Dry
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (10 June, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Dry is the cornerstone of the 1990s "women in rock" movement. To paraphrase what Lou Reed said about the Velvet Underground: Not many people bought the album, but those who did formed a band. The attraction is unmistakable: bluesy riffs played with punk-rock energy suddenly crash to a hush, while Harvey's desperate wails become fatigued moans. What is she so hung up about? Well, in the spirit of the Stones, love and hope and dirty dreams and sex and sex and sex. Through the raucous "Oh My Lover" and "Joe," Harvey airs her laundry quite loudly but never loses her wit, as "Sheela-Na-Gig," which features the mantra "I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair / I'm gonna take my hips to a man who cares," attest. --Bill Crandall ... Read more

Reviews (26)

One of my favorite albums
I think that this album is only second to Rid of Me by PJ Harvey, and I really think it is impossible for her to make it better than this. Dress has to be one of my all time favorite songs, it's just so perfect and so unbeleivably catchy. The rest of the album is also phenomenal. Standouts are Oh My Lover, Dress, Sheela Na Gig, and Hair. If you have not heard this album you do not know what you are missing.

"Dry" - good enough to make you wet!
PJ Harvey was a musician I had heard *of* for years, but never actually heard any of her music until about a year ago. I started off with her first two albums, "Dry" and "Rid of Me". Both of them are raw, punky, aggressive, lo-fi, unpredictable masterpieces. However, if I had to choose one and only one to listen to for the rest of my life, I'd most likely choose "Dry". Here's a brief track-by-track review, just to give you somewhat of an idea of the album:

1. Oh My Lover (4:00)

A great kickstart to the album that introduces the listener to Polly Jean's bluesey/punk style. This one in particular lies more on the blues side, with a somewhat slow, but still heavy pace. When she sings the title throughout the song, you can really feel the emotion in her voice, which is a nice change of pace from a lot of the manufactured female singers you hear today. The song builds up to a great finale with some layered vocals.

2. O Stella (2:30)

A energetic little song about Stella Maris. Some biblical references I believe (not entirely sure though).

3. Dress (3:16)

I believe this was one of the singles from this album, and Kurt Cobain mentioned it as being a favorite of his at some point. Not surprising, 'cause it's a great song that becomes very infectious after you listen to it a couple times.

4. Victory (3:16)

Another bluesey song that references angels, god, etc. The chorus in particular is great, with Polly Jean energetically singing, "VIC-TORYYYY!".

5. Happy and Bleeding (4:48)

This is where things really start getting great. It's also the first song on the album that shows her early penchant for unusual time signatures. Whereas the first four songs are in the traditional 4/4 time, this one takes a 6/4 structure. The verses are slow, and only have a minimalistic guitar riff/drum pattern. Then, the chorus bursts out in a noisy fashion. Her vocal delivery throughout is incredible.

6. Sheela-Na-Gig (3:10)

I think this is the most well known song from the album, although I certainly never heard it on the radio or anything. The title, if you're curious, is a reference to a nude pagan female figure. Great lyrics, great song.

7. Hair (3:47)

Another song that takes a slow/minimalistic verse and loud chorus structure. Again, great vocal delivery.

8. Joe (2:33)

This one is built around a wild guitar riff in 6/4 time. I'm guessing Joe is an ex-boyfriend of some sort. Regardless, another standout in an album full of standouts. It's a heavy song with a hectic, sorta chaotic feeling. May take a few listens to appreciate fully.

9. Plants and Rags (4:09)

By far the most unusual sounding song on the album, and probably the best. The verses have a pretty simple accoustic guitar riff in the background, with an occasional touch of violin (another instrument that Polly is skilled at). The verses slowly build up into what I guess you could call the chorus, that being a barrage of really haunting, atonal sounding violin. She expanded on this type of sound with "Man-Sized Sextet" on her next album, the aforementioned "Rid of Me".

10. Fountain (3:53)

Cool for the fact that it's in 7/4 time if nothing else. It has a chilling bass line throughout the verses, and again, a full throttle rocking chorus. Another one with some great lyrics (which can be found on her official site if you're curious).

11. Water (4:32)

More weird time signature goodness - this one, along with "Hair" is in 5/4. This also follows the soft/loud template, which was very popular at the time (and still is today). The main guitar riff is memorable enough to the point where you'll want to learn it afterwards (assuming you play guitar). It also has some biblical references to Mary, and the obvious "Walking on water" thing. A really great closer to a really great album.

Okay, there you have it. I'm not very good at typing song descriptions, but I tried. There's not much more I can say other than: buy this album NOW! You may not love it at first (I didn't either), but give it 3 or 4 solid listens, and it'll most likely be a new favorite. It's not her most accessible album (I would give that title to either "Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea" or "To Bring You My Love", both excellent albums as well), but if you're new to PJ Harvey, I'd start here anyway, as IMO, it's her best work overall.

Best Tracks: Happy and Bleeding, Joe, Plants & Rags, Fountain.

4? stars actually
I'd actually rate this 4? stars if Amazon would allow me to...But anyway, this is definitely PJ's most punk influenced album.And it's pretty raw but not unlistenably raw by any means.It's got some of my favorite PJ Harvey songs with "Sheela Na Gig" and especially "Water" (which seems to be a pleasant break and a look towards where she would end up a few years down the line).But overall, this is a very fun record, especially for her.It took me a little while to fully get into it but there was some stuff that hit me right away.It's a strange part of the PJ Harvey puzzle but one that wouldn't make any sense anywhere else other than the beginning. ... Read more

Asin: B000001F0H
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. England    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Rid of Me
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 May, 1993)
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Editorial Review

PJ Harvey's second and most ferocious album finds her claiming images of sexuality, whether they're of a "hysterical" female (the obsessive title track and the indelible accusation "you leave me dry") or male "dominance" ("Man-Size," which also appears in an atonal arrangement with a string sextet, and the feral rockabilly size-brag of "50-Ft Queenie"). Recorded to play up the stark dynamic contrasts of Harvey's early trio, it's as harsh and abrasive as the gutter blues whose vocal style Harvey cops. And she demands a place for herself at the table of great songwriters--a hellfire take on Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" fits neatly alongside her own work. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (74)

One of the first, one of the best
This is the very first CD-format music I ever bought, at the tender age of 13, and my father promptly told me how annoying and inappropriate it was as soon as he heard it. Ironically, the first time I saw PJ Harvey was on a late-night episode of that old TV show "Beavis and Butthead"; they played the video for "Man-Size" where she just sits on a stool in her underwear and fidgets while singing the song. It was love! Naturally I became a huge PJ fan and proceeded to buy all her albums...until "Is This Desire?", when I kind of fell out of the artist's loop. I really enjoy the bare, stripped-down quality of this CD, as well as "4-Track Demos", which is even more reduced. It often seems that the more albums an artist puts out, the more produced the songs tend to seem, and PJ is no exception. Originality still prevails, but the sound is different these days.
One of my favorites is the howling "Legs", which sends a creepy shiver up your spine the first (and almost every) time you hear it. It's stark and empty yet full of really overwhelming emotion - much like the jacket photography on this album.
I recommend this one and her first album "Dry" - "Water" and "Plants and Rags" are great ones off that album. Another album which doesn't come up easily on a PJ search is "Dance Hall at Louse Point" which she put out with guitarist John Parish. "That Was My Veil" (track 4)is one of the most haunting and beautiful acoustic songs I've heard in years.

Deserves 5 above and beyond most others
This is another one of those rare albums in my personal upper eschelon that deserves 5 stars more so than almost anything else that I can think of.I love almost everything that PJ Harvey has released, but the emidiacy, raw passion, and gut feeling that rock, lurch, and steamroll through every track on this album fall way above the standards of any other musician of our generation.This girl deserves every iota of respect that she gets from her fans. I have never heard music that was more honest- that had such a sense that the artist was putting him/herself on the line with every track.This album rocks like a mutha also.Very highly recommended

Polly Jean gets Albinized
"Dry" was a masterpiece debut album for PJ Harvey. It rocked, it was catchy, it was intricate (only a handful of songs in 4/4 time), it was perfect. Enter Steve Albini, a producer known for making albums blatantly unlistenable (Such as Nirvana's "In Utero").

Thus, "Rid Of Me" is like a far more vicious, intense version of "Dry". Many of PJ's vocals have been pushed to the back a little bit in favor of abrasive guitar noise.

