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Simon Phipps's personal commentary

Scarlet's Walk [AudioVideo]

The last few weeks as I have been driving around America I have been listening to the latest album by Tori Amos, "Scarlet's Walk" [US|UK|CA] and finding it pleasant, quirky - echos of Kate Bush in places ("I can't see New York" in particular). Much more enjoyable than the samples I have listened to before. Her diction is pretty curious and I'd not been able to dig into the words very much, and her web site has few insights. As I've explored the lyrics, I have gradually realised there's more than meets the eye. The reviewer at Rolling Stone doesn't get it. He's missed the spiritual unity of the album, listening only to the melodies

"Scarlet is all about Amos and her many musical personae, both as a singer and a keyboard player."

But one of the comments to his review has caught the drift - see the one from 'veg2491'

"This CD contains the most intelligent, complicated, subtle, and artistic post-9/11 reflection on America that I have encountered."

Returning to the lyrics with that insight, suddenly the layers underneath the obvious click into focus and it's all there - the confused ghostly voice in 'I can't see New York', lost friends and innocence (now we too can see "through the eyes of Laura Mars") in 'gold dust', and more. The VH-1 interview gives more pointers - especially watch the video clip after the second question as it gives the tone of voice in which to understand the whole thing - even the porn star "Amber Waves" is a metaphor for the fallen grace of the nation (see the second clip). The MTV interview doesn't add much more beyond confirming the origins of the thoughts. If all you hear is the single ("a sorta fairytale" - which has a firefly glimmer to it) you may think it's a loved-and-lost album like the other reviewers.

As I listen I am caught up more and more in the album - an exploration of the spirit of the nation of America, of the emotions and experiences following September 11, 2001. This is the first work to come out of that event that leaves me with insight into the people and the place rather than with a sense of a person scrabbling to build a response and coming up instead with misplaced patriotism or a warmongering rage. Listen carefully to "Scarlet's Walk" and in amongst the strangeness you may hear, as I have, the outline of a soul's response to 9/11.

posted at 9:46 PM (UK) | |