I saw Tori Amos's "God" video randomly on MTV when I was 14. I could not believe how amazing she was. I bought the CD and listened to it over and over again. There was a guy I liked and I played the CD for him. He asked me "what that crap was"? Two years later he was dating a hippie chick and during a conversation at lunch he asked me if I'd ever heard of Tori Amos. That's when I first realized that he was definitely not for me.

Under the Pink laid the background for my future revolution. I could sing every line of every song. "Bells for Her" is about blanket friends. "Cornflake Girl" is about never being a cornflake girl. What's a Cornflake Girl? You decide. In "God," Tori asks God whether he needs a woman to look after him. "The Waitress" is about wanting to kill a co-worker. I'm sure you've been in a similar situation. While Tori has put out several more CDs, but in my opinion, this is her best work.

Another beautiful and complex album by the genius herself: Tori Amos. All Tori's outings are conceptual and this one tackles the difficult issues of envy, anger and betrayel between women. She perfectly sets the mood in each song and the colors used in the artwork do represent visually what is being depicted in each "girl"(as Tori calls her songs). Get it now!

Tori Amos can be totally original without being out-of-reach. If you just love really good music you will love her work. You don't have to be on some obscure wavelength to get into her music.

She's artistic not artsy.

This album recharged my CD collection.

At some point in 1993, the year after her first solo record, Little Earthquakes, took both the US and UK by surprise, Tori Amos spent some time in the high desert. In Taos, New Mexico, no more (and perhaps less) than 200 miles from where I was living at the time (oh, if only I had known!), Tori recorded the tracks that would become her second masterpiece, Under the Pink. It was released the following February, to the great pleasure of yours truly and other odd people with superior taste, giving us a clear indication that this angel/daemon woman who had so blown our minds in '92 was planning on sticking around.
Right from the beginning, Under the Pink is as offbeat and intense as its predecessor. 'Pretty Good Year' opens with a whisper of soft piano and sweet sarcasm, erupts into a violent wail about 2/3 of the way through, then slips back into a peaceful melody on the way out. It's an amazing song, centred upon a letter Tori got from a male fan, complaining about how he didn't know what women wanted, and perhaps also commenting upon the quality of 1992 from her perspective. Next on the agenda is a bracing, rhythmic piece of experimental guitar rock, appropriately titled 'God,' suggesting that the seemingly P.O.ed Patriarch could use some TLC from a good woman, instantly alienating all fundamentalist Christians in four minutes or less, leading all of us who love Tori to breathe a sigh of relief. At least this ensures that we won't be pestered by pamphlet-carrying Protestants at any of her shows. . .
Next is one of the most musically gentle songs she ever wrote: 'Bells For Her,' which seems to be describing the difficulty of seeing either a close female friend or relative get her spirit stifled by some pushy male creature. The hauntingly mysterious 'Past the Mission' follows, featuring uncharacteristically soft backing vocals on the chorus from Trent Reznor. It is a beautiful song, one of my early favourites, and I refuse to even attempt to interpret its literal meaning. Listen to it, and do that for yourselves. 'Baker Baker' is the next one, another very pretty song detailing the difficulty of opening up to someone and being 'whole again' when great damage has been done to you. Those of us who know her story had no trouble interpreting this one; Tori was still dealing with the long aftershocks of a sexual assault in her past at this time. But one need not be a woman to understand this; many of us, male and female, have been hurt deeply by the aggression and general inhumanity of others, especially in a culture that rewards aggression and the tendency to distance oneself from others in so many ways. Tori has lead the way for many of us who are or were struggling to overcome one kind of other-inflicted damage or another; we are all more than grateful that she chose to share her own struggle through her art with the rest of us, as we are all closer to healing for it.
'The Wrong Band,' which has been described in other places as a cabaret song, is about a Washington, D.C. hooker Tori used to know who was involved with high officials and had her life threatened by them for knowing too much. It's a subtle indictment of the gangsters and hypocrites who call themselves our leaders that cuts like a scalpel: you don't feel it right away, but it most certainly bleeds. 'The Waitress' follows, a very funny song with a violent edge to it, perhaps about the kind of woman who either ignores or mistreats others of her own gender, saving all of her politeness and sweetness for men. The next song, 'Cornflake Girl,' is also about the evil that women do to other women; in fact, that's a theme that permeates much of this record. 'Icicle' comes next, a lovely song about masturbation to the image of Christ. Ah, Tori continues her sweet overtures to the Christian right. . .
I've never been sure what 'Cloud On My Tongue' is about; I'm convinced that 'Space Dog' is a commentary on our Presidents in general (it reminds me very much of Bush, Sr. for some reason), but the last song will get the rest of my time here. 'Yes, Anastasia' is a symphonic epic from the perspective of one of the red guards who killed the Romanovs in 1918 (I think. Maybe it was 1917.), detailing the whole scene. I think it still stands as one of the best things she's ever done. The last line is a good one not only for anyone approaching execution, but for anyone just delving into the work of Tori Amos: 'We'll see how brave you are.' And I think I'll leave you with that, encouraging you to come on in, but warning you at the same time. Can you deal with what Tori can show and tell you? Can you deal with what this music might bring up in your own heart and soul?
We'll see how brave you are.

