Little Earthquakes Arkansas

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

Atlantic Records, 1992

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/21/1997

It's been over six months since I reviewed Tori Amos's Boys For Pele, and I think there are still people whohaven't forgiven me for raking that album over the coals.

There once was a time when I thought Tori Amos was one of themost exciting new musicians to hit the airwaves. She put new hopeinto piano-based music since Elton John first hit the scene, andshe could rightfully be called a new voice in folk.

Back in 1992, Amos released her first solo album Little Earthquakes, and I don't think she's ever topped thismasterpiece. Even five years later, people are drawn to this albumlike moths to a lightbulb; look at the resurgence in popularity forthe track "Silent All These Years."

Coming off a disastrous attempt at fronting a heavy-metal band(and, brother, I would kill to get my hands on an original copy of Y Kant Tori Read just to hear it), Amos withdrew into theshell - or, rather, the hell - that had been her life to thatpoint. A victim of rape earlier in her life, Amos bunkered downwith her piano in front of her and recorded Little Earthquakes in a style that made it seem like she waspouring her life into it.