maybe i didn’t like hear
but i still can’t believe speed racer is dead
so then i thought i’d make some plans
but fire thought she’d really rather be water instead

and peggy got a message for me, from jesus
and i heard every word that you have said
and i know i have been
driven like the snow

but this is cooling
faster then i can
this is cooling
faster then i…

but do i hate what she is
or do i want to be her
and don’t we love something fresh
anything new, virgin

woman, you got too many brambles
hiding under these bushes
woman, you got too many brambles
but i always liked a good storm
always good for a storm

so then love walked up to like
said i know that you don’t like me much
let’s go for a ride
this ocean is wrapped around that pineapple tree
and is your place in heaven
worth giving up these kisses?

and peggy got a message for me, from jesus
and i heard every word
that you have said
and i know i have been
driven like the snow

but this is cooling
faster than i can
this is cooling
this is cooling

(tori amos)

it was an equally magic, though distinctly different, concert experience.  the hands-down — did i really hear that? — shining moment of the night came with the debut of flying dutchman, a rarity that has only made five live appearances since 2001.  it was also one of the many “sky” references that flooded her set:

give
bouncing off clouds
cornflake girl
starling
hotel
black dove (january)
welcome to england
northern lad
cars and guitars
your cloud
-
flying dutchman (solo) (!)
cloud on my tongue (solo)
-
china
carbon
police me
past the mission
precious things
strong black vine
-
caught a lite sneeze (encore)
big wheel (encore)

tori rocked it out of the park, as usual, and i left the tower theater a happy girl.

i can’t wait to do it again.

by a stroke of good luck, the stage was extended into the orchestra seats making what i thought were seventh row seats actually third row seats — close enough to make eye contact with tori.  it was beyond words.

and the songs.  she delivered a stunning set:

give
body and soul
cornflake girl
flavor
space dog
hotel
jamaica inn
icicle
carbon
-
mary jane (solo)
gold dust (solo) (!)
-
pretty good year (!)
a sorta fairytale
fast horse
precious things
strong black vine
-
bouncing off clouds (encore)
raspberry swirl (encore)
big wheel (encore)

i’m still processing the experience, but it was, unquestionably, a night of magic.  i mean, gold dust into pretty good year?  did i really hear that?   i feel so lucky to have been there and to have shared it with my sister.

pure bliss.

it all started in 1994.  i was watching the late show with jay leno and he introduced tori amos as his musical guest.  i had never heard of her or her music.  i remember watching this girl on the screen with flaming red hair sit down at a grand piano and start to play.  baker, baker was the song and i was absolutely mesmerized.  game over.  i went out the next day and bought her cd.  i played it so much that i had to buy a second copy.

in 1998, my sister had an extra ticket to see tori perform in DC.  i took her up on the offer and, wow.  seeing this woman perform live was unlike anything i’d ever experienced.  from that day forward, my sister & i have seen every concert tori has performed in the local area:

• 08.08.98 – MCI center, DC
• 10.15.98 – burress hall, blacksburg, VA
• 08.25.99 – omega studios, rockville, MD
• 08.25.99 – merriweather post pavilion, columbia, MD
• 12.06.99 – 9:30 club, DC
• 10.06.01 – DAR constitution hall, DC
• 10.07.01 – DAR constitution hall, DC
• 11.12.02 – patriot center, fairfax, VA
• 03.16.03 – palumbo center, pittsburgh, PA
• 08.27.03 – merriweather post pavillion, columbia, MD
• 04.06.05 – warner theater, DC
• 08.24.05 – pier 6 pavilion, baltimore, MD
• 10.26.07 – DAR constitution hall, DC

i can’t really say what it is with her music.  i just get it.  completely.

and seeing it performed live, well, that’s an experience beyond words.

tonight can’t come soon enough.

abnormally attracted to sin
tori amos
released 19 may 2009

review respectfully submitted by:  heather dyan, 22 may 2009

okay, here we go…

18.  500 miles – there seems to be one of these on every album (hello, “miracle”).  i just can’t listen to this one.  it’s an automatic skip.  (0/10)

