Q&A: Will there be Legs & Boots for the Sinful Attraction tour? pt. 2

Q: I am really starting to wonder if there will be any boots of this tour. Any word at all?? I’ll be heartbroken if there aren’t any. — Melinda

A: Just a few hours ago, after the Amsterdam show, Martijn/@martijntulp told us, “I ran into Mark backstage, asked him about the Legs&Boots: they’re not happening this tour.” So the word is “bummer.”

Press Release For Midwinter Graces

The press release for Midwinter Graces came in while I was out on errands (but of course). Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version of the sleeve artwork.

Tori Amos Announces Midwinter Graces
(Universal Republic)

Tori’s First and Highly Anticipated Seasonal Album to be Released November 10th 2009

After nearly two decades writing and recording some of her generation’s most emotionally powerful music, Tori Amos will release her first seasonal album, Midwinter Graces, on November 10 via Universal Republic. A follow up to Tori’s critically acclaimed studio album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin, Midwinter Graces will find Tori reworking and expanding on classic carols as well as developing some of her very own seasonal tracks.

Midwinter Graces is an album that has been in the making for the past 40 years. Raised in the Baltimore area under the watchful eye of her Methodist minister father, Tori grew up playing holiday carols at Sunday services and Christmas Day celebrations in her father’s church. These were the songs that gave a young Tori her first taste of music, and now almost 40 years later Tori gets her own chance to reimagine classics like “What Child, Nowell” and “Star of Wonder.” Tori will also add her own bittersweet bliss to the season with originally tracks like “Pink and Glitter” and “Our New Year.”

For Midwinter Graces, Amos has again teamed up with long time collaborators Matt Chamberlain on drums, Jon Evans on bass, and Mac Aladdin on guitars. Tori has enlisted the help of a Big Band and an Orchestra with stunning John Philip Shenale arrangements to create Tori’s new seasonal classics.

Midwinter Graces Tracklist:
1. What Child, Nowell
2. Star of Wonder
3. A Silent Night with You
4. Candle: Coventry Carol
5. Holly, Ivy, and Rose
6. Harps of Gold
7. Snow Angel
8. Jeanette, Isabella
9. Pink and Glitter
10. Emmanuel
11. Winter’s Carol
12. Our New Year

For those so-inclined, Amazon.com is already taking pre-orders for the album

Lizards and Snakes Running Through Zürich

Tonight’s stop on the Sinful Attraction Tour was the Kongresshaus in Zürich, Switzerland. The Lizard Lounge section of the show featured solo performances of “Mother” and “Maybe California” and, after the band returned for the third part of the main set, the tour debut of “Sweet Dreams.” Other highlights also included “Hotel,” “Marys of the Sea,” “Your Cloud,” and “Caught A Lite Sneeze.” The complete setlist is up in the Tour section. Thanks to @toomuchhep and hoochie for updating the setlist from the show.

As always, we’d love to hear what you thought of the performance if you were in attendance. If you’re so inclined, please use the comment form at the bottom of the Zürich page.

The Guardian's Hammersmith Review (September 15, 2009)

While Simon Price contends in The Independent that one requires ovaries to understand Tori, The Guardian’s Caroline Sullivan demonstrates in her review of Tori’s first night at London’s Hammersmith Apollo that they are not the only prerequisite, giving the performance 2 out of 5 stars.

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Canberra Added To Australian Leg

ToriAmos.com (and all the usual official channels) has announced another date on the Australian leg of the tour: Canberra on Sunday, November 15th at the Canberra Theatre. Tickets go on sale on Friday, September 25th at 9:00 AM local time through Canberra Ticketing.

Thanks to Anna for catching this!

Veronica Interview (September 5-11, 2009)

[Painter Paul] Gauguin had had it with Christian society where everything revolved around man. Which is why he traveled to a place where women were in charge. I also write my lyrics while traveling. From my estate in Cornwall they’d only be about tractors and farmers.

This interview appeared in the Dutch TV magazine Veronica and was kindly translated to English by our very own Ruud — many thanks to him! As Ruud says, “Apart from the misspelled album title everywhere, grammar errors and typos are mine,” though I think I’ve caught all the misspellings at least.

The original article in Dutch may very well be on Veronica’s website but their site is misbehaving at the moment so we can’t check for sure.

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The Quietus Interview (September 10, 2009)

People are not interested in growing with an artist either, even if they stay for an album or two they’re usually on to the next new person. That’s a very different way of looking at well . . . art. For me, whether it was visual artists or novelists or songwriters, I’d always want to know what those people that I respected were thinking and saying.

Tori’s take on the attention span of the average music fan is one of several topics touched upon in this interview for The Quietus. She and interviewer Mark Eglinton also cover living in England, the music industry and Tori’s relationship with it, religion, “Raining Blood,” and the forthcoming Solstice album, slated for release in November.

Thanks to David for the heads-up!

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The Indepedent Concert Review (September 13, 2009)

Lucie S spotted this review of last Saturday’s performance at the Hammersmith in The Independent. It’s hard to suss out how, exactly, Simon Price felt about the show though with his back and forth comments. Nevertheless, it seems to come out slightly ahead in the positive column — even though this male concert-goer never felt the need for ovaries to fully understand Ms. Amos.

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The Scotsman's Concert Review (September 10, 2009)

Appearing in the September 10th edition of The Scotman, David Pollack’s review of the Glasgow concert critiqued the lack of variety in the performance but recognized Tori’s achievement and talent.

Thanks to Mr. Anonymous for sending in the link!

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Birmingham Post Concert Review (September 10, 2009)

Tony Collins reviewed last week’s Birmingham concert for the Birmingham Post, giving the performance three out of five stars and calling the concert “absorbing.”

Thanks to Rob for catching this article!

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