Boys for Pele has been my absolute favorite album from any artist since I first heard it. The production value is phenomenal and I hear something new almost every time I listen to it in headphones. The songwriting and orchestration are so impressive and varied and interesting. (Shoutout to the cow - bull? - in Professional Widow!) The track listing is perfection when considering the arc of the whole album. Thanks for this excellent video! I agreed with so many of the points you made.
Night of Hunters is a must. Such an amazing album. I saw her live with the Metropole Orchestra and I still have goosebumps thinking about it. Also I think from the Choir Girl Hotel is really underrated. It's really one of my favourite album of all time.
It was nice to read this comment as I've really not seen a lot of love for Night Of Hunters. I think it's absolutely brilliant. Granted my Tori tastes are a bit strange though, because I'm actually not a huge Boys For Pele fan unlike 99% of the fanbase 😂
Pele and Choirgirl are my top two! 1. Boys for Pele- Tori first gets really WEIRD here and I love it! 2. From the Choirgirl Hotel- Still weird, but now with electronics! 3. Little Earthquakes- A classic; so emotionally raw and vulnerable and I'm living for it. 4. To Venus and Back- Kind of a spiritual successor to FTCH. Love the live songs as well. 5. Under the Pink- Great songs, but a little too "commerical" sounding for me (did I mention that I love WEIRD Tori?) Great vid!
I never really looked at it as liking weird tori, but I can see what you're saying although outside of little earthquakes and boys for pele, my number 3 is american doll posse which I would say is kind of "weird"
I have only been to 1 Tori concert. I saw her live in 2007 in Boston during the American Doll Posse tour. It was an incredible show and I still love that album.
I saw her in 92 in a small venue in Orlando ,FL. She performed the entire Little Earthquakes album & a couple of cuts from the " Smells Like Teen Spirit " EP, I saw her a couple of more times but nothing compared to this first very intimate performance. She greeted fans afterwards & I was lucky enough to briefly chat with her & give her a hug..so Little Earthquakes will always be #1 for me.
I just missed her on that tour. The guy in front of me at the ticket office place BOUGHT THE LAST TICKETS! Gaah! This was when she was touring England, 1992. Finally saw her live in Perth, WA, twenty years later...
This is a great reaction - spot on throughout! In all honesty, the beekeeper gave me the same feeling! It was the album where I questioned whether I had changed or If Tori had changed. I felt like the album veered so closely to adult contemporary pop and lost a lot of the edge I enjoyed in her writing and sound. I have halfheartedly listened since that album. To me, Scarlets Walk was the last great Tori album. And, I agree the top 4 are somewhat interchangeable, BUT I would place Scarlet above Venus and YKant, at number 5; it was a great concept album - love it! I’ve seen Tori a few times, most notably in a theatre venue in ATL, when she was promoting Pele! Great review!
My ranking 13 Ocean to Ocean 12 Y Kant Tori Read 11 Abnormally Attracted to Sin 10 Unrepentant Geraldines 9 The Beekeeper 8 Native Invader 7 American Doll Posse 6 Boys for Pele 5 Scarlets Walk 4 From the Choirgirl Hotel 3 Little Earthquakes 2 To Venus and Back 1 Under the Pink glad you mentioned Here in my Head such a great b-side, she also does a lovely version of Etienne and plays it pretty much every time she plays Scotland x
Nice list. I will admit, I have not listened to every single Tori album, but I have more of her albums than any other artist, especially the 90s ones. So, full albums: 1) Little Earthquakes (fav song = Winter, least = China), 2) Boys for Pele (fav = Caught a Light Sneeze, least = Red Baron), 3) From the Choir Girl Hotel (fav song = Rasberry Swirl, least = Northern Lad), 4) Under the Pink (fav = Cornflake Girl, least = Baker, Baker and Waitress). Lots of songs I love, like Mother, Talulah, Spark, etc. These are just favs vs not. After that, you get into select songs from any album, so...A Sorta Fairytale, Carbon, Big Wheel, Bouncing off Clouds, Take to the Sky, Butterfly, Trouble's Lament, Sleeps with Butterflies, Sweet Dreams, Cooling, Putting the Damage On (piano version). But favorite song of all is Winter (love the lyrics, love that it's about her dad, love the melody and emotions). It's so funny, because I HATED Tori's music when my sister "infected" the house with Little Earthquakes when I was 13. Then I started to really listen, and now Tori is my favorite artist. I feel like she has something for every mood, every moment. If I'm going through something and need to vent, there's Precious Things. If I'm bubbly that day, there's songs like Bouncing Off Clouds. I think her consistency in newer albums isn't as strong as it was in the 90s, but each album has at least a few masterpiece songs. Very talented woman.
Under the Pink is number one for me, without question. I love it so much. Also, absolutely agree about Ocean to Ocean. It's a great and long awaited return to form for me. That said, I honestly don't think she has a bad album. Finally, agreed on Y Kant Tori Read. i went back and listed to it just last week ( much better record than I think people remember, especially if you look at it as a product of its time).
1. Boys for Pele 2. Little Earthquakes 3. Under the Pink 4. Native Invader 5. From the Choirgirl Hotel 6. Ocean to Ocean 7. Unrepentant Geraldine 8. From Venus and back 9. Night of Hunters 10. Scarlet's Walk 11. American Doll Posse 12. Strange Little Girls 13. Abnormally Attracted to Sin 14. Midwinter Graces 15. Beekeeper (A Japanese fan since 92)
@@BlueNagoon OK, definitely will be checking that album out
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1. From the choir girl hotel 2. To Venus ad back 3. Strange little girls 4. Scarlets walk 5. American dolls pose 6. Native Invader 7. Under the pink 8. Boys for pele 9. The beekeeper 10. Ocean to ocean
Ahh I'm a fan and also a middle aged white guy...dont tell anyone... I think you’ve pretty much nailed this one...the comment on the drums on Scarlets Walk...yep drives me nuts... I'm not sure later album's songs are weaker or if its the lack of innovation in arrangement and sound...no hate for Tori ..just an uneducated opinion from a critical friend.
Thanks for watching! *sigh* those Scarlet drums... 😅 I think you're right that the arrangement and production on the later albums are an albatross. The songs I tend to like the most on them are the stripped down ones, I think because at least that production isn't in the way.
Impossible task because Tori has so many talents that are reflected differently in each album. The lyrics on Ocean to Ocean and To Venus and Back were exceptional. The piano playing on Under the Pink is simply the best ever. The story telling on Night of Hunters, Scarlett's Walk and American Doll Posse are sublime. I can never choose 1, or even 5. If I had to pick the Tori album I didn't like, it would be Abnormally Attracted to Sin.
Really liked your “summary” and mostly agree with you, especially on the fav songs of each album (I’d picked Lust from Venus because has a particular meaning for me). Definitely the quality of her efforts has been of a sort of downward path in the last years, but she is still capable to gift us with some absolute killer tracks (like the rightly mentioned Reindeer King). Still have to come to terms with OtO though, where for now I still haven’t found “my” song. Long live Tori! (Just seen her live for the fifth time)
Always boys for pele!!! My first show was in 1998 plugged tour, I was 21. Wish I had seen her play in even some of the earlier years but I’m glad I got to see her in those days. The live shows were magic! And I’ve been going to all her shows since then.
What a cool find this video was! Our rankings definitely differ (though I'm guessing we're close in age by our Tori journeys and when they began), BUT your favorite songs from each album are pretty much my favorite(s) songs from each album (i.e. the Space Dog bridge, the Father Lucifer bridge, Cooling, Cool On Your Island, Fire On The Side, Reindeer King, Flavor, Icicle, Winter, Bouncing Off Clouds, Oysters, Northern Lad, Swim To New York, the coda of Speaking With Trees, and of course my all time favorite Tori song Taxi Ride - and Carbon is my #2, so I do place Scarlet higher, but I get what you mean about the production. I just think the songwriting is so strong on that album). If we're not ranking holiday albums or symphony albums or Night of Hunters (impressive but not accessible), then I also agree with your last place ranking. I've seen her live 7 times (should be more!) and she always takes us to a transcendent place. I should also add that if I were a music critic, my ranking would be VASTLY different from my personal ranking (Choirgirl and Pele would be 1 and 2). But here we go trying. I do love them all of course. 1. Scarlet's Walk 2. Choirgirl 3. Under The Pink 4. Little Earthquakes 5. American Doll Posse (don't hate me, I LOOOOVE so much of it) 6. To Venus And Back (didn't mention my fave Concertina) 7. The Beekeeper 8. Boys For Pele (my controversial pick, love the first half, skip most of the second half except Damage and Amsterdam) 9. Ocean To Ocean 10. Unrepentant Geraldines 11. Native Invader 12. Y Kant Tori Read 13. Abnormally Attracted I hate the canned drums of Geraldines and Invader, but it works better on Invader from a production point of view, and yet Geraldines has stronger songwriting IMO. So those 2 could flip on a day-to-day basis, as could the first two albums.
Oh wow thanks for sharing this, I love hearing that some of those moments in her songs hit for others the same as me. And your point about critical vs. personal ranking is so true - YKTR being the obvious example from my list. And critic-wise Scarlet's would probably have to be higher on mine, I totally get the love for that album and what she accomplished, it's just not one I reach for as often personally. Appreciate your thoughts!
I would have to agree with you generally on your picks. Boys for Pele is definitely my favorite of hers also, but Night of Hunters would be in my top 4. That album introduced me to other artists like Satie & gave me an appreciation for classical music that I never had prior.
My humble ranking, as a new Tori Fan (Discovered her march this year) 15 - Night of hunters (I just need to listen to this more carefully) 14 - Unrepentant Geraldines: Just not very memorable to me for now 13 - Boys For Pele: Im aware of how good this album is it just hasn't clicked with me yet 12 - To Venus and Back: from this point onward I love every album she's made 11 - The Beekeeper: Very quirky album, I like the personality it gives off 10 - Abnormally Attracted To Sin: I love rock, but there's an album that pulls it off better 09 - Ocean to Ocean: Pretty great album that makes her feel still rellevant 08 - Y Kant Tori Read: It does sound less creative but for a first album is a banger 07 - Native Invader: I feel this album is pretty emotional and reflective 06 - Scarlet's Walk: At first I didnt get this album but it's very peaceful and cool 05 - Little Earthquakes: Pure art, a few songs i dont like so thats why it's lower 04 - Strange Little Girls I like the concept of the album and I feel connected to it 03 - Under The Pink: Very catchy album. I love the variety. 02 - American Doll Posse: Rock is great. She knocked it out of the park with this one 01 - From The Choirgirl Hotel: Super creative and interesting album with a lot of moods
Awesome, you're in for a treat! I'd start with Little Earthquakes, the debut, and work your way through the first 4-5 albums. If you like those you can start exploring the later period albums and finding the gems on them.
This is my ranking of the alums I've listened to so far: 8. The Beekeeper 7. Scarlett's Walk 6. Ocean to Ocean 5. Under The Pink 4. To Venus And Back 3. Little Earthquakes 2. Choirgirl 1. Boys for Pele
This always changes but based upon my listening habits as I get older 13. Y Kant Tori Read 12. Unrepentant Geraldines 11. The Beekeeper 10. Ocean to Ocean 9. American Doll Posse 8. Abnormally Attracted to Sin 7. Scarlets Walk 6. Native Invader 5. Little Earthquakes 4. Under the Pink 3. To Venus and Back 2. From the Choirgirl Hotel 1. Boys for Pele
Aww poor YKTR (but I get it). 😂 Cool to see AAtS fairly high, though, it's one that I always feel like I should like more than I do. Thanks for sharing your list!
