2011年 05月 24日 火曜日 16:21

I saw some other people here do it, so I would also like to make a ranking list of all studio albums of Tori Amos.

I thought it was pretty difficult to rank her albums, because I like them all (except for Strange Little Girls). Some of her songs (and albums) I loved right from the start, while others first had to grow on me. And for some songs I lost a bit of interest along the way, maybe I listened to them a little bit too much. Anyway, here is my current list (I start with the best one on top, because I like that better):

1. From the Choirgirl Hotel (1998)
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This is definitely her best album ever! It is a very personal and dark album, dealing with subjects like her miscarriage(s), her marriage and some stuff coming from her nightmares. A lot of very beautiful, touching songs and very good use of electronics.
Best tracks: Spark, Cruel, Black-Dove (January), Raspberry Swirl, Jackie's Strength, i i e e e, Playboy Mommy

2. Little Earthquakes (1992)
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Her very strong debut album, and very close to the number one. Also a very personal and emotional album, dealing with heavy subjects like rape and guilt. This album has the best composition and really forms a whole, without any fillers in my opinion.
Best tracks: Crucify, Silent All These Years, Precious Things, Winter, Happy Phantom, China, Leather, Me and a Gun

3. Under the Pink (1994)
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Her second album which is more piano-based than the previous one and has a lot of dynamics. It contains some very beautiful songs about different subjects like religion and the difficulties in relationships between women.
Best tracks: Pretty Good Year, God, Bells for Her, Past the Mission, Baker Baker, Cornflake Girl, Cloud on My Tongue, Yes, Anastasia

4. The Beekeeper (2005)
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Although a lot of people consider this one of her worst albums, I totally disagree. I really like it. Because of her 4 year old daughter she didn't want it to be scary, because "there are already to many scary rock moms". It has a more soft and warm atmosphere and it deals with subjects like spirituality, life & death, sexuality and religion in a very beautiful way.
Best Tracks: Parasol, Sleeps with Butterflies, Original Sinsuality, The Beekeeper, Hoochie Woman, Marys of the Sea

5. Abnormally Attracted to Sin (2009)
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Another album which was badly received among the fans I understood. I also like this album a lot, although I don't like all of the songs. I really like the lyrics about religion and the kind of facade it can be when it is only something superficial.
Best tracks: Give, Welcome to England, Flavor, Maybe California, Ophelia

6. To Venus and Back (1999)
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This is her most electronic album. It took me a while before I began to like it, but now I really do. Except for some songs about her "garden-obsession", most songs are about experiences and feelings in certain situations.
Best tracks: Bliss, Concertina, Glory of the 80's, 1000 Oceans

7. Boys for Pele (1996)
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Her most artistic album, on which she shows a lot of anger and rage after splitting up with her boyfriend. I like it that she uses the Harpsichord. However, a lot of songs are just too cryptic and abstract for me. I really appreciate the originality, but it doesn't touch me in the way some of her other albums do.
Best tracks: Blood Roses, Father Lucifer, Caught a Lite Sneeze, Muhammad My Friend, Hey Jupiter

8. Scarlet's Walk (2002)
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An unpopular opinion, as I saw a lot of people with this album higher up in the list. It is an album with a light and warm atmosphere, but it is also pretty nationalistic. I really love a few of the songs, but overall a lot of the songs sound somewhat the same in my opinion.
Best tracks: A Sorta Fairytale, Crazy, I Can't See New York, Gold Dust

9. American Doll Posse (2007)
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This is more a rock album than her other albums. It describes five different parts of Tori's artistic personality. It is also her most political oriented album up to now and her least personal I think. I don't think it is a bad album, actually I listened to it a lot. But none of the songs really grab me like some of the songs on her other albums.
Best tracks: Big Wheel, Bouncing Off Clouds, Programmable Soda, Beauty of Speed

10. Strange Little Girls (2001)
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As already mentioned this is her worst album in my opinion. It consists of songs of male artists, covered from a woman point of view. I like the concept and the way she had herself photographed. However the songs are not that good in my opinion. I miss some power, some dynamics. None of the songs really touch me.
Best track: Real Men

I don't have the album Midwinter Graces, because I don't like seasonal albums in general. So I leave it with this list of ten albums.