Songs like "Rub Til It Bleeds", "Yuri G", and the title track work the soft/loud dynamics perfectly; slow, unnerving build-ups lead into harrowing crescendos. This is one noisy album.

"50 Ft. Queenie" is so intense and crazy that it's fun. Really. "Man-Size" was the other single on here..and it bears no likeness to "Man-Sized Sextet", the latter of which is PJ whispering over a screeching, dissonant violin.

A few songs don't really get the full Albini treatment. For example, "Missed" (featuring some of PJ's most frail, beautiful vocals) and "Dry" would've fit in fine on this album's predecessor as well.

Other highlights include the pounding violence of "Hook", thevicious punk-assault that is "Snake", her raucous cover of Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited", the energetic "Me-Jane" (PJ's take on Tarzan), and the acerbic blues of "Ecstacy".

"Rid Of Me" is not as good as "Dry", but it's an interesting album. Can an album this loud, this emotionally intense, this angry still be listenable? You betcha.

Best Songs: Rub Til It Bleeds, Ecstacy, 50 Ft. Queenie, Hook, Missed, Rid Of Me. ... Read more

Asin: B000001DYD
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

To Bring You My Love
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 February, 1995)
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Editorial Review

After fumbling around with producer-from-hell Steve Albini on Rid of Me (1993) and signing with U2 manager Paul McGuinness, Polly Jean Harvey is ready to live up to her lethal early promise at last. With its growling bass tones, "Meet Ze Monsta" sets the stage early on as Harvey explores her feminine psyche with an intensity and raw power unheard since Patti Smith's heyday. Unlike the terminally inconsistent Smith, however, Harvey plots a brilliant course through slippery laments ("Working for the Man"), corrosive testifying ("Long Snake Moan"), and fuzz-toned menace ("Down by the Water"). Skeptics who think Harvey can't outgrow her art-punk base are advised to cue up the flamenco-inflected, string-caressed "Send His Love to Me."--Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Sounds Like water
As if i have nothing else to review....but this is cool. Thelazy strumming guitar, the voice. It makes u feel exactly as the cover suggest:drifting.

I respect any women who writes and sings
PJ Harvey is one of my fav. women singers. I respect women who write their own music and play it. Shes one of them along with many other ones. She has a amazing voice and lyrics.

The best album of the '90s
While the world hopped on the bandwagon and sang the prasies of alt-rock bands of the '90s, P.J. Harvey delivered the most compelling album of the decade.Though her contemporaries sold more and received more press, critics and fans labeled her the supreme rock star.Her poetry, her songwriting, and that infectious voice...her music is theatre.

This album represents several musical generes...each busting with flare and drama.Ms. Harvey rocks with "Long Snake Moan", eases down to guitar based "C'mon Billy".The highlight here is the techo-laced "Down By The Water" which, in my humble opinion, is one of the greatest poetic statements to have emerged in the past 25 years.

This is the album to own.In fact, if the world came to it, it should be the only album you own... ... Read more

Asin: B000001E7T
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Is This Desire
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 September, 1998)
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Editorial Review

Each of Harvey's previous albums has been a distinct affair as she took steps forward in not only forging her sound but also exploring the wealthy veins of rock & roll. So on first listen, Is This Desire? almost disappoints; it's very close to the same dark, woozy, and bluesy musical territory she staked out on To Bring You My Love. But it's been said that though good stories can be read once, great stories must be read twice, and, like great literature, this album deserves repeated listenings to appreciate its beautiful complexities and subtle shadings. A recommendation: Spend a few nonstop hours with Is This Desire? It will change you. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (100)

You Won't Want Her Out Of Your Head...
After delivering what many would consider to be the most prominent album of her career, PJ Harvey fled from the spotlight and lived for three and a half years in virtual isolation on her parents' farm in Yeovil. The album she produced when she resurfaced lacked the bluesy punk-riffs and tongue-in-cheek lyrics of her earlier albums, utilizing instead experimental fuzzy guitars and synthesizers. It was brief, complex, evasive, and rife with subtly rendered emotional distress. It was also, in my opinion as well as (I have read) Ms. Polly Jean's, her most finely-crafted album ever.

1. Angelene-A slow, folksy ballad that seems to be about a wayward woman who gives herself over to many men while secretly pining for an overseas lover. It features Harvey singing plainly and simply in a husky voice. Some of the lyrics are thought to pay tribute to a J.D. Salinger short story entitled "Pretty mouth and green my eyes", which is directly quoted at one point in the song.

2. The Sky Lit Up-This song is very short. It seems to be about someone enjoying a happy night on the town and yet at the same time, there seems to be something awry about it. It ends with PJ Harvey wailing, "the sky lit up" in a high-pitched tone.

3. The Wind-A very quiet song with verses told in hushed whispers and a chorus that is delivered in a haunting tone; very ominous.

4. My Beautiful Leah-Another short one. This song has these weird fuzzy guitars playing in the background which, in conjunction with Harvey's drone, give it a numbing atmosphere so that one can almost envision her stumbling around on a dark night trying to find the girl she is looking for.

5. A Perfect Day, Elise-An incredible song. There is something about the explosion of trippy chords at the beginning of this song which always makes me want to get up and dance (and no, I'm not trained in that discipline so I resist the urge). This is one of those songs that I can listen to over and over again. The most intriguing thing about it is that it seems to be such a happy song but if you listen closely to the lyrics, the main character actually commits suicide in the end, rendering the whole song almost sarcastic. Allegedly, this song is based on another J.D. Salinger story entitled "A Perfect Day for Bananafish".

6. Catherine-Another incredible song, only this one is dark and full of yearning, probably the broodiest song on an already broody album. One cannot help but love how the tension builds as Harvey moans, "I envy the road, the ground you tread under..." in what I am told is classic Billie Holiday style, only to culminate in the curse, "Til the light shines on me, I damn to hell every second you breathe..." This song contains some lyrics that resemble quotes from Emily Bronte's WUTHERING HEIGHTS.

7. Electric Light-This song was harder for me to get into. It is very quiet and the lyrics are delivered in a sort of murmur with those fuzzy guitars humming in the background. The lyrics are somewhat powerful yet delivered unassumingly. I like this song just not as much as a lot of the others.

8. The Garden-PJ Harvey returns to her biblical roots with this song about a liaison in a garden of good and evil. To be honest, this is another one that I didn't get into as much, but it's still decent.

9. Joy-A very difficult song, delivered in a screechy wail that is almost impossible to listen to yet demands to be hard all-the-more. The instruments in this song include more off-beat guitars as well as rattling drums that sound almost like broken pipes or other industrial equipment. This is certainly a disturbing song, allegedly, it pays homage to a Flannery O'Connor short story. Not one of my favorites, but still desperate to be heard.

10. The River-One of the most powerful tracks on the album and the longest as well. One cannot help but feel psychological cleansed as PJ Harvey repeats again and again, "Throw your pain in the river". It ends with a haunting brass instrumental part. This song also is supposed to be based on a Flannery O'Connor story of the same title. It was this song which inspired me to buy this album. One of my favorites.

11. No Girl So Sweet-For me, this is the most harrowing song on the album. It starts off with weird squeaky beats and then has PJ Harvey singing in a fuzzed-over, anguished roar/wail. I think everyone can identify with lines such as: "How much more can you take from me? I'd like to take you inside my head. I'd like to take you inside of me." This song is yet again thought to be inspired by a Flannery O'Connor story. Another one of my favorites on the album; quite disturbing, but great.

12. Is This Desire?-The final, titular track on the album. For the first twenty seconds all you can hear is a very soft humming noise, then gradually Polly starts singing and the song slides into gear in a manner that is both elusive and seductive. I cannot tell if this song, with its references to Joseph out in nature has any Biblical allusions, but it is certainly menacing and questioning at the same time. An apt conclusion.

When I first bought this album, I was somewhat disappointed. Now, I think it is my second favorite album of all-time. My advice would be not to give up on it easily. No, it is not initially as striking as some of Harvey's other works, but instead it will subtly slip under your skin until you find yourself embedded in the madness of the world Harvey is creating. This album is supposed to be Harvey's tribute to literature and judging from the number of derivations from classical works, not to mention the incredibly broody, morose nature of this album, that would certainly make sense. This is PJ Harvey in third-person, no longer revealing personality traits but whole people. One of my favorite things about this album is how so many of the songs seem so ordinary and serene yet if you listen closely, you realize there is something not quite right about them. In fact, there is something horribly disturbing and depressing about all of them.