Pretty much the same here, but I rank The Beekeeper and Scarlet's Walk especially a lot higher. The Beekeeper is a mood. It's pretty much all about death and has a very gothic, romantic, almost Victorian feel. The songs individually are all pretty great to classic. The title song is spooky Tori, a rare quantity (Black Dove is perhaps the other best iteration of this) and I love it. Scarlet's Walk is the rare concept album that takes off and flies high. Love the vibe of it. It was also the last time we got to see Tori's original face, which I greatly prefer to the surgical revisions. (Sorry not sorry.) Love Boys for Pele but it does have a downside: it gets pretty shrill at points. Maybe my hearing is too good? It IS unequivocally brilliant though. And the B-sides from this era are her very best and some of my most favorite songs. Sister Janet and Daisy Dead Petals especially! I'm surprised you didn't mention Night Of Hunters or the Christmas album. NOH was a hell of an accomplishment and the songs are fantastic. I even like Tash's contribution--her interpretation of Job's Coffin is very jazzy and altogether cool. I'd put NOH high in the ranking. Midwinter Graces is a bit too melancholy for me--it pairs well with Annie Lennox's Christmas album though, in its rather academic, vintage feel and mopey-but-beautiful energy. Winter's Carol is one of her best songs EVER imo, a magnificently pagan celtic anthem. Her voice is very weak on this album--I think it was recorded during a period where she was having a lot of dire health problems--but she works around it well. Re ADP, I'm surprised you didn't mention Smokey Joe paired with Dragon--they really are a box set and both some of Tori's finest, darkest songs. As a concept album this ends up feeling very labored, and it could've been fascinating from a feminist perspective. I especially hate the fashion direction. All these supposedly very different women dress exactly the same, pretty much--WTF. Tori's designer friend needs to go away. She's been making Tori look awful for years. You should wear your clothes. They should not wear you. AATS is Tori's weirdest album. I actually hate it because there is something so self-indulgent, weak and cringy about it. It's almost whiny, full of weird self-pity, and I feel bad saying that because I suspect Tori actually had a very serious health crisis prior to that album--I mean, I think we almost lost her. But that's no excuse to record crap like "Not Dying Today." That's a B-side if ever there was one. However, that song aside, taken individually I love most of the songs on AATS--especially the ones you mentioned, and also Starling and Curtain Call. Such a strange sensation! Different production would have made a HUGE difference overall. The cover art is a nightmare. In general I like Tori's odd departures in style. They aren't common enough. Sweet The Sting is a great funk/soul style song, wish she'd venture in that direction more. Everyone hates Police Me but it represents a real effort to pull herself out of her box and do something almost punk, genuinely edgy and weird for the first time in a long time. It's bizarre and not good, but I enjoy the effort. I wish she'd leave friggin' Cornwall and stop working with her husband all the time. The evidence is that his musical tastes are extremely pedestrian and just not a good influence at all. Tori needs some fresh air. She is still a legendary artist of epic brilliance and incredibly gifted and creative, she just needs to get out more. I really wanted to like Ocean to Ocean and Native Invader but they both fell so flat for me. It doesn't need to be that way. Lastly I think she is so hugely underrated and under-appreciated these days, and I wish that'd change. She is one of the GOATs in American pop music and should be celebrated as such.
Agree with almost everything you wrote. I kinda gave up in the mid 2000's, though my sister didn't, and now that my sister is gone(her name was Liz, 'How the Lizzies' from Father Lucifer hits me way differently now), I've come back to Tori. It's at times painful(my sister's death was sudden, unexpected and tragic), but I believe in working through feelings. Sorry, I'm having a weird time right now, hope you're well!
Yeah. Always bums me out that other Toriphiles seem to like Beekeeper less than I do. But then I seem to like Choirgirl less than......well.....everyone else on the planet. So it all evens out 😀
Broadly agree with the top 4 except favourite would be Under the Pink and as someone else commented here Night of Hunters is fantastic, different enough from their source that they sound almost like original pieces. However I don't think the other albums are so far behind, the later stuff is just different in tone and colour. Scarlets Walk and Abnormally Attracted.... are both like journeys with lots of diversions hence their length which are worth exploring and make for me the closest in quality to the 90s output. Overall don't think Tori Amos gets the credit she deserves. Really she should be up there with the Beatles, Dylan, Radiohead and others. Thanks for the review anyway.
I only agree with your first and last picks. BOYS FOR PELE is the best! I can't believe you wouldn't include Night of Hunters though and yet you'd include Y Kant.
Such a great video. I have loved Tori since I heard Silent ALL These Years. I would hesitate putting them in order, but I would mostly agree with your analysis. Thanks for putting this together.
Pele is brave, boldly honest, taboo, and hauntingly beautiful in a way that is different from her other albums. My personal favorite. I appreciate your take on her discography.
I totally agree that it's her most Visionary work and we would never hear the harpsichord like that from her ever again....and it has one of my favorite songs she has ever done which is caught a light sneeze, but it isn't a very accessible album at times and it has a lot of tracks on it that I didn't really appreciate on the back half.
Boys for Pele and Joni's Blue wrestle for my number #1 album ever. From first to last track it feels like chapters in a epic story and runs you through the entire emotional spectrum. Over the years I still pick up new things in subsequent listens. The remasters paired with high quality headphones and a few bottles of wine is still a good night made.
I love the first 5 albums and a couple songs from Scarlets Walk. Then our paths diverged. Not a lot of artists where I got 5 albums I love from, so I'm happy for that.
Boys for Pele is all time number one for me….dark genius. Ocean to Ocean is now number 2 for me, I think it captured the pain of the last two years so well, agree that it’s brevity is a strength after some of the recent albums. Night of Hunters is amazing!
thanx, thourough and knowledgable sum up and ranking. Myself, I fell off after American Doll Posse, but I largely agree with your ranking of the rest. I would perhaps switch Scarlet's Walk and To Venus..., and I would definitely place From the Choirgirl on #2.
Loved your commentary on Tori's albums... pretty much how I would rank them, though I'd move Scarlet's Walk up in the ranking and probably place it between Choirgirl and Little Earthquakes. Wholeheartedly agree with Boys for Pele! 🙂
Great video ! 1. Little Earthquakes 2. Under The Pink 3. Scarlet's Walk 4. Boys For Pele 5. From The Choirgirl Hotel 6. The Beekeeper 7. Night Of Hunters 8. Unrepentant Geraldines 9. Ocean To Ocean 10. Strange Little Girls 11. To Venus And Back 12. Abnormally Attracted To Sin 13. Gold Dust 14. Native Invader 15. American Doll Posse 16. Midwinter Graces
@@Jim1971a It is a good album with nice songwriting and piano playing as always, however I feel like the mixing really hurts the tracks here. I do have some faves on it, namely Reindeer King, Breakaway, Bang, Climb and Mary's Eyes
Another Y Kant Tori Read lover! Love to see it. This ranking is fairly close to how I would probably rank them, same number 1 as well. I agree with a lot of what you have to say here.
Try to give Native Invader another chance. It’s really good, better than American Doll Posse, The Beekeeper, unrepentant Geraldines or a ocean to ocean. I agree 100% with Bous for Pele being the best.
If anything, Cool on Your Island is absolutely a masterfully written, arranged and performed song. Not only are that bridge and all verses phenomenal, Tori's vocal performance is one of a kind but skilful and emotional at the same time. To me that was a diva without any archytypal diva cliche. Btw, I really like your ranking and Little Earthquakes was a groundbreaking moment of discovery in music, as well as in personal mentality for me too. Oh boy and when talking about Under the Pink, don't I love Past the Mission, Pretty Good Years and Space Dog, the last of which is one of my all-time favourites. I have a soft spot in my heart reserved for The Beekeeper and Scarlet's Walk though. I am particularly fond of Witness and Martha's Foolish Ginger when it comes to The Beekeeper.
Giving a like for when you noted the great bridges in UtP. Space Dog especially. "Deck the halls... It's you again, it's you again, somewhere someone must know the ending." I tear up every time and I don't know why.
I’d say instead that ADP and earlier is her best work as a whole. I also agree that each subsequent album has its gems. For me, Under the Pink is her best album with BFP as a tie or just millimeters away from UTP. Both are so different that they are hard to compare head to head. I like every song on both of those albums. I love the orchestral arrangements and dynamics of UTP and I love the harpsichord and belting she does throughout BFP. My ranking is: 1. Pink 2. Pele 3. LE 4. TVAB 5. Choirgirl 6. Scarlet 7. ADP 8. Beekeeper 9. Native Invader 10. O2O 11. AATS 12. Geraldines 13. YKTR Some of the songs on the albums I like least are in my list of favorites like Ophelia, Oysters, Lady In Blue, Etienne, Cool on Your Island. And Reindeer King is in my top 10 of all time. She’s amazing and I admire her ability to produce a good variety of songs. Each is unique and no album sounds like the other. Love her. Goddess
I think your ranking is pretty fair. Like you, I first heard Tori with Little Earthquakes and I was University at the time. Blew my mind. And then she turned up and played in the city I was studying for the Under The Pink tour (Porstmouth, England). Still one of the absolute greatest gigs I've ever been to (and as a pro musician and film-maker I've been to a lot!). And I agree that Ocean To Ocean is her best album for some time. Anyway - thanks for this. Really interesting. You've got a new subscriber. Really interesting channel. 😃
This is so funny, as a younger fan (I'm 27 atm) AAtS is actually one of my favourite albums ever by any artist! I do very much understand how that's a widely unpopular opinion, though. It has a very peculiar (and very cold) sound, the track order is a bit messy at times, and Tori's voice during that era many would consider screachy. But from my point of view, it's beautifully quirky, atmospheric, nostalgic, unsettling... cinematic, as I understand Tori made it to be. I strongly associate it with the last winter of my life spent in the suburbs before moving from my folk's place to the big city. It's got that "goodbye, I'll miss it here but I need to break loose and defy every single thing you've taught me about life" vibe. I'll forever cherish the memory of walking in some snowy park around Christmas time, headphones on, listening to this album and pondering about life and the future... Anyhow, here is my (very controversial) top 12: 12. Native Invader (the one Tori album I wish she would redo, it had so much potential but the mushy production/mixing just kills it for me) 11. Little Earthquakes 10. Ocean to Ocean 9. Under the Pink 8. Unrepentant Geraldines 7. From the Choirgirl Hotel 6. The Beekeeper (Ireland? don't know her) 5. American Doll Posse 4. Boys for Pele 3. To Venus and Back (in my Tori headcannon, Zero Point is the true final track here, right after 1,000 Oceans) 2. Abnormally Attracted to Sin 1. Scarlet's Walk (probably one of the most cohesive and iconic bodies of work by any artist ever) I'm not including YKTR in there simply because although it's an awesome '80s pop album, it wasn't produced by Tori. I find it hard to compare to her later work where she truly was in control.
Thanks for this! I'm going through her back catalogue now after rediscovering her recently... Give is one of the most sensual songs I've heard in a long time, love her voice on it. Any other highlights? Look forward to hearing the whole album.
@@f4gsforpele I did say it's a very controversial top 12 😅 and don't get me wrong, I still totally love LE and UtP-they're classics and with good reason. It's just I don't connect with them all that much at this point in my life. Mind you, some of my favourite Tori songs are from those eras. Sugar in its original form I hold especially dear. 💚
@@briantschayot You're welcome! Give sure is quite the opener, love the trip-hop Middle Eastern vibe on that one. From AAtS, I definitely have a soft spot for the more atmospheric/textured tracks like Curtain Call, Flavor and Lady in Blue, but there also are straight-up jams aplenty, like Welcome to England and Fast Horse. As for highlights from her discography in general, here are some lesser known standouts from various eras: On the Boundary (from her '80s band days), Mother, Space Dog, Father Lucifer, Hotel, Dātura, Virginia, Marys of the Sea, Smokey Joe, Nautical Twilight (based on Mendelssohn's Venetian Boat Song), Oysters, Speaking with Trees.
