Little Earthquakes

Its like if you merged Alannis Morissette, Bjork and Kate Bush and it didn't work.

It always baffles me to remember that this was Tori Amos' first solo album. It has such a confidence about it, a strong sense of self. This album would become the basis for her entire musical career, and is pretty much reflective of how she continues to conduct her musical style still today. First, Tori Amos was a surreal lyricist out the gate; all of the songs here have poetic wording and phrasing, but there are certain things said that cause you to raise an intrigued eyebrow. Much of the material is derived from her own personal life experiences, which she clearly has some extremely vibrant and bizarre reflections about. This is all presented with a beautiful voice that she often twists into wails and hollers. Second, Tori Amos was piano-forward out the gate. She took a natural passion and a talent and drove it directly into her music and allowed it to shine. What you get as a result is music that exists somewhere between singer-songwriter, bizarre cabaret, and alternative pop/rock. So rooted is her songwriting and her musicianship in her piano playing, that the sound of the piano is an extension of her voice, from discordant slams to quiet tickling of the keys. Throughout the album, Tori keeps things sounding fresh; she manages to take her concept and be consistent across the entire album, all while allowing each song to sound unique and individual when compared to the others. This is a beautifully done album that feels powerful from start to finish, but it is also an album that deliberately leaves a bit of uneasiness with the listener. Again, this album is somewhat autobiographical, and up to this point, Tori has not always had the easiest life, and on this album, that uneasiness masterfully weaves in and out of the forefront, much in the same way that life's difficulties come and go. This album is probably around a 4.5 for me, but I'm going to round up for the pure impact of this album, whether it's recognized or not. People across reviews have said things implying that Tori Amos is a wannabe Fiona Apple or Alanis Morissette, when in fact Tori was a groundbreaker that helped make room for artists like them to succeed.

Here’s another album I have loved it since its release. Tori Amos’ piano work is exquisite, the songs perfectly crafted, the arrangements beautiful. I love every song on this which is why it has been and will remain one of my favorite albums of all time. Little Earthquakes is perfection and every bit as compelling 30 years after I first heard it.

Superb. Before Tori Amos the only really groundbreaking female piano artist was Kate Bush. Many other artists were making bland, upbeat numbers which never really stood out. Along came Tori talking about masturbation, unrequited and lost love, religious oppression and many other things that made her stamp on the world. This album is a masterpiece.

China is a ridiculous song and I still can't figure out what is going on in it. I love it. The album has so many different sounds with each different song and I liked a lot of them. The lyrics were strange and surreal some times, but I always enjoyed the story told. 4 stars, I would like to listen to this again some day.

Pretty fucking epic. So many very-good-to-great songs (“Crucify,” “Girl,” “Silent,” “China” and “Little Earthquakes” and “Tear in a Hand”). There’s a likable consistency to the tone and arrangements (centered on vocals and piano), and yet enough variety to keep listeners consistently engaged. Her voice is classic (if occasionally overextended) and the playing and instrumentation offer lots of grace notes and nice touches. This is way better than I remember (heard a lot when it came out) and has aged extremely well (even improved), an easy 4.5, even accounting for the fact that it was one of my ex-wife’s favorite records, and rounding up for overall excellence.