The Water Soaked Her Blonde Hair Black
PJ Harvey is the kind of artist that likes to reinvent(and I don't mean`Madonna changes her eye liner' I mean REALLY reinvent herself) herself from album to album, `Dry' wasexistential , `Rid Of Me' was an indebt look into the Male-Female roles and post feminism, `To Bring You My Love' almost obsessively deals with desire and sensuality and the later released `Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea' we see Harvey's more grounded side, but although all of those has their own uniqueness `Is This Desire?' is different, the sound is almost indefinable ,the songwriting raises to another level and in general it seeks match (but match)deeper...

`Is This Desire?' is a collective of short stories that deals with the agony of bizarre tragic figures, that as both the out front and the allegoric sense are almost haunting by their images, Harvey's songwriting lays deep within you as she explores her characters and in a lot of way our own state in this world, while her message lays deep between her words. The album's sound explores new territories, and can be define as truly alternative (a term the most of as are use for Industrial and Indie Rock rather then truly original sound which the term was meant to define) it's match quieter (I heard the word `Mellow' being used at times to the album sound and I think it's far from being the case) but yet match more disturbing.
I personally always Considered it as Harvey's strongest, wisest and deepest work.

The album starts with `Angelene' a tale of sinful soul of a prostitute seeking redemption, that could be her personal grief or the tell of a disturbed and sinful society(`Love For Money Is My Sin'). The second and most positive track in the album `The Sky Lit Up' is about finding inspiration. `The Wind' describes the story of Catherine, a woman that wished power and recognition (`Catherine Likes high places, high up on the hills, a place for making noises like the whales, here she built a chapel with her image on the wall...') and now haunted for her vanity and greed (`but now she sits and moans'). In the Trip-Hop influenced `My Beautiful Leah' a women(or a women within) self destructed herself (`She only had nightmares, and her sadness never lifted') for seeking the unseekable ("If I don't find it this time, then I better off dead"). `A Perfect Day' show us the story of Joe (Jesus?) where his emotional but empty(`His face so pale and his hands so worm') desire for Elise destroys them both. `Catherine' defines bitterness, we find a person so eaten by jealousy that loses him\herself in the processes(`'till the light shines on me, I damn to hell every second you breath'). `The Garden' tells an Eden like story, in which a man loses his angel wings. The story of `Joy' is about a girl who feared experience destructed in the awaking to the real world (`She looked away into a hollow sky ...She wanted to go blind, wanted hope to stay'). `The River' is a Nick Cave like piano ballad that tells a search for redemption. The final track of the album `Is This Desire' Joe (again Jesus?) fulfilled his wishes and the song ends in an existential question that in a lot of ways sums up the album- is fulfilling and chasing our desires really makes us happy? - Is This Desire?

my favorite from polly jean harvey
i didn't realize how important this album was to me until i lost it (this happened recently). because i'm poor, i decided to buy uh huh her first because it is new and exciting. bad move. is this desire is her most consistently good record. suprisingly, as it is pretty dark, it got me through the toughest summer of my life. usually it pisses me off that she can't write a song in a major key. this is especially distracting on uh huh her. it makes all the songs sound the same, drony, uninteresting while desparately trying to be interesting. the textures on is this desire? are incredible, yet it is still raw enough (as opposed to stories from the city...) to evoke intense emotion and imagery. i also think the excercise of moving outside herself made this album stand out from her body of work. she channels these characters so well that upon first listen you might not realize that this isn't about her. if there's one thing i hate about female artists, it's self absorption (i'm guilty of writing like i'm the center of the universe). self absorption only works when it strikes a balance between raw/angsty and a certain level of perspective. on this record, polly is making other characters self absorbed, and i like it. the title track is particularly moving and haunting. the sparseness of the arrangement lets her guitar work shine on the chorus while her voice is left vulnerable and lilting as she asks "Is this desire enough, enough, to lift us higher. Is this desire?" Now apply that to mary and joseph.

i'd highly recommend this record. or buy it for someone you love... ... Read more

Asin: B00000AFFI
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (31 October, 2000)
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Editorial Review

She may not break new ground with Stories from the City, Stories fromthe Sea, but Polly Jean Harvey proves one thing: she sure knows how to tendto her plot. Hard-rocking, guitar-driven numbers, mesmerizing vocal wordplay,and plenty of noisy atmospherics prove that Harvey is still the queen ofrock-noir. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (194)

Her Worst Work
Although not surprising, it's rather ironic that an artist as groundbreaking and original as Harvey is getting a commercial and critical recognition for her most mediocre release.
This is not a bad album it contains good tracks ('Big Exit', 'Whore Hustler') and at time strokes an emotional chord ('We Float') but most of the time it sounds predictable and disturbingly catchy. Both lyrically and musically the album is far behind the level that most Harvey fans are use to and it's understandable that a lot of them alienated her for it.

PJ Harvey's best album
PJ Harvey's fifth album "Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea" is the singer/songwriter's finest album and should please fans of her older albums and new fans alike. "Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea" is somewhat slicker, less rough-around-the-edges than her other albums. I would recommend this album to start off with, as it is probably her most assessable work.

I personally feel that this album has her best collection of songs. From the opening rocker "Big Exit" to the beautiful "We Float," every song is a winner. There isn't any filler to be found. Each song is well written and memorable. It's a good mix of fast paced rockers, mid-tempo songs, and slower ones. The listener never gets bored. This CD deals with themes of love, relationships, etc, but never gets tedious or trite. Everything on this album is sincere and straight from the heart.

The album opens up strong with "Big Exit" an excellent rocker with a good, infectious hook. "Good Fortune" keeps up the momentum. "A Place Called Home" is a beautiful, somewhat morose, slower number whose enchanting background vocals stay with the listener long after the song has ended. The album slows down a bit for the next few songs. The mid-tempo "One Line" leads in perfectly to the dark, atmospheric "Beautiful Feeling." The pace is picked up with "The Whores Hustle, and the Hustlers Whore." "The Mess We're In" features a duet with Thom Yorke. Their overlapping vocals work nicely together. "You Said Something" is another softer number in the vein of "A Place Called Home," only slightly more upbeat. The pace picks up considerably with the excellent rockers "Kamikaze" and "This is Love." The album starts to wind down with the beautiful "Horses in my Dreams" The duel piano and guitar make "Horses in my Dreams" enchanting. The album ends with its' finest track, the majestic "We Float." The verse serves mostly to build up the song and it's mesmerizing chorus totally engulfs the listener.

If you don't own any PJ Harvey albums, this is a good place to start. It's a really good album and should please old and new fans alike.

Mature PJ - like good wine
I feel that this is a very personal album of Polly Jean's.I can feel that the songs came out of her experiences, as if they had come right out of her skin.That's what makes this so great.I also think that it's an album that anyone leaving their twenties and entering their thirties can truly relate to.PJ's grown up and lightened up about a lot of things, but is, as always, very intelligent, emotional and perceptive."We Fall" is a masterpiece.This is an album I keep coming back to. ... Read more

Asin: B00004YW6I
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Live Through This [Bonus CD]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 April, 1994)
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Editorial Review

This whole album is filled with scathing fury, mostly directed at the impossible situation that confronts women when they are asked to be both wild sources of pleasure and unblemished mother figures. Live Through This uses the same recipe of punk and metal wrapped around pop melodies that made Nirvana so captivating, but Hole uses the methodology in a more conventional manner. The metal ingredient tends to dominate, perhaps because it's the simplest to master, and too often the album resembles early Heart or late Joan Jett--particularly when Courtney Love opens up with her big, wailing voice. Love externalizes her anger, blaming all her problems on the rest of the world. Self-confrontation makes for far more interesting songs. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (207)

Great
When I heard about Kurt's death I thought at a point it was his wife cause I knew nothing about her but she was a very wild person. I heard she had a band and I thought to myself I wonder if its good. I came home and started to listen to it, I was amazed not only by her voice or the tunes but the lyrics also.

This is their best album they have made. If you like chick bands or grunge then this is a must listen to.