@@wonderror9546 thank you so much! She actually sang Space Dog at the concert - first time I'd heard it but I loved it! I'll make sure I hear them all!!!
what you said about the drums in Scarlets Walk is totally true omg. I always hear the last 3 songs in solo piano form from her Paris mini concert (or whatever) here on TH-cam because they sound totally better that way. I also love the 2014 (or something) version of Your Cloud
Hail Tori! Queen of the raisin girls! My favorite albums are: 1. Little Earthquakes (Even though it's a bit obvious, this album is just so ridiculously mesmerizing. She can change your entire soul with each song on this record and it never ceases to give me chills. I've never heard something so powerfully raw and bold, it's so utterly life-changing.) 2. Boys for Pele (Strange, experimental Tori is a dream! Yet, even though it is so outlandish, it's still coherent and certainly beautiful, so you never lose sight of her messages and insights.) 3. Under the Pink (Although it is the most commercial, it is one of the most fun albums in the whole wide world to sing. Plus, it's still experimental enough to truly set itself apart from other Tori albums (yes, From the Choirgirl Hotel and To Venus and Back are electronic albums, and perhaps electronic albums are the most efficient means of being experimental, however, her piano playing is still at the brutal and beautiful forefront of her music and that is something I totally love.) 4. From the Choirgirl Hotel (Tori Amos swims in the mystical waters of casual estrangement with so much flair.) 5. To Venus and Back (It's extremely interesting...there's never a dull moment, of course, and she pumps you up with sick electronic beats, though they certainly don't overpower the piano, which makes it so tasteful. I love it so much, it just strikes me as the safe album compared to the top four, though obviously, Tori's a daring gal. I liked the place Tori was in life when she made it, and I think she conveyed it well.)
This is very similar to my ranking especially BFP as number one and the LE, UTP and FTCGH being a interchangeable second. My least favorite is ADP but I still have songs I love from each lower ranking album. Also your favorites on most albums are the same as mine. I agree the bridge on Father Lucifer is transcendent.
Hehe those two could be easily flipped depending on the day. I tried to think which of them had songs I'd reach for and want to hear more often and honestly I think YKTR is a little ahead of Scarlet's. But I recognize I have a nostalgia for that sound that many people don't share. 🤣
From 1996 to 2007 I had the pleasure to see her 5 times in concert. The latter shows and albums for me were mostly a way to hang on to her, more than appreciating her work of those years. From Scarlet's Walk on I slowly began losing interest and was going to shows just because those were still good. The last one I went to was for the American Doll Posse tour, it was a blast but as other albums were published I just wasn't able to grasp her vision enough to keep me following her. But I always love revisiting her past works, I still find her 90's work to be some of the best music around, both lyrically and musically and it's always beautiful going back to watch live shows from that era. I'm seeing a lot of new interest around youtube in the last couple of years and I'm glad that new listeners are able to appreciate her, she deserves it As for my ranking: 1. Under The Pink was my first Tori album and it's always been my favourite. Every single note and word on this album falls perfectly in my cup of tea. I can safely say that it's one of my favorite albums of all time from every modern artist ever 2. Boys For Pele: this one I could switch places with Choirgirl, it depends on mood and days. I find Choirgirl much more cohesive musically - Pele it's such a mess sometimes - but the genius moments in Pele are so big and so many that I have to give it the silver medal 3. From The Choirgirl Hotel: it was the perfect album for that time, when it came out. It was just like if the Tori music landscape had prepared for it. It was so deeply Tori-esque and so deeply different at the same time. It was a shock but in a good way. It's so good at conveying every feeling, and so powerful 4. Little Earthquakes: I love it deeply but I feel that it really shines more in the live experiences, both solo and with the band. If I had to rank it based on those, then it would probably have to take the 2nd place, but just taking the studio work into consideration I feel that it's a masterful debut album but could be better, not in the sense of music and lyrics but production. And I can't stand "China", I'm sorry. 5. To Venus And Back: it's some sort of Choirgirl part 2, more like a collection of b-sides of the Choirgirl era. It's really good but sometimes I feel like it's been put together just because, at that time, releasing singles with b-sides wasn't that good of a business choice anymore. There are serious beautiful bangers here but it's not consistent throughout. 6. Scarlet's Walk: I place it here just because it's a good album and deserves to be mentioned in the discography but it's not anything I couldn't live without Every other album after Scarlet to Midwinter Graces for me it just can be lost with no consequence. Albums that came out after Midwinter Graces I never checked out in full, just some songs here and there, and not one raised my interest. I lost touch with Tori's artistic vision and until today I didn't find anything that could pull me back in. I go back to her first works with the same delight I felt when those albums were fresh, to me they are timeless works of art, but the recent ones I left behind. It's partly sad, it's partly as life goes
But Reindeer King though…it’s fire. There are definitely one or two quintessential Tori songs on each of her later albums. And when she performs live those songs come to life in a different way.
Same. I couldn't grasp her vision from Scarlets walk and beyond as well. And today it seems like a lot she is just "phoning it in" without the feelings (which i am sure she has grown and changed, but still) I also feel like her enunciation had changed, but if she did a tour from before Scarlet walk and back, I would totally go see it, and would love if she would play the obscure songs she used to do as well. I have seen her 6 or 7 times live and come on...its Tori...
I feel that Tori lost her consistency after the "Beekeeper". Im sorry but i love the Beekeeper and its whole concept and a lot of the songs are beautiful, i actually like it better than Scarlet's Walk. I never really connected too deeply w Scarlets Walk, i guess bc of the political content and the subjects about the land and America i dont find as appealing as subjects that are more personal and deal with personal suffering or love, which is why "Boys for Pele" will always be my #1 and top favorite album of Tori's. But i do agree that her early works were her better ones, and i never connected with "American Doll Posse," and i liked "Abnormally Attracted to Sin " but felt it was a new side of Tori that took me a while to connect with. She won my heart again, however, with the deep spirituality of "Night of Hunters", and i loved "Unrepentant Geraldines," i think its just that Tori, like all of us, changed and became a Mom but its sad to hear that u lost your connection with her as the years went on. I always found things i loved about a Tori album, even if it took me several listens or i only liked a few songs- in the end i always ended up relating to something or finding those" flashes of brilliance" on an album. Maybe someday u might find something u like in her later works, but i respect your opinion and understand what you mean.
I could never say or feel like Tori Amos, one of the most talented and spiritual songwriters of my generation, is ever "phoning it in"....i think ppl just change and grow and that she's older now, and of course cant b expected to sound the same as she did 20 or 30 years ago. Thats all.
My interest in Tori totally flat lined after Scarlets Walk and I felt guilty, like I was missing something, so I was so pleased to hear someone else with similar opinions.
That was a good ranking. Chiorgirl is my personal favourite, I was going through my first and most horrendous breakup at the time and that album still holds so many memories, even now 24ish years later, I can't really listen to some of the songs because it bring the emotions right back and I cry like a baby, iiiieee is one of those songs funnily enough since you specifically mention that song. I also remember when Scarlets Walk came out I was so excited (bearing in mind I'd pass my pants if Tori even did a 30 second TV appearance at that point) and felt a bit lost when I realised that I only like 3 songs & the horror I felt at our growing apart. Anyway thanks for the great little video 👍
I pretty much agree exactly with you, although I couldn't really put the top 4 in any order - I wouldn't rank boys for pele higher than the other three because they are all masterpieces. Scarlets Walk was the beginning of the end... why? I guess it's really hard to keep going at that level as you get older... she had also become a mum... and I guess she is a good mum, because she turned into a much worse musician.. which is maybe how it should be. But I agree there are some songs from later albums that still have the magic. Taxi Ride is a song that I can never forget, even though I don't know exactly what it is about... Crazy is also a great melody. And yes when I've seen her live, sometimes songs that didn't do much for me on the albums stand out - Jamaica Inn is a good example of this. I don't really listen to her much these days, because I spent years listening to her all the time.. And I felt a kind of betrayal when she ditched her natural, raw, quirky sound for something much more polished (along with her fashion). She has released songs of such awful quality that it doesn't really seem like the same person sometimes. But god, she was good. A friend lent me Little Earthquakes when I was 17, and it blew me away. The incredible dexterous piano playing - most piano players of note in popular music either play jazz/blues style ala billie joel elton john, or they just play as an accompaniment - kate bush, carole king, even joni mitchell, etc... no one played like her in the popular world - except maybe nina simone who i know was jazz, but she had classical training. And the ethereal voice, and the words... just as you said! Thanks for a great video.
Your #13 (bottom) is right on. I had been fan since From the Choirgirl Hotel, and after Abnormally Attracted to Sin, I just lost interest in her work. That said, even bad Tori is still better than a lot of other folks' best.
love this! I too saw her on tour recently for the first time although I fell in love with her music in the 90s... kind of lost touch with her until recently and now I'm going through her back catalogue. I'm addicted! The live versions of the Ocean to Ocean songs were more vivid and raw, loved them if not the album so much. Not sure I have a #1 go-to album; every song on Little Earthquakes is spectacular, Choirgirl Hotel is gorgeous (Liquid Diamonds!?), Pele iconic, Venus has some gems (Lust!? maybe my favorite ever).... thanks for the extra suggestions!
I remember discovering Tori when searching for artists similar to Liz Phair (who has a few songs, e.g. Animal Girl and Canary that are very 90's-Tori-Amos style). Agree Pele is the best by far and listen to it often. Venus is also excellent. The rest of the first five were hit and miss for me, and never got into the rest, unfortunately.
The only time I have seen Tori live was at the 1998 Glastonbury festival, along with Nick Cave it was the highlight of the whole event for me. The festival itself was a mud bath, it just did not stop raining but to see Tori perform made up for the destroyed tent, ruined clothes and hundreds of pounds essentially wasted. As an interesting aside along with my friends we ended up watching Tori with a random stranger whose actual name was Merlin. For me, Little Earthquakes will always be number one with From the Choirgirl Hotel snapping at its heels.
Agree wholeheartedly with your ranking, especially Boys for Pele. I feel like her 2000s albums (starting with Scarlet's Walk) have become less concise and more bloated, and they require a lot of patience to get through. Also - the songs from To Venus and Back sound *completely* different and so much better performed live.
1. Boys for Pele: Not just my favorite Tori album, but one of my all-time favorites. Just amazing all the way thru. 2. To Venus and Back: I love the mood this album gives off. Lust, Suede & Spring Haze are favorites. 3. Under the Pink: Icicle thru Yes, Anastasia is one of my favorite stretches. Love Baker Baker too. 4. From the Choirgirl Hotel: Lots of really interesting song. (Black-Dove, Jackie's Strength, Liquid Diamond, etc.). 5. Little Earthquakes: Lots of good songs. But no favorites either. 6. Scarlet's Walk: Her last really good album to me. Lots of good songs here. 7. ... And the rest. Some good songs, but I never listen to them end to end.
American Doll Posse has some outstanding tracks “Digital Ghost”, “Girl Disappearing”… you mentioned you like it when an album rocks if “Code Red” doesn’t get you rocking I don’t know what will that’s as much as Tori will rock. Of course, “Bouncing Off Clouds” and “Big Wheel” are also great. I feel you need to give the album another spin! Scarlet’s Walk has “Pancake” another outstanding song Tori plays live quite often. The rest of your ranking seems pretty accurate but to my ears, Choirgirl Hotel comes on top the other three
Nice! My personal list: First Four are achingly good... 1. From the Choirgirl Hotel 2. Boys for Pele 3. Little Earthquakes 4. Under the Pink Also quite good... 5. Scarlet's Walk 6. Ocean to Ocean 7. To Venus and Back 8. Y Kant Tori Read I wanted to like the next two more... 9. The Beekeeper 10. Native Invader I never really got into the last three... 11. Unrepentant Geraldines 12. American Doll Posse 13. Abnormally Attracted to Sin
1.BFP 2.LE 3.UTP, very close together, all killer no filler, absolute masterpieces and my favorite Albums ever (BFP is my No.1 indeed). I listen to these three since 1998 and I still love them. But then there is a huge gap, a different league. I do not like the changes in production, although I respect her as an artist.
