News: The Sunday Times (April 8, 2007)

Tori was the selected artist for this past week’s Down Time in the Sunday Times. Down Time features a “Culture iMix” — a recommend playlist — for an atist, including comments on why the songs were selected. The playlist is available on-line and can be purchased from iTunes. Thanks to matt for letting us know!

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Down Time

Dan Cairns

Click here to listen to and buy as an exclusive Culture iMix

Tori Amos

She releases her ninth studio album, American Doll Posse, on April 30. Tori Amos will always mean daffy and dippy to nonbelievers, but to her fans, this product of Methodism and Cherokee lore gilds the darkest subject matter with beauty, and comes at her self-exploratory songs with fierce intelligence and rare honesty.

1 Winter Everything Amos is here – melody, musicianship, pathos, insight – on a song to haunt you.

2 Me and a Gun Almost impossible to listen to, this is her a cappella account of her rape in the mid1980s.

3 Cornflake Girl It may be ubiquitous, but that cannot diminish this song’s brilliance.

4 Smells Like Teen Spirit She has always been an illuminating covers artist, nowhere more so than here.

5 Professional Widow A musical tour de force, and a biting critique of Stepford values.

6 God The track that most justifies those Kate/Joni comparisons – surely no bad thing?

7 Raspberry Swirl Striking sexual metaphors and a surprising house beat.

8 A Sorta Fairytale Open to love on the open road – up to a point.

9 Hey Jupiter Harmonium, clattering percussion, the shattering end of an affair.

10 Bells for Her One of her best arrangements, rendered truly chilling by a ghostly prepared piano.