Tori Amos

Tales of a Librarian: A Tori Amos Collection is not only one of the most intriguing titles for a hits compilation, but the package itself captures only the best from Amos' years spent with Atlantic. As solid, interesting, and moving as anything she'd released since her 1992 debut, Little Earthquakes, Tales of a Librarian is an autobiographical account of Amos' life as a woman in a complex world, and her songs sift through various emotions and spirits. Regardless of what barrier she faced, she never compromised herself as an individual. Her fans know this, and the quirky arrangement of Tales of a Librarian reflects this and more. Her usual approach of having a story within a story is here, but like the title suggests, Amos organizes her classic singles as a bookshelf ready for research and examination. Each song is remastered and arranged according to era, and the production itself offers new breadth and breath to Amos' work as a whole. Instead of the Boys for Pele version, Armand van Helden's dance remix of "Professional Widow" is included. "Bliss" from Amos' To Venus and Back double album gets a crystallized lift in the studio, while two new songs are introduced for the first time: "Snow Cherries From France" and "Angels." They represent Amos' constant search for truth while witnessing various personal transformations. Reaching for such rightness has been her quest all along and through music she's told amazing stories that millions have come to believe and take seriously. Like Morrissey loyalists, Tori followers are a rare breed. They'll surely appreciate Tales of a Librarian even though they most likely own every single release Amos has ever issued. Those who don't own any of her albums and are looking for a decent collection of her work should enjoy this as well, although owning each of her albums is well worth it. [A bonus DVD featuring live songs recorded during Amos' final show of her 2003 North American tour as well as remixes for "Putting the Damage On" and "Mr. Zebra" is included here.] ~ MacKenzie Wilson, Rovi