17.  not dying today – eh, i’m not a fan of this one either.  the electric guitars rub me the wrong way and some of the lyrics are blah.  another one to skip.  nothing to see here, people.  (1/10)

16.  mary jane – a distant cousin to “velvet revolution”, perhaps?  it’s cute and quirky in a very toriesque sort of way, but i feel it’s along the lines of an improv she’d pull out between songs on tour.  not really worth a spot on the album.  listen once and move on.  (1/10)

15.  police me – i don’t know what to say about this one.  i think it’s one to either hate or love. i’m in the former category.  honestly, it scares me a bit.  when tori does that bit in the low register, “perhaps the answer to the question lies within the question”, i cringe.  and let’s not talk about how she pronounces “soldier”.  (2/10)

14.  curtain call – the first few seconds of this song instantly remind me of “siren”.  unfortunately, it’s all downhill from there.  the piano is so buried in instrumentation that it’s all but lost.  i’m not fond of the lyrics or the electric guitar, either.  and the mention of “china” only brings up bad memories from “little earthquakes”.  (2/10)

13.  strong black vine – a decent tori rockout song, but nowhere near the bar set by songs like “cruel” and “body and soul”.  this one might get an occasional listen but not much more.  (3/10)

12.  that guy – this one seems strangely out of place on the album.  in fact, it almost reminds me of a showtune.  i like it’s dreamy quality and the lyrics, but it just seems lost.  (4/10)

11.  maybe california – tori and piano and strings are always a good combination.  i like it.  i don’t love it, but it harkens back to a long line of tori classics, and that can’t be bad.  (5/10)

10.  abnormally attracted to sin – this one has a funky vibe that i enjoy, but i just cannot get into this song – perhaps it’s those blasted electric guitars again.  regardless, i sense definite potential in this song and i have a feeling that it will be a grower for me.  (6/10)

09.  ophelia – another good example of tori and her piano – the melody is hauntingly beautiful, layered and complex.  i don’t love the chorus, but that’s okay.  good definitely outweighs bad in this case.  (6/10)

08.  flavor – for some reason, i feel like this is “give’s” sister song.  it’s cool and flowing, and, despite the instrumentation, i can still hear the piano.  one cool cat.  (7/10)

07.  oscar’s theme – i went back and forth on this one, mostly because i feel like it’s an unfinished song, an improv.  but still, i love it so much.  simple and beautiful.  and the “languid is oscar’s theme” lyric – amazing.  (7/10)

06.  starling – when the tracklist was first announced, i knew i would like this one, and i was right.  it’s dark and strange, and i love it.  but the bridge, oh the bridge — were it not for the bridge, this song would probably be in my top three.  the bridge is crazy and manic and seems completely out of place.  why, tori, why?  (7/10)

05.  lady in blue – i loved this song instantly.  another very, very cool cat.  it’s bluesy, jazzy, and mysterious.  i love how it kicks up after, “i can play, too”.  the driving piano at the end is absolutely delicious.  (8/10)

04.  welcome to england – at last, a single that i actually really like.  in fact, i’ve been listening to this song much longer than the others, and i still like it.  enough said.  (8/10)

03.  fast horse – this song makes me laugh, in a good way.  at first, i didn’t like it at all, it sounded too country and tori’s pronunciation kept throwing me off track, but it was an immediate grower for me.  it’s just good fun, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  (9/10)

02.  give – now we’re talking.  an opening song has a lot of responsibility, and this one exceeds all of my expectations.  it sets the tone, it draws me in, it makes me want to listen again and again.  yummy.  (9/10)

01.  fire to your plain – i love this one, plain and simple.  it sounds new and fresh, but retains enough of the tori hallmarks to feel familiar.  again, it’s cool and jazzy and makes me want to press repeat.  well done, tori.  (10/10)

average rating = 5.3/10

that sounds about right.  this album is good, not great.
and, believe me, tori is capable of greatness.

(see also:  my review of tori’s previous album, ADP, here)

i can’t imagine my life

without her music.