Thoughts: Your Reviews Of "A Piano"
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RiotPoof says:
Alright, well first let me start out by saying that I love the box set overall. However: I feel like the packaging is a tad unnecessary and I’d rather have had more rarities – but I’m wondering, as a long-time Tori collector if there just isn’t that much out there that I don’t have. What I REALLY would have loved to have seen included is a complete live audio recording from the Scarlet’s Walk or LottaPianos tour – when Tori really hit her stride with the live band. Maybe someone “important” will see this and decide that a proper live album should be released. I also find that the “Alternate Mix” label is quite misleading. Some of these alternate mixes are so similar to the originals that it takes someone a few listens to distinguish what the difference is. The new songs are fun as are some of the “choirgirl” remixes and I’m very glad I purchased it, but for Toriphiles like myself, a lot of the contents in this box will be things you’ll already have. So consider this before spending anywhere between $55 and $75 for the box.
Craig says:
I really don’t think that if you are a true Toriphile (i.e., diehard, dedicated fan) you are going to think twice about parting with the money for this box set at all. I find the above review most silly ... of course you have some of the material before. This is a box set presenting a body of work along with much material we’ve not heard previously.
The whole set has been remastered and methodically presented. I would really urge anyone to ignore the above comment and definitely buy this set.
If I had one reservation — or sorry, not reservation but feeling about the box — I would have loved to have seen a 6th disc which was a DVD of classic live performances or perhaps one full concert from one of the earlier tours which must have been filmed and in the vaults somewhere. A concert from the Dew Drop Inn tour would have been great.
But I ADORE this box set. Take Me With You is fantastic and worthy of single release. Interesting to hear it was re-considered for PINK and as a PINK A-Side.
Enjoy!
Mart says:
I normally take the day off work when Tori releases a new album (c’mon, I’m sure I’m not the only one!), but I decided not to take the day off for the Piano box set – partly because I had a lot on at work, but mainly because of the small number of new songs.
Looking back, I really wish I had taken the day off, as the box set is something to really sink one’s teeth into, and also there’s the lovely book that comes with it. I could happily have spent the day listening to each individual disk and reading the book at leisure, rather than having to cram it all in on Monday evening!
There are definitely some pro’s and cons with this box set. It’s kind of nicely packaged, but also a little bit unwieldly – maybe a little bit too big. It did look a bit strange on the record store shelf – a bit of a monster! The book is absolutely gorgeous, and some of the songs are nicely explained, especially the new ones.
Of these new tracks, Take Me With You, Peeping Tommi and Dolphin are worthy additions to Tori’s repertoire (although Dolphin should have been placed much more separately to Mary’s of the Sea, as they share similar sounds, especially with Dolphin’s intro). I was expecting the worst with Ode to My Clothes, but got a very nice surprise – it’s a lovely little song. Zero Point is kind of messy, but really improves in its second half, and Not David Bowie hasn’t quite grabbed me yet, although, as with most Tori songs, it probably will. Walk to Dublin, however, probably should have stayed unreleased – it starts off okay, but gets really quite grating, and I can’t see it growing on me (although, I’ve said that before and been surprised).
As for the other newbies, the demos are a nice little listen, and some of the songs do sound nice with the new mixes (Cruel, iieee, Caught a Lite Sneeze). And is it me, or do Mary’s and Sweet the Sting sound a little better on here? Certainly, neither song grabbed me on The Beekeeper.
Overall, while I am happy with the box set, I am a little confused by some of the choices behind it, and I do feel it could have been better. Do we really need songs like The Beekeeper, Snow Cherries, Yes Anastasia etc on a new collection? In fact, this could have been the perfect opportunity to present a comprehensive collection of Tori’s B-sides (obviously, I understand Tori couldn’t have added cover versions on it, but she should still have been able to fill a box set up). And another thing, in the accompanying book, I really enjoyed reading about the original track-listing for Little Earthquakes and how Tori wanted the box set to present how it should have originally been – except it doesn’t! The tracklisting is in a different order to the version in the book.
But one can nit-pick until the cows come home. I’m glad I have my copy of the box set, I found the book short but fascinating, I’m enjoying listening to these new disks (it’s kind of like having five new albums), and I’m certainly happy to have half-a-dozen new Tori songs to keep me going until the next album!
Derrick says:
Tori is one of those few artists who really delivers when it comes to unique packaging and bonus material with each album. A Piano, looks stunning but the audio material inside is even better. The live tracks are great, especially Sugar from soundcheck. I love the way her songs are continuously evolving in the live format, whether it be added instrumentation or a shift within her vocals. It's a pity the interview DVD was not available in all retail outlets as I think Tori’s commentary really does help the listener understand her choices and inspiration for each body of work. It helps it to come together in some way. The alternate mixes are subtle but effective. I particularly love the unedited single version of Crucify. People always chastise Tori for putting the Professional Widow remix in each collection; I admit to skipping this track, but I think it has a special place in Tori’s heart. It did, after all, bring her music to a whole new audience. Overall, an exceptional body of work from an exceptionally talented and unique woman.
Adriel says:
I was completely reluctant to buy this box set after hearing the samples posted online. Now I realize that it was simply the level of quality from the internet clips.