Courtney proves she is a "Rock Star"
This is quite possibly the best album I have ever bought.I don't think that I have ever listened to any other album where each song was so perfectly and beautifully put together.This album contains absolutely no mistakes.Even in the song "Rock Star" where there seems to be a few slip-ups, the rawness is of this album is so remarkable that it will haunt you.The powerful lyrics, Courtney's pounding yell, the beautiful melodies performed by the masterminds of Hole, all come together wonderfully in this masterpiece.The album in itself is truly haunting, most of it being written in a time in Courtney's life where there was much emotion, her pain and feelings come out and let you into the complex figure of Courtney Love.Every line draws you closer to understanding Courtney and how she must have felt while undergoing such things.In the song "I Think That I Would Die" the line "I want my baby, where is the baby?I want my baby, who took the baby?" is incredibly haunting knowing that Courtney's daughter was taken from her not long after her birth.This album shows Hole at its best, and believe me, Hole's best is something spectacular.

awesomeness
one of the best cds i have ever listend to. great songs, messages, overall amazing. helps prove courtney was not riding on kurts coattails. ... Read more

Asin: B000003TAY
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Grunge    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Pretty on the Inside
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 July, 1991)
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Reviews (75)

Great Band..
Hole is a very good band, but Countney Love never really got people listening to with the things she done like killing her husband Kurt Cobain and the stuff she has done, but No one has proof about her killing him, She was making Live Though this when it all happened..Hole is one of the greasted chick bands I ever heard. I love all the albums, her voice is amazing when shes singing..She has some talent but no one gives her chance cause she gets blamed on Kurt's death and people think shes to B**** and stupid.

hardcore glory.
this cd is way more hardocre then "celebrity skin" and "live through this" but its great. that is one thing i really like ab;out them. each of their cd's is unique.
celebrity skin is softer, live through this is the middle, and this is hard.
i love it.
i only wish they would come back together to make another cd. i cant get enough of them.

Very Raw ....
This album is NOT for everyone!For those who don't know Hole's music, this is album is before Courtney Love's popular albums.I really, really like this album!This album turned me onto very raw-type grunge."Teenage (...)" is an excellent song. ... Read more

Asin: B000000HVL
Sales Rank: 11097
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

My Body, the Hand Grenade
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 October, 1997)
list price: $15.98
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Reviews (40)

Great Punk rock album
This album is grunge, sure... But its more on the Punk rock/Pretty on the Inside side. By far Old ageand Beautiful Son, to me are the best songs on the album. They shine a slight glimmer of talent onto Courtney Love, Im still debating whether she has any or not. Im leaning towards maybe or no. But this album is amazing. I can sing along to it, scream along to it, just whatever. Highly recommended. But just for the record, Old Age IS a Nirvana song. Ive heard that Kurt gave Courtney the song, I know he wrote the music and quite possibly the lyrics. And others say she took the song. But whatever it is, the lyrics to Old Age are well written. There are no over repeated references to milk, and tearing the petals, making you tell the truth. Phrases which first appeared when Kristen Pfaff wrote them, but continued onto the album Celebrity Skin, minus the milk part.

The Best Hole Album
This album spans their entire career. It's excellent.

1. Turpentine- 5/5... Perfect way to start the album. Courtney's screaming is placed right where it should be. Very strong guitar riffs. Excellent drumming.
2. Phonebill Song- 4/5... It's a good song to get you even more hyped than Turpentine did. It has great energy and it sounds almost live.
3. Retard Girl- 5/5... One of my favorite Hole songs. Great bass introduction to the song followed by a great guitar riff and strong drumming. Courtney's screeches are perfect in this song.
4. Burn Black- 5/5... Such an energy in this song. You can almost taste the anger Hole is feeding you. The lyrics are hateful, and mocking. Great chorus and bridge. This song makes it worth buying the whole album.
5. Dicknail- 4/5... Such a strong song here. The lyrics tell a story and Courtney's voice makes it even more enjoyable.
6. Beautiful Son- 5/5... A song about Kurt and how he wore Courtney's dresses. Very sweet. The song is almost as beautiful as Kurt himself. ;)
7. 20 Years In The Dakota... 5/5 Courtney managed to put in her signiture wail and make it even enjoyable to Avril fans. This is a great ode to Yoko Ono. Very mocking beat. Just... excellent. You can really feel the energy. It makes you want to sing along.
8. Miss World- 4/5 This is an orginal version of the song and it's just pure joy. Far better than the version on Live Through this too.
9. Old Age- 5/5 Has to be one of the best songs on the album. Just so beautiful, and sad. You feel like Courtney is telling your story. The lyrics tell a sad story, and although Courtney doesn't scream, this is a classic Hole song.
10. Softer, Softest- 4/5 This is a live version of the song availible off of Live Through This.
11. he Hit Me (it felt like a kiss)- 5/5... EXCELLENT cover song. Sad, twisted lyrics. Just... so enjoyable.
12. Season Of The Witch- 5/5 Great bass in this song. Another perfect cover song. Hole makes you forget that it's a cover song when they play them.
13. Drown Soda- 4/5 This is a really long song. (Not as long as Death Sex though) Really good slow song that eventually gets angry.
14. Asking For It- 5/5 A great live version of Asking For It. Courtney changes the lyrics a little and just makes it... so fun.

Starts out like magic, some sick religion...
This CD is a collection of b-slides, live tracks (three of which are from MTV Unplugged), early singles, a demo, and an outtake. 'Turpentine', 'Phonebill Song', and 'Retard Girl' can all be found on 'The First Session'. 'Burn Black' was the b-slide to Hole's second single 'Dicknail'. 'Burn Black' is just messed up and crazy with interesting lyrics while 'Dicknail' is a great anti-misogynist anthem. Next is 'Beautiful Son' which was written about Kurt Cobain. It's a good song but sounds a little too cookie-cutter grunge. '20 Years In The Dakota' is one of the best songs on the CD. It was written about Yoko Ono. Up next we have the demo version of 'Miss World' which is more mellower with changed lyrics. Mediocre at best, Courtney sounds half-asleep when she's singing it. 'Old Age' is hands down the best song the CD. Very haunting and beautiful. The live tracks are all very good, but take some getting used to. My favorite live track is 'Season of The Witch' I love the haunting lyrics. So yes, if you are a Hole fan you'll definately want this CD. All of Hole's early singles are out of print and hard-to-find so I don't know where you could get them anywhere else. This CD is no longer in print but you can find it used online (that's what I did). ... Read more

Asin: B000003SWL
Sales Rank: 62131
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Grunge    3. Pop    4. Riot Grrrl    5. Rock   

Ask for It
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 September, 1995)
list price: $10.99 -- our price: $10.99
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Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (23)

Harsh and sloppy....but still worthy
I loved "Live through this" so I when I saw this cd in the store I couldnt resist. On first listen, I was pretty startled. The music is very intense, very raw and for the most part pretty sloppy. So fans of "Celebrity Skin" be warned...but then again, I kind of liked the later poppier hole, and I also appreciate this cd, so I would say if you are a fan of hole, just give it a shot....Half of the songs on this cds are covers..the first song "Over the edge" is really great, pretty tight and fast and a good song overall. Next is the live velvet underground cover "pale blue eyes"...this song is pretty grating on the ears but also cool because its a live track from '92. "Drown soda" is from the earlier days and it shows...very long and drawn out, sometimes i love it, sometimes its just too much on the ears. "Doll parts" and "Violet" are great! I would recomend buying the cd just for these two songs, as you can hear what they sounded like in their first raw incarnations...Courtneys lyrical skills really show through...the last track "Forming/hot chocolate boy" is another cover and very messed up..distortion is to the max and courtney singing( screaming)is out of key....and yet, I find myself listening to this song a lot.

SO I would recomend this cd to hole fans, but not to people with sensitive ears( if your idea of rock is avril lavigne or lillix, stay clear!) The music on this cd is pretty sloppy and hole would go on to display greater abilities....but for the raw emotion, this cd is dynamite. And I just wanto clear up something: these songs were recorded in 91 and 92, long before Kurt Cobain killed himself. And already Courtney had written the lyrics for "doll parts" and "violet"...Chilling.

A glimpse of a band about to make it big
Although this EP was released in 1995, all the songs were recorded eariler with the original Hole lineup. It shows a transformation of a band just on the edge of breaking into the mainstream. The first track 'Over the Edge' (originally done by The Wipers) is the best song the EP. It's poppy and punky at the same time. Next is a live cover of Velvet Underground's 'Pale Blue Eyes'. Courtney's voice sounds ragged and the sound quality isn't the best. Then we get an early version of 'Drown Soda' which is mediocre compared to the live version on 'My Body, the Hand Grenade'. Early versions of 'Doll Parts' and 'Violet' date back from 1991, proving there is no way Kurt could have wrote those songs. Lastly 'Forming/Hot Chocolate Boy' is two covers rolled into one: Beat Happening's 'Hot Chocolate Boy' and the Germs 'Forming'. This EP is a definite must-have for Hole fans. Don't let the disturbing cover distract you from buying it.

