Sept. 18 was an important day for Tori Amos fans everywhere, as it marked the release of her new album, Strange Little Girls.Debuting as the No. 1 album in the United States, Strange Little Girlsis a departure from Amos’ traditional fare of self-written works. All songs on the album are covers written by men, about women. Amos felt a metaphorical connection with those female characters.
“Each woman approached me and said, ‘I have a point of view on this song, that you may want to know, that may change how you hear its meaning,’” Amos says in a July Atlantic Records press release. The liner notes consist of a series of photos by Thomas Schenk portraying Amos in the personas she assumes for each song. These characters range as vastly as do her musical choices; the disk includes The Velvet Underground’s “New Age,” Eminem’s ”’97 Bonnie & Clyde” and Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence.”
“Happiness is a Warm Gun,” another of the album’s covers, was originally released by the Beatles on their 1968 self-titled “White Album.” The Beatles’ version tells the story of a married business tycoon and his glamorous escort or “other woman,” whose persona Amos adopts. Amos’ version of the song, which is focused around sound bites from Lennon’s murder and discussion of the second amendment, draws parallels between the chorus of the song, “Happiness is a warm gun,” and the ramifications of such words. Her style is much heavier and more guitar-driven than the Beatles’, provoking a darker response than the original song.
Eminem’s ”’97 Bonnie & Clyde” is the most surprising cover on the album, as he and Amos are rarely mentioned in the same sentence and reside on opposite ends of the pop spectrum.
“When I first heard the song the scariest thing to me was the realization that people are getting into the music and grooving along to a song about a man who is butchering his wife,” Amos says. She makes the precept even more disturbing by adopting the persona of the woman in the song.
Perhaps the most reminiscent of her trademark style, Amos’ cover of “Enjoy the Silence” blends soulful singing and gentle piano accompaniment in a way that preserves the original intent of the song. Although the original version has a rocking ‘80s dance club beat, Amos successfully conveys that this is truly a love song.
The one disappointing cover on the album is Amos’ rendition of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” In the original version, Young tells of two journeys to find this elusive “heart of gold,” which Amos embodies as a set of twins; these two women are apparently singing about their individual paths to the heart of gold. Given this precept, listeners may expect a solo voice on each verse and a duet for the chorus, emphasizing the uniqueness of each personality Amos has chosen. If one can hear the vocals over the repetitive, high-pitched guitar solo, however, it becomes apparent that the only thing that is unique about these twins is that one is singing the harmony and the other is singing the melody. Perhaps this is a meaningful arrangement for Amos, but it leaves listeners confused and reaching for the “skip” button.
Despite the one irritating track, Amos successfully fulfills her fans’ expectations. Although her biggest fans may be looking for a “secret message” in the music, an unconfirmed Trent Reznor guest appearance or other tidbits Amos likes to include in her songs, she remains faithful to the original artists and concentrates on redefining the woman in each song. There are only a few substantial factoids to date. Amos’ father makes a guest appearance on “Happiness is a Warm Gun,” and executive producer credit goes to Amos’ daughter Natashya. Matt Chamberlain of Filter and Smashing Pumpkins fame also plays the drums on several tracks.
As soon as her album hit the shelves, Amos hit the road and began a new North American tour. She is scheduled to make a stop in D.C. this weekend and will be playing Saturday and Sunday nights at D.A.R. Constitution Hall. Although both concerts are sold out, there is a good chance of picking up tickets outside the hall on the nights of the concerts or on eBay. Amos is scheduled to play a solo show, with no opening act, no band and no back-up singers. However, surprise visits from her friends are always a possibility. Both Trent Reznor and Maynard James Keenan have dropped in on her concerts as unannounced guests.
“Words can wound and words can heal, and both are included on the album,” says Amos. “I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘They’re only words; what is everybody going on about?’ But words are powerful; words are like guns. Your fingerprints cannot be erased from your words; you only leave the scene of the crime covered in ink. A person has to take responsibility for their words. We as writers cannot separate ourselves from what we create. All of these songs were created by powerful wordsmiths, whether you agree with them or not.”
