70 AMERICANWAY
JULY 1 2007
Music
No one who’s heard a single album of Amos’s is likely
to disagree with her claim. Since her 1992 break-
through,
Little Earthquakes
, the singer-pianist has in-
vestigated the social, biological, and political implica-
tionsofwomanhoodwithanunflinchinghonesty that’s
won her both ardent fans and outspoken critics. On
her latest album,
AmericanDoll Posse
, Amos reacts to
the current climate in Americawithmusical portraits
of distinct female archetypes. “All of thesewomen are
different components of a complete female essence,”
Amos says. “And I’mexploringbringing thesedifferent
components together in onewoman. As everywoman
begins todo that, thenyou’redealingwith somepretty
powerful forces.”
Your lastalbum, 2005’s
TheBeekeeper
, hadamel-
low, contemplative vibe. This new one rocks a lot
harder.
Each record is its own sonic exhibition, and
youhave to lookat themwithin their context.
TheBee-
keeper
was written at a time when I thought things
Tori Amos
AmericanDoll Posse
(Epic)
Tori Amos has got the blues. I’m not talking about her frequently personal and heavy lyrical ruminations; I’m
talkingabout her latest album. Amos has reportedly said that shewanted tobringout herwarriorwoman this
time, and the bluesy, classic-rock vibe here gives her emotional music the extra kick that’s missing from her
albums
Scarlet’sWalk
and
The Beekeeper
. While Amos has focused more on a group format for her recent
albums,
AmericanDoll Posse
servesup raunchierelectricguitarandsnarlingelectricslidework inplaces. That’s
her LedZeppelin side comingout, and it imbues tunes like “YouCanBringYourDog” and “BodyandSoul”with
an edge that echoes the
Little Earthquakes
and
Under the Pink
dayswithout revisiting them. On the flip side,
the album also features signature Amos balladry (“Roosterspur Bridge” and the short and sweet “Devils and
Gods”), orchestratedpop (“GirlDisappearing” and “ProgrammableSoda”), andevenan Italian-flavoredacoustic
number (“VelvetRevolution”).
AmericanDoll Posse
tells stories from the livesoffivedifferent femalecharacters
but without as many cryptic lyrical references as have permeated many of her albums. Even though Amos
has always been an artist with something to say, her last couple of albums seemingly fell into a stylistic rut,
something that the 20 tracks encompassing
AmericanDoll Posse
escape from, allowing the enigmatic singer-
songwritermore room to roam. She’sworking from awider palette of sounds and styles here, and themusic swings and rocksmore. If this isAmos’s innerwarrior atwork,
she’s unleashing a hearty battle cry. —BryanReesman
were about to change; that recordwas about seeing a
light at the end of the tunnel, with the dove of peace
coming out. When I was writing, I was seeing that
peoplewantedmoreof adiplomaticapproach toprob-
lems instead of a confrontational approach.
Things turned out differently than you expected.
Because thatdidn’thappen, itwas time to say, “Okay, if
we’re going to take on the patriarchy and its ideology,
thenwhat doyoudo? If it’s too loud, turn it up.”Some-
times that’s the onlyway that you can hear.
Was that louder, punk-inspired sound your idea
for the album right from the start?
I can hear all
the arrangements when they’re coming inmy head. I
always have; that’s how it happens. This is one record
where I realized thediversity that themusicianswould
have tohave. Stylistically, everybodywould reallyhave
to understand how to play this kind of music, even if
theyweren’t brought up on punkmusic.
These days you live and record in England, which
gives you, as an American, a unique perspective
on the United States.
I wrote this in America— I
had to. I have a little beach house in Florida, and I’m
theremore than people realize. But I keep a low pro-
file. Idon’t showupanywhere, because Idon’twant to
be observed. I’m the observer, you see. And how can
you be collecting your information and studying your
subject if thecamera’s turnedonyouall the time?That
wouldblow your cover.
What were you watching for?
To see how Ameri-
can women were interpreting what is happening to
our country, how we’re perceived in the rest of the
world. And I was fascinated by what I found. Some
didn’t really seehow it affected theirdayhourbyhour;
some did. But the one thing that I felt I had todowas
askmyself why so few are doing so little. That’swhat
propelledme.
“I’m obsessedwithwomen’s stories,”
says Tori Amos, “how they’ve been
able to negotiatewhat their place is
at the roundtable.”
