Tori’s Sin

Just listened to Tori Amos’ latest offering. I do not usually post album reviews on Second Life – but her thought-provoking music is one of my all-time favorites plus the simple fact that I am bored right now, which is why I decided to share my initial gut reaction on this album. But we all know that it takes more than one listen to unravel the essence and pleasure of music, so take this hasty reaction of a review with a pinch of salt.

Abnormally Attracted To Sin does not quite live up to my expectation. Ever since her heydays in the 1990s, gradually, she is moving towards more conceptual approach – through gazillion tracks thronged into an album and picking up thicker accent plus more eccentric phrasing with each new releases. As an accomplished songwriter, she has demonstrated her enviable talents on some really difficult numbers from her back catalogue. But as we arrive at Sin, the wonderful old-school Tori has dissolved into the obscurity of these numbers which suggested that somehow she is trying too hard (or not trying at all).

Tori’s main strength has always been her ability to effectively communicate her personal emotions (rape, miscarriage, et cetera) and views (femininity, religion, et cetera) through subtle approaches. Yet it is evidential that on these 17 tracks, rarely has she played to her usual strength. If any, Abnormally Attracted To Sin sounded like a bastard child between Scarlet’s Walk and To Venus And Back – as sterile as the former, except that it is presented with the darker feel of the latter.

Sure, nobody wants a watered-down re-write of Little Earthquakes – which remains as an absolute classic after 17 years. But even among her late-era studio recordings, Sin left me cold on the emotional ground.

I might need to take a few more spins, though, for some of the tracks seem promising: Give, Flavor, Police Me, That Guy, Mary Jane, Startling, Ophelia, Lady In Blue.