Hope you all had a great weekend!
So I spent my Friday night checking out one of my favorite artists, Tori Amos, on her "American Doll Posse Tour." It was freaking amazing! I'm always hesitant to go to Tori Amos shows, because - while I love Tori Amos - I hate people who LIKE Tori Amos. Haha. Hypocritical? Perhaps. But true!
Aanyway, it was an amazing show. I know some people can't stand her for one reason or another... either they think she's a pretentious lyricist who writes bullshit masquerading as poetry, or a freaky wailing nymph who can't pronounce anything understandably, or they think she's a plain ole weirdo. I think she's an amazing artist who is - on occasion - all of the above. :) And the concert was fantastic. The Orpheum Theater in Boston was packed, she did a great set list of old and new songs, she played the piano and sounded like nobody's business, and she did a really cool performance art piece at the beginning... she started the show dressed as "Pip" (one of five "personalities" represented on her Doll Posse album), and chose songs based on that "character." Really interesting. Ah, and she sang a song dedicated to Miss Massachusetts (y'know, the Beauty Queen) who was in the audience that night.
A lot of people don't realize that several remixes of Tori Amos songs have had big success in clubs (quite often, because they don't SOUND like Tori, dance fans don't realize who they're listening to!). She's had five Top 10 hits on the Billboard Club Chart... so below, I've given MY order from worst to best Tori remix. Click the title to listen to some of the tracks through iTunes or Amazon. Some are rarities, so give 'em a buy if you like 'em!
Here we go...
Tori from her current tour
TORI: The Top 5 Dance Remixes
#5 - "In the Springtime of His Voodoo" (Hasbrouck Mix) - Billboard Club Peak: #6
A so-so mix to a so-so song from Tori's Boys for Pele album. Never made an impact on me either way, but apparently enough people liked it to make it a Top 10 club hit. This black magic passed me by, I guess ;)
#4 - "Jackie's Strength" (Wedding Cake Mix) - Billboard Club Peak: #1
AMAZING original song, which Tori performed in the Boston show. Very cute moment during it... there's a lyric where she sings, "virgins always get backstage." At that moment, someone in the audience shouted, "I'm going to get backstage!" Tori paused, stopped playing the piano for a moment, and said to the girl - totally deadpan - "Honey... you're no fucking virgin!" Haha. Then she picked right back up again. The audience was in hysterics ;) Anyway, very cool remix. It's from 1998, so it does have kind of a dated '90s House sound. But hey, I like dated '90s House ;)
#3 - "Don't Make Me Come to Vegas" (Timo on Tori Mix) - Billboard Club Peak: #6
Probably the only time where I prefer the remix to the original. "Don't Make Me Come to Vegas" is an okay song, but this Timo Maas remix is even better. Mostly instrumental, with just Tori repeating the title over and over. But reaaaally catchy. ;)
#2 - "Blue Skies" - Billboard Club Peak #1
Okay, kind of cheating here. This song is actually from the BT album Ima, but Tori provided the vocals. This is actually my favorite of her dance hits, but I feel like I can't give it #1 because it's technically not "her" song. Oh, details, details. Anyway, it's fanastic and has BT's trademark sound with Tori's trademark vocals. Love it.
#1 - "Professional Widow" (Armand van Helden Star Trunk Mix) - Billboard Club Peak #1
Boston's own DJ Armand van Helden remixed this track that was a huuuge club smash back in 1996. It totally launched interest in remixing Tori songs, and is the only one of her club mixes to later be included on an album alongside its original (Boys for Pele Digital Version). Classic, classic, classic!
Alright, Tori-philes... debate my rankings!
JADE
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