Cover distracts you from the music
Great Ep, for advent or old Hole days lovers! (by old hole days I mean before 1994.) I picked this Ep up at a used music store for about $10.00 Cdn. Good buy, it includes rare tracks from their show at the Whiskey (feb.11.1992),also has rare john peel session tracks from BBC radio (nov. 1992). I'll go through the tracks one by one, 1. Over the Edge- a cover of Greg Sage's song , the only produced song on the EP, is a pretty good song overall,grungy but very good. 2. Pale Blue Eyes- a cover of the Velvet Undergrond's pale blue eyes. It's a live song so you expect that it is loud and mixed together. 3. Drown Soda- Excellent song! this time not a cover written by hole it's a good relic for hole fans. It also sounds good live(MTV Unplugged) 4. Doll Patrs- A shorter grungy version of the live through this version, excellent song as well. 5. Violet- also a grungy version of the live through this verison, personally I like it better! 6. A mixed up horrible song, the singing drones and the instiment are mixed in together. The worst track by far. Only a short 18 minutes but somehow it seems longer. ... Read more

Asin: B000000HS6
Sales Rank: 55516
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Grunge    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Little Earthquakes
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 February, 1992)
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Editorial Review

Emotionally and musically intense, Little Earthquakes shows that the piano is as much a rock & roll instrument as the guitar. Tori Amos's debut (if one disregards Y Kant Tori Read, as one would be well advised to do) is at once listenable and challenging; she takes on every topic, from sex to gender to religion, in an uncompromising manner. Her music appears gentle at first, but this appearance is deceiving, as one quickly learns upon listening to the wrenching "Crucify" or the almost violent "Precious Things." By the time the album gets around to "Me and a Gun," sung hauntingly by Amos without accompaniment from her piano, the juxtaposition of Amos' sweet voice and the emotional complexity of her lyrics is both familiar and shocking. Sandman fans should listen for a reference to author Neil Gaiman in "Tear in Your Hand." --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (328)

Good CD but not her best
Okay readers, I COULD just praise this album repeditively like the below reviewers have done (which I am not going to do by the way), or I could type something original.
Although this CD is very very good, I don't think it her best. I will be honest. I only own this release and The Beekeeper, and I enjoy the beekeeper better. This CD has absolutely excellent songs but is sometimes but very rarely inconsistent in producing bad tracks, TB is the same altough it has 19 tracks.
This CD is very excessible compared to some of Tori's future releases. I didn't mention that I have also purchased Boys For Pele (album #3), because I have only listened to it once.
Altohugh my all-time favourite Tori Amos song is Precious things. Read any of the good reviews below, and you will see why this song is such a masterpiece. Other standout tracks are Crucify, Girl, Winter and Little Earthquakes. "China" is okay, but get get boring after repeated listens(it's peak quickly ceases after a couple of seconds, which reminded me of Kylie Minogues Automatic Love song) this is the same with Me And A Gun (and Tear In Your Hand to a lesser extent). Mother I like better because it has more emotion. Winter is sort of like Mother but it has a lot more emotion in it.
Note:
Ballads: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11.
Other:: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Do you see the pattern? I believe if this album was in a different order it would have been much better.
Therefore, this is a great intro to Tori Amos.
For more information see the 300 or so reviews written below.

Youneed to give credit...
Tori Amos is one of those women who you can sum up in one word: Genius. You might not think so, but if you don't, you really should listen harder. I give credit and respect any woman that can write and preform her own music as beautifully as she does. She has a beautiful voice and had went though a lot in her life and just kept going. I think she is a great inspiration and I think atleast everyone should hear her sing once. But not only is she talented...she is increadibly beautiful. She doesn't even need to show off anything. I suggest you learn more about her and listen to a song of hers, she is a gifted woman..one of the best for our generation.

Great Songwriter...
I havent heard much of Tori Amos, but from what I heard shes a very talented writer, and has a nice voice. Any women that can write music should be respected..right Amanda? ... Read more

Asin: B000002IT2
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Under the Pink
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 February, 1994)
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Editorial Review

Under the Pink was Tori Amos' follow-up to the sensationally successful Little Earthquakes and demonstrates that she had by no means run out of faeries and demons to sport with. Amos herself describes it as her "impressionistic" album--her piano playing is perfectly attuned to the subtle, shifting colors of her lyrical moods on "Bells for Her," while "Past the Mission" indicates her growing use of distinctive arrangements to illustrate her songs. Highlights include "God," in which Amos demonstrates her often-missed humor, openly taunting the Almighty for his indifference to humanity, asking "Do you need a woman to look after you?" --David Stubbs ... Read more

Reviews (177)

You bet your life it is....
Pretty good album by the great Tori Amos. I've been a fan for years - I grew up with her - yet UNDER THE PINK is one of the last albums I bought to complete my collection. What a pleasant surprise ! I know this album spawned the everlasting and haunting "Cornflake Girl", but so many overlooked songs came from that very same place. "Past the Mission" - Lyrical, Beautiful. One of those Tori songs where the lyrics are hard to decipher, allowing an enormous free space for personal interpretation. I cannot live without the heartbreaking "Pretty Good Year". A song which always makes everything bad in your life seem fine.

Overall, this is quintessential Tori Amos. A giant step away from LITTLE EARTHQUAKES, and already sending smoke signals of the heavy BOYS FOR PELE and FROM THE CHORIGIRL HOTEL to come.

Tori has me under her spell.
I'm a fairly new fan of Tori's and there isn't much of her work that I can give less than five stars to.She is a remarkable artist and this album shows more of what she's capable of.It's really hard for Tori to do wrong.My favorite track on here is God, it's one of the most noteable as well.

Tori Amos - Under the Pink (1994)
Pretty Good Year - 10/10
God - 10/10
Bells for Her - 10/10
Past the Mission - 10/10
Baker Baker - 10/10
The Wrong Band - 9/10
The Waitress - 10/10
Cornflake Girl - 10/10
Icicle - 9/10
Cloud on My Tongue - 8/10
Space Dog - 10/10
Yes, Anastasia - 10/10

116/120

My Top 5...
1) Pretty Good Year
2) Bells for Her
3) Yes, Anastasia
4) Baker Baker
5) The Waitress ... Read more

Asin: B000002IXU
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Boys for Pele
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 January, 1996)
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Editorial Review

Boys for Pele, the title of Tori Amos's epic third album, is as awkward and confusing as the music inside. Though it sounds like a recruitment slogan for Little League soccer, the name actually refers to the lost temples of feminine divinity. Pele, you see, is the Hawaiian volcano goddess; the boys, well, they're the sacrifices that quell the rumbling lady's rage. Attempting to regain fires stolen long ago, Pele rewrites the crucifixion to star a girl Jesus and in doing so conjures a forgotten matriarchal mythology. While Amos's characters--Jupiter, Muhammad, Lucifer--are male by name, the aural landscape into which they're thrown is as symbolically and expressionistically female as Georgia O'Keeffe's skull-and-roses paintings.Pele is a complex and formless--and often impenetrable--work of gothic-pop chamber music, both beautiful and ghostly in its nearly complete reliance on Amos's rolling Bosendorfer grand piano, chilling harpsichord (which she bangs like a courtly punk rocker), and acrobatic voice (as earthy as Joni Mitchell's and as otherworldly as Bjork's). Unfortunately, she takes us only halfway: her songs engage and challenge us to understand, but the imagery offers few clues to help us crack their frustrating opacity. Pele ends up as much a pretentious and self-indulgent trip as it is a synthesis of talent, imagination, and skewed vision. Still, there's reason to celebrate that an album as formalistically and thematically alien to pop audiences as Pele would win such quick success upon its original release. --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (309)

Dark boys, heavy days, glorius talent
Tori Amos got her some horses to ride on in the first track, and from there on it is one amazing trip through this whirpool of lost love, dark contemplation and scratching on surfaces.

BOYS FOR PELE ( Pele being the Hawaiian volcano goddess and Tori's alter ego on this album ) is a new, but sensual and enigmatic journey in her music. Released in 1996 this album alienated many fans. Gone are the 'girl and her piano' sound of Little Earthquakes and Under the Pink.

