Abnormally Attracted To Sin [Deluxe Edition] [Deluxe Edition]

Yet another great composition that Tori has brought us. She is totally mesmerizing in this effort. I also love the packaging for this deluxe edition. She takes you on a journey somehow like your watching her in film while you leaf through the CD booklet, cover etc. The songs are written as each giving the listener a glimpse into the story of someone's life.

1.Give: This is a darkly haunting song. I loved the musical arrangement of this song. You feel like your walking through some English dungeon, peering around each corner as you go along your way. They should have used this song in the movie "Dark Shadows" that was releasted recently. It would set the tone of the film.

2.Welcome To England: How does she always come up with new lyrics & storylines? This song is a cool pop type of song at least that's how it reads to me. It gives me the impression of some woman coming to a new land with a lover only to learn that she must make her own happiness for herself in this strange land.

3.Strong Black Vine: The instrumentation of this song reminds me of an older song (not of her's) but I can't think of what it was right now. This seems more like a classical pop song. I really like the way she uses her voice in this song...dark, full of strength & demonstrating a power....it's almost like she's saying "Don't mess with me"!

4.Flavor: This is my favorite song on the CD. I love the piano work in this song. Her vocal on this song is both sweet & compelling. The lyrics are just outstanding. This song reminds me of The Beekeeper somehow. It must get hard to not crossover in a similar manner after you have successfully done so many CD's but still this song is done in a refreshing way.

5.Maybe California: I love the simplicity of this vocal. It definetly pulls at your heartstrings..being a song about the realization of a relationship that no longer is satisfying to her. This one is also another favorite of mine on my playlist.

6.Fire to Your Plain: This is my 3rd favorite on the CD. It does have similarities to other songs she has previously recorded but of course with changes to the lyrics, instruments & delivery it becomes anew. I think one of the things Tori does the best is with her phrasing of words. She does it like no one else.

7.That Guy: This song is such a departure in the vocal delivery & instrumentation used by Tori. Somehow when I first listened to it I noticed it feels like a song to a throwback period in time. I think alot us chatting around the watercooler have more than once opend with the line "That Guy" and we all have had experiences with "That Guy"...always a complex relationship that runs back & forth, until we've all gone.....okay "Bye, Bye"! The constantly "questioning" relationship...that isn't really one! Ah the benefits of growing older & wiser! Ha! Ha!

8.Abnormally Atracted to Sin: Cool song & arrangement; sounds like with a synthezier being added to the mix. I liked the way her voice sounds like it has an echo effect with what is likely some carefully crafted overdubbing, still in all it works. Tori's lyrics are always complex & sometimes crafted as if each were an Agatha Christie novel; so sometimes you have to figure out her message. I have to give my hats off to her as she has figured out a way to communicate certain things in a subversive way to the average bear that may go unnoticed my many. Cool way to use those cortex muscles!

9. Ophelia: The piano clearly expresses some underlying doom present in the lyrical construction of this song. It is an obvious song of someone questioning their own steps, choices & how to make a change instead of continuing in the usual vein that often times as imperfect humans we forget to press stop instead of repeat in our decision making processes.

10. Lady In Blue: I absolutely love the intro to this song. The thing I find interesting about Tori's song construction is the way she develops each song in such a theatrical manner. It's as if we are sitting in some balcony watching Act 1 finish & waiting for Act 2 to begin.

These are the songs that I liked off this CD. The DVD is really cool also & paints a portrait for the songs that are included on the CD and give Tori the opportunity to express herself in a different medium. I was awe struck at how each detail was paid attention to creating the aura for the DVD that is represented vocally on the CD. They both go together transitioning well one from the other. Very cool concept!

First off this version of Abnormally Attracted to Sin (AATS) is 2 discs: 1 CD and 1 DVD. The DVD contains visuallettes, directed by Christian Lamb, for all of the songs except for Mary Jane.