I am a musician. I went to school for piano performance and my ear is pretty good (of course, nowhere near Tori’s ear). I can definitely hear the difference in all these tracks. Especially on the Earthquakes remastering. The way the piano was recorded was very limited and nowhere near the quality you hear on newer Tori albums.
The box is wonderful. The book is well put together and the track commentary is very informative. I just wish there was more of it.
The bonus DVD is super cool and I’m glad I went to Barnes and Noble just to get it. This set is definitely for Toriphiles.
Of course, the only thing missing is some kind of bonus live disc or DVD. But all of this stuff is definitely worth it.
J. E. Barnes says:
My feeling is that too many ‘rarities’ are missing: no ‘A Case Of You,’ no ‘Garlands,’ no ‘Operation Peter Pan Pan,’ no ‘Mountain.’ And it’s a real tragedy, considering the ostensible scope of this project, that none of the excellent ‘Scarlet’s Hidden Treasures’ are included. In this sense, for me, A Piano is something of a failure and a badly-missed opportunity.
Didn’t anyone with expert knowledge of Tori’s life and work —including Tori herself — edit, or at least thoroughly review, the opening essay, which is riddled with errors? Just one example: the text implies that ‘Juarez’ is found on From The Choirgirl Hotel (or, from the choirgirl hotel).
In addition, a lot of the pre-release hype stated that the booklet would include “a song-by-song commentary” written by Tori herself, which is absolutely not the case; only very few tracks are addressed, and most strictly from a musical point of view. The booklet is also cheaply bound: after one careful reading, the pages of my copy are already tearing away from the binding in the corners.
The ‘alternate mixes’ are remarkably similar to the originals in many cases, unlike those on Tales Of A Librarian. I couldn’t hear the slightest difference between the original of ‘Past The Mission’ and the ‘alternate mix’ included here.
Personally, I would have included more material from Scarlet’s Walk, like ‘Carbon,’ ‘Strange,’ ‘Crazy,’ ‘Taxi Ride,’ and the title track.
I’m also surprised that ‘Datura’ made the cut, but ‘Josephine’ did not.
Naturally, I’m happy to hear some new material, and ‘Peeping Tommi’ and ‘Dolphin Song’ are very good indeed. The others seem promising.
With Tales of A Librarian and the Original Bootlegs series already — and only recently — available, I feel Tori is in danger of simply releasing and re-releasing too much material in too short a period.
Overall, I’d give A Piano 3 out of 5 stars.
Diehard fans will of course want to own a copy, but those unfamiliar (or only slightly familiar) with Tori’s work will probably simply feel overwhelmed in the negative sense of the term.
Morwen says:
I find that sure, as a die hard ear with feet, I have a lot of the b-sides on here, but not quite all of them, and I’d part with more dough than they asked for just to hear the unreleased tracks! In fact, just the “Intro Jam” to “Marys of the Sea” is worth it. How often do you get to hear Tori imploring someone (or some song) to “back that ass on up?” Tori, you sweet-talker, you!
For my part, I really like the alternate mixes — “iieee” is a standout for me — all of its vocal parts are really crisp and clear in this mix. It’s kind of like re-reading a good book and having a new revelation: “Oh, I never heard THAT before!”
Speaking of books, I think this one is pretty great. It has a lot of the minister’s-daughter-and-fight-with-the-suits stuff in it; but it also contains — just like how the music is full of alternate mixes — some alternate SHOTS of Tori, along with the iconic photos that we’ve all seen. Fun!
I’m not sure that I’ve ever heard Tori go into such detail as she does about the songs in this book. It’s kind of like “Piece by Piece” at some points in its revelations. The demos are particularly revealing. I guess if you’re one of those people who wants to believe in the whole Tori-as-goddess thing, and that it all happens by magic it could be disconcerting. But to me, the glimpse into the beginnings of the creative process humanizes Tori in a nice way, and frankly makes what she’s capable of by the end of the process even more amazing.
And just from an aesthetic point of view, the box is pretty great — the whole piano key/glossy black thing, which is echoed on the cover of the book inside — it’s glossy like the top of one of her well-loved Boses.
All right. I’m done gushing. But if I were trapped on a desert island and was told I could only take one album, I would cheat and take a whole “Piano.”
Matt says:
Tori has really compiled an amazing box set here! Each disc is absolutely amazing! The Packaging is as unique as any box set I’ve seen. It feels like opening a treasure chest, lifting up the keys to reveal the book and the music.
The book is loaded with great pictures, a lot of which are quite rare. And it is hardbound, not just another flimsy pamphlet, this is really an art book. Although, I do wish the book could be thicker ... I would be happy with a book the size of an encyclopedia!.
The discs, too, are beautifully packaged and full of surprises. Disc 1, which compiles the original Little Earthquakes tracklist with its original four b-sides, is terrific. It is so nice to hear remastered versions of all the songs, and I honestly prefer some of the ‘alternate mixes’ to the originals, released some 15 years ago. The choice to include the unedited single mix of Crucify is a mystery to me; the version that appears on Tales Of A Librarian is far superior (as is the Tales version of Cornflake Girl, in my opinion). The inclusion of Flying Dutchman and Upside Down are wonderful treats and they both sound spectacular!
