<<So smell that, Bob!>> Yep, and they smell plenty! ;~)
Didn't mean to come off as crabby...and believe me, I was as ready as Yael to take the Tori plunge as well after "Under The Pink" which is a brilliant record from start to finish. The lyrics, though somewhat cryptic, are still "breakable" code, and the melodies and song structures remain accessible. Boys For Pele was a disastrous mess, you didn't mention that one so I assume you agree. Choirgirl was an improvement (Playboy Mommy being the best of the lot)and got her more comfortable with recording with a full band, and Venus was aptly named...except for "Concertina", all these songs are too "spacy", inaccessible & forgettable. And believe me, I've tried to like these records, listened to them again & again, and nothing sticks. By the same token, I can look at the song titles of most of Earthquakes & Pink and hear the songs in my head. Can't do that with the later work. And now her words are so cryptic they've become nonsensical. "Daddy, I killed my monkey..."? Anyway, she set the bar very high for herself with Earthquakes & Pink. She's had a hard time reaching that pinnacle since. I would say it's why she turned to a covers project, for some inspiration in terms of her songwriting. Maybe she should title her next one "Y Kant Tori Write?" ;~) Believe me, if I didn't think she had the goods, I never would have said anything in the first place. But, that having been said, I TOTALLY understand that someone can become totally spellbound by the "sound" of an artist and lose their objectivity. I do it all the time. So Yael, you're really not crazy, and you only live once. Go for it, chick! Bob NP: Jay Farrar, "Feed Kill Chain"
