- Audio Cassette (17 Sep 1999)
- Number of Discs: 2
- Label: Atlantic
- ASIN: B00001IVJT
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
This two-CD affair is part live album, part new material which singer/songwriter Tori Amos' muse delivered to her ahead of schedule. As ever with Amos, she doesn't flinch from harrowing subject matter--"Juarez" depicts a bloodied Mexican desert where a mass rape and murder took place, with the squall of ghostly voices recreated by overdub and Amos bleakly intoning the mantra "And no angels came...". Elsewhere, however, Amos trains her idiosyncratic gaze on the darker areas of human intimacy with a new confidence in the resources of the studio and a mature playfulness. "Riot Poof" trounces homophobia with a bouncy, synth-driven glee, "Lust" has two Amos vocal tracks superimposed to represent both the physical and spiritual dimensions of horniness, while "Bliss" exquisitely explores the strains of a father-daughter relationship. Among her best work. --David Stubbs
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
CD1 is definitely Tori Amos' most electronic-driven albums, but don't let that common fear of great-artists-turning-silly-to-go-with-the-times get in the way, because there are still magic Tori moments to be found. 1000 Oceans and Josephine are two beautiful ballads and Concertina has that pretty Amos chorus. Bliss, Datura, Juarez and Glory Of The 80s have a new sound than other Tori albums but just let it work on you and you'll see how effective the electronics are. Truly amazing.
CD2 is the live album. This would get ten out of five stars alone because it is just fantastic! The live versions of Precious Things, Cruel, Mr Zebra and The Waitress are brilliant and she breathes new life into Cornflake Girl and Bells For Her. Also on the live album are the excellent vocal moments of Sugar and the beautiful piano hook of Cooling. A must!
CD2 is the live album. This would get ten out of five stars alone because it is just fantastic! The live versions of Precious Things, Cruel, Mr Zebra and The Waitress are brilliant and she breathes new life into Cornflake Girl and Bells For Her. Also on the live album are the excellent vocal moments of Sugar and the beautiful piano hook of Cooling. A must!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I love Tori, yet whenever she has a new album out it takes me a few goes to get what she's doing. This album was no exception. Some tracks caught me imediately (1000 Oceans), but after coming back to it again and again I finally 'got it'. I love music when it's easy to hear, automatically pleasing, but the best music is when it takes a while to get under your skin and permeate the layers of your consciousness. To Venus and Back is the work of a true genius. The piano hook on 'Lust' is so simple yet tremendous, the song written from the POV of Napoleon (strange but true folks) - Josephine - is a lyrical delight and heartbreaking with it. All of the songs are little pieces of the ever expanding universe that is Tori Amos.
The live cd is great listening, Cooling being my fave track and Sugar a close second. Tori's voice sounds slightly tired, but that adds an edge for me. The little spoken-to-the-crowd inserts are cool - she isn't an ordinary girl, is she?
To Venus and Back is an album that holds hidden treaures, and they are available for those brave enough to wade thru the miasma of 'quirky Tori' preconceptions and mourning for the days of Little Earthquakes to come back (it's never happening, dear). It will take you to places (venus perhaps?) you've long needed to go.. and who knows, you may never want to come back.
The live cd is great listening, Cooling being my fave track and Sugar a close second. Tori's voice sounds slightly tired, but that adds an edge for me. The little spoken-to-the-crowd inserts are cool - she isn't an ordinary girl, is she?
To Venus and Back is an album that holds hidden treaures, and they are available for those brave enough to wade thru the miasma of 'quirky Tori' preconceptions and mourning for the days of Little Earthquakes to come back (it's never happening, dear). It will take you to places (venus perhaps?) you've long needed to go.. and who knows, you may never want to come back.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
tori never fails to amaze me. although all her albums have a similar style, they are all incredibly varied. at the time of writing this, i own "from the choirgirl hotel" and "boys for pele" both which are great albums. i prefer FTCH more because it has the electronic sound, which "to venus and back" has. the piano is still there, but it is contrasted wonderfully with the electronics and drums in the background.
standout tracks for me include "bliss" which is my favourite song on the album, "juarez" for it's plain originality and "1000 oceans" because it is a truly beautiful song, both lyrically and musically. all the songs on this album are brilliant and not to be missed.
disc 2, the live album blew me away. i have never seen (or heard) tori live before listening to this cd. now i am determined to see her someday. starting off with "precious things" the darkness of the piano and backing band set the scene for this cd. i loved the live versions of "cruel" and "bells for her" - they were so amazing. how one person can be so talented is beyond me. totally brilliant.
buy this now. don't think twice. just get it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
along with chorigirl my fave tori album!
1. Bliss 10/10
2. Juarez 10/10
3. Concertina 9/10
4. Glory Of The 80's 10/10
5. Lust 8.5/10
6. Suede 8/10
7. Josephine 8/10
8. Read more
2. Juarez 10/10
3. Concertina 9/10
4. Glory Of The 80's 10/10
5. Lust 8.5/10
6. Suede 8/10
7. Josephine 8/10
8. Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2009 by J.F
Putting the Clash in Electroclash: Tori's Difficult 5th
Could I be the only Tori fan that had a problem with `To Venus and Back`? From the voluble praise of the other reviews it might be so. Read more
Published on 21 May 2009 by P. Smith
"...is your place in heaven worth giving up these kisses"
Tori Amos is an amazing artist, full stop. While she will probably never be mainstream (that is not a bad thing) she undoubtedly is one of the most talented artists of our time. Read more
Published on 15 July 2007 by Brida
Tori Amos - To Venus And Back
I've found out that most people love, or simply don't like this album compared to her others. 1998-99 showcased my favourite Tori Amos `era' - the electronica Tori. Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2006 by srxjnj
toriamos=talented artist.
i have only listened to 2 of her albums, but i was pleased when i heard this one.
the first cd is better,because it isnt live. Read more
the first cd is better,because it isnt live. Read more
Published on 8 July 2002 by "laurenhodeuk"
Two great albums! You really must buy this!!!
This album is a first for Tori Amos and a rare thing for the music industry; it is an album of entirely new material coupled with another CD of live material, which is essentially... Read more
Published on 8 April 2002 by "lee-t"
She broke my heart, but I love her just the same...
Buy this album for the live song "Cooling", if for no other reason. It's a masterpiece too beautiful for the clumsiness of modern living, redemptive in its lyrical... Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2002 by junglebeaver@yahoo.com
Tori's Dalliance with Dance
OK so not strictly a dalliance with 'dance' but certainly the new electronica sound that is eeking its way into almost every new album is here. Read more
Published on 8 Feb 2001
Will you just buy it already!
It doesn't seem that long ago since Tori Amos's last album FROM THE CHOIR GIRL HOTEL was a permanent fixture in my CD player, but now here we are again with her new album. Read more
Published on 4 Jun 2000
darkly disturbing
this record is stunning, the atmosphere that comes across in songs like Juarez and Datura are almost overwhelming. Read more
Published on 16 May 2000
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