Tori Amos - Midwinter Graces
An unabashed attempt to bring some credibility to surely one of the most teeth-gritting genres known
Every sane individual who has been involved in the guilt-driven, high street shopping orgy of December must surely shudder at the very thought of The Christmas Album. Wham, Cliff Richard and Slade on repeat. Every store. Same thing. For weeks. So it happens that Tori Amos has made an unabashed attempt to bring some credibility to what's surely one of the most teeth-gritting genres known. Unsurprisingly, she's only moderately successful in her attempts on Midwinter Graces. Whilst the faintly baroque modality of Candle and the lush A Silent Night With You provide familiar seasonal atmospherics, the overt (and obviously integral) religious themes will likely put many people off what are otherwise largely very accomplished Amos works. Emmanuel in particular is a beauty which would sit well on any of her previous albums. Unfortunately the wince-inducing, big-band brass of Pink and Glitter might well find it's way in between Wham and Slade next year, ad infinitum. [Chris Cusack]