Disc 2 incorporates most of Under The Pink and selections from Boys For Pele. I wish that Pele could get remastered in its entirety, but maybe that will come later. Under The Pink benefits greatly from the remastering process. Songs like Bells For Her and Cloud On My Tongue really pop with new crispness. The new song, Take Me With You, is, hands down, one of Tori’s best songs. The alternate mix of The Waitress is a highlight for me. Its layers are much better-defined and there are lots more abstracted sounds in the background. So, too, with the alternate mix of Caught A Lite Sneeze: the song sounds fuller and shinier on this disc.
Tori's first three albums all desperately needed the remastering touch; the earlier albums sound so much quieter than the later ones. Two of my favorite songs — Space Dog and Little Amsterdam — are not included, and that is a hard pill to swallow, but perhaps they will get their turn in the chair when (hopefully) all the albums get remastered. Also, I would be curious to hear why Icicle did not make the cut. I think of it as a fundamental Tori song, much like Crucify and Precious Things.
Disc 3 compiles a few more selections from Pele, as well as selections from To Venus And Back and Tales Of A Librarian. Walk To Dublin (Sucker Reprise) is one of my new favorite Tori songs EVER! Absolutely amazing to experience a Boys For Pele-era song like new, today. Tori is spot-on when she uses the Tardis metaphor: I do feel like I have gone back in time when I am listening to this song. It is a strange choice to have included both the live version and the dance remix of Professional Widow, and not the original version, but I am glad to have the live Merry Widow version, remastered.
Disc 4 is also full of treats. The remixed versions of iieee and Cruel are particularly different. Cruel sounds darker and muskier and iieee sounds more disjointed and abstract. Both are really fun to listen to and hear the newness. New songs Dolphin Song and Not David Bowie are both wonderful. It is a wonder they took this long to see a release.
Disc 5 comprises b-sides form Tori’s entire career. While there are too many b-sides to fit into one single disc and many are left off, it is still very nice to finally have a b-sides cd released. I wish Tori would remaster every single song, but I suppose that is asking a bit much of this working mom.
The DVD is also quite nice. Tori really does give insight into the creative process behind the set. I would have loved a three-hour interview but alas, the 1/2 hour will suffice.
I highly recommend this box set as it is an essential piece of the Tori Amos library.
Purple Person says:
Being a designer, a big smile spread across my face as I opened A Piano: The Collection.
All of the photos I saw of the packaging looked as though it was made from cardboard. Oh no no, this baby is made from plastic, and is like a mini faux-piano! That alone was pretty much enough for me to justify my $70.
Now onto the music. I think what Tori’s die hard EWF need to realize, is that this box set showcases songs from each album to garner interest from people who may be “familiar” with Tori, but judge her talent by mainstream songs such as Cornflake Girl and God. Perhaps this anthology of songs, and the audacity of the packaging, will introduce those people to Tori’s true plethora of talent.
Kevin says:
I am very pleased with A Piano. It’s incredibly nice to have all those rare songs all availble in one box. I love the updated versons of some of the songs. I have never heard “Here In My Head” so loud and clear! “Dolphin Song” is my clear favorite so far. Love love love this girl. I think A Piano is an essential purchase for any serious EWF. I have wanted something like this forever! I was a little upset she did not include more fabulous demos, and as b-sides go she left off “Mountain,” “Butterfly,” “Carnival” etc. She did not include anything from YKTR either (anyone surprised?). It would have been over-the-top to include covers! I would love to see “Do it Again” and “Losing My Religion”, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (which I think is pivotal to Tori’s success as an underground artist). Other than the small wishes in my heart, I believe the box set is incredible, and if you buy from Barnes and Noble you get a far better deal overall! Do not hesitate! Go show Tori some love today!
Spence says:
Being a rather rabid Toriphile, there was no question of whether or not I was going to purchase A Piano. Upon first glance the box set is really quite stunning. The piano shaped packaging is beautiful and perfect for a Tori box set. The included book is also gorgeous and full of interesting information and pictures, including some drawings done by Tori. Each disc is housed in it’s own beautiful digipack that rests inside a faux velvet-like tray. My only complaint the with packaging is with the book. I agree that there were very minor errors with some of the information. But what I was most disappointed with was the lack of a true “track-by-track” commentary of the included songs that I thought was going to be there. Regardless, the commentary that is included is insightful and interesting.
As for the music itself, there is quite a lot to take in. But when it comes to Tori’s music, I believe the more the better. And it really is about time that a true box set chronicled her career. However, some hardcore fans may find themselves disappointed with this collection as it does not offer much in the way of new/rare material, particularly if you collect Tori’s singles and already have many of the b-sides. Also, the “alternate mixes” are not strikingly different from the album versions. With some of the alternate mixes I could hear the differences with the first listen. With many of them I am still struggling to find any difference. Even with the ones I did notice, the differences were fairly subtle.
Disc A: I am enjoying being able to hear the expanded version of Little Earthquakes that is more akin to how Tori originally envisioned it. I like that Tori decided to only use alternate mixes that were done in the Little Earthquakes era, rather than remixing as was done for Tales. But again, the alternate mixes are subtle in their differences.
Disc B: This disc focuses on Under The Pink and Boys For Pele era songs. I don’t know what process of selection Tori went through when choosing songs to be included in this collection, but I find it strange that “Icicle” did not make the cut as I consider it to be one of the standout tracks on UTP. Conversely, I was surprised by some of the tracks that were included. “Take Me With You” is also a wonderful song that I am happy has now found a home. As for the BFP material, my comments are the same. I don’t understand why some tracks, such as “Talula”, were left off and why others were included. I don’t mind the substitution of the Merry Widow version of “Professional Widow” for the album version, as I enjoy both.
