Emotion can go a long way. One of the things that made Freddy Mercury the icon that he is was that no matter how serious or how cheezy the song, Mercury could make us believe that he meant every last syllable of the tune through his delivery - he was what a "rock star" should be...and what a "balladeer" should be...and a couple of other things, as well. And when you talk about women in popular music, nobody holds that same level of emotional intensity as well as Tori Amos.
Her songs can strike a chord in your heart, regardless of sex (although most of her songs are much better understood by women). Her heartfelt delivery, with Amos many times playing the role of the gawkish teenager - all grown up and ready to tell everyone what they put her through - gives each song an urgency that cannot be matched. But it's been five years since Amos came on the scene with her sophomore album Little Earthquakes and its single "Silent All These Years," and time has changed Amos - for good and for bad.
First, the good part. That urgency is still there, coming though with every note she sings. Songs like "Hey Jupiter" and "Horses" stand out as two of the best works on the album. But, there is also a down side. On her last album, 1994's Under The Pink, Amos became more and more attracted to large, orchestral arrangements. For some artists, this works. But most of Amos' strength is in her ability to sit at a piano with minimal effects and instrumentation and tell you a story. Many times, in songs like "Father Lucifer," Amos' writing, while quite accomplished, often relies on subtle lyrical tricks that don't come through too well when placed over a barrage of instrumentation - leaving the songs feeling rather cluttered.
Not all of these songs are losses, though. "Putting the Damage On" is quite well done, reminiscent of "Yes, Anastasia" from Under The Pink with its often soaring background score. Likewise, "Caught In A Lite Sneeze," the album's first single, works as well. But it is songs like "Twinkle" and "Doughnut Song" which bring out the best in Amos.
Ultimately, if you're not a fan, this album most probably won't turn you into one. But if you are (and judging from her wide fanbase on the World Wide Web, there are plenty of them out there - enough to make the album debut at #2 on Billboard's charts the week of its release), then you'll definitely enjoy Boys for Pele. And although the album isn't Amos' strongest work to date by far, it is still superior to the majority of albums released so far this year...and will probably still be ten months from now.