Like I said on my Boys for Pele review, teen pop baffles me. I have yet to hear a pop singer who oozes with as much seething originality as Tori Amos. Under the Pink is my second-favorite album of Tori's, after Boys for Pele. The thing about Tori is you cannot be undecided about her-you love her or you hate her; you can't just like or dislike her. I am the former.
This is what I think of each track:
Pretty Good Year: Wow, wow, WOW! Pretty Good Year is my favorite track on this CD, my favorite Tori song, and my favorite song of all songs. It is the perfect opener for this CD. The soft piano in the beginning puts me to sleep(in a good way; I mean it helps me fall asleep.)It's the perfect length, the perfect amount of instrumentals, the perfect song.
God: The first song I took to upon first listen. It's one of the catchier things Tori has come out with. The squealing guitars in the beginning would sound punk, except...they don't. Unless I'm very much mistaken, there's a Halloween sound effects CD playing in the background, the kind with cackles and moans on it. I like that.
Bells For Her-A nice song, but too long and too quiet. If it were about two minutes shorter, that would be one thing, but it gets tedious.
Past The Mission-This was my favorite song when I first heard this record, but now I can't really remember what I liked about it. It reminds me unpleasantly of The Cranberries, one of my least favorite bands. I mean, it's okay, and the lyrics are beautiful, but the whole thing is kind of monotonous.
Baker Baker-A very pretty song; somewhat reminiscent of Marianne, from Boys for Pele. The only truly serene song on the record.
The Wrong Band-This is another song that I loved at first listen and can't remember why now. Don't get the wrong idea-I still really like it. But I used to be able to play it over and over again, and now, if I try to do that, it gets boring.
The Waitress-I heard that Tori didn't think this record was complete until she added this song in. I wholeheartedly agree. The background music for the verses remind me of the soft, rustling footsteps of a stalker. I can't listen to it at night, but during the daytime it's great.
Cornflake Girl-I don't particularly like Cornflake Girl. If I had to pick one of Tori's bluesier songs, I would pick Playboy Mommy or Little Amsterdam. Cornflake Girl is a nice song, but it sounds a little too mainstream for my taste.
Icicle-See "Bells For Her"
Cloud On My Tongue-See "Icicle"
Space Dog-WOW!! After Pretty Good Year (and it's a very, very close second, mind you) it's my favorite song. It's just incredible. Fascinating percussion section. The chorus ("So sure we were on something/your feet finally on the ground, he said") has been stuck in my head for days, and I'm not complaining.
Yes, Anastasia-The perfect closer for the album. This is my favorite track after Space Dog. It sounds the most classical of any Tori song I've ever heard. Incredible lyrics, superb piano playing, awesome strings...just great. I love the sound of Tori's voice on the line, "Girls, girls, what have we done to ourselves?" The lines "We'll see how brave you are/We'll see how fast you be running" and "Her blood's on my hands/It's kind of a shame, 'cause I did like that dress" sound ominous, but subtly so.

In general, this is the perfect album. 12 awesome songs, and not a single one do I dislike. If you are a new Tori fan, buy this album first.

A lot of fun Tori stuff on this one,, Being a rocker I prefere the more straight foreward cuts..Pretty good year,God,Past the Mission, Cornflake girl,and Space dog.. I admit I don't listen to all the tracks in order, I do select my favorites,, I have virtually all Tori's CD's and video's.. I really enjoy her style.. As far as the Kate Bush clone reference, I also listen to to KB and they are similar,, It's kinda like figuring out, is David Coverdale(Whitesnake) really stealing from Robert Plant ( Led Zep)?.. Let's just enjoy... Love ya Tori...Chris

Under the Pink is a triumph by Tori Amos. Such a rich and powerful album. All the songs are great, big, and full of wisdom. She is some writer, i love her lyrics so much, she is one gifted woman. Pretty Good Year is gentle but with a kicking bridge towards the end. Bells for Her is a song about a girl trying to save her friend from an abusive boyfriend:"Now she seems to be sand under his shoes, there's nothing i can do." Space Dog is so fun and original:"Is she still pissing in the river now? Heard she's gone moved in to a trailer park." Cloud on my tongue is one haunting song about a lover who strays regularly. Cornflake Girl, The Wrong Band, and The Waitress [...] . Yes, Anatasia the longest song on the album, has some great lyrics:"Well Happy Birthday, her blood's on my hands and it's kind of a shame 'cause i did like that dress." The most surprising song is Icicle,[...] And when they say take of his body I think I'll take from mine instead..." Under the Pink is just a gorgeous album, still holds up after all these years. All her albums are good but Under the Pink is a rare classic from the Goddess of Weird.

