What's new

Tori Amos : Scarlet's Walk (1 Viewer)

John Berggren

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 17, 1999
Messages
3,237
I'm a huge fan of the work of Tori Amos. I've been buying her albums since Little Earthquakes.
When I read on a fan site that six of the songs from the new album "Scarlet's Walk", which doesn't come out until 10/29, were available on the internet, I downloaded them and listenned to them.
I found that it may well be her best album in 10 years. Listenening to those songs made me think that she might finally have a hit on her hands, as she's always been just somewhat under the radar of the popular music scene.
So yesterday I was driving to dinner, and G105, the local pop 40 radio station here started playing "A Sorta Fairytale" - the first single from the album. In over a decade of being a Tori Amos fan I have never heard her played on popular radio. So perhaps my estimation is true, this will be her breakthrough album.
I guess the switch to Sony Music was a good thing for her. I just wish she had gotten her 2 DVDs out before leaving Atlantic records :frowning:.
Rumor has it though, that the first pressings of her new album will come with a DVD single. Hope those are true.
 

Jim_C

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2001
Messages
2,058
I didn't know she has a new album coming out. Great news! I have all of her CD's and listen to them semi-regularly. I still believe Little Earthquakes is one of the most powerful albums I've ever heard. I hope you're right and she has a hit on her hands.
 

JohnE

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 1, 2001
Messages
585
Great news indeed! One thing I like about Tori Amos is she manages to get new music out in a reasonable amount of time. You can usually depend on something every couple of years. Looking forward to the new stuff.
 

John Garcia

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 24, 1999
Messages
11,571
Location
NorCal
Real Name
John
I've heard the single on the radio already also, and was already anxiously awaiting the album.

Apparently unlike where you are, they did play Tori a lot on a few radio stations here when To Venus and Back came out. Not so much when Strange Little Girls came out.
 

Harrison Shinn

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 8, 2000
Messages
76
Real Name
Harrison Shinn
I agree! The tracks that I've heard off of SCARLET'S WALK are brilliant! Since she's on EPIC now, maybe we'll get an SACD of it. Although I love all of her albums, LITTLE EARTHQUAKES and FROM THE CHOIRGIRL HOTEL have to be my favourites. I hope she releases a ton of b-sides (as is the norm with her, save STRANGE LITTLE GIRLS) with the singles from SCARLET'S WALK.

Cheers!
Harry
 

John Berggren

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 17, 1999
Messages
3,237
Tori was to have singles for Strange Little Girls , in fact I have one from Germany or Australia. However, just as that album was coming out she started having trouble with contract renegotions with Atlantic (I don't know the ins-and-outs of this. She may have wanted more money, they may not have wanted to keep her. She may just have wanted to move on.)
The negotiations went sour enough that Atlantic cancelled all further singles (the one from Germany was not SUPPOSED to get released, but it slipped) and 2 DVDs. Still sad about that, as I'd like to have her complete videos on DVD at least.
I suspect we'll see a number of B-sides for Scarlet's Walk. However, the covers she did as B-sides for SLG are probably lost forever, saving for live performances.
 

Luis Esp

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 25, 2001
Messages
583
Don't be surprised if Warner/Atlantic releases a greatest hits cd, probably a double cd with b-sides, and the dvd of her videos to coincide with her new cd release. They own the rights to her music, and I would not be surprised if they even re-release "Y Kant Tori Read", which has some really good songs on it.

I really would like a definitive b-sides cd, I missed out "China" and the b-sides, otherwise I have most of all the cd singles (and a few copies, I keep forgetting which ones I have, and I usually pick them up dirt cheap).

I really hope this cd gets better promo from Sony. Warner is notorious for not promoting the smaller artists well. Look at Duncan Sheik. Amazing new cd and it get very little promo.
 