Disc C: This disc wraps up the material from BFP and covers the material from To Venus And Back and Tales Of A Librarian. I am confused as to why there is another version of “Professional Widow” here (Armand’s Star Trunk Funkin’ Mix). This song, to me, always seems out of place among Tori’s other works. The unreleased song, “Walk to Dublin,” is also a new gem that I greatly enjoy. The TVAB material was a surprise to me as I thought that Tori left off some of the best tracks from that album, “Juarez” and “Josephine” in particular, but included what I consider to be some of the weakest tracks. However, I was glad that the live version of “Sugar” and “Waitress” were included because of how much different (and better) they are from the studio versions.
Disc D: This disc covers material from Scarlet’s Walk, The Beekeeper, and From The Choirgirl Hotel. I think this disc is really where the collection starts to falter. I was disappointed with how little material from Choirgirl was included in comparison to LE, UTP, BFP, and TVAB. It escapes me why songs like “Northern Lad” or “Pandora’s Aquarium” were not included as well. Also, why only two songs from SW are here is puzzling. TBK also got similarly ignored with only three tracks making the cut. Among the tracks are newly remixed versions of “iieee” and “Cruel”. Honestly, I prefer the album versions of both songs. “iieee” here sounds disjointed, as a previous reviewer already stated. And the remix of “Cruel” here feels like it’s lost it’s intensity. There are also four unreleased songs on this disc. “Ode To My Clothes” is a funny song and I am glad that the booklet explains the story behind it, otherwise I doubt I would care much for it. “Zero Point” is a great song that I am amazed she set aside in favor of “Datura” on TVAB. “Dolphin Song” grabbed me instantly and I enjoy it immensely. “Not David Bowie” on the other hand, is the only unreleased song on the collection that I am not yet impressed with.
Disc E: This disc focuses on b-sides throughout Tori’s career. Once again, I feel that this disc really faltered. With such an amazing catalogue of b-sides, I am a bit curious as to why Tori included songs like “This Old Man”, “Hungarian Wedding Song”, “Toodles Mr. Jim”, etc. over songs like “Here. In My Head”, “Butterfly”, “Siren”, “Alamo”, etc. The demos were interesting to hear, but with the exception of “The Fire Eater’s Wife,” I doubt I’ll listen to them often. I would’ve rather had more b-sides or unreleased songs in place of them. The last unreleased song, “Peeping Tommi”, is a great addition to the collection.
The DVD was a nice addition, but a little on the short side. It would’ve been great if the DVD included the music videos that were not on the Fade To Red video collection.
All in all, I enjoy A Piano. However, there seem to be glaring omissions in what is supposed to be a retrospective of her solo career to this point. I only hope that one day Tori is able to release a comprehensive collection of b-sides and rarities.
LoonSanzFlute says:
I just received my Piano and it is stunning! I absolutely love it, the packaging is amazing! I especially love the Bosendorfer stencil detail on the side panel. The box almost begs to be played!
This treasure box of delights contains a fantastic array of Tori’s music and a hardcover bound liner book which is not only interesting, but also lovely. The photography is beautiful and illustrates the various “moods” of her prolific career.
A Piano elegantly catalogs Tori’s magical essence and embodies the quality and the mastery of an understated artist who has flown under the mainstream radar for far too many years. I think it’s worth every penny.
Shane says:
Tori Amos, one of the most prolific and prominent icons in modern music, has chronicled her entire career with this box set. A Piano: The Collection is, indeed, one of the most anticipated albums of 2006. Not only does this compilation summarize her music thus far, but it also gives some insight into Tori as a person, not just as a musician. We, her listeners, really get to dive in deep and see what makes her tick. Of course, this may seem threatening to some people—after all, thousands of her fans consider her to be a “goddess.” There is an alluring mystery to Tori that appeals to so many of us. The fear of her actually being a “human” is kind of scary. Even still, it is surprisingly exhilerating. As a whole, I must say that I am very impressed with this box set. I think it was intelligently planned and deligently worked on. It truly is Tori’s ultimate collection.
THE PACKAGING: The packaging is stunning. It really does look like a miniature piano, except that the keys don’t actually work. But this is to be expected, seeing as how if they worked they would break too easily and we all know Tori wouldn’t risk that. Upon opening up the piano keys, you are presented with a beautiful hardcover book that is a fascinating read. Below that, the five discs are held in their own individual sleeves. The packaging is very sturdy and very artistic. Also, it is perhaps a bit kooky, just like Tori.
THE BOOK: The book is a lovely touch. It isn’t a flimsy pamphlet. Rather, it is an actual hardcover book. Featuring a miniature biography, this book also contains commentary regarding the inspiration behind Tori’s albums and certain songs. Of course, every song isn’t discussed because there are well over eighty songs in this collection. That would just be overwhelming. Furthermore, there are also beautiful pictures of Tori and some drawings she drew herself.