Alanis Morissette wishes

"**Little Earthquakes**" by Tori Amos, released in 1992, stands as a cornerstone in the history of alternative rock and singer-songwriter albums. This debut album introduced Amos as a bold, introspective artist willing to confront themes of trauma, self-identity, and empowerment through intimate lyrics, haunting piano melodies, and inventive production. Here’s an in-depth review exploring the lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and overall strengths and weaknesses of the album. --- ### 1. Lyrics Tori Amos’ lyrics on *Little Earthquakes* are raw, confessional, and often confrontational, delving into deeply personal experiences. The words are poetry in motion, unafraid to examine difficult emotions and moments. Amos writes about sexual assault in “Me and a Gun,” expressing both vulnerability and strength as she sings from her own experience. This track is unaccompanied, forcing listeners to confront every word without distraction. “Silent All These Years” reflects on self-discovery and self-worth, giving voice to the silenced parts of Amos’ personality as well as the voicelessness many women experience. Themes of religion, sexuality, and internal conflict permeate songs like “Crucify” and “Precious Things.” In “Crucify,” Amos wrestles with feelings of guilt and repression, using religious imagery to illustrate a struggle between personal freedom and imposed guilt. She critiques societal standards and uses metaphor in innovative ways. Her lyrics often shift from soft reflection to biting critique within a few lines, such as in “Precious Things,” where she examines social expectations and identity, mixing anger and sadness in a biting yet vulnerable manner. **Pros of the Lyrics**: - Lyrically intense, they offer a profound look at personal and social struggles. - Amos’ ability to blend the personal with universal themes makes the songs accessible and resonant. - The rawness of “Me and a Gun” particularly stands out, giving voice to trauma in a way few artists have dared. **Cons of the Lyrics**: - The complexity and ambiguity can make the lyrics difficult to interpret for some listeners. - The heavy nature of the themes may feel overwhelming or uncomfortable for more casual listeners. --- ### 2. Music and Composition Musically, *Little Earthquakes* is piano-driven, which gives it a classical-meets-pop feel, distinguishing Amos from her guitar-centric contemporaries. The album opens with “Crucify,” where Amos combines layered vocals, driving percussion, and rhythmic piano to create a powerful soundscape. She uses her piano not just as an instrument but as a companion in storytelling, often using it to build crescendos or underscore emotional peaks. “Winter” is a standout, with its delicate and melancholic piano line that enhances the introspective lyrics about family and self-identity. The arrangement gradually builds, matching the progression of the narrative. In “China,” Amos brings a softer touch, with a melody that reflects longing and separation, highlighting her dynamic control over emotion through instrumentation. **Pros of the Music**: - Unique, with the piano as the central instrument, setting Amos apart from other alt-rock musicians of the time. - Each composition supports the mood of the lyrics, adding depth to the stories she tells. - Musicianship is exceptional, particularly Amos’ skill at building emotional peaks and valleys through music. **Cons of the Music**: - The album’s sound can be too somber or slow-paced for listeners seeking more energetic music. - The reliance on piano might make some tracks feel repetitive or lack instrumental diversity for some. --- ### 3. Production Eric Rosse co-produced *Little Earthquakes* with Amos, creating a lush, layered sound that complements her lyrical and musical vision. Rosse’s production style is subtle; it focuses on amplifying Amos’ voice and piano without overshadowing them. The album was produced in an era dominated by grunge and rock, so the minimalist production style allowed *Little Earthquakes* to stand out as more personal and intimate. The production enhances the storytelling; each track feels meticulously crafted to capture different moods. For instance, the bare production in “Me and a Gun” leaves the vocals completely exposed, maximizing the impact of Amos’ story. In contrast, “Silent All These Years” incorporates reverb and harmonies that build into a fuller sound, emphasizing the theme of finding one’s voice. Despite some tracks featuring layered arrangements, there’s a spaciousness that gives the lyrics and piano room to breathe. **Pros of the Production**: - The production is minimalist yet effective, amplifying the emotional impact. - Rosse’s approach respects the rawness of the material, avoiding overproduction. - Each song’s production is tailored to match its theme, creating a cohesive feel. **Cons of the Production**: - Some may find the sparse production lacking in excitement or polish. - Tracks can feel too uniform in texture, which might deter listeners who favor varied production styles. --- ### 4. Themes and Subject Matter *Little Earthquakes* is thematically rich, tackling identity, trauma, self-worth, sexuality, and resilience. Amos doesn't shy away from uncomfortable topics; instead, she uses them to create powerful, relatable narratives. The album’s themes are universal yet deeply personal, offering listeners a look into Amos’ psyche while inviting them to reflect on their own experiences. “Silent All These Years” addresses the theme of finding one's voice, echoing the sentiments of empowerment and self-worth that run through the album. Songs like “Girl” and “Leather” delve into femininity and the struggle for self-identity within societal constraints. Amos’ exploration of sexuality is both overt and complex; “Leather” juxtaposes sensuality with vulnerability, challenging societal norms about desire. Themes of religious guilt and self-acceptance in “Crucify” are particularly compelling, as they reflect the conflict between self-expression and moral expectations. Amos’ use of religious and cultural references is impactful, as she examines how they influence personal freedom and guilt. **Pros of the Themes**: - The themes are universal yet deeply personal, allowing for emotional engagement and introspection. - Amos’ willingness to address taboo topics like trauma and sexuality is bold, resonating with listeners who’ve experienced similar struggles. - Complex yet accessible, the themes reflect both an intimate and societal exploration of identity and empowerment. **Cons of the Themes**: - The heaviness of the themes may feel intense or overwhelming, limiting the album’s accessibility for casual listeners. - Some listeners may find the depth of subject matter overly introspective or difficult to relate to without similar experiences. --- ### 5. Influence and Legacy *Little Earthquakes* influenced a generation of female singer-songwriters, proving that commercial success could coexist with unflinching artistic honesty. It established Amos as a voice for women in alternative rock and challenged the music industry’s norms by prioritizing vulnerability over polished pop tropes. The album paved the way for artists like Fiona Apple, PJ Harvey, and Alanis Morissette, who would also bring personal storytelling to the forefront. Beyond the music, Amos inspired a conversation around the importance of survivors speaking out, particularly with “Me and a Gun.” Her candid exploration of trauma and resilience provided a blueprint for artists to address such issues openly, promoting healing and validation for listeners facing similar struggles. **Pros of the Influence**: - *Little Earthquakes* has a significant impact on alternative rock and the singer-songwriter genre. - It created a precedent for female artists to discuss personal, often taboo experiences in their music. - Amos’ unapologetic approach to complex themes gave legitimacy to vulnerability in mainstream music. **Cons of the Influence**: - Its unflinching content may limit its influence in pop music, which often prioritizes mass appeal over introspection. - Although influential, the album remains somewhat niche due to its heavy themes and distinct sound, which may not suit all musical tastes. --- ### Final Verdict: Pros and Cons of the Album **Pros**: 1. *Little Earthquakes* is lyrically profound, touching on universal yet intensely personal themes. 2. Amos’ musicianship is exceptional, and her piano-driven style is refreshing and distinctive. 3. The album’s production supports its intimacy, enhancing the emotional resonance. 4. Thematically complex, it offers both personal and societal commentary, making it deeply resonant. 5. Amos’ influence paved the way for many artists, particularly female singer-songwriters, to be open about their vulnerabilities and experiences. **Cons**: 1. The album’s themes are heavy and may feel intense or overwhelming for casual listeners. 2. The production, while intentional, may feel sparse or uniform for those who prefer more dynamic arrangements. 3. Amos’ distinctive sound and lyrical depth might be challenging for listeners unfamiliar with alternative rock or introspective music. 4. The piano-centric sound may seem repetitive to some, limiting the album's appeal to broader audiences. **Conclusion** Tori Amos’ *Little Earthquakes* is a groundbreaking album that embraces vulnerability and challenges societal norms. Its impact on alternative rock and singer-songwriters cannot be overstated; it remains a daring testament to the power of personal storytelling. While it may not be universally accessible due to its intense subject matter, it is a masterpiece for those willing to engage with its depth and honesty. Amos crafts a journey that is raw, reflective, and revolutionary, making *Little Earthquakes* not just an album but an experience.

