Tori Amos - Unrepentant Geraldines
Beyonce - Beyonce
Paul Dempsey - Everything Is True
Eskimo Joe - A Song is a City
Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight
Peter Gabriel - So
george - Unity
Jars of Clay - If I Left the Zoo
Katie Noonan's Vanguard - Transmutant
Radiohead - Kid A
Tears for Fears - The Seeds of Love
Megan Washington - There There
My somewhat fitful revisiting of the Jars of Clay catalogue continued with their 3rd album, If I Left the Zoo, which I would generally rate as my favourite of all their albums. Which in typical fashion means it's the album that marked a decrease in their popularity from their initial success.
So why is it my favourite? Fundamentally it's because I feel there aren't any weak songs, with each having its own distinct style. There are upbeat numbers, mid-tempo ones and slow ones, and they all contribute, and at no stage do I start getting bored.
A big part of the success is the production. It has lots of quirky little touches which heighten the interest without overwhelming the songs. It also makes sure that the songs sound sufficiently different from each other while still belonging together. There isn't anything on the first 2 albums that is quite as distinctive as the toy piano on "Sad Clown" or the mandolin on "No One Loves Me Like You" (even though they had used mandolin before) or the gospel choir on "I'm Alright".
The other album I think is worth mentioning is Unrepentant Geraldines, simply because I found myself listening to it so regularly. While I love all of Tori Amos' albums, some of them are undoubtedly challenges that I have to be in the right mood for. Their length or intensity means that I will only reach for them occasionally. Geraldines, with its warmth and intimacy, seems to have become an album I can listen to just for the sheer pleasure of listening to Tori Amos. I see the album on my iPhone, start hearing the opening of "America" in my head and it's a gentle invitation.
(Apologies for the tacky video, just close your eyes...)
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