It spawned singles like "Caught a lite sneeze" and "Hey Jupiter", but the pace, I believe, is being set by songs like the organ/harpischord driven "Blood Roses" - a tragic account of a failed relationship...."I've shaved every place you've been boy.....Sometimes you're nothing but meat". Also "Talula" and one of my favourites, the short but sharp "Way Down".

All in all a wonderful album. I see it as a grand and swift transition from UNDER THE PINK to FROM THE CHOIRGIRL HOTEL.
New fans should steer clear, but once you start to "get" Tori it is one hell of an honest, dark and splendid ride.

Favorite Tori Album
I love Little Earthquakes (I like these songs live, though). But I love BFP. What a masterpiece. I love all of the anger and passion. I just feel it. She is so amazing. This was the very first Tori album I bought, and of course did the usual back cataloging and now have the entire library. Even though there is a lot to take in, you eventually get something new with each listen. I learned a lot about Tori through this album. Though I am a guy, I relate to her anger in this album. This is the most raw Tori album, and because of the no holds barred, this is one of the best albums ever made by any artist. (yes, there is a bias). But, I love Tori, and if you are new to her music, just go ahead and start from the beginning, but you will need to listen to this album MANY times to really get it. Trust me, you will get it and you will love it!

got me hooked!
Boys for Pele is my favorite record of all time! I had both Tori records beofe this one but this one got me hooked and this was also the year I got to witness Tori live and the rest is history. it's been about 9 years since this album came out???!!!! the songs on this record are quite timeless cause they are still with me. Blood Roses was always a stand out track for me. and ofcourse they are so many Tori Classics and fan favorites on this cd! forget the greatist hits record just start here! I still put a smile on my face when I hear songs like Horses, Not the Red baron, Caught a lite sneeze. and some songs I didn't love when I first got the cd like Putting the Damage on. I guess this review is pretty much pointless cause I could never tell you how much this album really means to me in words. ... Read more

Asin: B000002J88
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

From the Choirgirl Hotel
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 May, 1998)
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Editorial Review

For Tori Amos, sex can be a weapon, a spiritual offering, or an act ofprotest;it's certainly been the singer-pianist's big subject since her 1989debut, Little Earthquakes. Butwhereher earliest compositions tried to punch every emotional hot button at once and came offmerely overblown,From The Choirgirl Hotel packs a greater punch by toning down the mock-symphonic excess in favor of stark, haunting tracks that contain their own veiled mysteries. Love cuts both ways on Choirgirl. Songs such as "She's Your Cocaine" and "cruel"view relationships as vicious, sexually-charged power plays, while the protagonists in "playboy mommy"and "Northern Lad" are desperately seeking salvation in the form of some emotional connection. Hypnotic, affecting, and frequently gorgeous, From The Choirgirl Hotelis Amos' most accomplished album to date. --Marc Weingarten ... Read more

Reviews (357)

Take the plunge into a world of emotion
Tori Amos' works have always explored the human soul, going deep and trying to emerge with some kind of light. This album however came from a much more personal place. Prior to recording Choirgirl, she suffered three miscarriages and a subsequent period of depression. The album documents the journey of the character and her effort to feel alive again. And it is an effort that is every bit as heart-wrenching, haunted and desperate as can be.
Using the concept of a hotel, each song being a character who lives in it, Tori Amos creates a mosaic of astonishing insight and depth.
The album is inspiring. Like great works of art, it makes the listener feel soothed and much less alone, while tackling themes such as loss, grief, abuse, a ruined childhood, sexual manipulation, rejection and codependence.
Sonically, it incorporates many elements of electronic music and the band has much more of a role to play on this album compared to her previous, piano based works. Lyrically, her poetic voice is stronger than it's ever been despite coming from a person broken into pieces.
I cannot rave highly enough about this album.

Highlights: Black Dove (January), Liquid Diamonds, Pandora's Aquarium

A true work of art.
I can't believe I didn't listen to this album sooner.This is truly a wonderful, solid piece of work.Every track is a masterpiece.It's hard to pick out my favorites.If you don't know any of Tori's work, this would be a good place to start.I would certainly recommend this CD.

My First and Most-Played Tori album
If you are not familiar with Tori, this is an excellent starter album. Her first with a band, the music has a rocking, dark sound. A couple of the songs are about Tori's miscarriages (including my absolute favourite, "Spark") and "Pandora's Aquarium" is about one of her best friends who was raped by her father. If you like songs with heavy, intellectual meaning, you will enjoy Tori's wonderfully poetic lyrics.
Great Tracks include but are not limited to:
Spark
Raspberry Swirl
She's Your Cocaine
Playboy Mommy
All of her albums are excellent as well. I reccomend each and every one. ... Read more

Asin: B0000062S6
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

To Venus and Back
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 September, 1999)
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Editorial Review

For many pop-music cynics, excess can be neatly summed up in three things: live albums, double-CD's, and Tori Amos records. Damned ifTo Venus and Back doesn't hit the trifecta. But perhaps Amos is just trying to prove what we've always suspected: that her muse possesses a sly, ironic wit and has been frantically trying to give us a wink while Tori whipped up her heady cocktail of quiet Sturm, desperate Drang, and angst in the panties. There's teasing moments on this double-dose of Tori's love affair with her own melodic and mystical dramaturgy to support that notion, even in the disc of powerful new studio recordings that inaugurates this set. Dubbing a song "Glory of the 80's" is burlesque enough, but yearning to have oneself cloned as Kim Carnes at its climax is simply inspired. Amos is to Kate Bush's distaff mysticism what Mark McGwire was to Roger Maris; she hasn't so much broken the mold as willfully hammered it into her own image. After Bush hit the snooze-bar on her career in the late `80s, Amos boldly stepped into the fray, building a body of work that demanded to be taken seriously, even while the thrift-store chic set were laughing up their tattered sleeves at her ambitious chutzpah. They're not laughing now; in fact, many may find Venus to be a deliciously guilty pleasure. Amos supporters have long maintained that the key to understanding her intrigue lies in her live performances. Disc two boldly states their case as Amos coos, whoops, and warbles through a hit-sprinkled set, her shrewd, sorely undervalued band hanging with every nuance and turn of phrase. Cynics are from Mars; Tori is from Venus--that's just the way her galaxy crumbles. Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (413)

Planets of her universe ...
The music on the studio disc of the "To Venus and Back" set contains more of the sound effects and dreamy, almost incomprehensible, lyrics that were found on "From the Choirgirl Hotel."On one hand it's a good thing that they lyrics are always included with the Tori albums.On the other hand, I personally found that you don't really need to understand what Tori is saying/singing/moaning/trilling/screaming to "get" her; the music is wonderful and accessible either way.It might even be "better" that you can't understand the words; this simply adds to her magical mystique.

The live disc is Tori at her best; raw and rocking and snarling her songs into a microphone.By far one of the more talented songwriters and performers of the 1990s (and 2000s?).

Black Angel Here!
Tori is the best artist ever, she's always changing -not necessarily good but you know she's furthering herself and developing. This album saw her develop into electronic music and was a major success in terms of artistic evolution.

Tori Amos' latter work seems to lack her raw energy and emotions. This has got some really 'goovy' tracks such as Juarez which has Tori as the omniscient cool desert as she sees girls getting raped quite a juxtaposition to her tone in 'Me and a Gun'. The first and the last tracks are the most 'pop'. The rest needs to grow on you but this work is so much better than 'The Beekeeper' or 'Scarlet's Walk'.

Double the Goods!
The original material on the first disc has no trouble comparing to the classics on the second. Her voice on songs like "Juarez" and "Riot Poof" suggest she's a ruler of some country in the way it's so powerful and controlling. She's beautiful as always in songs like, "Bliss" and "Concertina". And is beautiful, but dark, in "Suede". As for the live material, Tori's voice always remains just as strong live as on her albums, which is an impressive feat. She rocks so hard on songs like "Precious Things" and "Waitress". She also rocks in "Cruel" where her sorceress vocals at the end have me picturing her conjuring spirits to her. And her vocals at the end of "Sugar" are like musical tears. She's phenomenal! ... Read more

Asin: B00001IVJS
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Keyboards    4. Piano    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Singer/Songwriter    8. Vocals   

When The Pawn...
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (09 November, 1999)
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Editorial Review

When the Pawn Hits fulfills the promise of Fiona Apple's debut, Tidal, a strong statement given that her first outing was one of 1996's most exciting collections. Dark and emotionally dense, Apple's sophomore effort is awash in alluring and witty undercurrents that belie its creator's youth. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (515)

Fiona is an artistic genius.
Fiona Apple is an artistic genius. I love this album for it's depth, honesty, poetry, and intensity of spirit. The way Fiona's voice cracks at the end of the song, I Know, is hearbreaking. And the way Fiona compairs one way love with anorexia in the song Paper Bag is ingenius. I wish there were more artists like this out there on the scene today. Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Corinna Fugate, and Vanessa Carlton stand as one of a kind songwriters. I hope they release Fiona Apple's new CD soon! I will be the first to buy it! Free Fiona!

