News: MusicOMH Midwinter Graces Review

Thanks to Kevin Martin for catching MusicOMH’s review of Midinwter Graces, snuggled into their holiday album guide. While they generally have nice things to say about the release, they ultimately find it lacking a spark for repeated listens.

Tori Amos – Midwinter Graces (Island)

It’s the kind of uninhibited fun severely lacking from Tori Amos’ Christmas album, Midwinter Graces. Arriving just a few months after Abnormally Attracted To Sin, it is nonetheless a pretty substantial offering. Amos tweaks some of the credited traditional American folk songs on offer, giving them enough of a makeover to render them originals in their own right. The unexpected vocal inflections of the word ‘Nowell’ on opener What Child, Nowell are typical of her approach here.

It proves to be her most accessible album for some time. The horses-scaring approach of much of her recent work is abandoned in favour of a radio friendly musical palette consisting of pianos, strings and – on the brassy Pink And Glitter – a touch of swing. There are some lovely moments here, and the self-penned Winter’s Carol deserves a place on any future ‘best-of’ compilations. But at times the overwhelming tastefulness of the exercise can pall. There’s not a lot of joy to be found in Tori’s winter wonderland, though the accompanying booklet’s icon-like art is worth a look.