Although this is a five star album, it would have been far better if it wasn't so inconsistent. Songs like Yes, Anastasia and The Waitress are in my top-5 Tori Amos songs, but songs such as Past The Mission (I know some people love this song but I don't) and The Wrong band are just a bit boring.

The opening track is also one of my favourites - "Pretty Good Year". I was unsure of this song at first because I was thinking that this song might just be a piano/vocal based song that was good, but really didn't go anywhere, like "China" from Little Earthquakes, but I was very wrong, because after the line 'Some things are / Melting now...' the song hits its loud climax and I love the unpredictability of that. This was the second single in the UK, one of three top-10 hits, peaking at #7. "God" features screeching electric guitars, and some time signature changes which makes this album so abstract. It was the first single in the US (#88) and fourth in the UK (#44). "Bells for her" is a dark and haunting song which you may not like at first, but it will grow on you. This is another of my favourites. It is basically a piece with a piano and vocal, and I love the inaccessible chorus: 'Can't stop what's coming / Can't stop what is on it's way'.

As I said above, "Past The Mission" is not one of my favourites, even though it peaked at #31 in the UK. "Baker Baker" is a fan favourite, but not one of mine, which does not imply that it is one of my least favourites. "The Wrong Band" is one of my all-time least favourite Tori songs. I can't believe Tori chose this song over the song "Honey", a b-side from the "Cornflake Girl" single. "The Waitress" is next and is about revenge and rebellion basically. It alternates between the thin texture of the verses to the loud chorus, which is one of the highlights from this album.

Not including "Professional Widow", "Cornflake Girl" is Tori's biggest hit, and another of my favourites from this CD. It is a fun and quite accessible song, which peaked at #4 in the UK and #19 in Australia. "Icicle" is a good song but not one of my favourites, as is "Cloud On My Tongue". "Space Dog" follows and is the most accessible song on this CD, despite it's crazy lyrics. The epic "Yes, Anastasia" closes this album and is a masterpiece. It is my favourite Tori Amos song and her longest song as well (9:59). The string section is perfection, and the song never gets boring.

9 / 10

A 9 isn't bad, it just means that if the album was cut down to say 10 songs, and "Honey" was included, this may be in my top-3 favourite Tori albums, but I would rank it somewhere from 6th - 8th to be honest. Her next albums, though, Pele, Chiorgirl, and Venus are my favourite of her career.

I was first introduced to Tori Amos by my sister, who made such a fuss that I decided to see for myself what she was all about. I stole my sister's copy of Little Earthquakes and immediately was blown away. Tori Amos has a way of delivering that is unlike any other artist I know of. And Under the Pink does not disappoint. I loved every song on this album without question, and the songs "Baker Baker" and "Cloud on My Tongue" bring tears to my eyes every time I hear them, ever since I saw Tori perform them live. On Under the Pink I especially loved "Past the Mission" with Trent Reznor, and the songs "God" and "Space Dog". I've tried to get my friends to listen to Tori Amos, but some of them seem hesitant in regards to the whole "girl and her piano" thing. I, on the other hand, adore it. Tori Amos plays beautifully, and has a style that stirs deep emotion inside the listener, even if the lyrics are sometimes difficult to interpret. A lot of her music is very dark, and that is seen in songs like "The Waitress" and "Icicle". It is so honest and real. In Under the Pink, her piano playing seems to be the main focus, and I've got to say that Tori Amos really does not need a band, and in my opinion her best works are those which she performs on her own with the piano. As to the other songs on Under the Pink, the piano on "Cornflake Girl" is really amazing, and "Pretty Good Year" is such a wonderful opening for the album. I love "Bells for Her", and "The Wrong Band". "Yes Anastasia" is a bit difficult to understand, but you come to appreciate it. For me I sometimes find it hard to listen to a CD all the way through, but with Under the Pink there was no such problem. I highly recommend it.