Another bite from the Apple
Recently I picked up Fiona Apple's second album, When The Pawn Hits The Conflicts He Thinks Like A King What He Knows Throws The Blows When He Goes To The Fight And He'll Win The Whole Thing `Fore He Enters The Ring There's No Body To Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand And Remember That Depth Is The Greatest Of Heights And If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where To Land And If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right....which is typically shortened to When the Pawn... I was inspired to do this by my recent listening to the unreleased Extraordinary Machine, which is floating around all over the internet, and I would buy in a heartbeat.

So, When The Pawn... is another excellent album from Fiona. I've been listening to it mostly as I drive to and from work this week, and have fallen in love with a number of the tracks: "To Your Love", "Fast As You Can", "Limp", "Get Gone", and "A Mistake" are the ones which come to mind. Fiona has her own rather unique musical style, a mix of rock and blues and jazz and funk which complements her interesting and thoughtful lyrics.

This is not dance music. The songs don't all sound the same. The lyrics don't read like they were written by a teenager. If that's not your cup of tea, perhaps you should move on.

It's too bad that musical crap like Britney flourishes, while Fiona creates excellent music and is mostly ignored. Even the Grammy-winning Norah Jones can only aspire to be as thoughtful as this.

So, in case you were wondering, I do recommend this album. ;)

Vastly overrated
I don't know who the people leaving all these "she's a genius" reviews here, but let me tell you, this album is a huge disappointment. I bought the album lured primarily by the glowing reviews, and I feel cheated.

The music is neither melodic nor touching, instead she produces a cocophany of loud noise and hopes her fans will see it as a "wonderfully elaborate arrangement".

The vocals are unremarkable, the composition is mediocre, and the lyrics are hardly poetic. This is just another singer riding high on the hype generated by her record label. ... Read more

Asin: B00002MZ4W
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Tidal
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 July, 1996)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $12.99
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Editorial Review

Tidal is the debut album by Fiona Apple, a New York singer-songwriter-pianist who was 18 years old at the time of its 1996 release. Apple is obviously talented--she has a dark, smoky alto and a knack for an arresting turn of phrase--but she's still several years away from realizing her potential. For every fresh lyric she writes ("Daddy longlegs, I feel that I'm finally growing weary of waiting to be consumed by you"), she provides two examples of embarrassingly precious schoolgirl poetry ("Adagio breezes fill my skin with sudden red," from the same song, "The First Taste"). She also has yet to refine her moody piano chords into actual melodies, though "Shadowboxer" comes close. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (274)

And remember that depth is the greatest of heights...
If you look back on the second page of reviews, you will see my 2004 two star review. Don't read it; it's wrong. I gave this album a few more spins, because I was desperate for thoughtful lyrics by a solo voice. Fiona is the one. Tidal, a calmer cd than When the Pawn..., is one that I listen to repeatedly now. Not only because the lyrics are astounding and can be linked to so many aspects of life... also because her voice is so soulful and at times calm. The music glides over you like a wave.

My favorite songs are "Sullen Girl," "Criminal," "The Child is Gone." These took awhile for me to get into, except Criminal. The Amazon critic says she doesn't write tangible melodies, but he is wrong. With her beautiful voice, the scattered notes stay in a flurry in your head. It isn't conventional pop or rock songwriting so one can't confine her greatness to a genre.. believe me. Just put the cd in loud in your stereo, and you will hear it. Tidal is a classic.

Tidal is Terrific
Fiona Apple is one of the best female artiss of the 90s. Her album has deep lyrics , smokey balads and amazing vocals.
She is an awesome singer ,talented pianist anda gifted songwriter

Sleep to Dream 5/5 This song has deep lyrics that talks about a relationship that was taken for granted

Sullen Girl3/5 It is a sad and powerful song about a depressed girl

Shadowboxer4/5 a smokey balad about a brake up

Criminal5/5Great song . Fiona's biggest hit ever

Slow like Hoey 4/5 Song about someone wanting you back but you dont want them back

The First Taste 3/5 Song about someone wanting someone back

Never is a Promise 5/5 This is a song about never promising someone back

The Child Is Gone 4/5 soft balad with misery

Pale September4/5 Beautifal Song and beautiful lyrics

Carrion 4/5 light song


THIS ALBUM IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Beautiful And Astounding Debut
I was first compelled to explore the music of Fiona Apple after hearing the complications her third album "Extraordinary Machine" has had in getting released, due to her record company's refusal to put it into manufacture because of the lack of any 'radio material'. I for one was disgusted by this, and my disgust was confirmed even more when I finally bought this album. I always kind of knew that buying an album by Miss Apple would be a wise move, but I didn't know just how good...

Let's just get a few things straight; this album is absolutely f**king incredible. Nothing less than an alternative female rock masterpiece, and undoubtedly one of the greatest albums I've ever purchased. "Tidal" is its name, released in July 1996, when Fiona was a mere 19 years old. It was certified Gold in December of the same year, and has currently racked up US sales of 3 million. Apple possesses a raw yet smooth voice, which is rather smoky and jazzy. Her music is primarily rock but boasts hints of jazz and pop. Her songwriting is incredible, totally something else. She's quite the poet.

The album opens with the amazing "Sleep To Dream." The thumping beat that opens this song soon manifests into a raging and man-hating rock classic! Fiona's vocals here are amazing, and the song has great lyrics. "Sullen Girl" is one of the most amazing songs on the album. It's such a beautiful and tranquil song. It's a really brilliant break-up song, with visual lyrics such as "Calm under the waves in the blue of my oblivion." There's some very relaxing sounds swirling around in the background towards the end of this song, making it very memorable and a perfect song to relax to. Fiona is like a mermaid in this deep ocean of a song. "Shadowboxer" is a real grower, which I didn't really like much to begin with. After a few listens, though, I absolutely love it. This song is so powerful and moving, and it all comes from that amazing voice. Here, Fiona's vocals bellow all over the arrangement which works amazingly with the piano. The song tells the story of a destructive relationship, with almost a hint of physical abuse. This may not be the case, but the ambiguity adds furthermore to its intrigue.

"Criminal" is one of the songs that was released as a single from the album, and perhaps the most well-known. The song is an uptempo rocker with lyrics about how Fiona sees herself as a criminal because she toyed with a boy's emotions. It's a great song, but it's actually not one of my favourites from the album. "Slow Like Honey" is another beautiful and relaxing song, and the most Jazz-like song on the album. The piano creates this unusual atmosphere in the song as Fiona sings a Joni Mitchell-type classic. This song may take a while to really grab you, but once it does you'll be listening to it on repeat for hours. I just can't describe it anymore, but it's very surreal. "The First Taste" is the most experimental song on the album, and features a catchy piano riff that kicks in after the unforgettable line, "I do not struggle in your web, because it was my aim to get caught. But daddy longlegs, I feel that I'm finally growing weary of waiting to be consumed by you." One of the best parts of the song comes when Fiona sings, "Full is not heavy as empty, not nearly my love, not nearly my love, not nearly." Close your eyes at this point and you'll find yourself somewhere totally different. "Never Is A Promise" is probably the most beautiful song on the album and runs for almost six minutes. It's a slow and moving song that features little snippets that may last only a second or two, but which are so memorable that will be drawn back again and again. The lyrics are amazing, the most noticeable being ones such as "I realize what I am now too smart to mention - to you." What I love most about this song is the vocal style Fiona adopts; almost weary, lagging and tired of being hurt. Beautiful and astounding.

