There was a moment not too long ago where around the TVD water cooler, we found ourselves contemplating the ’90s era of female singer-songwriters, most notably those who could literally captivate an audience merely with vocals and piano. Franky just 2 came to mind collectively, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple—yet it was Tori who years prior to Fiona’s debut returned this artistic sensibility to the fore. It’s as if she reinvigorated a niche and others followed.
We’re hardly alone in this assessment and to underscore the considerable merits of her groundbreaking career, Rhino Records has rereleased Tori’s first 2 LPs, ’92’s Little Earthquakes and ’94’s Under the Pink on CD and 180 gram vinyl. The vinyl editions mark the first time both albums are available on vinyl in the US—and we’ve got a copy of each to award to one of you.
In addition, Tori has signed a print to add to our giveaway and she’s teamed up with Moleskine to create a custom Tori Amos journal, which ran in an extremely limited quantity. It’s a white classic large book, lined, with a her signature, and a lyric from “Silent All These Years” in gold foil on the cover. These aren’t for sale, but we have one to include as well in our contest.
“One of the most successful and influential artists of her generation, Tori Amos is as much a force to be reckoned with today as when she released her first solo album Little Earthquakes over 2 decades ago. Eschewing the trends of the time, the prodigious chanteuse touched millions deeply with her arresting melodies, riveting stage presence and personal and honest lyrics. Amos is releasing 2-CD deluxe editions of her debut and sophomore solo albums, Little Earthquakes and Under The Pink, each newly re-mastered and paired with an entire disc of rare b-sides and bonus tracks.
In the original assembly of Little Earthquakes, difficult choices had to be made to ensure the album’s balance and flow. Fortunately, songs that didn’t make the record itself were able to see the light of day as a copious stream of single b-sides released in the US and UK for both Little Earthquakes and Under The Pink. Often these tracks were intertwined with album cuts, for example “Pretty Good Year” becomes an extension of “Ode To The Banana King (Part One)” which itself was b-side to “Silent All These Years.”
They also showcased Amos’ innate ability to reinvent popular songs, perhaps the most notable being Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” a masterpiece study in understatement.
Now, these rarities and live versions will be available worldwide on April 14 from Rhino. The remastered versions of both original albums will also be released on 180-gram vinyl on the same date, marking the first time both albums will be available on vinyl in the US.
Originally released in 1992 and 1994 respectively, the songs of Little Earthquakes and Under The Pink continue to live and thrive to this day. As Amos tells it, “Little Earthquakes was an acknowledgement of things that I hadn’t looked at in 15 years, in some cases… After you acknowledge something, you tell everybody, and other people say, ‘I know what that’s like, too.’ There’s this energy charge you get, and liberation from doing that.”
She continues to find that the audience response to “Silent All These Years” remains deep and immediate nearly a quarter century later, counting it as her most requested song and one that walks with her every day. It will continue to do so as long as she is playing music.”
Enter to win Tori Amos’ Little Earthquakes and Under the Pink on 180gram vinyl, the autographed print, and the highly exclusive Moleskine journal by telling us in the comments below which track from either LP has meant the most to you over the many years since its release.
We’ll choose 1 winner with a US mailing address for the complete set a week from today, May 12, 2015. Our winner will be notified directly via email.
Tori Amos Official | Facebook | Twitter