Yeah, great ranking, Tori was the red headed goddess that ended the crass 80s. Soundtrack yo my college experience those top 3, yeah it was eye opening for Gen x
You’re brave. I’ll say that. About 50/50 agreement. I’d move up Scarlet and Beekeeper. Maybe it’s an age thing. I’m just a couple years older than her and they both fit my life at that time. Sorry but I have to move Boys to near the back of the bus. Choirgirl grew on me over the years and I would now put that on top. Not sure what’s happening with her voice on the newest stuff. Thanks! Great to hear another perspective and I’m heading back into some of these.
I find Boys to be pretty tough sledding with few exceptions. Completely agree about the age factor. Choirgirl probably is my #1 also. Really, Tori has so many tracks that it demands a personal playlist for every fan. Great lyrics.
Glad you mentionned the double-vocals. I wish she would release her 2009-today output without that. It erases the authenticity of the songwriter. The guitar is also too strong in the mix since then. The songs are very phenomenal. She should release piano-versions of all her less-loved recent albums. People would understand how she's fab.
The only ranking I agree with you on is number 1! This is the first album of her’s I heard so Idk if that’s why it’s my trusty favorite or it’s because it’s the best? Marianne’s my all time favorite( I cry just thinking about it!) since you didn’t mention it and Not the Red Baron, Hey Jupiter, Twinkle, Putting the Damage on, Doughnut Hole, Horses all tie for 2nd! Lol I also appreciate the bootlegs especially from the Beekeeper her live version is worlds better than the actual album! I would’ve also added Welcome to Sunny Fl and I Love the Drama of Night of the Hunters and the multiple songs with Tash! But really I love everything some take time to grow on me but I love them all!
Really enjoyed your personal assessments, Pele is my #1 too. Been a huge fan from the moment I heard her, for the first time in '94 and it was absolutely magical seeing her 7 concerts on the DDI tour. I'm so curious ...what your favorites are on TVAB?😊
OK, here is my list from best to when I stopped buying because of the direction she took was in "conflict" with mine: 1-Boys For Pele, 2-Little Earthquakes, 3-Under the Pink, 4-From the Choirgirl Hotel, 5-Venus and Back, 6-Scarlet's Walk, 7-The Beekeeper, 8-Strange Little Girl, 7-Y Kant Tori Read, 8-American Doll Posse, 9-Abnormally Attracted to Sin. Favorite songs: Crucify, Winter, Upside Down, Honey, Cornflake Girl, Waitress, Space Dog, Pretty Good Year, Blood Roses, Professional Widow, Caught a Lite Sneeze, Talula, Raspberry Swirl, Spark, Cruel, Northern Lad, Bliss, 1000 Ocean, A Sort of Fairytale, Taxi Ride, Gold Dust, Strange, Power of the Orange Knickers, Cars and Guitars, The Beekeeper. The last albums I bought, I didn't listen enough to have an opinion on the songs... (Well, I bought YKTR in the late 90s, I didn't really like it, I didn't listen to it much). I am not sure if between SLG, YKTR, ADP & ATTS there are 20 listen total and were all bought on release day (except for YKTR) I own 34 CDs, that includes, Studios, Singles, Bootlegs & my own recording of a full show. I saw her 9 times from 1996 to 2005. To this day, I still listen to my top 4 on a consistant basis and I guess you can add To Venus & Back, but for the 2nd CD :)
Your fav song list is very similar to mine, and your collection is impressive! I was big into collecting singles etc. for B-sides in the 90s but never got into live boots. (And now there's TH-cam for that.)
@@BlueNagoon thanks! It was actually hard for me back then to buy a bootleg, because the artist wasn’t getting anything out of it, but seeing how much I was spending on Tori, I figured I could make an exception! I also have 5 shirts: I spent over $2000 on her and I wasn’t stopping to go see the concerts after I bought the bootlegs… Like you said, now we have all the old shows for free on here… If you want the artist I fell in love with after Tori: Jorane. She sings in French and also uses her voice as an instrument, so no lyrics. She also made 1 album in English. But my favorite is her first: Vent Fou. She plays the cello instead of the piano, her voice is amazing! Give her a try!
Yeah I agree with your whole synopsis about what the good albums are I would rank abnormally attracted to sin out of the bad albums higher though because it's definitely better than the beekeeper and Native Invaders. But you're right The Beekeeper is the first time I didn't really like the album at all.
Like you, when I first heard Tori on the radio, it was phenomenal. Same went for Fiona Apple. Both these artists’ first albums and the fact that they actually got airplay on the radio gave me faith in where music was, where it was possibly going, and also restored faith in the music taste of the general top 40 listening public for putting it on the radio. However, my opinion on both Tori and Fiona’s output is same. The first albums where utterly groundbreaking, daring and seemed out of place on “popular” radio play. But because they were so strong, they couldn’t be easily matched again. I found each artist’s first albums to be brilliant, their second offering extremely good but not as good as their firsts, and their third albums only had a couple of really great tracks each, and for both artists ended up being their last albums I really enjoyed.
@@BlueNagoon Original lyrics and arrangements of some classics. I also would rank Strange Little Girls in the top 7. Time, Rattlesnakes, Real Men, After All, New Age… all great covers in the tradition of Thank You and A Case of You.
My Ranking would be: 1. Boys For Pele 2. Little Earthquakes 3. From The Choir Girl Hotel 4. Under The Pink 5. Ocean To Ocean 6. Scarlet's Walk 7. The Beekeeper 8. To Venus and Back 9. Native Invader 10. Abnormally Attracted To Sin 11. American Doll Posse 12. Unrepentant Geraldines I really love o2o, i think it will be more loved by the fans as time will go on. The Beekeeper it's a melodic genius piece, i really appreciate that To Venus and back is overrated, i think it's lacks direction and excitement, we only like this album because it was made by 90s tori YKTR its on a league of its own
Spot on, but maybe have to listen to Y kantTori Read again, to be sure. It's been a while. Also there exists an incredible acoustic session of hers that is very hard to find, but well worth.
Wow never heard a good word said about Y Kant Tori read before - first half was pretty meh but then the instrumentation opened up and familiar classic Tori broke through side 2 (of the 10 track versiom anyway are new go and remind me of 80's upbeat Kate Bush numbers - to's something I struggle to find in the later period where I'm glad we all agree from Scarlets Walk till at least the latest Ocean. Enjoyed your video and am jealous of your t-shirt!!
glad you mentioned Here In My Head, and the beautiful interlaced vocal lines in Father Lucifer. But you haven't mentioned Night Of Hunters/Sin Palabras at all for some reason, and while I get that Scarlet's Walk isn't as impactful (especially the drums), every song is a little gem and Gold Dust is the best song she's ever written IMO. It's effectively a double album, one of the least bloated and most musically successful ones I've ever heard.. should sit above Venus IMO
Yep. My rankings would pretty much be the same. As you said, your top four, same as mine, might change order from day to day, although Choirgirl probably gets the most plays at my house. ✌️
Good list! I have been a fan since 92 and have seen her dozens of times starting in Feb 94 (tickets for 23 on sale tomorrow!) I agree with your top pick. Pele is my favourite album by anyone and the accompanying Dew Drop Inn tour shows are also unbeaten. And the singles. I like to make a 5th side, opening with Graveyard, Sister Named Desire, and ending with my two favourite tracks - Alamo and Cooling, a song guaranteed to bring me to tears. I'd put Choirgirl in 2nd, Pink 3rd, Earthquakes 4th (though only because I'm including the B sides in my thinking!) and Venus 5th Beekeeper is my least favourite of those 21st Century releases, while I would rate American Doll Posse as the best - possibly over Scarlets Walk, whose middle of the road production really was a disappointment when I first heard it. Beekeeper being the follow up was a further blow and as you said, gave a strong feeling that Tori and I were moving in very different circles. ADP had more bite, a partial return to that earlier fire. Way too long, but you could make a decent length single album from it, which I can't say about any of the others I'd also rate Geraldine's a little higher. Weatherman and Trouble's Lament are really good. Giant's Rolling Pin may be letting the side down admittedly! I'd also give Native Invader slightly more credit. It doesn't have enough strong songs to fill even half an album, but Breakaway and Climb, along with Reindeer King are songs that keep the faith that Tori can still deliver.
I’m a 48 year old straight dude and I’ve been loving tori Amos my entire adult life. My favorite album of hers is to Venus and back. It has the best ever versions of sugar, cooling and cloud on my tongue. I just have very fond memories of it. Beekeeper is great too. I dunno she is just amazing. Love her always.
Boys for Pele has been my absolute favorite album from any artist since I first heard it. The production value is phenomenal and I hear something new almost every time I listen to it in headphones. The songwriting and orchestration are so impressive and varied and interesting. (Shoutout to the cow - bull? - in Professional Widow!) The track listing is perfection when considering the arc of the whole album. Thanks for this excellent video! I agreed with so many of the points you made.
It really is one of those albums that keeps on giving isn't it? Thanks for watching.
I know we don't know each other but you are officially my twin :) Couldn't agree more! Pele is the ultimate masterpiece ♥♥♥♥
Boyes For Pele is her best album!!! Ahh that album so good you just get lost in her world.
headphones is the only way to listen to that masterpiece
Night of Hunters is a must. Such an amazing album. I saw her live with the Metropole Orchestra and I still have goosebumps thinking about it.
Also I think from the Choir Girl Hotel is really underrated. It's really one of my favourite album of all time.
Choirgirl is definitely in my Top 3. It's superb!
It was nice to read this comment as I've really not seen a lot of love for Night Of Hunters. I think it's absolutely brilliant. Granted my Tori tastes are a bit strange though, because I'm actually not a huge Boys For Pele fan unlike 99% of the fanbase 😂
I absolutely love 'Abnormally Attracted to Sin', i listen to it very often, after all these years. Tori music is very special to me❤
Scarlet's walk ... I Heard so well .With attention With headphones . Tori brought me in another dimension ... So beautiful songs inside
Pele and Choirgirl are my top two!
1. Boys for Pele- Tori first gets really WEIRD here and I love it!
2. From the Choirgirl Hotel- Still weird, but now with electronics!
3. Little Earthquakes- A classic; so emotionally raw and vulnerable and I'm living for it.
4. To Venus and Back- Kind of a spiritual successor to FTCH. Love the live songs as well.
5. Under the Pink- Great songs, but a little too "commerical" sounding for me (did I mention that I love WEIRD Tori?)
Great vid!
Thats what akes me enjoy Tori amos, the consta t feeling of "Whats that?"
I’m pretty much identical. The strange stuff is better.
I never really looked at it as liking weird tori, but I can see what you're saying although outside of little earthquakes and boys for pele, my number 3 is american doll posse which I would say is kind of "weird"
I have only been to 1 Tori concert. I saw her live in 2007 in Boston during the American Doll Posse tour.
It was an incredible show and I still love that album.
I saw her in 92 in a small venue in Orlando ,FL. She performed the entire Little Earthquakes album & a couple of cuts from the " Smells Like Teen Spirit " EP, I saw her a couple of more times but nothing compared to this first very intimate performance. She greeted fans afterwards & I was lucky enough to briefly chat with her & give her a hug..so Little Earthquakes will always be #1 for me.
That sounds like an amazing show!
I just missed her on that tour. The guy in front of me at the ticket office place BOUGHT THE LAST TICKETS! Gaah! This was when she was touring England, 1992. Finally saw her live in Perth, WA, twenty years later...
Scarlet's Walk is a masterpiece.
Not my fav but it's definitely a good one and I know a lot of folks for whom it's huge.
Pity you never saw her in the 90s. She was magic.
😭
Boys for Pele and Choirgirl Hotel are my top two. Great video. Thank you for sharing.
Choirgirl is my #2 a lot of the time, great stuff. Thanks for watching!
This is a great reaction - spot on throughout! In all honesty, the beekeeper gave me the same feeling! It was the album where I questioned whether I had changed or If Tori had changed. I felt like the album veered so closely to adult contemporary pop and lost a lot of the edge I enjoyed in her writing and sound. I have halfheartedly listened since that album.