This is insanely good. Left me with chills. Standout tracks: all of them but I guess "Silent All These Years," "Leather," "Little Earthquakes"

Listened Before? Y This… is one of my favorite albums of all time. Tori Amos in her prime. Complex lyrics that completely capture the emotions intended, beautifully composed and performed music. A classic. Added to Library? Y

Powerful. Her voice is amazing, passionate and varied and the piano work perfectly accompanies the pieces (though clearly Me and a Gun is stark and painful with just her voice).

I feel like I can't give it 1 star, but I wanted to

Didn't know her before and am happy I heard this Album before I died.

I know I know you well well better than I used to. I've enjoyed a 30 year relationship with this record. Despite having critics and sceptics along the way for the love I have for Tori, I still try to celebrate and share her brilliance as often as I can. My life is better for knowing her work so well. I'm glad I picked up that cd single at the rock pit record store in 1992 because I liked the cover art. Castles are burning in my heart. Thank you, Tori. Thank you.

Very surprising and great album. Loved "Crucify", "Winter".

An album guaranteed to make me into an absolute emotional mess

This album has clearly been influential for a lot of future indie women artists, but I don't think these songs hold up.

This is what Fiona Apple would sound like if she was twice as generic and half as talented.

I genuinely do not want to hear any of the songs on this album ever again. 2/10

I feel like I should like Amos (or at least appreciate her) but .. I mean, it's just a really annoying album. Amos comes off as a cut-rate Morrisette and every track grates on the ear. The album is entirely populated with noisy, cardboard songs sung with more energy than skill and oddly lacking in anything approaching passion. I never get the impression that she actually cares about anything she's singing about. And the constant, often atonal warbling and wailing quickly gets legitimately painful. It's fingernails-on-a-chalkboard levels of cringe.

Hadn't heard this one before. I was blown away. Incredible piece of art

Back in high school, a friend tried to get me into Tori by playing me "Past the Mission", assuming that my love for NIN would transfer over just because Trent sings backup vocals on it. It didn't stick. A couple years later, I heard "Professional Widow" and that lured me in. I picked up Boys for Pele and worked my way backwards, then kept up with her until we started drifting apart after the 90s ended. Her 90s run remains undefeated (and I'd argue all 4 albums could have a spot among these), and while Boys has long been my personal favorite, there's no denying the power of Little Earthquakes. I know every word and note on this album, and yet the emotions still hit me like they did the first time. Her sense of humor and word choice endears me to her, and I'm as moved by her strength as I am her vulnerability. For whatever reason, I can't think of a single song that's ever made me actually cry, but there are at least 2 on here that bring me close to it. That's worth celebrating. As is everything else about this album.

Before her MTV video dropped for the title track, a buddy of mine told me to get in the van; we were going to a concert. "Who?" "You've never heard of her, but you want to come." In the van we go down to Deep Ellum, Dallas. We get into the club, $10 a head, and there's nobody there, but there's this piano on the stage. Where's the rest of the instruments? Don't worry about it. We walk up, take a seat – we can reach out and touch the stage. After a few minutes maybe 100 people total show up. Small show, and then Tori takes the stage, straddles the piano bench so she's quarter facing out, quarter facing the piano, and she proceeds to blow my 17 year old mind. I am utterly entranced with every moment of this performance. She plays every song on the Little Earthquakes album, yes, even Me and a Gun. She covers The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, and I cherish this concert as a core memory. Afterward, my buddy, who is 6 foot four, and I go out back to the access door to see if we can talk to Ms. Amos. She actually comes out and is so generous with her time. We thank her for the incredible performance, and my friend gets his picture taken with her. He just towers over this woman; she barely comes up to his collarbone. When I go to see him years later, he has a life-sized copy of this image framed on a significant portion of his wall. I've seen her in concert since then, and it was a good show, but there's nothing like this that I can compare it to. "Saw her before she was big" is a cliché, but her video dropped the next week, and she blew up. But I was front row before she was big, and Tori Amos was absolutely amazing. Easiest 5 on here. Little Earthquakes is a desert island album for me.

