Tori Amos Experiments with 'Classical' on New Album Due in September

Photo by Victor de Mello

Tori Amos has always been in my periphery, but never REALLY in my line of site.  The last ALBUM I bought by Amos was 2001's Strange Little Girl and probably the last single I bought of Amos' was "Welcome To England" off of her 2009 album, Abnormally Attracted To Sin.  I have nothing against Amos, she's always been a bit out there to me. Something about her music either really connects with me or really leaves me disinterested.

I bought Strange Little Girls because of the hype.  It was pegged as a "concept album" and featured a reinterpretation of an Eminem song.  I bought the album without having heard any of the songs and barely listened to it more than once or twice.  I guess that was my mistake.  What I really need to do is listen to Amos' back catalog.  Albums like her debut Little Earthquakes, Boys for Pele and From The Choirgirl Hotel.  I also happened to love "A Sorta Fairytale" from Amos' 2002 album Scarlet's Walk.  Her newer stuff - not really into.  I don't know how die hard Tori Amos fans feel about her entire discography to date but I'm still really waiting to CONNECT with some of her newer material.  Hasn't happened yet, but Amos isn't retiring any time soon so there's still a chance.

This Fall Tori Amos will release her 12th studio album, Night of Hunters, via Deutsche Grammophon, "the world's most celebrated classical music record label." The forthcoming album (which Amos wrote AND produced) is "inspired by select classical pieces spanning the last 400 years." Kinda vague, no? Well the press release goes into a bit more detail:

"Amos carries on the classical tradition of variations on a theme: taking inspiration from classical forms to create a bold new work while paying tribute to the mastery of the original compositions."

I have to say, I'm intrigued. Essentially it sounds like she's taking classical music and attaching lyrics to it? I could be into this. Amos has a strong, folk voice that would only be enhanced by a great big giant orchestra. Not sure if she recorded Night Of Hunters with an orchestra but one would have to assume, right? Another thing Amos has going for is her ability as a songwriter and storyteller. It sounds like this new album is going to be no different. Amos explains,

“I have used the structure of a classical song cycle to tell an ongoing, modern story. The protagonist is a woman who finds herself in the dying embers of a relationship. In the course of one night she goes through an initiation of sorts that leads her to reinvent herself allowing the listener to follow her on a journey to explore complex musical and emotional subject matter.”

We don't have a release date yet OR a first single but we do have tour dates! You can check out the European Tour Dates below (U.S. tour dates are forthcoming). Get more info HERE. Count me in as a maybe at this point. I'm definitely down for giving Amos a chance here. She's truly an icon so I'd be a fool to completely discount her. I just need to hear something first before making a final decision. My ears are perked.

Tour Dates:

9/28 Finland, Helsinki, Ice Hall
9/30 Russia, St Petersburg, Oktyabrsky Hall
10/2 Russia, Moscow, Crocus Hall
10/4 Luxembourg, Den Atelier
10/5 France, Paris, Le Grand Rex
10/7 Italy, Milan, Teatro Arcimboldi
10/8 Italy, Rome, Auditorium Parco della Musica
10/10 Germany, Hamburg, Laieszhalle
10/11 Germany, Berlin, Tempodrom
10/13 Poland, Warsaw, Sala Kongresowa
10/17 Holland, Amsterdam, Carre
10/20 Norway, Oslo, Sentrum Scene
10/21 Denmark, Copenhagen, The Royal Theatre
10/24 Switzerland, Lucerne, KKL
10/25 Austria, Vienna, Stadthalle F
10/26 Germany, Frankfurt, Alte Oper
10/28 Belgium, Antwerp, QEH
10/29 Belgium, Brussels, Bozar
10/31 Germany, Essen, Philharmonie
11/2 UK, London, Royal Albert Hall
11/4 UK, Manchester, Apollo
11/6 UK, Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall
11/8 UK, Belfast, Waterfront
11/9 Eire, Dublin, Grand Canal Theatre

Check out Tori Amos on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//Twitter//YouTube