Kevin T

Screenwriter
Joined
Jul 12, 2001
Messages
1,402
john:
if it isn't too much to ask...could you post or email me the link to tori's new songs. i'd definitely like to hear them and my girlfriend would totally love me for it! :)
kevin t
 

john_focal

Agent
Joined
Aug 22, 2002
Messages
37
oh hell yes.
Just please tell me that its Tori, and not her trying to get popular. Let me explain...
"Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" is by far one of the best albums Sarah McLachlan ever recorded..... "Surfacing" on the other hand seems so damn commercial, it makes me queasy. One of the things I like about Tori Amos is how she doesnt seem to arrange her music in a fashion that will appease the radio.
I saw her in concert about 3-4 years ago, and hands down it was the BEST live performance I've ever seen, bar none. (and I've seen a lot).
So, is it what we've all come to know and love? Do tell :)
 

Eric Peterson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
2,959
Real Name
Eric Peterson
Can somebody post a link to the songs? I just listened to part of "Sorta Fairytale" from her website and it's phenomonal. I want to hear more. PLEASE!! PLEASE!! PLEASE!!
 

John Berggren

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 17, 1999
Messages
3,237
This is true Tori Amos, and not some bid to get famous. The songs are all her style, and her tone.

She's no longer playing with the band JUST to play with a band. What I've heard that includes accompaniments is arranged perfectly so as to highlight the song, her lyrics, and her piano.

Much as I enjoyed Choirgirl and To Venus and Back, there were times I thought the band overpowerred what I considerred to be true Tori. I felt like her voice was being lost. I still think that those albums were somewhat an experiment - to see if she could play with a band.

The lyrics on the new release are beautiful, and the melodies are as complex and simple and wonderful as I've come to expect. I really do beleive she's going to finally shine on this release, and perhaps partly because she'll have Sony's marketting muscle. The know what they have in Tori Amos.

I will agree with the prior poster that Atlantic will release a greatest hits compilation. It has been noted that they have this option under the current contract. I doubt they will release it near to Scarlet's Walk as it would serve to promote the album more than undercut it.

I think only after the release becomes a hit will Atlantic seek to use that environment to release the Greatest Hits album.

I don't know if Tori re-signed with Atlantic at any point in her tenure. I know that there was a breif stint where she had her own label, but I don't know if that was the result of a renegotiation. If there was ever a renegotiation, I'm sure that there is language in the second contract that prohibits the rerelease of Y KANT TORI READ. Aside from three or four songs that she occasionally dusts off in concert, she truly despises that album as she felt that it was what the studio wanted more than what she wanted.

I'm sure it'll still turn up on the internet here and there.

As far as links to the other songs, I cannot provide them. There was an early release promotional CD with six tracks on it, and I cannot provide those tracks. However, if you are industrious you may well be able to find them.
 

mike_decock

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 21, 2002
Messages
621
Not so much when Strange Little Girls came out.
That's because Strange Little Girls STUNK like a dead SKUNK.

I've been a Tori fan since Little Earthquakes and have always enjoed her albums. Under The Pink is still my favorite. Hopefully she'll be back on track with her new album.

-Mike...
 

Luis Esp

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 25, 2001
Messages
583
Scarlet's Walk is being release under the Epic label for Sony. Tori didn't want to renew her contract with Atlantic/Warner because of their lack of support for her albums.

It amazes me how she can sell millions of cds, ie. "Boys For Pele" sold over a million copies, with no support whatsoever from the record company. When she left Atlantic, she didn't owe them anything, but they own the rights to her music that she created with them, including "Y Kant Tori Read", which has some really good songs on it.

According to some sources who work at Warner, they are planning to release a greatest hits package by the end of this year, maybe at the end of Oct. depending on the sales of Scarlet' Walk.
 

John Berggren

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 17, 1999
Messages
3,237
I would be undecided on buying a Greatest Hits. I like to buy all Tori stuff, but I feel it may just support Atlantic as opposed to herself. I'll be unable to stop myself if they include something unreleased elsewhere.

She sells millions of CDs on talent and dedicated fans. She probably sells an equivalent number of singles to albums, and likely on a per buyer basis.

Tori, through Sword and Stone, does own the rights to the MUSIC, but Atlantic owns the rights to the RECORDINGS. I don't know exactly what that means for the future of those songs in any recorded format (live or otherwise).

It already seems like Epic is doing right by her. We'll see though.
 

Luis Esp

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 25, 2001
Messages
583
Tori, through Sword and Stone, does own the rights to the MUSIC, but Atlantic owns the rights to the RECORDINGS. I don't know exactly what that means for the future of those songs in any recorded format (live or otherwise).
Thanks for clarifying this for me. I guess with Atlantic owning the rights to the recordings for "Y Kant Tori Read", I'll bet some track selections will be made available on the greatest hits cd, if not a full remastered cd, much like what Warner did for Madonna's first two albums.
Plus Warner still has Tori online concert available at their Live concert series web site.
http://www2.warnerbros.com/web/wblcs...cert=tori_amos
 

John Berggren

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 17, 1999
Messages
3,237
I've actually got my fingers crossed. Now that Tori is with Sony (Epic), I hope that they allow her to go the Pearl Jam route and release inexpensive live double discs for her tours. I'd go broke, but I'd be happy.
 