I have to admit that I've never really listened to Tori Amos before, apart from the radio hits. I was into the punk and metal scenes back then. On top of that she didn't get airplay in my country until Cornflake Girl, a couple of years after this album. So this album was all completely new to me. Wow have I been missing out. This album is fantastic.

I will at least consider the viewpoints of most people on most topics. Gun control? I can see your point. Hot dogs and gyros are/ aren't sandwiches? I can see that. Omnivore? Vegetarian? I get it. But if you can’t see the sheer brilliance of this album, I don’t think I can talk to you. Tori Amos is strong, aggressive, vulnerable, soft…and that a just in one song. Her voice is superior to most, of that era or since, and she brings emotion and voice to a piano like no other. And if you can listen to Me and a Gun and not be a little affected, I can only assume you are a sociopathic monster.

Tori Amos excels at what some bands and artists fail to do: Make good piano-based rock songs. Her debut solo album ‘Little Earthquakes’ is no exception, being a melodramatic and confessional album full of Kate Bush style lyrics and grandeur bigger than some Ancient Greeks’ hubris. The album’s cover shows a metaphorical representation of Tori’s story. She’s trapped in a box, and the look on her face tells the listener that she needs some help to get out. By making this album, Tori became a sensation, being on Rhino Records for her whole career. Coming from a person who hasn’t listened to any of Tori Amos’ songs before listening to this album, she’s more amazing than I thought she would be. 4.8/5 (rounding up to a 5 because I can) Favorite Track: Happy Phantom Least Favorite: Precious Things

Really good soundscape, which makes sense due to her Chromesthesia. Truly beautiful, somewhere between PJ Harvey and Rufus Wainwright.

Classic

One of the greatest albums of all time.

Little Earthquakes Just because you can make me come, doesn’t mean you're Jesus Wise words. I really liked this, but I’m struggling to think of a great deal to say about it. Apart from the cabaret excursion of Happy Phantom and the unconvincing bluesy-quirk of Leather there are no bad songs and there are some great songs; Crucify, Girl, Precious Things, Winter, China and in the duo of Me and a Gun and Little Earthquakes it has an emotional charge and frankness that is incredibly affecting and harrowing - the reverb heavy crassfade to Little Earthquakes is superb It feels a bit reductionist to make the comparison but I suppose Kate Bush is the obvious touchstone, particularly on something like Girl, but her emotional frankness and directness makes her quite unique. It’s on the border of 3 and 4, but I think those final two tracks being as great as they are just push it into a 4. 🫨🫨🫨🫨 Playlist submission: Little Earthquakes

Why is Tori Amos acclaimed for anything? This is a serious question. There's nothing noteworthy about her voice, her piano-playing is nice but nothing special, her lyrics range from generic to daft to bad (though I think she's trying to sound profound), and the songwriting is just bland. In fact, in most cases, I think it's not just that she sounds uninspired, she's downright annoying when she starts in with her "ooh" and "ahh" pseudo-yodeling. The best tracks in my opinion were "Winter" and "Happy Phantom" but even those weren't very enjoyable. This album is laughably bad, and I can't fathom how it made the list let alone considered in the top 100 and regularly cited as one of the greatest albums of all time. It's trash.

Tori Amos is like Sarah McLachlan with an okay voice, instead of a great voice.

Sorry. No. Not for me

Sack this

Feels stuck in the 90s, like I'm watching a long lost Honey I Shrunk the Kids sequel. Not necessarily bad, just doesn't feel like a must listen.

Bory anus.

Sounds like a bunch of disney songs, not really my type of music and i actually found it annoying to listen to.

When this came up I said ‘fuck yes’ out loud. I still remember the first time I saw the ‘Silent All These Years’ video, I was captivated. This was my early twenties angst album. Timeless. And she is amazing live. No brainer

The perfect album released at the perfect time in my life. We became adults together in a way. The emotional response cannot be denied, truly Tori’s best work. She unfairly gets compared to the angry bitch rock of the early 90’s but Little Earthquakes is profound and explores much deeper topics than her peers even considered.

How can you not love Tori. Absolute classic album, one of my faves since childhood!

Zdecydowanie super

Incredible!

It's about time. That was nearly 3 weeks since the last time I got a truly worthwhile album. 11 of 12 in between had average ratings lower than 3; and I am more generous than average but there was nothing above average in the last little while. Tori Amos is a hell of an artist. Her voice may get compared to Kate Bush (I get it) but she's more straight ahead and less weird. Just as clever, but her lyrics and introspection are understandable and more raw and personal. And she can tickle the ivory. Silent All These Years gave me goosebumps - the combination of her soft piano, voice, and accompanying (and sometimes soaring) instruments. And the lyrics - "so you found a girl who thinks really deep thoughts; what's so amazing about really deep thoughts? Boy you best pray that I bleed real soon; how's that thought for you?" Just wow. They didn't all give me goosebumps but her songs all have that combination of greatness. Except for Me and a Gun, which is Amos' vocals only but still great for its lyrics (tough, but if you know what it's about, it's powerful). Other favorites were Crucify, Girl, Precious Things, Winter, China, Tear in Your Hand, and the title track. But there wasn't a song I didn't like. I listened to this album over and over and over. Outstanding.

Long time fan of this album and of the rest of Tori's first four albums (she got a little too straightforward and repetitive on later albums for my taste). I've also seen her live a couple of times - her voice is as amazing in person as on the recording, as is her piano playing. I know a lot of people compare her to Kate Bush, but Tori has a much harder edge. Overall, this album is an absolute roller coaster of emotions, lyrically and musically. Relistening to it from the vantage point of 33 years since its release (I became a fan the year it came out), it still hits me in the gut and gives me chills. Some of it hits me in different ways than back then - for example, Winter brought tears to my eyes now that I have a daughter (it's written for her father and sung from the vantage point of a daughter reaching different phases of her life). Then there's all the heartache and pain Tori pours into the album. There's almost no point in giving specific examples - the album is filled with it. And of course, there are no words that can do justice for Me and a Gun. An amazing album, start to finish. Favorite tracks: Crucify, Silent All These Years, Precious Things, Winter, China (yeah, schmaltz and all), Tear in Your Hand, Little Earthquakes.

This was surprisingly fantastic.

I remember getting up early for my 5am swim practice and putting on MTV and the video for silent all these years came on and I was hooked. I bought the album that weekend and it’s one of those rare albums that you love on the first listen!

I hadn’t listened to this in so long. There is just something about her that I love. Powerful stuff here.

This has been a go to album in my collection since it was first released. An excellent album with beautiful musicianship, songwriting and recording. Best heard in its entirety and not as individual tracks.

For reasons unrelated to this album, I'm not feeling the best coming in to write this review. Add on the fact that I'm behind an album and needa play a bit of catch up... Yeah, just for my own sake, I'm gonna try and keep this short. Which is a bit of a disservice to the artist behind today's album, Tori Amos. She's an artist I know by name, but not by sound. Even after remembering where I've heard a bit of her music before — in Wax Audio mashups, and from the fact that she's covered Slayer and Eminem — I couldn't begin to tell you what she sounded like. As I found out, it's very piano heavy. Lots of piano, lots of strings... There's a person who found the album could get a bit homogeneous because of how heavily the piano is featured, but for my money, well, I'm crazy for it. I love myself a good piano album, from Elton John's work to some Ben Folds. Like, this album never rocks as hard as either of those guys can, but... Gosh, this is an album where, even when I'm not paying attention to the lyrics — and because I'm autistic, I mostly don't, and that's "y Listi kan't read" — I still get such a good sense of the emotion in these tracks. Believe me, it's palpable, goodness. Honestly, it does make me wanna try and figure out the lyrics just so I can clue into why these emotions are happening — y'know? Heck, just that I had more time between all of the everything else happening today. But on just a first listen, mostly solely paying attention to the instrumentals... Yeah, I can say I'm a big fan of this. For sure, it's one of the better albums I've heard classed as "singer songwriter." And for real, go check out Wax Audio's mashup "I Want Precious Things"; it's really good. And, uh, I'unno, if you really want to, go check out her ten minute cover of "Happiness Is A Warm Gun"? I mean, if you **really** wanna, goodness.

Just absolutely superb singer-songwriter tracks. Solid 5 Stars.

Well, I’m pretty sure I’m at a 5 – I just need to figure out exactly why, because my brain hasn’t quite cracked it. It’s definitely because of the lyricism; it’s both wonderfully & painfully vivid, even in its more flowery and verbose moments. It’s certainly from her vocals, which project the same confidence as someone like Kate Bush, and sound lovely throughout the whole thing. It’s… partially from the instrumentation, which is really nice, if a bit too attached to the piano on a few tracks, in a way that made the 57 minute runtime start to get a little homogeneous. Altogether, I think it’s a lovely album, beautiful through the honesty of its pain, and one of the finest examples of a singer-songwriter we’ve gotten so far. Everything about this screams a 5 to me, and I’m pretty damn sure it is one, because I certainly enjoyed it as if it were one. Why, then, am I sort of struggling to justify giving it a 5? Is it because it’s sort of like an Oscar bait film, where you feel like you have almost no choice but to come to that conclusion, or is this actually standing on its own merits, and I’m just sort of paranoid about it? Is it because we just got “Exile in Guyville”, which is sort of an antithesis to this album in a lot of ways, or am I just burnt out on two albums with similar, yet different thematic views of femininity & portraying confidence as back to back, hour long experiences? Those are both sort of true, to some degree, but I think my brain has finally cracked why I’m struggling, & I’m not sure how valid it is. I think I’m struggling to give this a 5 because I’m feeling woefully ignorant to a lot of the subject matter & themes this album tackles, due to a lack of personal experience. I’m empathetic towards an incredible amount of this album, especially so on “Me and a Gun”, which is horrifyingly portrayed, yet wonderfully performed, enhanced by the choice to go fully acapella on it. However, I’m just not able to feel a lot of these tracks, at least not with the emotional pain that Tori Amos used to write & perform them. That’s no fault of her own, and it shouldn’t play a factor into my rating at all (& it won’t!), but I can’t help but feel like I’m giving this a 5 more so out of an emotional connection to her strife, as opposed to a full appreciation for the actual musical qualities of the album. Whether or not that’s actually true is basically dependent on how I approach these tracks in the future, but I think this is an album that needs a few plays to fully grab the depth of, both vocally, instrumentally, lyrically, and tonally. I’ll certainly replay it a few times, because it’s a deeply touching album, and I’m sure that I missed a few things along the way. I will give this a 5, because I did enjoy it a lot – it would be weird to drop it down to a 4 just on sole account of “did I actually like the musical parts of this album that much”, because I do think the emotional weight of this album goes hand in hand with the musical parts, in a way that’s oddly intertwined, yet separately impactful. It is easy to sort of ignore the instrumentals and focus on the stories, but the stories themselves are enhanced by the power of the instrumentals behind them. They work together brilliantly, but it is easy to get lost in one opposed to the other the longer the album goes, and that’s probably my only real “knock” on the album. If your big issue is reconciling the emotional impact with the musical impact though, then you’ve made one hell of an album. It’s worth a 5, and it’s worth a lot of listens. I’m very glad I finally listened to Tori Amos. I also need a hug, probably.

Прекрасный альбом. Сохранен в медиатеку

fml

Pre Tori buying into her own Elvin myth is so good. Such a strong debut. There are a few songs towards the end that aren’t as strong but then she ends with Me and a Gun and kills you.

Great vocals

Beautiful, while listening to each song, it felt like the lyrics were jumping at me

I know I've heard of Tori Amos as a singer-songwriter before. This past year, I heard "Cornflake Girl" from her second album, and I feel like I've listened to "Crucify" on FM radio somewhere. This will be my first full listen to an album of hers, where this was her breakout solo album after the dissolution of her synth-pop group Y Kant Tori Read. I can comfortably say Little Earthquakes is a remarkable record. My first thought from my listen was Kate Bush, having heard Hounds of Love earlier on this journey. Tori's mezzo-soprano was just as elegant and whimsical as Kate's voice, and her piano-driven compositions are on par with the latter's work. Sure, it's not full-blown synth pomp like Hounds of Love was in places, but the overall quiet storm sound suits Tori well for these songs that demand deeper reflection. Whether it's the struggle to overcome self-hatred on "Crucify", the desire for self-expression on "Silent All These Years", the sexual awakening amidst a Christian upbringing on "Precious Things", the meditation on death on "Happy Phantom", the lost love of "China", or the personal account of a time when Tori was raped on "Me and a Gun", these songs evoke the listener to think critically about her words, and the music behind her strikingly fits the tone of the subject matter. This was an exceptional debut from an artist who proved she had a voice for this world, and I am glad to have enjoyed it.

I've a lot of time for Tori Amos and I'd listened to this album a few times before. I thought I'd give it a 4 before I listened to it again, but it's probably a 5.

Very good. Poetic and emotional

Like if kate bush was a human person instead of a mysterious paranormal entity

top 5 favorite album of all-time - this one's for Nancy

Long running fiver for me 10 ★★★★★

This takes me back to teenage angst - utterly wonderful and some of the songs still make me cry.

1992. Chamber pop. Alt Rock. 9/10 Crucify / Girl / Silent All These Years / Precious Things / Winter / Happy Phantom / China / Leather / Mother / Tear in Your Hand / Me and a Gun / Little Earthquakes

Wonderful!

One of my favorite albums from the 90's. Powerful and vulnerable. An absolutely beautiful album.

I really liked this one! Beautiful instrumentals and a beautiful voice to accommodate them. Some songs were definitely out there, but I enjoyed the composition of the album. 'Silent All These Years' was my fave.

Great songs, great musicianship, great production. Love it. It's epic.

I wasn’t expecting to get my first 5-star album of the year so early, but I’m definitely not complaining. Tori Amos lays her soul bare in a way that’s sometimes harrowing but never boring.

Look I'm standing naked before you Don't you want more than my sex I can scream as loud as your last one But I can't claim innocence Oh God could it be the weather Oh God why am I here If love isn't forever And its not the weather Hand me my leather Yeah, this is a pretty damn good album. 5/5

Own this on cd and vinyl. One of my favorite singer songwriter albums ever.

Absolutely gorgeous. Normally don't care for the emotional singer songwriter girl albums, but this was moving. Something about the piano, and the way the songs flowed. A nice surprise

HEYYYY I was just listening to her earlier this week! Oh Crucify is on this. HM This was 3 yrs before Boys for Pele. I thought her fame came from that one but Crucify was a hit way before. I love Tori Amos. Oh shit Silent All These Years too is awesome! I really liked this album. I went on a whole Tori kick after this and checked out some of her other stuff.

I absolutely loved this - the writing is fantastic and the piano arrangements are just so bold and beautiful

One of her better ones

Dare I say… classic? Yes, I think I dare. It has lost nothing, all these years.

Absolutely nuts. Amos is a great storyingteller/lyricist, and her arrangements are great. So unique but still accessible. And can we talk about how fucking crazy it is to have the lead off single be an a cappella song about rape? Damn

Jebiga crucify mi jedna od najdražih pisama devedesetih. Nikad nije nadmašila ovaj album ali jebiga, dešava se😃

This far in I can now calibrate the marks much more objectively. This is a wonderful, tuneful, fascinating album that deserves its place. It’s a great work.

I’ve always been aware of Tori Amos throughout the years. I’m a big Kate Bush fan so that was the obvious attraction. I did dip in and dip out of her music but much to my detriment I never gave it chance and regarded her as a second rate Kate Bush. It was only in the last two years when I began to move away from streaming to buying physical media again that i began to pick up Tori Amos CD’s at charity shops. It was this album that really cemented my appreciation of Tori and as a result of buying this album I made it my objective to purchase all of her studio albums which I now have done. I am now a massive Tori Amos convert. To say that this album was her first it is testament to what a wonderful talent she is. As I have already done and many others do Kate Bush is always mentioned in the same breath has Tori Amos. Kate is often applauded for her first album The Kick Inside but I would say that Little Earthquakes is a much stronger debut than that. To get one up on Kate Bush deserves top marks which I am happy to give it. My one regret is that I turned my nose up at Tori Amos for too long but now I am working hard to make amends. 5/5 10/10/24

Great vocals, great piano, great songs, one of my top albums

Exceptional. Delicate. Powerful. Devastating. Wonderful.

I confess that I was never a Tori Girl when I was a nineties teen, but she's grown on me in adulthood. I saw her play in Boston last summer and one of her first tasks was to summon the Salem witches from across Boston Harbor to exact revenge on our behalf. If that moment isn't Tori Amos in a nutshell, I don't know what is. It is difficult to imagine a world that holds Alanis, Lady Gaga, and even Chappell Roan in its hands were Tori not there to clear a blazing path for them all. She is angry and contained, weird and wonderful, and there is no one quite like her. If you couldn't quite connect with Little Earthquakes and you don't understand what the hype is all about, I recommend reading wrestling legend Mick Foley's beautiful 2010 Slate article "The Wrestler and the Cornflake Girl," about how Little Earthquakes' Winter gave him a new perspective on both his own life and the world at large. That article made me curious to give Tori another chance, and I'm so glad that I did.

Classy

1992, Lilith Fair coming. I was so sure I’d bought one of her albums but none I recognize .

I'd never listened to Tori Amos. I think I listened to a cover she did when I was much younger and didn't enjoy it, so I've been avoiding her. But she's often cited by musicians I love as a major influence, and I've certainly heard of this album, so I tried to enter this listen with an open mind. Even if I hadn't, I think this would've pried my skull open anyways. It's beautiful. Her piano playing, singing, and dynamic songwriting is captivating. I'm looking forward to revisiting; it's pretty dense and would reward repeated listens. Highlights: Crucify, Girl, Leather, Tear in Your Head, Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos has always been the bar for female singer/songwriters. She has a way with lyrics that can say so much more than anybody else. She belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of female singers. 5/5

I missed this one growing up, as I was more into rock at the time, but I love everything about this. The piano, her voice, the 80's structure and sound... all of it is perfection!

Straight out of the gate, start-to-finish, Tori Amos lets us peek into her world and share her emotions and experiences through incredible songs Enigmatically, not all the way - the lyrics follow tangents and don't tell us exactly how to feel about them, we can find our way to what we need. With clear influence from Kate Bush and Laura Nyro, she stood out unique from the inevitable comparisons to artists like Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple. Lazy and unfounded comparisons, at that - music press was lumping them together based on gender, overlooking the fact that Tori Amos was miles ahead of her contemporaries as a musician, lyricist, and songwriter. For most artists, they should feel thrilled if they ever put out an album so uniformly filled with excellent tracks. But she was just getting started - continuing to improve, following it up with even stronger collections like "Boys for Pele". An album that regularly finds its way back onto my heavy rotation rotation. 4.5 stars, just to leave room for 5 stars to Pele.