DISC ONE: The first disc is Little Earthquakes Extended. It features all of the cuts from the original album, as well as four bonus B-sides. The sequential order is different, which is kind of refreshing. As with all the other songs in this collection, these are also completely remastered. Since these songs are from 1992 and technology has improved so much, it’s amazing how different a song can sound just by remastering it. “Precious Things (Alternate Mix)” is absolutely haunting. It has never sounded creepier or angrier. “Crucify (Undedited Single Version)” is also very lush, with an extended bridge, crisp guitars, and extra background vocals. “Flying Dutchman (Alternate Mix),” is absolutely gorgeous and is sure to become a Tori staple with this box set.
DISC TWO: The second disc contains tracks from Under The Pink and Boys For Pele. The remastering of these tracks is really easy to notice. Tori hasn’t tampered with them or dulled them or taken away from them at all. Rather, she has breathed new life into them. You can hear extra little details that went unheard on the original album cuts. “Take Me With You,” a previously unreleased track, is absolutely amazing. Many people are claiming it as one of Tori’s best songs. It is so rich and beautiful and the bridge in particular is quite moving. “God” has never sounded better, with a jungle-like drum sequence, choppy electric guitars, and layered vocals. “Cloud On My Tongue” and “Bells For Her” both sound particularly crisp. “Caught A Lite Sneeze (Alternate Mix)” is the best version of the song to date, with a richer drum loop and extra background vocals.
DISC THREE: The third disc includes various tracks from Boys For Pele, To Venus And Back, as well as Tales Of A Librarian. Even with all of the technology behind the electronica sounds of the Venus tracks, remastering them really brings them to life again. “Walk To Dublin (Sucker Reprise)” is an unreleased track from the Pele sessions. In the book, Tori explains that she also tried to include it on Choirgirl but it just didn’t work out. This song is amazing. It has a rich drum loop with hardcore bass piano and harpsichord and lots of intense vocals. Although some dislike the “Professional Widow (Armand’s Star Trunk Funkin’ Mix),” I enjoy it. It will make anyone dance—seriously. Play it for anyone and they will start dancing like they’ve never danced before. Furthermore, “Concertina (Single Remix Version)” is absolutely beautiful and contains a lot of rich layered vocals. “Datura” also sounds really crisp.
DISC FOUR: The fourth disc includes tracks from Scarlet’s Walk, The Beekeeper, and From The Choirgirl Hotel. This is my favorite disc overall. “Not David Bowie” is a new song in which Tori plays the organ like an electric guitar and wails about a vain and ungrateful man. “I cannot forget that he can’t forget her, or that some friends just change like the seasons,” she sings. “iieee (Remixed Version)” is like adding whipped cream to a chocolate sundae. It makes the best even better. The drums have been completely reworked, the background vocals are much richer, and the bridge is completely intense. “Zero Point” is hands down my favorite Tori Amos song thus far. It is beyond amazing. It incorporates the solo piano world with the industrial techno world. At the climax of the song, Tori growls: “YOU, OH, YOU, HMM, YOU, AHEM, YOU.” Sexy, fierce, and intense. I find this song to be very sexual. It just makes me rotate my hips and want to have sex with my boyfriend. A very sexy song, indeed. “Ode To My Clothes” is a solo piano song that sounds like a B-Side from the Pele era. It is definitely a silly song, but it is also beautiful and slightly depressing. The “Intro Jam” to “Mary’s of the Sea” is so funky. When the first words out of Tori’s mouth are: “Back that ass up, now,” you know you’re in for a lot of fun. “Cruel (Remixed Version)” is really dark and cryptic. It is kind of stripped down, but loaded with lots of extra little effects. “Dolphin Song” is a previously unreleased track that is one of Tori’s most beautiful songs to date. It is the musical equivalent of dolphins swimming through water. There is a water-like piano movement going on with equally aquatic bass. The chorus is the highlight of this song, with loads of beautifully layered vocals.
DISC FIVE: The fifth and final disc features several B-Sides, as well as a handful of demos. Seeing as how these songs range in age so much, this is perhaps the most diverse disc. They sound so lush and rich due to the skillful remastering. “Sugar” has never sounded more beautiful, with it’s lovely drum loop and gorgeous piano. “Peeping Tommi” is a previously unreleased B-Side which features Tori alone at the piano crooning very depressing lyrics about lost love. The demos are all equally beautiful and poingnant. It is really interesting to dig deep into Tori’s work and have a little sneak peek at the creative process. It would be fantastic for her to release demos for all her songs, although I doubt that will happen.
Overall, I definitely recommend A Piano: The Collection for any Toriphile. This is the end of Tori’s career as we know it. Now she will be moving onto unmarked territory. Seeing as how she is entering a brand new rock chick phase, the next album will be unlike anything else. This is the ultimate Tori collection, featuring stand-out tracks from her 16-year-long career. Although some fans will consider this to be a mixed bag due to their favorite songs not making the cut, that is to be expected. After all, Tori herself had to undergo difficult and emotional choices while putting together this box set. There are those who will nitpick about there only being a few new songs, but let’s not forget that a brand new album filled with new songs will be hitting stores next spring. This will definitely keep all of us hardcore Tori fans busy until then.
Jenny says:
I agree with one of the previous writers: where is “Josephine”? Or indeed “Talula”? “Liquid Diamonds” would have been nice too....
You can never get too much of Tori live, so more concert material would have been great, as always!
The box itself is nice and glossy and makes me miss my own piano which I’ve had to leave behind due to lack of space. Pity you can’t actually press the keys down ... that would have completed my mock-playing, air-guitar-style fantasy rock sessions!