"The Child Is Gone" is a mid-tempo number with a swaying piano riff and some unusual lyrics. I'm not quite sure what this song is about, but I do like it. This album has 10 songs of pure genius, and while some are better than others, they're still all pretty damn good. "Pale September" is one of my favourites due to the amazing piano melody that Fiona incorporates into the song. It almost sounds like a lullaby, but rather ominous too; like something doesn't bode well for the future. The lyrics, however, contrast this; they're absolutely stunning. If you read the lyrics slowly and take in each word while Fiona sings them, you'll be transported - visually - to another place. "Carrion" is another great song, but probably my least favourite from the album. This is the last track on the album, and it closes the album in fine style. Fiona's vocals are very hushed, almost whispered, which creates an intimate setting between the listener and herself.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

Fiona Apple has only had two albums released to date, the aforementioned "Tidal" and its 1999 follow-up "When The Pawn..." I bought both albums at the same time, and actually liked the latter much more. Tidal took a while to grow on me, but after repeated listens I can't stop listening to it. It's really impossible for me at this stage to saw which album I like the best - that kind of answer can only be given, at least in my case, in about a year. What this album brings for me is beautiful melodies, gorgeous vocals, thought-provoking lyrics and just something different to my already alternative CD collection. Only ten songs on this album, I hear you cry? Fear not, because in the case of Fiona Apple, less is most definitely more. ... Read more

Asin: B000002BE9
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

The Hot Rock
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 February, 1999)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $14.98
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Everyone knew that Sleater-Kinney were capable of creating some intense (and infectious) blasts of punk and pop, but in 1999 they finally got the production treatment they deserved. The Hot Rock, a sometimes furious--but always catchy--disc of pop-punk, is one of the Northwest trio's best. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (83)

great!
Saw them last year in the UK, really thought they were excellent
Just got round to getting this and I have to say that it is brilliant...melodic and intense. Was a bit worried that it wouldn't live up to the live show but it surpassed it...

Sleater-Kinney's Diamond
Sleater-Kinney has been my favorite band for some time now, and through my exploration of their works I've never been let down by a single album, or a single song. To me, every Sleater-Kinney album is incredible. These women know how to make amazing music, but with The Hot Rock it had something more boiling under its skin. Something about this album resonates with me on every level. Each song just creates this powerful emotional current, a current that will sweep you away to musical bliss. It's hard to determine which Sleater-Kinney albums are better than the others - in my mind they are all untouchable pieces of music, standing all on their own, seprarate from everything else. I have determined though, that The Hot Rock is my favorite of these works, each song as great as the last, filling you with what you've been missing but never knew you lost. This is Sleater-Kinney at their absolute best. This album has changed and saved my life countless times. Listen to this and breathe deeply: This is music as music should be.

I felt so alone thinking this was their best
Glad to see others thought so - i'd hate to have an isolated opinion on something.

Get up was the song i heard on CMJ's collection that sold me on SK. I think the whole album is priceless - $12 at the concert was therefore a good deal.

They're very tight live - play their asses off. ... Read more

Asin: B00000HF6J
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Drums    3. Guitar    4. Indie Rock    5. Pop    6. Riot Grrrl    7. Rock    8. Vocals   

Ray of Light
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (03 March, 1998)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Never underestimate Madonna's power of persuasion: By nearly all critical accounts, Ray of Light, Madonna's first album of new material since 1994's Bedtime Stories, and her first since motherhood, is her richest, most accomplished record yet. While Ray of Light is being tagged as Madonna's big leap into electronica, it's important to note two things: First, her music has always had close ties to dance culture, and, second, her collaborator William Orbit is no Chemical Brother. Though it has all the latest blips, bleeps, and crackles electronica has to offer, Ray of Light is still largely an adult album, completely within Madonna's realm. Still, Orbit's tasteful sonic constructions provide Madonna with her most adventurous, hippest musical backdrop ever. What's more, the arrangements and production are understated enough to highlight an even bigger development: Fresh from singing lessons on the Evita set, Madonna's vocal range, depth, and clarity have never been stronger. But larger pipes don't necessarily make for deeper, truer music. Never a master lyricist, Madonna's words have worked best when they've practically been slogans ("Vogue," "Express Yourself"). This time she goes for more emotional depth, and even tries her hand at ethno-techno-mysticism ("Shanti/Ashtangi"). She largely stumbles, however. The tone conveyed on songs like "Nothing Really Matters" is a self-centered pat on the back that belies her claim to a newfound altruism. It's enough to make you wonder, now that Madonna's given up being our material girl, if maybe she's set her sights on becoming the center of our spiritual world too. --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (718)

Arguably Madonna's best album
'Ray of Light' marked Madonna's return to pop glory.She was still a successful and beloved international pop star in 1998, but both 'Erotica' and 'Bedtime Stories' did not deliver the same numbers as blockbusters like 'True Blue' and 'Like a Prayer'.

'Ray of Light' changed that.Not only was it a huge hit for Madonna, it was her most consistent and enjoyable album yet, and it gained raves from both critics and record-buyers alike (not to mention the Grammys).

There is a wealth of great material on this album, including the stunning opener, 'Drowned World/Substitute for Love', the frenetic title track, and the haunting 'Skin'.

William Orbit proved to be an excellent producer fro Madonna, and although he would produce a few tracks on ROL's follow-up, 'Music', I think Madonna ended her partnership with him a little too quickly.

Their collaboration marked a watershed in Madonna's career, and a reminder that Madonna could deliver an album that was both commercial and soulful.

Excellent pop album!
1997 was a quiet year for Madonna. Evita was her first and only movie succes, but her single sales were going downhill since 1991. She re-invented herself several times and it didn't work. But after she got her baby Lourdes early 1998, she re-inevnted her music and look again and this time it was a huge succes. Madonna looked like a natural beauty with her long black/brown hair and her music was a huge succes. Ray Of Light went 4 times platinum in ths US and was a double platinum or more succes in almost every country. She released 6 singles which promoted the album and many awards (for example 4 grammys) helped promoting the album and singles. The Kaballah really helped Madonna! It cleaned her soul.

The album has got all the latest tunes and sounds fresh and modern. The songs are all longer then 4 minutes and the album includes 13 tracks. It's a large album album, with a running time of more then 150 minutes. The order of the track is well and Madonna's voice sounds amazing after her singing lessons for Evita. The album has a variation of songs, but the songs do match eachother. William Orbit and Madonna did an amazing job. The first part of the album includes some rock-pop songs and the second part is filled with ballads. It can be played at any time.

The titel track is a bouncy rock-pop dance song. Madonna sings really high. You will be surprised at first, but after more listenings you will love this song. It includes a lot of crazy sounds and tunes. Swim and Candy Perfume Girl are both mid-tempo rock-pop songs. Madonna is surprisingley good with soft rock. Mer Girl is a song without beats. It's just Madonna's voice and a melody at the background. The song has some special tunes, which gives this song a mysterious effect. It's a good way to end the album. Little Star is a song about her child. The Power Of Goodbye is the best ballad of the album. The flute created a special effect and the chorus is a classic one. Sky Fits Heaven has some trance in it and can be played in a discotheque. The beats are amazing and the song is very, very catchy. Ashanti is a song other then the others. It is a geisha song in Kaballah language. It has a Chinese effect. The opening song Drowned World has very good lyrics, which is important for the whole album.

Well, is there anything bad about Ray Of Light? Of course, some things are less but there is nothing that really sucks. Madonna's best album without any doubt. You should buy this one, even if you hate madonna. It is pop, rock and trance and it includes very deep ballads and good lyrics. It sounds very new, like it is an album of 2020. This is almost the perfect album...

it's good but overrated too
this album was a new era of artistic growth for madonna's career, the sounds are original with a clever mix of hip hop, eletronica and folk music with deep lyrics and music that one would have not expected from madonna. I suppose the album is a relfection of the rebirth in her life after giving birth to Lourdes. Swim, Ray Of Light, Candy Perfume Girl, Frozen, The Power Of Goodbye and Little Star are the highlights of the CD, but as a whole, I don't think I can listen to the whole thing without wanting to skip tracks every now and then although it's well produced. I think Music and American Life flow better with the tracks and all, and Madonna plays instruments on those albums too. Definitely check those other 2 out, but also check this out to listen to how madonna's music sound evolves with every album. Even Bedtime stories was like a prelude to this album in a way, as hinted with the hit Bedtime Stories. She evolved from pop to dance to r&b to electronica to classic rock, it's amazing. ... Read more

Asin: B000002NJS
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance Music    4. Dance-Pop    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock