[elalmhicabalp]

I figure if Tori ever gets her production smarts back she should really give this a go - re-record or just remix songs from the Beekeeper, Posse, and AATS.

I picked stuff that is not necessarily the best from each album (hence no Dragon, Marys of the Sea or AATS title track), but stuff that shows the most potential for greatness.


1. Starling (sitar synth & new guitar)
2. Beauty of Speed (remixed)
3. Girl Disappearing (band version)
4. Secret Spell (re-recorded)
5. Jamaica Inn (re-recorded: long intro, no guitar)
6. The Power of Orange Knickers (remixed)
7. Witness (re-recorded rhythm section)
8. Parasol (re-recorded a la 2007 version)
9. Bouncing Off Clouds (remixed)
10. Flavor (live vocal/no autotune)
11. Smokey Joe (remixed)
12. Fast Horse (new vocal)
13. Devils & Gods (re-recorded: long version)
14. Body & Soul (re-recorded: more piano a la live versions)
15. Code Red (re-recorded)
16. Curtain Call (re-recorded: long intro, mostly solo)
17. Lady in Blue (re-recorded: mostly solo, no guitar)'

[Clesylafabada]

I think at this point she will only get those smarts back if someone sat her down and said:

"When was the last time you listened to a finished record for the first time and thought "Man, this is some of the best shit I have ever, EVER done! This accomplishes something older records never could, I have really grown as a writer and composer here."
Look me in the eyes and tell me that crossed your mind just once with TBK, ADP, AATS or MG."

Because, seriously, I don't think she's thought that for a loooong time and I would take a long hard fucking look at myself, if this feeling was missing with the third record in a row.

[johnsonjunior]

She needs to quit producing every record herself and instead hire an outside producer. Why she doesn't do this, I don't know. Maybe she has too much hubris? Or maybe she just doesn't want to dip into her shoe collection/plastic surgery/wig funds. Secondly, she also needs a vocal coach to help her lose the croaky voice/baby voice/nasal voice.

Anyway, if she were to do a Director's Cut (which I'm sure would have some gauche, innuedo-laden title like Tori Amos: The Second Coming), I would like to hear these songs, assuming they truly were improvements over the original versions:

(in no order)
01. Flavor -- ditch the AutoTune and the "turn up the frequencyyyyyyyyyyy!!1" bit
02. Starling -- bye bye, Mac's guitar in bridge!
03. Curtain Call -- better vocals, lose the electric guitar
04. Fast Horse -- sung in not-crazy-person vocals, please
05. Lady in Blue -- better vocals
06. Devils and Gods -- extended version, a la the live performances
07. Bouncing off Clouds -- better vocals
08. Body and Soul -- needs more "oomph"
09. Code Red -- better vocals, and get rid of that FUCKING electric guitar in the chorus!
10. Secret Spell -- this might sound good just solo at the piano, and it needs better vocals
11. Give -- also solo and with better vocals
12. Beauty of Speed -- better vocals (I actually don't mind the electric guitar in this one! But yeah, those vocals are shite)

[kristloken]

I don't really want a project like this to happen, since I think Tori would be better served by just moving on and writing better new material than tinkering with older stuff and trying to make people love it, but if it were to happen, I'd want something like this. Also, there'd have to be a non-Mac guitarist.

Body and Soul (better mixing, make it actually sound dirty, closer to the live versions, better guitar)
Bouncing Off Clouds (re-recorded vocals)
Power of Orange Knickers (no Damien Rice or intro that drones on, better drums)
500 Miles (done like the solo version done on some of the 2009 radio shows)
Girl Disappearing (like the 2007 band version, especially the Lawrence performance)
Barons of Suburbia (re-recorded vocals, organ less buried, band sounding less neutered)
Devils and Gods (studio recording of the extended band version from 07)
Witness (better mixing, less AOR-sounding)
Ireland (no sha-na-nas, I don't know, I guess I'd just like to see if Tori could salvage this one)
Goodbye Pisces (solo, no backing vocals)
Almost Rosey (change the atrocious guitar)
Lady in Blue (no keyboard, better vocals, outro changed to actually be awesome)

[jhkjurter]

You guys keep mentioning Secret Spell - I can't really imagine that song getting slightly better, no matter the treatment.

[kristloken]

You guys keep mentioning Secret Spell - I can't really imagine that song getting slightly better, no matter the treatment.

Have you heard the solo version from 2010? I much prefer it over the studio version. Plus, even if Tori were to just tweak the current studio version, it'd be 1000x better if the jangly guitar at the beginning was mixed better so that it wasn't such a jarring transition from Girl Disappearing.

[elalmhicabalp]

Secret Spell is an ok song IMO but it would be GREAT if she buried some of the guitar and brought the piano up front. I love those live solo versions, but even the band version was really good (except maybe for her voice - she always sounded out of breath)

[Ocqljudq]

Parasol (The piano should be heavier, the vocals more desparate, the whole thing darker and a bit more rock-ish)
The Power of Orange Knickers (It should start off solo with delicate piano, then the band should come in and by the bridge it should have built up to a power-ballad type thing)
Barons of Suburbia (The piano and organ need to be louder in the mix, they're very interesting but drowned out by the drums. Ending should be less forced. Some lyrics need changing as well)
Witness (The choir needs to go, their parts can be played on the organ. Tori needs to have more fun with the vocals and more power in her voice here)
Martha's Foolish Ginger (I think it should be solo piano/Rhodes with some subtle strings in the background, and quiet drums similar to He Has a Well)
Mother Revolution (I's alright but could do with being more sinister, I think it needs vocals/a feeling similar to Little Amsterdam)
Bouncing off Clouds (2007 live version's drums, better guitarist, belting vocals, spacey keyboard during "make it easy", louder piano)
Body and Soul (Needs to be like the 2007 live version. Gritty, uninhibited, bluesy piano. Should have a SYC feel)
Code Red (2007 live version again. She totally let go in those performances, this could be the closest thing to metal she ever did. Some New Age style vocals and squealing Heart of Gold guitars would be great)
Almost Rosey (Solo piano version)
Beauty of Speed (I actually love the studio version's vocals and tempo, but it just needs some slight changes to backing vocals and for the production to be a bit more lush, since it sounds really one-dimensional and it makes a great song boring)
Dragon (She's subtly changed the arrangement live. The lyrics are a tiny bit different, the melody at "stay a while" is different a bit, and it's solo with the harpsichord sample and piano. This isn't greatly different but it makes it much better IMO. It needs harpsichord instead of Kurzweil)
Welcome to England (It was alright except the weird pronunciation and horrendous electric guitar, she should change this)
Starling (Again alright, but the guitar bridge ruined it. I think it would have been much more striking if the bridge was just piano and synth, with her belting, and after it the normal background sounds and quiet vocals returned)
Lady in Blue (It should be spacey, like This Woman's Work on DC, piano and synth sounds and jazzy vocals until the end where the band comes in. During the instrumental at the end the piano should be at the forefront and she should go wild with her playing.)

It goes without saying that if she were to do this, Mac Aladdin is not allowed to touch a guitar. A new producer should be brought in. In general, the TBK songs should sound very dark, very brooding, sinister in a way that is quite disturbing. Parasol and Witness should sound a tiny bit unhinged and Mother Revolution should sound creepy. Barons should be full of a lot more attitude and MFG/TPoOK should be heartbreakingly sad and lonely sounding. As it is, all of them are just bland. With ADP, it should be gritty, sassy, edgy, and the production should be clean but not flat, sort of like SLG but even more rocky. The AATS songs would gain a lot from being more organic sounding and with a lot more interesting synths. The synths should be the main body of the songs, not simply an instrument among the band. The whole thing about AATS is that it should sound otherworldly. The vocals should be mournful but sort of deadpan to match with the music.

In my head I can imagine this, and it sounds wonderful. There is so much good writing below the production, in some cases daft lyrics and shitty guitar. The rest of the catalogue from these 3 albums could be erased from existence (except Smokey Joe) and I wouldn't care. I'd rather she had disappeared between 2002 and 2009 and then brought a well done album with this tracklist out. The songwriting is great in these songs, the rest of the stuff she's done on these albums is just bad writing and can't be saved. I'm surprised so many people think Secret Spell would be worthy of a place on a re-imagining like this. I think it's totally horrible, in the same vein as 500 Miles but worse. It sounds like something Hannah Montana or whoever would sing.

[qilmuz6v]

Have you heard the solo version from 2010? I much prefer it over the studio version. Plus, even if Tori were to just tweak the current studio version, it'd be 1000x better if the jangly guitar at the beginning was mixed better so that it wasn't such a jarring transition from Girl Disappearing.

that's a great version of the song, the line "you losing you was not a part of this plan" is so poignant now.

[clorkergo]

on the note of 500 miles...

the solo piano version she was doing of that at radio shows. that should be on a reimagining

[ZIDouglas]

Teenage hustling feat. Slipknot.
And Tori screaming as in Professional widow.
Hell yeah.