I didn’t get the 6-disc edition, as I probably wouldn’t be able to play it in the UK, so I feel like I don’t have the complete set. It wouldn’t surprise me if the whole thing was re-released to suit the European market at some point, which would leave me feeling very cheated indeed.
But on the whole, I am one of those people who’ll buy anything Tori releases, no matter the cost and I dare say that this latest release hasn’t changed that stance. “Take me with you” almost makes the whole box worth its price!
Adrian says:
Hello fellow Tori-philes...
Okay, first things first. The packaging is amazing. This box set is long overdue from such a large catalog. It’s sleek and fresh and different and sturdy. All good things. I’m not overly fond of Internet orders, so I actually drove into the city to pick up a copy from the local B and N to get the bonus DVD. Now, to the review itself…
The DVD was surprisingly flat. I expected so much after the awesome DVDs in the Special Editions of Scarlet’s Walk and The Beekeeper, so I suppose it’s my own fault. It was like they deliberately edited out anything worthwhile. It was just random video clips from Fade To Red, some of which (musically) aren’t even on the box set, and slow-paced musings on writing and general inspiration. No talk about the songs (i.e., the formation of the new ones, looking back at the old ones). It’s still worth having, but it could have been so much more.
As for the music itself, I agree with many of the other reviewers that SO much decent material was ignored or left off. I realize it is an artist’s choice in this case, but fans clamoring for rarities will be disappointed. Where were songs like “Mountain” or “Butterfly” or “Operation Peter Pan” or “Song For Eric” or “Garlands” or “Graveyard”? The alternate mixes are in most cases so similar that I see no reason for them. The remixes are mostly from Tales Of A Librarian. What about the Sylkscreen Remix of “Father Lucifer” or the Lip Gloss Version of “Raspberry Swirl” or the Timo on Tori mix of “Don’t Make Me Come To Vegas”?
I suppose I’m just being picky, but with SO many great rarities to choose from, I just don’t really understand the ones that were left off. There is also the point that has been made about Scarlet and Beekeeper being so under-represented, to say nothing of the EP in Welcome To Sunny Florida. No “Seaside” or “Tombigbee” or “Sleeps With Butterflies.”
That being said, the new material is mostly amazing. I LOVE “Peeping Tommi” and “Not David Bowie” and “Take Me With You.” “Zero Point” would be fine at about a third of its length. “Walk To Dublin” sucks. “Ode To My Clothes,” “Dolphin Song,” the “Intro Jam” and “Fire-Eater’s Wife” demo are all pretty good as well. I would have really liked more rare/new stuff to be included like “Abbey Road” and “Rubies and Gold” and “Learn To Fly,” but again, I’m just being a stickler.
The set is wonderfully packaged, sounds amazing, long overdue and appreciated. To sum up, my only real complaint is in lack of more rarities, new songs, remixes and b-sides. Thank goodness for eBay and used music stores.
Michele Doucet says:
It's just lovely. Of course no collection could ever satisfy every Tori-Phile's wishes and desires, but this comes damn near perfection for me. I am just so in love with it … and yes, I do have all of her singles as well as More Pink, so even though 95% of A Piano is not even new to me, it's still worth every penny and then some. I haven’t even watched the DVD yet ... just so fond of the discs right now. A must-have!
Eric says:
Incredible. The history, the stories, the music. It’s beautiful Tori. I’m really glad I didn’t think twice about spending the money and that I got it from Barnes and Noble. I’ll be listening to this probably until the new tori comes out.
Aviva says:
The Piano is overwhelming, in both the positive and negative senses of the word.
Tori is a profoundly gifted musician and composer, and the box set reflects this, but her songs overwhelmingly tend to express anger and sadness, with occasional wistfulness. Even in The Beekeeper, the music was mellow, but the lyrics were as angry, wistful (Ribbons Undone and Sleeps With Butterflies), and sad as ever. Same thing with Scarlet’s Walk, which expressed political anger along with sadness.
It seems to me that the point of rebellion is to move through it and get to a better place. I don’t see that happening with Tori, given that several of her “new” songs, such as Not David Bowie, Walk To Dublin, and Zero Point are still expressing anger. Most of the other songs are sad.
I don’t find it useful to say “move on” or “stop acting like a victim” because I don’t know Tori, and those statements are cruel anyway. But when I look at her life, I see someone who has had heavy burdens put on her from an early age. In childhood it was the pressure to be deeply religious and an example to others as a minister’s daughter, as well as be a child prodigy and later, excel in music as a teenager. Then she grew up and the pressure became: write/sing/produce great CDs, market herself well and be tough, sexy, and attractive, deal well with rape, support women’s empowerment, be better than the top 40, etc. Now the pressure appears to be: deal well with entering middle age, touring while having a family, accept the tragic loss of her brother and her miscarriages, and leave anger behind, judging by what she says in interviews.
In each case, the pressures from earlier life have not gone away; they continue, but in altered form. So she’s not a prodigy anymore, but many of her family relationships are still based on her excelling musically.
With all that pressure, it’s not a surprise to me that Tori repeatedly expresses sadness and anger in her music.