Totally blown away by this album. Actually shocked I hadn't listened to this before, though I know I've heard a few songs from it. Her voice is beautiful, and her lyrics are stunning. My favorite songs are "Crucify," "Silent All These Years," "Winter," and "Tear in Your Hand." I also love that "Silent All These Years" was originally written for Al Stewart, who she sang background vocals for, and is one of my favorite artists. This has to be one of the best 90s albums by any female artist. Just gorgeous.

This one really surprised me. Liked the entire thing. Such beautiful songs with worrying lyrics running underneath it. That’s consistently been something I’ve loved in music and she does it outstanding here. I think I’ll definitely be coming back to this one a lot. Rating: 4.7

If I'm honest I think I morphed Tori Amos and Toni Braxton into the same thing in my head over the years and so this was a surprise. But a pleasant one! Another great in a long line of all-time women singer-songwriters and this just absolutely goes off for a debut album. The back half in particular feels super loaded so it just keeps getting better and better. Can't wait to listen again through better headphones so I can pay a bit more attention to lyrics, Mother was a big highlight of this album

pussy power frfr

Surprised me. Completely caught me off guard. Angelic voice. Incredible songs. No skips whatsoever. Loved this.

I really liked this. I was already weak when the piano came in and dominated.

A Kate Bush clone? No, no, much more than that. Those misguided "professional critics" who dared label Tori Amos with those words probably deserve our contempt today. It's like saying Mick Jagger is the clone of John Lennon, or the other way around. Of course, Kate Bush was probably one of the influences Tori drew from to create her own musical universe. But the latter is still very much its own thing, light years away from anyone else. Guess at the start of nineties, music reviewers were still attracted by lazy categorizations when it came to female singer-songwriters. Hopefully, we all know better now. As off-kilter as it is emotionally potent, this official debut album (not counting Tori Amos' first attempt as the leader of her former band "Y Kant Tori Read") is thus filled to the brim with gems. And the insanely catchy (yet insanely self-deprecating) lead single "Crucify" is a perfect opener for it, even in its slightly more subdued album version (the single's instrumentation is even more gorgeous). When Tori croons the word "chains" you want to shackle them for her. "Got enough guilt start my own religion" is a line for the ages, by the way, aptly summing up Tori's gently provocating stance as a female artist. Not long after this pristine opener, the moving and confessional "Silent All These Years", the lively yet tormented "Precious Things", the airy and dreamy "China", and the in-turns delicate and epic "Winter"--which will talk to the soul of anyone having fond yet conflicted childhood memories about that titular season--add up to offer wonders after wonders. The tracks supported by full orchestras are cinematic masterpieces, and the more "baroque-pop-rock"-oriented tracks among them slap you in the face. It's *this* good. If most of the cuts found in the second part of this admittedly long but impressive collection of deeply personal tunes do not come off as immediately great as the ones before, a few repeated listens are enough to help you find your way into them and their sudden peaks of pure emotion. And crowning this collection, you have the devastating "Me And A Gun", depicting in so many blunt phrases the inner monologue of a woman being raped--an autobiographical song to boot, apparently. Performed a cappella, thus adding to the uncompromising nature of the lyrics, this track is chilling and thought-provoking, just as the best topical songs can be. No need for flourishes here. Even if terrific ones are found throughout the rest of this debut revealing a rare talent to the world. Between her composer chops, her amazing, classical-trained flexes as a piano player, her spectacular mezzo-soprano voice, and her extravagant persona, Amos indeed has so many assets that it's easy to lose count. The only minor grudge one can find with this record is that she sometimes negotiates the hairpin curves within the tracklisting a little too recklessly at times, and that one track in the second half, "Mother", meanders a little as it follows a very "stream of consciousness" writing method--which lets on that a slightly edited and reorganized version of this record would have been even more impressive. That said, one could equally consider that such self-editing work would have neutered the very elements that made this album age like fine wine. So it's not a big deal. Tori Amos even went further with those 180-degree turns on her subsequent jewel-of-an-LP *Under The Pink*, refining the weird formula to the most blissful extent--a record criminally ignored in the 1001 Albums book, unfortunately. So we can all be glad she "experimented" stuff in her debut to eventually get to that point after. Never tell an artist like her to shut up and do what's "conventional". It's up to the listener to be worthy of what she has to offer when getting off the beaten path. Anyone with a heart, an interest for women artist with a voice of their own, and a functioning set of ears, will thank her for that. Because let's face it, without Tori, early nineties mainstream pop would have been a far less interesting place. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list, rounded up to 5 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5+4.5) Number of albums left to review: less than 200, approximately - I've temporarily lost count here. Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately (including this one) Number of albums I *might* include: a quarter, approximately Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter, or just a little more (many other albums are more important to me)

Absolute favourite

Such a brilliant signature sound. From headphones to full speakers, the quality explodes and whispers throughout this release.

Nothing I do is good enough for you.

A gut punch record. Hauntingly beautiful at times. Always engaging. Very emotional. Perfectly executed at all times.