but I am not super crazy about it, its certainly got a decent enough tune though and Tori delivers it very well indeed.

11 - Abnormally Attracted To Sin.

Its the title track! Very synthy intro, slightly too heavy on the bass. More in the style of triphop or dubstep if I am honest, a little too relaxed and I'm not sure if the lyrics really suit the tune. Personally it sounds like Tori tried to crowbar this song into working and fell short of the mark by a fair way.

12 - 500 Miles.

Am I the only person who thinks the intro sounds like "Happy House" By Siouxsie & The Banshees. The only trouble with the song is is starts in 1 style then totally turns into a country & western track and bombs right there.

13 - Mary Jane.

With an opening line like "Then he said" I got the feeling Tori was dropping us into the deep end with this one, openers like that always scream of "I couldn't finish this song so I just recorded what I'd written & hope to get away with it" to me. Its basic enough, just Tori & her piano so that makes me even more suspicious that its only a partial song. Or its about marijuana (Having listened to the whole thing it definately is, she sings about brownies).

14 - Starling.

Another one I am not sure about the opening of, its those sweeping frequencies again & they are VERY annoying. The song itself is very Kate Bush (think "Breathing" to get where I am coming from) but that middle 8 is practically taken wholesale out of Kate Bush's duet with Peter Gabriel ("Don't Give Up"). Another one that will definately split listeners.

If the chirpy frequencies weren't there this would be an amazing song as Tori's voice sounds great and the tune is very good, shame she ruined it with the electronica. I get the feeling this will make a REALLY good cover song for another band though.

15 - Fast Horse.

Fairly plain song, stringy acoustic guitars, plain upright piano & understated drums. Nice and basic but the tune is missing a certain something, its that spark that sets Tori's songs off & thats exactly what its lacking. Nice enough but just its like she phoned this one in. It might grow on you with a few listens perhaps.

16 - Ophelia.

Very typical Tori again, a lot like "Pretty Good Year". You get the feeling that these songs have been sitting around since Tori wrote "Little Earthquakes" & she didn't quite feel they were good enough to make it onto that album. It also reminds me of "How Will You Go" by Crowded House (Yes, again! Its the guitars, they are very Finn-esque), actually in sections the tune is practically identical and you could even sing the lyrics and it would fit this song.

17 - Lady In Blue.

Another triphop style intro (I was thinking of "Enjoy The Silence" by Depeche Mode when I listened to this though but I really like that!), it reminded me a of Jean-Michel Jarre too, I guess it was the analogue synth style sounds.

Its very slow jazz in places as well as bits of "Once Upon A Time" by Air in sections. I like it but I am not overly crazy on it, it would definately grow on me after 3 or 4 listens and I can see it becoming a favourite as its just weird enough to enjoy eventually. That playout absolutely reeks of my favourite part from "Space Dog" though, that caught me by surprise (quite a pleasant one though).

You get 17 tracks, some are classic Tori & the rest seem to be experimenting with soundscapes she hasn't tried before. A couple of them definately don't work for sure, a couple of them will needs several listens to make your mind up fully about them.

Overall the album is fairly good, the return to the classic Tori style certainly isn't unwelcome as far as I am concerned and I am sure lots of other fans will feel the same. Well worth a look I think.


(This review also appears in Ciao)

Summary: Tori Amos returns to the style of "Little Earthquakes"