Night Of Hunters - Sin Palabras (Without Words)

I'll start by saying that I'm one of those people that thinks "Little Earthquakes", "Under The Pink" and "Boys For Pele" (her first three albums) are Tori's best albums. Even though the albums released after them are all beautiful in their own way, I don't believe any of them had the same level of passion, intensity, and beauty of those first three albums...

Many people are saying that this album is a "return to form" and comparing it to the first three albums, "Under The Pink" in particular. I've been listening to "Night of Hunters" for a few days now - I resisted the urge to write a review after the first listen, I think it's better to let the album sink in a bit first...

So, is this album the much anticipated "return to form"? My answer would be yes and no. The instrumentation, like the first three albums, is absolute perfection. Even though there are no guitars, drums, or percussive instruments (other than piano of course) the album is rich and full in sound (please don't let the acoustic label put you off). The atmosphere Tori has created is intense, moody, and very dark, which, I believe is a return to form in a way. The piano is finally back and she's playing it in a way I've been wanting to hear again for a long time. Just listen to 4:06 into "Star Whisperer", or 2:44 into "Edge of the Moon" and you'll see exactly why people are comparing this album to "Under The Pink". With this album, Tori has decided not to allow the vocals to suffocate the songs - we are frequently treated to a few minutes of no vocals, just the piano, strings and other instruments swirling around and creating a magical and enchanting atmosphere (which is also a characteristic shared with "Under The Pink"). It's nice to have an instrumental track, "Seven Sisters", while very short, really is quite beautiful... The strong classical influences mean that the structure of these songs is different to what we've been hearing from Tori for the past many years, and again more in common with the first three albums, and I believe this is a very good thing. I enjoy this album more than any of the albums Tori released after "Boys For Pele".

Where this album is not a return to form is the vocals... Over the years, Tori's voice has changed quite a lot, and so has the phrasing of her words. Many, myself included, have complained about THAT strange new accent she's been singing in for a while now. Her vocals also seem to have lost much of the passion and intensity that she used to have. This was the only initial disappointment I had when listening to this album. One thing we must remember though, is that Tori's life has obviously changed since the early days in her career. I think she was a very frustrated, possibly depressed, woman when she was making her best music - she has been in a relationship for a long time now, she has a daughter, and she seems very happy these days. After listening to the album a few times, and allowing myself to warm to the vocals, I realise that her voice is still very beautiful and there is much passion, just passion of a different kind. Her vocals on this album are actually in better form than they have been for the past 6 years or so. The choice to include her daughter's vocals is an interesting one, and I don't think it was bad idea. They provide an interesting contrast to Tori's vocals and I believe they work together quite well.

Overall, I think that, whether it's the anticipated "return to form" many have been waiting for or not, "Night of Hunters" is an original, complex, and immensely beautiful album that deserves to be heard without being compared to earlier albums. It may not be to everybody's liking, and certainly requires an open mind. It also may take a while to "sink in" (as many of the best albums do), but once it does it's worth the effort. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, I think the change of seasons will help many to appreciate the album more. It's moody and dark atmosphere make this an album to listen to in the Autumn or Winter, preferably at night.

Will all the rubbish you hear these days, I thought I'd revisit Tori Amos.
I was a fan a few years ago but kind of moved away, but decided to give this a listen as I was intrigued by the reviews and the unusual (at least in my opinion) approach that seemed to have been taken with this album.
It literally took me one listen and I was completely hooked.
I find this a total delight from the first note to the last. What a wonderful, uplifting piece of work this is.
Fabulous musicianship, tremendous melodies and structures. I actually got the Sin Palabras version too, but that's not to say the vocals from Tori and her niece and daughter aren't enchanting.
You probably guessed I completely love this :) If you like Tori Amos get it now, if you're not sure, get it anyway and prepare to become a fan!

I seem to be in the minority here. I was really looking forward to a classically inspired release from Tori Amos, but while you can't argue with the ambition behind this album, like her last few it is a bit of a mixed bag.
On the plus side, Tori's wonderful piano playing, which seemed in the background on her last album, is back to the fore. I also think her voice sounds better than it has in years, and the classical arrangements and musicians work well. The opening and closing tracks are the standouts: Shattering Sea is wonderfully powerful and dramatic while Carry is simply beautiful. On repeated listens Edge of the Moon, Fearlessness and Night of Hunters really come into their own.
However in some songs the cryptic (to me anyway) lyrics of the "song cycle" don't match the beautiful music. Battle of Trees goes on for about 8 minutes without really going anywhere, and feels a lot longer. Cactus Practice is a sweet tune, but again the odd words seem to jar. As a long time Tori fan I am used to her unique and often beautiful lyrics, but while these seemed to fit and add to the atmosphere on an album like Boys for Pele, here sometimes they make it harder to really connect with the tracks. While Tori's daughter can clearly sing and has an interesting voice, the duets don't really work for me.
It is definitely an album that needs repeated listens to be fully appreciated. I admire the uniqueness and ambition but it doesn't always fulfil its potential. I believe there is a great classical album in Tori Amos, but this isn't quite it.