To me, Scarlets Walk was the last great Tori album.
And, I agree the top 4 are somewhat interchangeable, BUT I would place Scarlet above Venus and YKant, at number 5; it was a great concept album - love it!
I’ve seen Tori a few times, most notably in a theatre venue in ATL, when she was promoting Pele!
Great review!
Night of Hunters is actually an impressive album. Different but very good
Yeah definitely a blind spot for me (I thought it was a covers album for a long time).
It is! One of my very favs.
My ranking
13 Ocean to Ocean
12 Y Kant Tori Read
11 Abnormally Attracted to Sin
10 Unrepentant Geraldines
9 The Beekeeper
8 Native Invader
7 American Doll Posse
6 Boys for Pele
5 Scarlets Walk
4 From the Choirgirl Hotel
3 Little Earthquakes
2 To Venus and Back
1 Under the Pink
glad you mentioned Here in my Head such a great b-side, she also does a lovely version of Etienne and plays it pretty much every time she plays Scotland x
That's more where I'd expect folks to put YKTR. 😀Etienne in Scotland is a lovely tradition. Thanks for sharing your list!
why didn't he mention "Strange Little Girls" ?
Sounds more accurate, American Doll right up there
Nice list. I will admit, I have not listened to every single Tori album, but I have more of her albums than any other artist, especially the 90s ones. So, full albums: 1) Little Earthquakes (fav song = Winter, least = China), 2) Boys for Pele (fav = Caught a Light Sneeze, least = Red Baron), 3) From the Choir Girl Hotel (fav song = Rasberry Swirl, least = Northern Lad), 4) Under the Pink (fav = Cornflake Girl, least = Baker, Baker and Waitress). Lots of songs I love, like Mother, Talulah, Spark, etc. These are just favs vs not.
After that, you get into select songs from any album, so...A Sorta Fairytale, Carbon, Big Wheel, Bouncing off Clouds, Take to the Sky, Butterfly, Trouble's Lament, Sleeps with Butterflies, Sweet Dreams, Cooling, Putting the Damage On (piano version).
But favorite song of all is Winter (love the lyrics, love that it's about her dad, love the melody and emotions). It's so funny, because I HATED Tori's music when my sister "infected" the house with Little Earthquakes when I was 13. Then I started to really listen, and now Tori is my favorite artist. I feel like she has something for every mood, every moment. If I'm going through something and need to vent, there's Precious Things. If I'm bubbly that day, there's songs like Bouncing Off Clouds. I think her consistency in newer albums isn't as strong as it was in the 90s, but each album has at least a few masterpiece songs. Very talented woman.
Under the Pink is number one for me, without question. I love it so much. Also, absolutely agree about Ocean to Ocean. It's a great and long awaited return to form for me. That said, I honestly don't think she has a bad album. Finally, agreed on Y Kant Tori Read. i went back and listed to it just last week ( much better record than I think people remember, especially if you look at it as a product of its time).
Me and you both agree boys for Pele is definitely her best you really are a cool dude I definitely enjoyed watching this thank you
1. Boys for Pele
2. Little Earthquakes
3. Under the Pink
4. Native Invader
5. From the Choirgirl Hotel
6. Ocean to Ocean
7. Unrepentant Geraldine
8. From Venus and back
9. Night of Hunters
10. Scarlet's Walk
11. American Doll Posse
12. Strange Little Girls
13. Abnormally Attracted to Sin
14. Midwinter Graces
15. Beekeeper
(A Japanese fan since 92)
Wow NI pretty high up there! Not my fav but glad it connects with some folks.
American Doll Posse deserves so much more love. It's in my top 3
I agree! I was love it so much! I don’t understand the hate. And the tour from that record was AMAZING!
Yes, I can't agree more!
I'm with you, and I don't understand it either. My top 3 is little earthquakes, boys for pele then american doll posse
Terrible album. Only Dragon and GD are the highlights.
@@jartober really? It's great. It sounds like Tori is the singer in a rock band.
This was enjoyable to watch, I love it when she goes hard in the production
Most definitely. Choirgirl is peak "Tori goes hard" IMO.
@@BlueNagoon OK, definitely will be checking that album out
1. From the choir girl hotel
2. To Venus ad back
3. Strange little girls
4. Scarlets walk
5. American dolls pose
6. Native Invader
7. Under the pink
8. Boys for pele
9. The beekeeper
10. Ocean to ocean
Very interesting list, thanks for sharing!
Ahh I'm a fan and also a middle aged white guy...dont tell anyone... I think you’ve pretty much nailed this one...the comment on the drums on Scarlets Walk...yep drives me nuts... I'm not sure later album's songs are weaker or if its the lack of innovation in arrangement and sound...no hate for Tori ..just an uneducated opinion from a critical friend.
Thanks for watching! *sigh* those Scarlet drums... 😅 I think you're right that the arrangement and production on the later albums are an albatross. The songs I tend to like the most on them are the stripped down ones, I think because at least that production isn't in the way.
Impossible task because Tori has so many talents that are reflected differently in each album. The lyrics on Ocean to Ocean and To Venus and Back were exceptional. The piano playing on Under the Pink is simply the best ever. The story telling on Night of Hunters, Scarlett's Walk and American Doll Posse are sublime. I can never choose 1, or even 5. If I had to pick the Tori album I didn't like, it would be Abnormally Attracted to Sin.
Really liked your “summary” and mostly agree with you, especially on the fav songs of each album (I’d picked Lust from Venus because has a particular meaning for me). Definitely the quality of her efforts has been of a sort of downward path in the last years, but she is still capable to gift us with some absolute killer tracks (like the rightly mentioned Reindeer King). Still have to come to terms with OtO though, where for now I still haven’t found “my” song. Long live Tori! (Just seen her live for the fifth time)
Five times, wow! Thanks for watching. "Lust" is a great track too.
Always boys for pele!!! My first show was in 1998 plugged tour, I was 21. Wish I had seen her play in even some of the earlier years but I’m glad I got to see her in those days. The live shows were magic! And I’ve been going to all her shows since then.
I should have made more of an effort to see her back then, sounds amazing!
It will always be Scarlet’s Walk for me… I can put it on and listen to it all day long.
What a cool find this video was! Our rankings definitely differ (though I'm guessing we're close in age by our Tori journeys and when they began), BUT your favorite songs from each album are pretty much my favorite(s) songs from each album (i.e. the Space Dog bridge, the Father Lucifer bridge, Cooling, Cool On Your Island, Fire On The Side, Reindeer King, Flavor, Icicle, Winter, Bouncing Off Clouds, Oysters, Northern Lad, Swim To New York, the coda of Speaking With Trees, and of course my all time favorite Tori song Taxi Ride - and Carbon is my #2, so I do place Scarlet higher, but I get what you mean about the production. I just think the songwriting is so strong on that album). If we're not ranking holiday albums or symphony albums or Night of Hunters (impressive but not accessible), then I also agree with your last place ranking. I've seen her live 7 times (should be more!) and she always takes us to a transcendent place.
I should also add that if I were a music critic, my ranking would be VASTLY different from my personal ranking (Choirgirl and Pele would be 1 and 2). But here we go trying. I do love them all of course.
1. Scarlet's Walk
2. Choirgirl
3. Under The Pink
4. Little Earthquakes
5. American Doll Posse (don't hate me, I LOOOOVE so much of it)
6. To Venus And Back (didn't mention my fave Concertina)
7. The Beekeeper
8. Boys For Pele (my controversial pick, love the first half, skip most of the second half except Damage and Amsterdam)
9. Ocean To Ocean
10. Unrepentant Geraldines
11. Native Invader
12. Y Kant Tori Read
13. Abnormally Attracted
I hate the canned drums of Geraldines and Invader, but it works better on Invader from a production point of view, and yet Geraldines has stronger songwriting IMO. So those 2 could flip on a day-to-day basis, as could the first two albums.
Oh wow thanks for sharing this, I love hearing that some of those moments in her songs hit for others the same as me. And your point about critical vs. personal ranking is so true - YKTR being the obvious example from my list. And critic-wise Scarlet's would probably have to be higher on mine, I totally get the love for that album and what she accomplished, it's just not one I reach for as often personally. Appreciate your thoughts!
I would have to agree with you generally on your picks. Boys for Pele is definitely my favorite of hers also, but Night of Hunters would be in my top 4. That album introduced me to other artists like Satie & gave me an appreciation for classical music that I never had prior.
I definitely had the wrong impression about what NOH was and should not have skipped it!
My humble ranking, as a new Tori Fan (Discovered her march this year)
15 - Night of hunters (I just need to listen to this more carefully)
14 - Unrepentant Geraldines: Just not very memorable to me for now
13 - Boys For Pele: Im aware of how good this album is it just hasn't clicked with me yet
12 - To Venus and Back: from this point onward I love every album she's made
11 - The Beekeeper: Very quirky album, I like the personality it gives off
10 - Abnormally Attracted To Sin: I love rock, but there's an album that pulls it off better
09 - Ocean to Ocean: Pretty great album that makes her feel still rellevant
08 - Y Kant Tori Read: It does sound less creative but for a first album is a banger
07 - Native Invader: I feel this album is pretty emotional and reflective
06 - Scarlet's Walk: At first I didnt get this album but it's very peaceful and cool
05 - Little Earthquakes: Pure art, a few songs i dont like so thats why it's lower
04 - Strange Little Girls I like the concept of the album and I feel connected to it
03 - Under The Pink: Very catchy album. I love the variety.
02 - American Doll Posse: Rock is great. She knocked it out of the park with this one
01 - From The Choirgirl Hotel: Super creative and interesting album with a lot of moods
Keep listening to Boys for Pele until you're addicted. If you like Under the Pink it shouldnt take long.
This is great! I’ve been trying to find where to start with Tori, a lot of people always recommend her! Great to hear your output!
Awesome, you're in for a treat! I'd start with Little Earthquakes, the debut, and work your way through the first 4-5 albums. If you like those you can start exploring the later period albums and finding the gems on them.
I am always up for “nerding out” when it come to my girl Tori ❤
This is my ranking of the alums I've listened to so far:
8. The Beekeeper
7. Scarlett's Walk
6. Ocean to Ocean
5. Under The Pink
4. To Venus And Back
3. Little Earthquakes
2. Choirgirl
1. Boys for Pele
This always changes but based upon my listening habits as I get older
13. Y Kant Tori Read
12. Unrepentant Geraldines
11. The Beekeeper
10. Ocean to Ocean
9. American Doll Posse
8. Abnormally Attracted to Sin
7. Scarlets Walk
6. Native Invader
5. Little Earthquakes
4. Under the Pink
3. To Venus and Back
2. From the Choirgirl Hotel
1. Boys for Pele
Aww poor YKTR (but I get it). 😂 Cool to see AAtS fairly high, though, it's one that I always feel like I should like more than I do. Thanks for sharing your list!
What about Strange Little Girls?
Pretty much the same here, but I rank The Beekeeper and Scarlet's Walk especially a lot higher. The Beekeeper is a mood. It's pretty much all about death and has a very gothic, romantic, almost Victorian feel. The songs individually are all pretty great to classic. The title song is spooky Tori, a rare quantity (Black Dove is perhaps the other best iteration of this) and I love it. Scarlet's Walk is the rare concept album that takes off and flies high. Love the vibe of it. It was also the last time we got to see Tori's original face, which I greatly prefer to the surgical revisions. (Sorry not sorry.)
Love Boys for Pele but it does have a downside: it gets pretty shrill at points. Maybe my hearing is too good? It IS unequivocally brilliant though. And the B-sides from this era are her very best and some of my most favorite songs. Sister Janet and Daisy Dead Petals especially!
I'm surprised you didn't mention Night Of Hunters or the Christmas album. NOH was a hell of an accomplishment and the songs are fantastic. I even like Tash's contribution--her interpretation of Job's Coffin is very jazzy and altogether cool. I'd put NOH high in the ranking.