AATS is Amos' 10th studio album and her first with her new label Universal Republic.

The first single "Welcome to England" is a gorgeous song where Amos belts: "Heels on. Go on. Bang a Tango but do not get tangled, who can stay strong? When they only give us lies to lean on. When your heart explodes is it deathly cold? You must let the colors violate the blackness..."

The rest of the song lyrics for the album are just as fierce with Amos tackling some familiar and some new subjects such as: Religion, Patriarchy, Drugs and Censorship among others. According to Amos AATS is one of her most ambitious attempts at production, a statement which this clearly comes through when one hears the songs. not to mention the wonderful string section throughout the album which were composed by John Philip Shenale. Another point to be made about AATS is the exquisite and lush packaging it comes in Amos a firm a believer in making the listeners musical experience a fully immersive one has outdone herself with the packaging for AATS.

Whether or not you are a Tori Amos fan, this record deserves your full attention. Here is an artist with a lot of potent things to say, and she says it damn well. Let us respect and support true musicians with skill at their art. A definite must for any music lover.

Listening to a new Tori Amos album is often a risky business for the people who enjoy her music. On one hand, diehard fans know that she has never quite matched the naked power of her debut album, "Little Earthquakes". On the other hand, this doesn't stop them from hoping that she does. "Abnormally Attracted to Sin", Tori's tenth album, once again falls short of living up to the unrealistic expectations set by her earlier output; but when you listen to the album for what it actually is, it certainly has many merits.

The good news is that for the first time in a long while, Tori's lyrics are not as needlessly indecipherable as they have been in the past. They still leave plenty of room for personal interpretation, which is one Tori's strengths; but for once, it's usually possible to at least get a glimpse of what she may have meant. The lyrics of the opening song, "Give", are as straightforward as Tori can get, while "Not dying today" carries a sense of urgency and defiance that she has not expressed in a long time. Many songs carry a feeling of regret and self-criticism for one's own behaviour in their relationships, such as the gorgeous "Lady in blue", "This guy" and "Maybe California". This doesn't mean everything is down to earth, though - anyone willing to provide a personal interpretation of songs like "Flavor" will certainly have their hands full. The other good news is that Tori's musical world, whether you find it appealing or not, certainly provides the listener with something different; her piano playing style and her distinctive vocals are still there, and they re-establish her artistic vision as something quite unique. Listening to a Tori Amos album definitely qualifies as an arresting musical experience, regardless of the predictable ups and downs.

Musically, the album is a cross between "From the Choirgirl Hotel" and "Scarlett's Walk", which is the not-so-good news part as far as I'm concerned. This mostly means that the production is adequate (and sometimes very effective, such as on the debut single "Welcome to England"), but rather uneventful. Some songs, such as "Curtain call" or "Give", could have been great if not for the dated programmed beats who punctuate them. The album also lacks standout tracks, not so much in terms of singles material (which was never Tori's forte) but more in terms of emotional impact. Songs like "Police me" and "Strong black vine" are cluttered and even silly, while songs like the title track or "500 miles" just seem to meander aimlessly until their completion. The album does have quite a few strong moments ("Lady in blue", "Flavor", "Ophelia", "Maybe California", "Not dying today", "Fire to your plain" and "That guy"); but most of the time, the songs seem to move into one another without much distinction, something that may have to do with the fact that Tori's songwriting has become much less melodic over the years. Taken individually, most of the seventeen songs included here are okay; but collected together, they induce an uneven feeling that has unfortunately become the trademark of Tori's latter albums. Getting rid of the album's clunkers would have resulted in a less extensive album, of course, but it would also have resulted in a tighter, more cohesive work.

It is interesting to point out that the deluxe edition of "Abnormally Attracted to Sin" includes a poster and a bonus DVD of "featurettes" of the songs. It's a nice addition to the album and many of these featurettes are actually very good. Diehard fans will be pleased with this addition, and should definitely go for the deluxe edition.