Not my favorite Tori album. "Past The Mission" and "Pretty Good Year" are tear jerkers. I love these tracks with every fiber. I simply do not care for the others here. Seems that Tori and clan went with all too many fillers. Note the final track at it's neverending pace or hodepodge. I'm not too fond my dear. But I thank you for the effort. It's the thought that counts with Tori.

I have three of Tori's albums now, this being my most recent purchase. I bought this album on my birthday and have been listening to it ever since. Out of the three albums I own by her this and From The Choirgirl Hotel are tied as the best, it is extremely hard to distinguish a favourite album by this musical genius when all of her albums are superb. Under The Pink was Tori's first #1 UK album and spawned four successfull singles. This album is stunning and totally deserved to go #1.
Under The Pink is an album with a predominant acoustic piano sound, although guitars do feature, for example on God. Tori's voice is amazingly simple here, no gymnastics or stuff like that just plain beauty.

The opening song, "Pretty Good Year" totally blew me out of the water. This an amazing song and has this innocence about it, though Tori does "blast-out" about half way through. I really love her vocals and he piano in this song. "God" is a great track with some nice vocal harmonies and a more rock orientated sound compared to some of the other tracks.

"Bells For Her" is a lovely, mellow ballad. The piano sound is amazing and unique, Tori compliments this excellently with the lyrics. "Past The Mission" is one of the best songs on the album. A jazz like song it includes guest vocals from Trent Reznor.

"Baker Baker" is considered a fan favourite by many, it's a great sombre ballad. A very nice piano sound. "The Wrong Band" continues in the same vein as most of the songs on this album. I think this song is an ode to her Y Kant Tori Read days.

"The Waitress" is a great track with weird, twisted lyrics. I love Tori's voice on this song. it's really strong and solid. "Cornflake Girl" is one of Tori's biggest hits ever, this is another of my favourites off this album. It tells the story of how she was cast in a cornflake commercial.

Track 9 is "Icicle". It is a great raw ballad reminiscent of her debut album. "Cloud On My Tongue" has the weirdest lyrics on the whole album but is a great song anyhow. I love the longing in her voice when she sings.

"Space Dog" was the track I probably didn't latch on to at first but now I quite like the song. It provides and excellent buid-up to the next track, the sweeping epic "Yes, Anastasia". At over 9 minutes long it's more like a movement of a symphony than a song but it still remains true to Tori's genius, lyrically and musically.

Overall, I may not understand Tori's lyrics at times but I just let the music soak into me instead, because it isn't really about her lyrics or instrumentation it's about her. She is a genius and a great musical find for me. Under The Pink is an essential buy for anyone who likes Fiona Apple, Sarah McLachlan, Kate Bush, Alanis Morissette and even Alicia Keys.

Under The Pink features some of my all-time favourite Tori songs, such as the rebellious The Waitress, the contrastin Pretty Good Year and the epic Yes, Anastasia, which may be my favourite Tori song EVER.

It also features some tracks, which I think are rather dull, such as Past The Mission, Baker Baker (which I know most fans love) and The Wrong Band.

Pretty Good Year opens the album and starts as a beatiful song about beatutiful things. The climax, however, is quite the opposite, and I liked the unpredictability of that. The song got to #7 in the UK, but was never released in the US. God was the fourth single from the album in the UK, and first in the US. It was in the US top 100 for 12 weeks, but only climed to #72, although got to #44 in the UK. It features loud, screeching electric guitars and the controversial lyrics about God. Bells For Her i quite inaccesible. "You don't need need my vioce girl you have your own" is a great line, is is probably the best song lyrically from this album. It sounds simple when you first hear it as it only contains vocals and a piano, which Tori made sound like a bell, hence the name.

Past The Mission got to #31 in the UK, but I only think it is okay. Baker Baker is simple, and a bit corny for Tori Amos hence the metaphor that this song conveys. The Wrong Band is the worst song on this album, in my opinion.

THE WAITRESS fianlly brings some life back into this album. It is haunting, quiet verses, and very loud choruses. It is about anger, and all types of sin. It is about Tori wanting to kill some waitress, I think because of Betrayal, which is also largely explored in the "Beekeeper" album. The next track, Icicle also grew on me, but now I see it as a very unique and beatiful song. Cloud On My Tounge isn't the best Tori song, but I love the string section. Space Dog is a fun song about something in which I do not know. Yes, Anastasia will leavce you in awe. It is a haunting piece, with the best Tori string section ever. It goes for nearly 10 minutes and the way Tori sings: "We'll see how brave you are, We'll see how fast you'll be running, We'll see how brave you are, Yes, Anastasia" is next to perfection.