John Garcia

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 24, 1999
Messages
11,571
Location
NorCal
Real Name
John
I have to say I would also be hesitant to buy a greatest hits CD, unless there was something special on there.
I bought Venus without ever hearing a track, and I liked the album, but spend more time listening to the live CD. :emoji_thumbsup: My favorite album I would also have to say is Under the Pink (I use this for auditioning gear) but I also love Little Earthquakes.
I was pleased with all of her albums right away, with the exception of SLG. I bought it also without ever hearing a whole track. At first I didn't like it at all, but after giving it the benefit of the doubt and quite a few listens, I have come to like most of it.
 

Vickie_M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2001
Messages
3,208
If there was ever a renegotiation, I'm sure that there is language in the second contract that prohibits the rerelease of Y KANT TORI READ. Aside from three or four songs that she occasionally dusts off in concert, she truly despises that album as she felt that it was what the studio wanted more than what she wanted.
Ah, let's not get too revisionist here. On the original liner notes, she thanks Doug Morris (don't know who he is) "...for letting me make the record I wanted to make."
and Mike Elmer (again, don't know) "for looking after my songs like children."
She may despise it now, but she was pretty happy with it until Billboard (quite rightly, as far as the music and the picture on the cover went) called her a "bimbo."
All that said, I love Tori. It took me until Little Earthquakes though. I'd had a fairly long-running (6 years) radio show that featured female vocals, and I got a promo of Y KANT TORI READ before it came out. For the most part, it was everything I'd come to hate about bimbo music, devoid of intelligence and originality. It wasn't even very fun! Still, there were moments on it that made me go "hmmm." I played "Etienne Trilogy" on my show, put the album away and didn't give it another thought until friends in England started raving about Little Earthquakes. I got a dub cassette (it still wasn't released in the US) and though I was impressed, I remembered YKTR and wondered if this new direction (intelligent, sensitive, interesting music) was the ploy of a sharp producer, since, after all, YKTR was "the record she wanted to make" (yes, I read all liner notes before playing an album!).
Then she came to Chicago and played a teeeny, tiny little club called Schubas, just her and a cheesy electronic piano. 100 people in there would be crowded. My husband Chris, who wasn't as cynical as I was, talked me into going. I went with a sneer on my face and doubt in my heart. Halfway through the first song, the sneer was gone. By the 3rd song, all doubt had disappeared. By the end of the show I had pledged my undying love. She was the real deal, talented, intelligent, emotional. YKTR was some sort of fluke that can only be explained by the times, and the people she hung with, I guess.
Ha, years after playiing "Etienne" on my show, I paid $25.00 for an import CD of YKTR, just to have that one song on CD. Listening to it years later, I decided that some of the other songs on it aren't half-bad, but it still had the stench of 80's big-haired excess on it.
Under The Pink is still my favorite Tori album, but I loved Choirgirl (love them all really) and can't wait to hear the new one.
I think I'm done seeing her in concert though. I've seen her a couple dozen times, and they were all wonderful, but for her last concert I went to I stayed out all night in front of the venue twice, once to get tickets when they went on sale in the morning, and then the night before the concert, to make sure I'd get good seats. I'm getting too old to do things like that anymore, unless it were Kate Bush, who (whom?) I've never seen in concert. We'll see when the time comes.
I'd been wondering why there hasn't been a DVD of her videos, I guess the tiff with Warners held it up. I'd still like to see one.
john_focal, I agree with you on the difference between Sarah's Fumbling and Surfacing. To, sorry, toot my own horn, I was the first person to play Sarah on US radio, and watched her go from Touch to, well, whereever she is now. I loved her dearly, she was a favorite along with Kate Bush, Jane Siberry and Happy Rhodes, but I've gradually lost interest. She's still wonderful, but not so much my kind of wonderful anymore.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Forum statistics

Threads
356,810
Messages
5,123,543
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top