nlawr54761's Full Review: Under the Pink by Tori Amos
10 years ago, Tori Amos was one of the few alternative rock female artists out there and she was one of the standouts. It's pretty easy to see why: her voice was beautiful as she always changed octaves in one note, she can play the hell out of a piano, and when her lyrics were straightforward it was pretty poignant. So in early 1994, she released her sophomore album Under The Pink and expectations were very high for it to be equally as great as her debut. Critics and fans thought it was equally impressive as Little Earthquakes, although they were disappointed that it wasn't as personal as that album. Was her sophomore just as great as her debut or maybe she couldn't match the brilliance of LE?
The album starts with Pretty Good Year, a mainly piano ballad where Tori gently sings some cryptic lyrics about tears on the sleeve of a man/ don't wanna be a boy today/ heard the eternal footman bought himself a bike to race. As she gets into the chorus, a soft string orchestra comes in making the song more lush and beautiful. In the second verse, her voice gets stronger and you can feel the song wanting to climax when she sings well let me tell you something about America, but it doesn't. In the bridge, the song takes a turn with guitars and drums and Tori singing loudly, but it returns back to piano ballad and Tori ends the song gently. This was the first song to really appeal to me on the album. God is another favorite of mine with the excellent drums, funky bass line, and guitars. The subject matter seems to be about God always needing a woman and not always doing what he's suppose to. In between the chorus and verses, I don't know if it's a monkey noise or that guitar making those silly sounds. I love the background vocals on the verses with the pretty piano and well played bass guitar. My favorite part is the bridge where the drums become more present and Tori's voice getting strong.
Bells For Her is the most simple song on the album when it comes to composition with just a muted piano sounding like bells. The song is about two girls who are lovers, but something tragic happens in their relationship but we don't know what it is. The song, overall, really bores me as all I hear the bell-sounding muted piano with the same notes and there's only much I can take without getting annoyed or bored. Past The Mission is a mid-tempo song that sounds like it's from the 70's. The piano is very happy sounding and the drums are rhythmic on the verses, but on the chorus it's very moody and dark. You can Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails on the chorus, but it's nothing noteworthy. There's a piano solo on the bridge which makes the song more likeable. The subject matter is confusing as the lyrics jump from one thing to another. It's not one of my favorites, but it's not one of my least favorites either.
Baker Baker is a piano ballad with lovely strings. It's a straightforward song about not being available emotionally for someone. The lyrics are metaphoric and poignant: I guess you heard he's gone to LA/ he says behind my eyes I'm hiding/ and he tells me I pushed him away/ that my hearts been hard to find. Even though the song is nice, there's just something I'm not sure about it. I don't know what it really is. The Wrong Band is a cute, but very boring song about prostitution. The piano is okay and the organ is atmospheric, but the song overall is just out of place and sounds like something grandparents would like to hear. The Waitress is another favorite with the violent lyrics of killing a waitress and dark sound. The verses are quiet with the piano and industrial beat, then the chorus is raging with electric guitars and drums with Tori singing But I believe in peace/ I believe in peace b*tch/ I believe in peace. The song is great to bang your head to and yell "Rock on".
Cornflake Girl is another favorite of mine with the mandolin intro leading me to think it was an Irish jig. It turns into a western-pop song with the catchy piano and drums. The lyrics make absolutely no sense (peel out the watchword, rabbit, where'd you put the keys girl), but the upbeat song is too pleasant to even mind that. If you ever doubt Tori's piano skills, listen to this song cause it will blow you away. There's a good reason why this is one of Tori's popular songs. Icicle is just Tori and her piano singing about mastubating during Bible book study. The first minute and a half is Tori playing her piano then she starts singing. The song is very intimate as her songs usually are. There are parts of the song I really like for example when she sings I could have/ I should have/ I could have flown/ you know I could have/ I should have/ I didn't so. Overall, I feel like I need to get used to the song though.
Cloud On My Tongue is another piano ballad that slightly sounds like "Pretty Good Year". Tori's voice is very gentle and the lyrics are cryptic and a little funny (don't stop now what you're doin my ugly one). The sweeping strings make the song more beautiful and I love it when it all climaxes. With Tori continually singing in circles and circles again, it makes the song very emotional. Space Dog is a unique song with it's throbbing bass, rhythmic drums, and piano just going with the flow and the song kinda sounds like spy music. Then it stops and the key changes with a piano break making the song confusing. Then it goes back to it's original sound and then back to another piano break. The lyrics are just funny in this song (racing turtles the grapefruit is winning, is she still p*ssing in the river now/ heard she'd gone moved into a trailer park). However, the music is incredible and the song is a highlight.
Yes, Anastasia is an epic song with classical influence. I don't know what the hell Tori's talking about, but whatever. In between lyrics, it's just piano playing and sweeping strings which explain why the song is 9 and a half minutes long. I like the movements and climaxes, but overall the song is way too long and by the time I'm in the middle of it I get distracted by something else.
This album is not as great as Little Earthquakes and out of all the Tori albums I have, it's my least favorite so far. But that doesn't mean it don't have great songs and the album overall is still good. I do feel this album is a bit overrated, but I still enjoy this album. I'd even say that it's a good start to get familiar with her with the rocking songs and string-laden ballads. I mean, this album did go platinum so that must say something.
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