Midwinter Graces is a bit too melancholy for me--it pairs well with Annie Lennox's Christmas album though, in its rather academic, vintage feel and mopey-but-beautiful energy. Winter's Carol is one of her best songs EVER imo, a magnificently pagan celtic anthem. Her voice is very weak on this album--I think it was recorded during a period where she was having a lot of dire health problems--but she works around it well.
Re ADP, I'm surprised you didn't mention Smokey Joe paired with Dragon--they really are a box set and both some of Tori's finest, darkest songs. As a concept album this ends up feeling very labored, and it could've been fascinating from a feminist perspective. I especially hate the fashion direction. All these supposedly very different women dress exactly the same, pretty much--WTF. Tori's designer friend needs to go away. She's been making Tori look awful for years. You should wear your clothes. They should not wear you.
AATS is Tori's weirdest album. I actually hate it because there is something so self-indulgent, weak and cringy about it. It's almost whiny, full of weird self-pity, and I feel bad saying that because I suspect Tori actually had a very serious health crisis prior to that album--I mean, I think we almost lost her. But that's no excuse to record crap like "Not Dying Today." That's a B-side if ever there was one. However, that song aside, taken individually I love most of the songs on AATS--especially the ones you mentioned, and also Starling and Curtain Call. Such a strange sensation! Different production would have made a HUGE difference overall. The cover art is a nightmare.
In general I like Tori's odd departures in style. They aren't common enough. Sweet The Sting is a great funk/soul style song, wish she'd venture in that direction more. Everyone hates Police Me but it represents a real effort to pull herself out of her box and do something almost punk, genuinely edgy and weird for the first time in a long time. It's bizarre and not good, but I enjoy the effort.
I wish she'd leave friggin' Cornwall and stop working with her husband all the time. The evidence is that his musical tastes are extremely pedestrian and just not a good influence at all. Tori needs some fresh air. She is still a legendary artist of epic brilliance and incredibly gifted and creative, she just needs to get out more. I really wanted to like Ocean to Ocean and Native Invader but they both fell so flat for me. It doesn't need to be that way.
Lastly I think she is so hugely underrated and under-appreciated these days, and I wish that'd change. She is one of the GOATs in American pop music and should be celebrated as such.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree she's underrated, maybe she'll get a Kate Bush style resurgence via a Netflix show or something. 😀
Agree with almost everything you wrote. I kinda gave up in the mid 2000's, though my sister didn't, and now that my sister is gone(her name was Liz, 'How the Lizzies' from Father Lucifer hits me way differently now), I've come back to Tori. It's at times painful(my sister's death was sudden, unexpected and tragic), but I believe in working through feelings.
Sorry, I'm having a weird time right now, hope you're well!
Yeah. Always bums me out that other Toriphiles seem to like Beekeeper less than I do. But then I seem to like Choirgirl less than......well.....everyone else on the planet. So it all evens out 😀
Scarlet's Walk is my favorite album ever
Broadly agree with the top 4 except favourite would be Under the Pink and as someone else commented here Night of Hunters is fantastic, different enough from their source that they sound almost like original pieces. However I don't think the other albums are so far behind, the later stuff is just different in tone and colour. Scarlets Walk and Abnormally Attracted.... are both like journeys with lots of diversions hence their length which are worth exploring and make for me the closest in quality to the 90s output. Overall don't think Tori Amos gets the credit she deserves. Really she should be up there with the Beatles, Dylan, Radiohead and others. Thanks for the review anyway.
Wow!! I couldn't believe how close his list is to mine!! I definitely have Scarlet's Walk in my top 4 though!!
I only agree with your first and last picks. BOYS FOR PELE is the best! I can't believe you wouldn't include Night of Hunters though and yet you'd include Y Kant.
Such a great video. I have loved Tori since I heard Silent ALL These Years. I would hesitate putting them in order, but I would mostly agree with your analysis. Thanks for putting this together.
From The Choirgirl Hotel is a masterpiece.
Pele is brave, boldly honest, taboo, and hauntingly beautiful in a way that is different from her other albums. My personal favorite. I appreciate your take on her discography.
Totally agree! Thanks for checking out the video.
I totally agree that it's her most Visionary work and we would never hear the harpsichord like that from her ever again....and it has one of my favorite songs she has ever done which is caught a light sneeze, but it isn't a very accessible album at times and it has a lot of tracks on it that I didn't really appreciate on the back half.
Boys for Pele and Joni's Blue wrestle for my number #1 album ever. From first to last track it feels like chapters in a epic story and runs you through the entire emotional spectrum. Over the years I still pick up new things in subsequent listens. The remasters paired with high quality headphones and a few bottles of wine is still a good night made.
I love the first 5 albums and a couple songs from Scarlets Walk. Then our paths diverged. Not a lot of artists where I got 5 albums I love from, so I'm happy for that.
@@maplesyrup76 I love this perspective. Those first 5 truly are something special.
Boys for Pele is all time number one for me….dark genius. Ocean to Ocean is now number 2 for me, I think it captured the pain of the last two years so well, agree that it’s brevity is a strength after some of the recent albums. Night of Hunters is amazing!
Definitely getting the feeling I should give Night of Hunters a try! Thanks
Ocean to ocean is an album I come back to from time to time
Thank god for that
thanx, thourough and knowledgable sum up and ranking. Myself, I fell off after American Doll Posse, but I largely agree with your ranking of the rest. I would perhaps switch Scarlet's Walk and To Venus..., and I would definitely place From the Choirgirl on #2.
Spot on rankings. Interesting insertion of YCTR. Beekeeper bummed me out too when it came out.
Loved your commentary on Tori's albums... pretty much how I would rank them, though I'd move Scarlet's Walk up in the ranking and probably place it between Choirgirl and Little Earthquakes. Wholeheartedly agree with Boys for Pele! 🙂
Great video !
1. Little Earthquakes
2. Under The Pink
3. Scarlet's Walk
4. Boys For Pele
5. From The Choirgirl Hotel
6. The Beekeeper
7. Night Of Hunters
8. Unrepentant Geraldines
9. Ocean To Ocean
10. Strange Little Girls
11. To Venus And Back
12. Abnormally Attracted To Sin
13. Gold Dust
14. Native Invader
15. American Doll Posse
16. Midwinter Graces
Interesting 👍 I absolutely love Native invader
@@Jim1971a It is a good album with nice songwriting and piano playing as always, however I feel like the mixing really hurts the tracks here. I do have some faves on it, namely Reindeer King, Breakaway, Bang, Climb and Mary's Eyes
Another Y Kant Tori Read lover! Love to see it.
This ranking is fairly close to how I would probably rank them, same number 1 as well. I agree with a lot of what you have to say here.
Yay! Go go YKTR. 🥳🎉
Try to give Native Invader another chance. It’s really good, better than American Doll Posse, The Beekeeper, unrepentant Geraldines or a ocean to ocean. I agree 100% with Bous for Pele being the best.
I'm seeing NI high on a few lists, perhaps you're right, I should give it another go!
I love “Bouncing Off Clouds” and “Your Cloud”. Scarlet’s Walk was the album that drew me to Tori Amos
I'd imagine discovering Tori at Scarlet's and then going through her back catalog must've been mind blowing. 🤩
@@BlueNagoon discovering her at the time I did was great because she had tons of material out (she even had a book out which I read).
I also love Carbon & Can’t see New York
Tori really likes to write about clouds. There's also Cloud On My Tongue.
@@WordUnheard Great track from UTP (IIRC she did it live on Greg Kinnear). Then again it's tough to think of a weak track... what an album!
If anything, Cool on Your Island is absolutely a masterfully written, arranged and performed song. Not only are that bridge and all verses phenomenal, Tori's vocal performance is one of a kind but skilful and emotional at the same time. To me that was a diva without any archytypal diva cliche.
Btw, I really like your ranking and Little Earthquakes was a groundbreaking moment of discovery in music, as well as in personal mentality for me too. Oh boy and when talking about Under the Pink, don't I love Past the Mission, Pretty Good Years and Space Dog, the last of which is one of my all-time favourites.
I have a soft spot in my heart reserved for The Beekeeper and Scarlet's Walk though. I am particularly fond of Witness and Martha's Foolish Ginger when it comes to The Beekeeper.
Totally agree about "Cool," fantastic song no matter how it's arranged.
Giving a like for when you noted the great bridges in UtP. Space Dog especially. "Deck the halls... It's you again, it's you again, somewhere someone must know the ending." I tear up every time and I don't know why.
I’d say instead that ADP and earlier is her best work as a whole. I also agree that each subsequent album has its gems. For me, Under the Pink is her best album with BFP as a tie or just millimeters away from UTP. Both are so different that they are hard to compare head to head. I like every song on both of those albums. I love the orchestral arrangements and dynamics of UTP and I love the harpsichord and belting she does throughout BFP. My ranking is:
1. Pink
2. Pele
3. LE
4. TVAB
5. Choirgirl
6. Scarlet
7. ADP
8. Beekeeper
9. Native Invader
10. O2O
11. AATS
12. Geraldines
13. YKTR
Some of the songs on the albums I like least are in my list of favorites like Ophelia, Oysters, Lady In Blue, Etienne, Cool on Your Island. And Reindeer King is in my top 10 of all time.
She’s amazing and I admire her ability to produce a good variety of songs. Each is unique and no album sounds like the other. Love her. Goddess
I think your ranking is pretty fair. Like you, I first heard Tori with Little Earthquakes and I was University at the time. Blew my mind. And then she turned up and played in the city I was studying for the Under The Pink tour (Porstmouth, England). Still one of the absolute greatest gigs I've ever been to (and as a pro musician and film-maker I've been to a lot!). And I agree that Ocean To Ocean is her best album for some time. Anyway - thanks for this. Really interesting. You've got a new subscriber. Really interesting channel. 😃
This is so funny, as a younger fan (I'm 27 atm) AAtS is actually one of my favourite albums ever by any artist! I do very much understand how that's a widely unpopular opinion, though. It has a very peculiar (and very cold) sound, the track order is a bit messy at times, and Tori's voice during that era many would consider screachy. But from my point of view, it's beautifully quirky, atmospheric, nostalgic, unsettling... cinematic, as I understand Tori made it to be. I strongly associate it with the last winter of my life spent in the suburbs before moving from my folk's place to the big city. It's got that "goodbye, I'll miss it here but I need to break loose and defy every single thing you've taught me about life" vibe. I'll forever cherish the memory of walking in some snowy park around Christmas time, headphones on, listening to this album and pondering about life and the future...
Anyhow, here is my (very controversial) top 12:
12. Native Invader (the one Tori album I wish she would redo, it had so much potential but the mushy production/mixing just kills it for me)
11. Little Earthquakes
10. Ocean to Ocean
9. Under the Pink
8. Unrepentant Geraldines
7. From the Choirgirl Hotel
6. The Beekeeper (Ireland? don't know her)
5. American Doll Posse
4. Boys for Pele
3. To Venus and Back (in my Tori headcannon, Zero Point is the true final track here, right after 1,000 Oceans)
2. Abnormally Attracted to Sin
1. Scarlet's Walk (probably one of the most cohesive and iconic bodies of work by any artist ever)
I'm not including YKTR in there simply because although it's an awesome '80s pop album, it wasn't produced by Tori. I find it hard to compare to her later work where she truly was in control.
Thanks for this! I'm going through her back catalogue now after rediscovering her recently... Give is one of the most sensual songs I've heard in a long time, love her voice on it. Any other highlights? Look forward to hearing the whole album.
No way you ranked any post Scarlet albums above LE or UTP 💀 to each their own ig
@@f4gsforpele I did say it's a very controversial top 12 😅 and don't get me wrong, I still totally love LE and UtP-they're classics and with good reason. It's just I don't connect with them all that much at this point in my life. Mind you, some of my favourite Tori songs are from those eras. Sugar in its original form I hold especially dear. 💚
@@briantschayot You're welcome! Give sure is quite the opener, love the trip-hop Middle Eastern vibe on that one. From AAtS, I definitely have a soft spot for the more atmospheric/textured tracks like Curtain Call, Flavor and Lady in Blue, but there also are straight-up jams aplenty, like Welcome to England and Fast Horse.
As for highlights from her discography in general, here are some lesser known standouts from various eras: On the Boundary (from her '80s band days), Mother, Space Dog, Father Lucifer, Hotel, Dātura, Virginia, Marys of the Sea, Smokey Joe, Nautical Twilight (based on Mendelssohn's Venetian Boat Song), Oysters, Speaking with Trees.
@@wonderror9546 thank you so much! She actually sang Space Dog at the concert - first time I'd heard it but I loved it! I'll make sure I hear them all!!!
what you said about the drums in Scarlets Walk is totally true omg. I always hear the last 3 songs in solo piano form from her Paris mini concert (or whatever) here on TH-cam because they sound totally better that way. I also love the 2014 (or something) version of Your Cloud
I'll check those performances out, thanks!
Hail Tori! Queen of the raisin girls!
My favorite albums are:
1. Little Earthquakes (Even though it's a bit obvious, this album is just so ridiculously mesmerizing. She can change your entire soul with each song on this record and it never ceases to give me chills. I've never heard something so powerfully raw and bold, it's so utterly life-changing.)
2. Boys for Pele (Strange, experimental Tori is a dream! Yet, even though it is so outlandish, it's still coherent and certainly beautiful, so you never lose sight of her messages and insights.)
3. Under the Pink (Although it is the most commercial, it is one of the most fun albums in the whole wide world to sing. Plus, it's still experimental enough to truly set itself apart from other Tori albums (yes, From the Choirgirl Hotel and To Venus and Back are electronic albums, and perhaps electronic albums are the most efficient means of being experimental, however, her piano playing is still at the brutal and beautiful forefront of her music and that is something I totally love.)
4. From the Choirgirl Hotel (Tori Amos swims in the mystical waters of casual estrangement with so much flair.)
5. To Venus and Back (It's extremely interesting...there's never a dull moment, of course, and she pumps you up with sick electronic beats, though they certainly don't overpower the piano, which makes it so tasteful. I love it so much, it just strikes me as the safe album compared to the top four, though obviously, Tori's a daring gal. I liked the place Tori was in life when she made it, and I think she conveyed it well.)
I love American girl posse and beekeeper! My favorite is boys for pele. Honestly I love them all depending on my moods and what's going on in my life
This is very similar to my ranking especially BFP as number one and the LE, UTP and FTCGH being a interchangeable second. My least favorite is ADP but I still have songs I love from each lower ranking album. Also your favorites on most albums are the same as mine. I agree the bridge on Father Lucifer is transcendent.
I completely agree with you! My favorites are almost all B-sides.
WHOA, you put Y Kant Tori Read above Scarlet and everything that came after lol
That shocked me lol
Hehe those two could be easily flipped depending on the day. I tried to think which of them had songs I'd reach for and want to hear more often and honestly I think YKTR is a little ahead of Scarlet's. But I recognize I have a nostalgia for that sound that many people don't share. 🤣
You had me at the space dog bridge
A the kids say, "I know right?!" 😍
From 1996 to 2007 I had the pleasure to see her 5 times in concert. The latter shows and albums for me were mostly a way to hang on to her, more than appreciating her work of those years. From Scarlet's Walk on I slowly began losing interest and was going to shows just because those were still good. The last one I went to was for the American Doll Posse tour, it was a blast but as other albums were published I just wasn't able to grasp her vision enough to keep me following her. But I always love revisiting her past works, I still find her 90's work to be some of the best music around, both lyrically and musically and it's always beautiful going back to watch live shows from that era.
I'm seeing a lot of new interest around youtube in the last couple of years and I'm glad that new listeners are able to appreciate her, she deserves it
As for my ranking:
1. Under The Pink was my first Tori album and it's always been my favourite. Every single note and word on this album falls perfectly in my cup of tea. I can safely say that it's one of my favorite albums of all time from every modern artist ever
2. Boys For Pele: this one I could switch places with Choirgirl, it depends on mood and days. I find Choirgirl much more cohesive musically - Pele it's such a mess sometimes - but the genius moments in Pele are so big and so many that I have to give it the silver medal
3. From The Choirgirl Hotel: it was the perfect album for that time, when it came out. It was just like if the Tori music landscape had prepared for it. It was so deeply Tori-esque and so deeply different at the same time. It was a shock but in a good way. It's so good at conveying every feeling, and so powerful
4. Little Earthquakes: I love it deeply but I feel that it really shines more in the live experiences, both solo and with the band. If I had to rank it based on those, then it would probably have to take the 2nd place, but just taking the studio work into consideration I feel that it's a masterful debut album but could be better, not in the sense of music and lyrics but production. And I can't stand "China", I'm sorry.
5. To Venus And Back: it's some sort of Choirgirl part 2, more like a collection of b-sides of the Choirgirl era. It's really good but sometimes I feel like it's been put together just because, at that time, releasing singles with b-sides wasn't that good of a business choice anymore. There are serious beautiful bangers here but it's not consistent throughout.
6. Scarlet's Walk: I place it here just because it's a good album and deserves to be mentioned in the discography but it's not anything I couldn't live without
Every other album after Scarlet to Midwinter Graces for me it just can be lost with no consequence. Albums that came out after Midwinter Graces I never checked out in full, just some songs here and there, and not one raised my interest. I lost touch with Tori's artistic vision and until today I didn't find anything that could pull me back in. I go back to her first works with the same delight I felt when those albums were fresh, to me they are timeless works of art, but the recent ones I left behind. It's partly sad, it's partly as life goes
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree with so much of what you wrote! Those 90s albums really are timeless.
But Reindeer King though…it’s fire. There are definitely one or two quintessential Tori songs on each of her later albums. And when she performs live those songs come to life in a different way.
Same. I couldn't grasp her vision from Scarlets walk and beyond as well. And today it seems like a lot she is just "phoning it in" without the feelings (which i am sure she has grown and changed, but still) I also feel like her enunciation had changed, but if she did a tour from before Scarlet walk and back, I would totally go see it, and would love if she would play the obscure songs she used to do as well. I have seen her 6 or 7 times live and come on...its Tori...
I feel that Tori lost her consistency after the "Beekeeper". Im sorry but i love the Beekeeper and its whole concept and a lot of the songs are beautiful, i actually like it better than Scarlet's Walk. I never really connected too deeply w Scarlets Walk, i guess bc of the political content and the subjects about the land and America i dont find as appealing as subjects that are more personal and deal with personal suffering or love, which is why "Boys for Pele" will always be my #1 and top favorite album of Tori's. But i do agree that her early works were her better ones, and i never connected with "American Doll Posse," and i liked "Abnormally Attracted to Sin " but felt it was a new side of Tori that took me a while to connect with. She won my heart again, however, with the deep spirituality of "Night of Hunters", and i loved "Unrepentant Geraldines," i think its just that Tori, like all of us, changed and became a Mom but its sad to hear that u lost your connection with her as the years went on. I always found things i loved about a Tori album, even if it took me several listens or i only liked a few songs- in the end i always ended up relating to something or finding those" flashes of brilliance" on an album. Maybe someday u might find something u like in her later works, but i respect your opinion and understand what you mean.
I could never say or feel like Tori Amos, one of the most talented and spiritual songwriters of my generation, is ever "phoning it in"....i think ppl just change and grow and that she's older now, and of course cant b expected to sound the same as she did 20 or 30 years ago. Thats all.
Absolutely agree. Boys For Pele is in a class by itself.
My interest in Tori totally flat lined after Scarlets Walk and I felt guilty, like I was missing something, so I was so pleased to hear someone else with similar opinions.
That was a good ranking. Chiorgirl is my personal favourite, I was going through my first and most horrendous breakup at the time and that album still holds so many memories, even now 24ish years later, I can't really listen to some of the songs because it bring the emotions right back and I cry like a baby, iiiieee is one of those songs funnily enough since you specifically mention that song. I also remember when Scarlets Walk came out I was so excited (bearing in mind I'd pass my pants if Tori even did a 30 second TV appearance at that point) and felt a bit lost when I realised that I only like 3 songs & the horror I felt at our growing apart. Anyway thanks for the great little video 👍
Thank you for watching! Choirgirl is pretty amazing, and iiiieee is SUCH a vibe. 😭
I pretty much agree exactly with you, although I couldn't really put the top 4 in any order - I wouldn't rank boys for pele higher than the other three because they are all masterpieces.
Scarlets Walk was the beginning of the end... why? I guess it's really hard to keep going at that level as you get older... she had also become a mum... and I guess she is a good mum, because she turned into a much worse musician.. which is maybe how it should be.
But I agree there are some songs from later albums that still have the magic. Taxi Ride is a song that I can never forget, even though I don't know exactly what it is about... Crazy is also a great melody.
And yes when I've seen her live, sometimes songs that didn't do much for me on the albums stand out - Jamaica Inn is a good example of this.
I don't really listen to her much these days, because I spent years listening to her all the time.. And I felt a kind of betrayal when she ditched her natural, raw, quirky sound for something much more polished (along with her fashion). She has released songs of such awful quality that it doesn't really seem like the same person sometimes.
But god, she was good. A friend lent me Little Earthquakes when I was 17, and it blew me away. The incredible dexterous piano playing - most piano players of note in popular music either play jazz/blues style ala billie joel elton john, or they just play as an accompaniment - kate bush, carole king, even joni mitchell, etc... no one played like her in the popular world - except maybe nina simone who i know was jazz, but she had classical training. And the ethereal voice, and the words... just as you said!
Thanks for a great video.
love this video!! father lucifer is one of my all time favorite tori songs :)
Your #13 (bottom) is right on. I had been fan since From the Choirgirl Hotel, and after Abnormally Attracted to Sin, I just lost interest in her work.
That said, even bad Tori is still better than a lot of other folks' best.
It's so frustrating too because the production is interesting, similar to Choirgirl, but the songs just don't work for me.
love this! I too saw her on tour recently for the first time although I fell in love with her music in the 90s... kind of lost touch with her until recently and now I'm going through her back catalogue. I'm addicted! The live versions of the Ocean to Ocean songs were more vivid and raw, loved them if not the album so much. Not sure I have a #1 go-to album; every song on Little Earthquakes is spectacular, Choirgirl Hotel is gorgeous (Liquid Diamonds!?), Pele iconic, Venus has some gems (Lust!? maybe my favorite ever).... thanks for the extra suggestions!
Right on! She played a bunch from OtO at the show I saw this year and I agree, those songs worked well live!
I remember discovering Tori when searching for artists similar to Liz Phair (who has a few songs, e.g. Animal Girl and Canary that are very 90's-Tori-Amos style). Agree Pele is the best by far and listen to it often. Venus is also excellent. The rest of the first five were hit and miss for me, and never got into the rest, unfortunately.
Yay another Pele fan. 😀 I remember really liking Phair's first couple albums, definitely some style crossover there.
The only time I have seen Tori live was at the 1998 Glastonbury festival, along with Nick Cave it was the highlight of the whole event for me. The festival itself was a mud bath, it just did not stop raining but to see Tori perform made up for the destroyed tent, ruined clothes and hundreds of pounds essentially wasted. As an interesting aside along with my friends we ended up watching Tori with a random stranger whose actual name was Merlin. For me, Little Earthquakes will always be number one with From the Choirgirl Hotel snapping at its heels.
That's a great memory, thanks for sharing! I wish I'd had a chance to catch her live in the 90s, I always hear amazing things.
Agree wholeheartedly with your ranking, especially Boys for Pele. I feel like her 2000s albums (starting with Scarlet's Walk) have become less concise and more bloated, and they require a lot of patience to get through. Also - the songs from To Venus and Back sound *completely* different and so much better performed live.