She composes great songs, she has a great voice, and these discs are a really good overview of her career. I have my complaints about what she left off; in particular, Garlands would have been really nice to have here. But it’s overwhelming to have this much sadness, wistfulness, and anger in one place. For those not devoted to Tori, I’d think about that before buying.
Isabella R. says:
This is a beautiful and unique Tori Amos boxed set. The fact that you can find the boxed set in the dark because of the lifelike keyboard case is amazing. You can tell there was some serious thought put into the concept of the entire body of this project. It is truly a wonderful ‘mix’ of Tori’s work throughout the years. It’s not like other boxed sets that are made for people who don’t own any records; this is made for people who are already Tori fans and enjoy her as a whole.
The mix of live tracks, remixes, and unreleased tracks make it an all-around perfect buy for an established Tori Amos fan as well as someone wishing to explore the different levels of sonic sounds. You can tell the artist put herself into this creation, letting the listener slip into the privacy of a few demo pieces. The one excellent part is the B-sides disc because it is filled with all those B-sides that, well, I have all over on different discs and cassette tapes now they are all together like a little present.
Since I purchased the masterpiece at Barnes and Noble, it came with an interview DVD in which Tori discusses the selections and the fact that a few of these unreleased tracks — like Zero Point, which was suppose to be on To Venus and Back — have now stepped into the world. The reasoning behind it not being there in the first place was because of an argument between Tori and her father over her garden and Datura walked in, Zero Point walked out. I must also add that going to Barnes and Noble on Sept 26th, I purchased the set for $60.00, which is reasonable for this lifetime treasure.Kevin S. says:
Overall, this box is pretty cool … equal in quality to the Pretenders box that was released earlier this year. The packaging is cute but somewhat annoying because, where the hell am I gonna keep it? Not where my other boxed sets are. No matter, the accompanying book is beautifully done and I love how Tori discusses her approach to creating the music. (Not the meaning of the words, which she has done on many occassions before, but the sound of the music itself and what she was trying to achieve at each of the different stages of her recording career thusfar.)
Why was “Not David Bowie” not on The Beekeeper? I know, I know: after hearing it now, it wouldn’t have fit with the mood and texture of the rest of The Beekeeper. But it points to an interesting direction she could have taken with the album, had she decided to pursue edgier songs like this one. Great mixture of Hammond organ and clavinet, and Jon and Matt are in great form, as always.
helen says:
I can’t beleive there are people with negative things to say about this collection. I will never be able to wrap my brain around the Tori fan/critic. Just let it be what it is, people: absolutely beautiful.
Sveto says:
First of all, I have to say i’m really impressed with A Piano. I’ve been wanting for Tori to release a collection like this for a very long time and, as usual, she’s managed to go beyond my expectations: the packaging is simply amazing, very beautiful and artistic, and the book with explanations and photos is a very fun and enjoyable reading. But, as always, it’s the music that’s truly important; needless to say, it’s on highest level! The remasters of the tracks are great and really bring new life to some of those old girls, definately exceeding some of the originals!
Disc A consists of the remastered and re-ordered Little Earthquakes; personally, I like the album this way even more than I love the original release! The alternate mixes give new life to the songs and they (especially “Precious Things”) sound even better than the original and the Tales version. Also the Unedited Crucify is a great song and perfectly fits the mood of this new version of the classic Little Earthquakes
Disc B includes songs from Pink and Pele and contains the excellent new track “Take Me With You” which, I think, is one of the best Tori songs ever ... great lyrics, vocal, and melody! The alternate mixes here are also very important. Personally, I’ve never liked “Yes, Anastasia” a lot, but I can’t stop listening to the alternate mix; I think, at least for me, it gives to the song the little piece of soul, missing on the original release. The new remixes of Caught a Lite Sneeze and The Waitress are also very exiting and catchy, and Past the Mission actually made me think that Tori should really go and re-release albums 1,2 and 3; the quality here is so much better!
Disc C has some more Pele songs, and some from Venus and Tales. Walk to Dublin is one of the greatest songs on Piano and a great reminder of the glory days of Pele! Doughnut Song, Bliss, and Concertina’s remixes are all great, especially Concertina’s as it gives new taste to this great song, one of my favourites ever. I just miss Josephine and Juarez and would have preffered them to Datura, but that’s just me…
Disc D is a mix of Scarlet, Beekeeper, and Choirgirl girls. Honestly, I would have loved to see Black-Dove and Northern Lad on here but, well, we cannot have everything, can we? Here we’ve got 5 new songs, all of which are stunning, especially Zero Point, one of the most intense Tori songs ever; Not David Bowie, a great sing-along tune; Dolphin Song, one of the most beautiful Tori masterpieces to date; the Intro Jam-Marys of The Sea, which is actually better than the original. Ode to My Clothes is a funny little song, and the Scarlet and Beekeeper selections are great; The Beekeeper and Sweet the Sting are such beautifully catchy songs, two of my favourites from the first moment I heard Beekeeper…
Disc D combines a lot ot Tori’s b-sides, has the great Demo medley and the new song Peeping Tommi. It also includes Merman, one of my favourite Tori tunes that I didn’t have on CS … until now!
Overall, A Piano is a great collection, something essential for every Toriphile and a great way to satisfy one’s desire for new Tori material until her next album comes out in a few months…
Meredith Coleman says:
A Piano is such a wonderful box set. I didn’t expect it to be this amazing. First of all, the packaging is to die for, the piano keys on top are so cool, if only they played music, lol! Second, the book that comes with the box set is just … just … fantastic! The photographs are beautiful and all the personal experiences and details of what Tori put into each album is so fantastic to read. So now we know why certain songs were not on the album or why a certain song was a B side. Fantastic!
