Y KAN'T TORI READ - Y KANT TORI READ

Tori Amos is probably one of the more enduring stars of the 90's. And this little gem is a piece of her history she considers best left forgotten. It's no wonder really. Consider for a moment the sound Tori is famous for... That raw passionate expressive vocal delivery over interesting and simple piano arrangements. Her fans expect a certain level of performance and artistry from the lovely Tori. So this disc is like a slap in the face of everything they hold holy. It would be like Metallica fans finding out James Hetfield got his start playing in a country western Vegas lounge act. It's just sacrilegious.

The name and the title are the same with the exception of an ' in the word kant or kan't. I use them differently because it reads both. Kan't on the spine and kant on the cover. Anyway...
I quite like Tori. I'm not a diehard fan, but I've always enjoyed her. I have mostly singles. Few actual albums. But I was getting into her when I found this little item in a run down CD shop in Vegas. I picked it up for $5 and was instantly pleased.

Part of the problem with this album, isn't the overproduction like so many Tori fans believe it is... It's actually the generic production. That over the top sound is very 80's specific and for those of us from the 80's... We quite enjoyed it. The difference is in the ability of the producer/arranger to make something sound unique and different. In this case, the disc falls flat because the majority of the songs lack anything defining. That being said, there are also certain tracks that really sparkle here.

'The Big Picture' is an amazing number. It rocks along at a nice pace and really lets Tori animate her vocal delivery. Like most tracks, the lyrics are interesting, diverse and enticing. The musicianship is efficient and often lovely. It's a grand tune with big ideas. But it's track #2 that really gets my attention. 'Cool On Your Island' is one of those songs I wish I'd written myself. I love absolutely everything about the song. The music, the lyrics and of course the more sparse arrangement. Most of the sounds are in a low bass range.

The rest of the tracks are lovely, with 'Etienne Trilogy' and 'Heart Attack At 23' both showing some amazing raw piano playing indicative of Amos' future sound. Even here, it's present and revealing. Other stand out tracks include 'Floating City', 'Fire On The Side' and 'On The Boundary'. On each one, there's the soulful vocals of Amos front and center.

I realize this is a unique disc in a number of ways. First, it's a sound not likely to surface ever again... It's avoided by devoted fans of the artist... And it flopped rather drastically when it was first released. I consider it a rare gem that missed it's mark when it should have sparkled brightly for the world to see. If you can get your hands on it, give it a go. It's worth it. My final word: OVERLOOKED.

Y KAN'T TORI READ - Y KANT TORI READ
01. The Big Picture
02. Cool On Your Island
03. Fayth
04. Fire On The Side
05. Pirates
06. Floating City
07. Heart Attack At 23
08. On The Boundary
09. You Go To My Head
10. Etienne Trilogy
      The Highlands
      Etienne
      Skyeboat Song