Finally...

Tori Amos has finally crafted an album with all the fierce beauty and passion of "Boys for Pele" and "from the choirgirl hotel" with the accessible sound she (perhaps over-) perfected with 2002's "Scarlet's Walk." The result is a gorgeous opus dealing with betrayal, Christianity, sin, nostalgia, love, lack of faith, grief--all of Tori's trademark topics, but this time with a strong sense of musical diversity (something many felt her previous album lacked).

Yes, this is a long and somewhat exhausting listen (19 tracks, nearly 80 minutes), with the current state of the music industry and the utter lack of commercial singles being released, it's a wise move on Tori's part to give fans quantity while maintaining quality. I'm incredibly surprised that people are claiming Tori is too mellow on this album; on the contrary, "Barons of Suburbia" ends with Tori literally shouting "She is Risen, Boys" and the quirky pop of "Cars and Guitars" finds her wailing a chorus like she hasn't since the days of "Boys for Pele."

As a genuine fan of all Tori's evolutions, I can honestly say this is the album I have been waiting for. It has to be heard to be believed. Where as "Scarlet's Walk" was a shower and not a grower (people grew tired of it after a few listens), "The Beekeeper" is rich, complex, and diverse in a way that takes time to get used to. I can't think of anything more "old" Tori than that, can you?