Albums: In Times Of Dragons

Tori Amos' "In Times Of Dragons" is the US singer and pianist 18th., studio album, which has been described by Amos herself as a "metaphorical story about the fight for Democracy over Tyranny, reflecting the current abhorrent non accidental burning down of democracy in real time by the 'Dictator believing Lizard Demons' in their usurpation of America". The album has released three singles so fr "Strong Together", "Shush" & "Gasoline Girls." 

So, the expectatios were high for her new album, described as a conceptual album about the current dangerous times we are in - where democracy itself is on the line. Amos added: As I'm fleeing from the character that is my sadistic billionaire Lizard Demon husband, I came across people I had not been allowed to see in years, and they had not wanted to see me because of the relationship I found myself in. To avoid being captured and dragged back to the Lizard Demon's penthouse, I run to the deep south of the US to throw him and his henchman off my trail. One of the many characters I meet on the journey is The Daughter. 

A remarkable record in where he music is slow and somber. Her piano is deep and sonorous. Her voice impassioned. The strings luscious and sweeping, it's the sound of someone at the top of their game singing from their heart. “Song of Sorrow” is just beautiful. The production feels intense with  piano, voice, strings, that produced a certain effect on every listener, in which the more you listen the deeper things are. 

The synths underpin a lot of the emotion, the electronic bleeps appear for punctuation."Stronger Together" is the culmination of our relationship as it is transformed with The Daughter choosing to stand by me no matter what challenges lay ahead. Whatever we will face in the future, we make a vow to each other that we're Stronger Together, in "Pyrite" we have an upbeat banger, the drums are pulsating and bass driving. The most pop song here is "Gasoline Girls" taht turn it into the standout of the set, and with "Strawberry Moon" which features Amos' daughter and their interaction at the beginning is a delight, "23 Peaks" is a huge achievement unlike anything the artist has ever recorded, and of course "Provincetown" a return to form on her career and the quite remarkable "Blue Lotus". 

Perhaps the only complain is that the record it's too long about 17 tracks at 76 minutes, there are certain moments in which you can easily lose the touch, but then at the end of the album, things seemed to hook all over again, however, the album captures the mood and manages to replicate all over, the somber atmosphere is great, low key songs that shows a performer anger against the system or everything, this is an emotionally heavy, often devastating set but a one of a kind in her interesting career so far. 

 

In Times Of Dragons Track List: 

 

1. Shush 

2. In Times Of Dragons

3. Provincetown

4. St. Teresa 

5. Gasoline Girls

6. Ode To Minnesota

7. Fanny Faudrey

8. Veins 

9. Strawberry Moon

10. Song Of Sorrow

11. Flood

12. Pyrite

13. Tempest

14. Angelshark

15. Blue Lotus

16. Stronger Together

17. 23 Peaks