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Rating: My (wonderful?) journey, which began last December with the aim of completing the discography of the Cornflake Girl on DeBaser, continues (on this note, I would like to reassure everyone... it won’t be much longer...).
The work I am about to describe this time is somewhat unique. In 2004, Amos released this kind of box set that contained, on one hand, the filmed account of a concert held during the "On Scarlet's Walk" Tour in 2003 and, on the other, an actual EP "Scarlet's Hidden Treasures" containing 6 songs not included in the previous "Scarlet's Walk." This division convinced me, aside from splitting the review in two parts, to categorize this work as an album rather than a film, because in the end it’s about music, even if more than half is filmed.
Furthermore, I omitted the star rating and preferred to give it individually to both parts I will discuss.
"WELCOME TO SUNNY FLORIDA":
The film begins unusually, indeed after a little taste of "Precious Things", the camera captures impressions of some fans before the show and right afterward gives a peek at the soundcheck and backstage in the hours and moments before the concert. This way, you have the chance to see Tori interacting with her collaborators and playing with her daughter moments before the show. This long introduction, where you also hear a brief interview with the two sessionists Chamberlain (drums) and Evans (bass) as well as with Tori herself, offers the viewer an almost privileged and very familiar viewpoint, preparing them to gradually enter the fairy-tale universe prepared by Tori.
The bare "Wampum Prayer" is the beginning, and it is immediately clear that Tori's Diva attitude is still very present despite the passing of years—a Diva this time suspended between mysticism and raw reality, which are the dominant themes of the album-performance "Scarlet's Walk", a true journey into today's America and its contradictions and fears. Anyone who has seen Amos live at least once knows what I'm talking about; for others, it's difficult to convey the emotions in words. I can only say that she completely gives herself to her audience during her performances, allowing them to develop their own emotional state.
The Band's composition is almost jazz-like, formed by the trio piano-bass-drums and occasional overdubs. The set is non-invasive and inspired by the world of Native Americans. Besides many songs taken from the aforementioned album, Tori also offers many "classics". The most thrilling moments are definitely "Crucify" and "Bells for Her" presented unusually compared to the studio albums, my favorite "Father Lucifer", "I can't see New York", a song born after the events of September 11, and the final "Hey Jupiter". A concert where Tori presents both aspects of her live dimension, with Band and without Band (for a full three pieces) with her and only her piano on stage, almost an attempt to regain intimacy with an audience that often seems almost hypnotized by the charm of the redhead. Completing it all are some interview excerpts inserted during the film, which perhaps are the weak points because they slightly break the rhythm.
Very beautiful special contents with a nice interview with the mother and a photo-book accompanied by one of her classics (always live), which I won’t mention because I want to leave a little surprise...
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Set List:
Wampum Prayer
a sorta fairytale
Sugar
Crucify
Interlude 1
Cornflake Girl
Bells for Her
Concertina
Take To The Sky
Leather
Cloud On My Tongue
Interlude 2
Cooling
your cloud
Father Lucifer
Professional Widow
Interlude 3
I can't see New York
Precious Things
Encore:
Tombigbee
Amber Waves
Hey Jupiter
"SCARLET'S HIDDEN TREASURES":
Scarlet's hidden treasures, as the title suggests, this EP is made up of songs excluded from the previous album. This fact might suggest that the quality of this disc would be low, but unexpectedly the CD presents some surprises. Firstly, the atmosphere, as this is anything but a work along the lines of "Scarlet’s Walk." Instead, the minimalist dimension dominating the songs recalls much more previous works, especially "Under the Pink" and "Boys for Pele." This different dimension might be the main reason for the exclusion, because the record is truly valid and offers very nice ideas like in the enigmatic "Ruby through the Looking Glass" where Tori indulges in old "acrobatics" that will satisfy the most nostalgic fans, or in "Seaside" which, over the years, is gradually becoming a classic...
Another valid moment: "Tombigbee" which is perhaps the only song close to the influences of Tori of this millennium, meaning a bit more aligned with classic American female singer-songwriter music, but still a nice piece. The puzzling thing is that the EP was published before "The Beekeeper" where Tori took a completely different direction, and in hindsight, maybe it was a pity...
Score: 4 out of 5
Set List:
Ruby through the Looking-Glass
Seaside
Bug a Martini
Apollo's Frock
Tombigbee
Indian Summer
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