Tori Amos –

• 25th Nov 2009

Last year Enya released her winter themed album, this year we get something even more Christmassy from Tori Amos.

Clearly, releasing the wonderfully devilish “Abnormally Attracted to Sin” earlier this year (and then going on a full blown out tour) was not enough for Tori Amos as she is back again this year with this release, “Midwinter Graces.”

Seasonal covers of classic Carols and a few original songs from the lady herself; this 12 song effort isn’t quite the cheese sceptics may expect. Of course utilising her piano, as well as a bit of harpsichord, strings and even a medieval touch in “Candle: Coventry Candle” brings in a variety of sounds which keeps the music lively.

What is impressive is how restrained it is in sounding too seasonal. It is undoubtedly a fitting album that works together, but if you were not paying attention to the lyrics you’d be hard pressed in certain places to accuse it of being a Christmas album. These clichéd sounds of ringing bells and rattling tambourines are kept to a bare minimum. If anything it is far more folk sounding, and all the better for it.

So it doesn’t really matter too much if you are a fan of that most famous of winter seasons or not as her music pretty much takes the forefront on the majority of the tracks. It is not Amos at her best, but she hasn’t hit a low in her career either.