How about to do Bjork ranking?
1. Boys for Pele: Not just my favorite Tori album, but one of my all-time favorites. Just amazing all the way thru.
2. To Venus and Back: I love the mood this album gives off. Lust, Suede & Spring Haze are favorites.
3. Under the Pink: Icicle thru Yes, Anastasia is one of my favorite stretches. Love Baker Baker too.
4. From the Choirgirl Hotel: Lots of really interesting song. (Black-Dove, Jackie's Strength, Liquid Diamond, etc.).
5. Little Earthquakes: Lots of good songs. But no favorites either.
6. Scarlet's Walk: Her last really good album to me. Lots of good songs here.
7. ... And the rest. Some good songs, but I never listen to them end to end.
American Doll Posse has some outstanding tracks “Digital Ghost”, “Girl Disappearing”… you mentioned you like it when an album rocks if “Code Red” doesn’t get you rocking I don’t know what will that’s as much as Tori will rock. Of course, “Bouncing Off Clouds” and “Big Wheel” are also great. I feel you need to give the album another spin! Scarlet’s Walk has “Pancake” another outstanding song Tori plays live quite often. The rest of your ranking seems pretty accurate but to my ears, Choirgirl Hotel comes on top the other three
Nice! My personal list:
First Four are achingly good...
1. From the Choirgirl Hotel
2. Boys for Pele
3. Little Earthquakes
4. Under the Pink
Also quite good...
5. Scarlet's Walk
6. Ocean to Ocean
7. To Venus and Back
8. Y Kant Tori Read
I wanted to like the next two more...
9. The Beekeeper
10. Native Invader
I never really got into the last three...
11. Unrepentant Geraldines
12. American Doll Posse
13. Abnormally Attracted to Sin
The last three are just... weak sauce. I agree with your top 5 except for To Venus and Back!!! That was an _excellent_ album!
1.BFP 2.LE 3.UTP, very close together, all killer no filler, absolute masterpieces and my favorite Albums ever (BFP is my No.1 indeed). I listen to these three since 1998 and I still love them. But then there is a huge gap, a different league. I do not like the changes in production, although I respect her as an artist.
Yeah, great ranking, Tori was the red headed goddess that ended the crass 80s. Soundtrack yo my college experience those top 3, yeah it was eye opening for Gen x
You’re brave. I’ll say that. About 50/50 agreement. I’d move up Scarlet and Beekeeper. Maybe it’s an age thing. I’m just a couple years older than her and they both fit my life at that time. Sorry but I have to move Boys to near the back of the bus. Choirgirl grew on me over the years and I would now put that on top. Not sure what’s happening with her voice on the newest stuff. Thanks! Great to hear another perspective and I’m heading back into some of these.
I find Boys to be pretty tough sledding with few exceptions. Completely agree about the age factor. Choirgirl probably is my #1 also. Really, Tori has so many tracks that it demands a personal playlist for every fan. Great lyrics.
Scarlet’s Walk is in my Top 3!
Glad you mentionned the double-vocals. I wish she would release her 2009-today output without that. It erases the authenticity of the songwriter. The guitar is also too strong in the mix since then. The songs are very phenomenal. She should release piano-versions of all her less-loved recent albums. People would understand how she's fab.
The only ranking I agree with you on is number 1! This is the first album of her’s I heard so Idk if that’s why it’s my trusty favorite or it’s because it’s the best? Marianne’s my all time favorite( I cry just thinking about it!) since you didn’t mention it and Not the Red Baron, Hey Jupiter, Twinkle, Putting the Damage on, Doughnut Hole, Horses all tie for 2nd! Lol I also appreciate the bootlegs especially from the Beekeeper her live version is worlds better than the actual album! I would’ve also added Welcome to Sunny Fl and I Love the Drama of Night of the Hunters and the multiple songs with Tash! But really I love everything some take time to grow on me but I love them all!
Marianne is wonderful!
Aw, thank you and I agree!☺️
My top 5: Scarlet, Choirgirl, Venus and Back, Under the Pink, Beekeeper.
Nice one, TH-cam algorithm! A recommendation for a small channel that deserves a lot more subscribers. Wonders will never cease 🎉
Really enjoyed your personal assessments, Pele is my #1 too. Been a huge fan from the moment I heard her, for the first time in '94 and it was absolutely magical seeing her 7 concerts on the DDI tour. I'm so curious ...what your favorites are on TVAB?😊
Hmm my top TVAB tracks are probably Spring Haze, Lust, Concertina, and Josephine. Something like that! 😀
OK, here is my list from best to when I stopped buying because of the direction she took was in "conflict" with mine:
1-Boys For Pele,
2-Little Earthquakes,
3-Under the Pink,
4-From the Choirgirl Hotel,
5-Venus and Back,
6-Scarlet's Walk,
7-The Beekeeper,
8-Strange Little Girl,
7-Y Kant Tori Read,
8-American Doll Posse,
9-Abnormally Attracted to Sin.
Favorite songs: Crucify, Winter, Upside Down, Honey, Cornflake Girl, Waitress, Space Dog, Pretty Good Year, Blood Roses, Professional Widow, Caught a Lite Sneeze, Talula, Raspberry Swirl, Spark, Cruel, Northern Lad, Bliss, 1000 Ocean, A Sort of Fairytale, Taxi Ride, Gold Dust, Strange, Power of the Orange Knickers, Cars and Guitars, The Beekeeper.
The last albums I bought, I didn't listen enough to have an opinion on the songs... (Well, I bought YKTR in the late 90s, I didn't really like it, I didn't listen to it much).
I am not sure if between SLG, YKTR, ADP & ATTS there are 20 listen total and were all bought on release day (except for YKTR)
I own 34 CDs, that includes, Studios, Singles, Bootlegs & my own recording of a full show.
I saw her 9 times from 1996 to 2005.
To this day, I still listen to my top 4 on a consistant basis and I guess you can add To Venus & Back, but for the 2nd CD :)
Your fav song list is very similar to mine, and your collection is impressive! I was big into collecting singles etc. for B-sides in the 90s but never got into live boots. (And now there's TH-cam for that.)
@@BlueNagoon thanks! It was actually hard for me back then to buy a bootleg, because the artist wasn’t getting anything out of it, but seeing how much I was spending on Tori, I figured I could make an exception! I also have 5 shirts: I spent over $2000 on her and I wasn’t stopping to go see the concerts after I bought the bootlegs…
Like you said, now we have all the old shows for free on here…
If you want the artist I fell in love with after Tori: Jorane. She sings in French and also uses her voice as an instrument, so no lyrics. She also made 1 album in English. But my favorite is her first: Vent Fou. She plays the cello instead of the piano, her voice is amazing! Give her a try!
Yeah I agree with your whole synopsis about what the good albums are I would rank abnormally attracted to sin out of the bad albums higher though because it's definitely better than the beekeeper and Native Invaders. But you're right The Beekeeper is the first time I didn't really like the album at all.
I gasped when I saw Scarlet at #7! That's my number 1. But otherwise these pretty much track for me.
Scarlet's is great, just goes to show how strong her catalog is! 😀
Like you, when I first heard Tori on the radio, it was phenomenal. Same went for Fiona Apple. Both these artists’ first albums and the fact that they actually got airplay on the radio gave me faith in where music was, where it was possibly going, and also restored faith in the music taste of the general top 40 listening public for putting it on the radio. However, my opinion on both Tori and Fiona’s output is same. The first albums where utterly groundbreaking, daring and seemed out of place on “popular” radio play. But because they were so strong, they couldn’t be easily matched again. I found each artist’s first albums to be brilliant, their second offering extremely good but not as good as their firsts, and their third albums only had a couple of really great tracks each, and for both artists ended up being their last albums I really enjoyed.
1. Little Earthquakes 2. Under The Pink 3. Scarlet's Walk 4. Boys For Pele 5. Choirgirl Hotel 6. To Venus and Back 7-13 ... the rest
I agree with your ranking. However, I really like Night of Hunters and would put that one at #5.
I definitely was sleeping on NoH! I thought it was covers, so I didn't pay any attention.
@@BlueNagoon Original lyrics and arrangements of some classics.
I also would rank Strange Little Girls in the top 7. Time, Rattlesnakes, Real Men, After All, New Age… all great covers in the tradition of Thank You and A Case of You.
On a different note I found the album covers after Scarlet’s Walk to be quite amateurish in design
My Ranking would be:
1. Boys For Pele
2. Little Earthquakes
3. From The Choir Girl Hotel
4. Under The Pink
5. Ocean To Ocean
6. Scarlet's Walk
7. The Beekeeper
8. To Venus and Back
9. Native Invader
10. Abnormally Attracted To Sin
11. American Doll Posse
12. Unrepentant Geraldines
I really love o2o, i think it will be more loved by the fans as time will go on.
The Beekeeper it's a melodic genius piece, i really appreciate that
To Venus and back is overrated, i think it's lacks direction and excitement, we only like this album because it was made by 90s tori
YKTR its on a league of its own
Spot on, but maybe have to listen to Y kantTori Read again, to be sure.
It's been a while.
Also there exists an incredible acoustic session of hers that is very hard to find, but well worth.
Sorry it was an acoustic version.of "silent all these years", likely b.ootleg.🙂
Wow never heard a good word said about Y Kant Tori read before - first half was pretty meh but then the instrumentation opened up and familiar classic Tori broke through side 2 (of the 10 track versiom anyway are new go and remind me of 80's upbeat Kate Bush numbers - to's something I struggle to find in the later period where I'm glad we all agree from Scarlets Walk till at least the latest Ocean. Enjoyed your video and am jealous of your t-shirt!!
glad you mentioned Here In My Head, and the beautiful interlaced vocal lines in Father Lucifer. But you haven't mentioned Night Of Hunters/Sin Palabras at all for some reason, and while I get that Scarlet's Walk isn't as impactful (especially the drums), every song is a little gem and Gold Dust is the best song she's ever written IMO. It's effectively a double album, one of the least bloated and most musically successful ones I've ever heard.. should sit above Venus IMO
Yep. My rankings would pretty much be the same. As you said, your top four, same as mine, might change order from day to day, although Choirgirl probably gets the most plays at my house. ✌️
Good list!
I have been a fan since 92 and have seen her dozens of times starting in Feb 94 (tickets for 23 on sale tomorrow!)
I agree with your top pick. Pele is my favourite album by anyone and the accompanying Dew Drop Inn tour shows are also unbeaten. And the singles. I like to make a 5th side, opening with Graveyard, Sister Named Desire, and ending with my two favourite tracks - Alamo and Cooling, a song guaranteed to bring me to tears.
I'd put Choirgirl in 2nd, Pink 3rd, Earthquakes 4th (though only because I'm including the B sides in my thinking!) and Venus 5th
Beekeeper is my least favourite of those 21st Century releases, while I would rate American Doll Posse as the best - possibly over Scarlets Walk, whose middle of the road production really was a disappointment when I first heard it. Beekeeper being the follow up was a further blow and as you said, gave a strong feeling that Tori and I were moving in very different circles.
ADP had more bite, a partial return to that earlier fire. Way too long, but you could make a decent length single album from it, which I can't say about any of the others
I'd also rate Geraldine's a little higher. Weatherman and Trouble's Lament are really good. Giant's Rolling Pin may be letting the side down admittedly!
I'd also give Native Invader slightly more credit. It doesn't have enough strong songs to fill even half an album, but Breakaway and Climb, along with Reindeer King are songs that keep the faith that Tori can still deliver.
I’m a 48 year old straight dude and I’ve been loving tori Amos my entire adult life.
My favorite album of hers is to Venus and back.
It has the best ever versions of sugar, cooling and cloud on my tongue.
I just have very fond memories of it.
Beekeeper is great too.
I dunno she is just amazing. Love her always.
My ranking:
1. Boys For Pele (the one and only...)
2. BfP B-Sides (every single one...)