Now, the meat of this boxed set is the music… I am thrilled with the unreleased material and am IN LOVE with the B-sides disc. However I am slightly dissapointed with the remixes … they sound the same. The biggest surprise was the studio version of Cooling: I never heard it like this before!
This boxed set is pretty much perfect and worth the money!
Billy says:
Wow, what a delight. I’ll cut to the chase and talk about one thing: The Defining Moment. This has got to be Zero Point. I’m afraid I have to disagree with Tori’s liner notes and argue that it would have been better suited than Datura on To Venus And Back. Zero Point has all the mysticism and otherworldliness of the album, whereas with Datura she’s just reeling off plant names. I love both songs but I think I “get” Zero Point more, plus it seems to have a theme unlike Datura. It’s just … a masterpiece.
Matthew says:
I just got the album last night and it is AMAZING. Unfortunately the alternate mix and remixes on this set sound very similar to the original, but some have changes that really make them sound amazing! You may already have 95% of the songs that are on this set, but this still is a huge treat for any Tori fan. The amazing packaging is unlike any other set out there. Includes a book with alot of interesting information on the set. I do wish there were more b-sides on this set, but I’m not going to be picky because I have been waiting years for Tori to release a set like this. If you are a true Tori fan, you will NOT be disappointed in this box set.
AgentOrangeLA says:
I thought I was a diehard Toriphile, but I guess I’m not.
I’d recommend this collection to those who:
What’s disappointing:
In my opinion, this boxed set is a mish-mash. I think Tori and her production team could have thought up something a little bit more useful (i.e., remastering extended versions of each album with the appropriate B-Sides as one boxed set; a just-the-B-sides collection, which would be so nice for Tori fans, especially those seeking earlier things like Ode to the Banana King and Song for Eric as well as those brutally hard to find remixes of God from the UK limited edition single).
michal (warsaw, poland) says:
So, piano collection was availiable in music stores in Poland on Sunday, as usually, one day before the official release. And it was one of my best weekends this year, of course. But my feelings about this collection are mixed.
The design and the book are just fantastic, so definitely it's worth to have it. It's also great that there are some new songs (Not David Bowie is my favourite), demos, and some remixed versions. I don't mind that some of the greatest songs are missed here (Scarlet's Walk, Strange, Virginia, Your Cloud, Cars And Guitars, Ruby Through The Looking Glass, Northern Lad, Liquid Diamonds, Spring Haze, Angels) as far as you can get them on other albums. But Tori recorded about 100 songs for films, there were some duets, great covers that never appeared on any of the albums. And this disappointed me.
A Piano: The Collection, talking about songs put on these 5 CDs, is rather not a gift for fans. But I'm afraid it's also not for people who always like her but have only debut album or Under The Pink so now they have a great occasion to buy some kind of greatest hits. Because there is too much of everything here.
I think this box is for people addicted to Tori Amos only. I am addicted, so I'm happy having this, but by the other hand, after releasing Tales Of A Librarian, the Official Bootlegs, and A Piano: The Collection, I'm not sure that Tori will release another box of missing treasures and rarities soon. Maybe never.
Scarlet's Walk reached #10 on the Polish Official Album Chart and spent in top 40 about 20 weeks; The Beekeeper reached #8; Welcome To Sunny Florida reached #3 on DVD chart. Official Bootlegs spent 10 weeks on Official Album Chart Top 100. I'm not sure that A Piano: The Collection, although 2 times cheaper than Bootlegs (mind that CDs are still kind of luxury in Poland) will follow the success
Kris says:
I always feel a little foolish forking out money for a couple (or a handful) of previously unreleased songs — as was the case for both Tales Of A Librarian and the recent box set, A Piano: The Collection. HOWEVER, as a true Toriphile/Ear With Feet, I am in agreement with most reviewers in that it is totally worth it.
The demo medley is insightful and even the Intro Jam puts a different perspective on how I imagined Tori’s creative process. I am now more in awe of how she works, creates, conjures, and molds her compositions.
One of my favorite previously unreleased songs is Not David Bowie. It has a nice groove and after my first listen I began to wonder if it was about Steve Caton, at least in part. (Anyone else in agreement?)
Of course the box set won’t be the answer to all of our Tori-catalog desires, but it is a great representation of her work thus far.
Phil says:
I’m slowly listening to the album and the mere fact that it’s actually making me re-discover Tori and transporting me in time is enough for me to enjoy it.
As for why certain songs were included and others weren’t, this is mostly due to rights issues: Scarlet and Beekeeper are on a different label which is why she only included a few of them (if you look closely at the packaging, specific mention of that is found in the copyrights). Also, songs like Siren have the same fate. I don’t understand, however, why songs from the earlier albums were left out. It just makes this incomplete and what I did is actually add them to the collection myself (that’s cheating, but I need this collection to be comprehensive).
Also, haven’t heard it all yet but I was stunned by how great the demos were. I found the A Sorta Fairytale demo to be more touching than the actual song.
Anyway, a lot to say … so I'm gonna stop now.
Can’t wait for the next album.