Theserfore, this is not the best album, largely because of its inconsistency, but I also recommend the Cornflake Girl single, which inludes the b-sides recordied at the same time as the above tracks. This album went Gold in the UK, and double platinum in the US.This album is not quite as good as Toris pervious album Little Earthquakes, but her next album was never expected by most to beat the genious of her last.

9 / 10

Under the Pink is a groundbreaking, important album. Tori Amos, the girl and her piano take center stage, and in the process, some of the greatest songs to exist were written through her. "Cornflake Girl" and "Pretty Good Year" are now considered classics, and songs like "Waitress" retain their natural anger and beauty. In the waitress, Tori sings, " I want to kill this waitress...but I believe in peace, bitch, I believe in peace."
Tori Amos, the uncompairable, paints the world in fascinating colors and her music allows us to see those colors.
Tori Amos, oh my god, she's just wonderful. Tori Amos, Fiona, Joss Stone, Corinna Fugate, Vanessa Carlton, all so one of a kind songwriters you cannot compare them, because they are all so original.

Tori Amos has an extensive and eclectic body of work. From the synth-pop "Y Kant Tori Read," (1988) to her against-ridden solo debut "Little Earthquakes," (1991) to the epic "Boys for Peel," (1996) to her more reflective work as a middle-aged mother with "The Beekeeper," (2005) Tori Amos has never made the same album twice. Although each release has something to offer, it is Amos's second album "Under the Pink" (1994) that I find myself most drawn to.

Among the entire Tori Amos catalogue, her first two albums, "Under the Pink" and "Little Earthquakes" are probably the most comparable. "Under the Pink" is a true follow-up to the debut, picking up where its predecessor left off. Angst-ridden confessionals, reflections, regret, and sadness are the prevailing themes. While both albums are, more-or-less cut from the same cloth, the sequel possesses a superior collection of songs, with more compelling and complex arrangements.

"Pretty Good Year" opens with the subtle and beautiful low-key playing of the piano. While the melody is straightforward, it is instantly captivating. Immediately you are transfixed and swept away for the entire duration of the album. The song is rather melancholy, yet has a certain confidence. It's as though after hard times, life is getting a little more stable and the bad times are behind. The light strings give the song a little color, without being overdone. The tongue-in-cheek "God" asks the basic fundamental questions of life, knowing full well that an answer will never be forthcoming. The experimental off-beat nature of the song is intriguing and adds a little bit of spice to the album. "Bells for Her" tells the story of two friends. The light piano and vocals are slightly underwhelming, yet as the song progresses, Amos sounds as though she is going to break under pressure. So while the song is seemingly subdued, it has an underlying intensity that is gripping. It is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs that I have ever heard. "Past the Mission" is slightly more upbeat, with its popish sing-song verse and melodic, lush chorus. Trent Reznor's (Nine Inch Nails) light backing vocals makes for a great contrast with Amos and gives the song added flavor. The hard to decipher "Baker Baker" seems to be about regret, or a lost opportunity. The strings give the song the perfect touch of melancholy. "The Wrong Band" is dazzling and gripping, as it takes its listener though an array waltz-like progressions and gentle-but-exiting string arraignments. The violent, eerie "The Waitress" comes out of left field and leaves a lasting, disturbing impression. "Cornflake Girl," although not really a pop song, is probably the catchiest song on the entire album. The mandolin and guitars over the piano work very nicely. The piano solo towards the end is particularly engrossing. Such a catchy song, it's no small wonder why "Cornflake Girl" was chosen to be a single. A piano introduction of "Icicle" lasts for almost two minutes, but Tori's bittersweet playing is so engrossing, no ones counting. Singing is sparse and subtle, occasionally getting more intense, which only heightens the effect. "Cloud on my Tongue" starts out subdued and soft spoken, as it drifts along. The orchestration which is subtly introduced, comes at just the right moment, and stands as one of the brightest moments on the album. "Space Dog" is rather unusual in structure. It starts out jazzy with light cymbals before its funky bass line kicks in. The alternating off-beat bass to the more melodic piano, back to the bass, then back to the piano, is both intriguing and unexpected. The album concludes with its most challenging piece, the epic "Yes Anastasia." Almost ten minutes in length, it is regularly low-key, with moments of intense orchestration. Although the song is quite long, it always stays captivating, a testament to what a gifted songwriter Amos really is.

"Under the Pink" is one of the most emotionally captivating albums that I have ever listened to. A true confessional, Amos shares with the listener all her innermost thoughts and demons. As with much of her work, abstract and scattered bedroom poetry prevails. Her lyrics which are often abstract, ironic, or tongue-in-cheek, convey what she is feeling without draining the listener.

The musical arraignments match the emotional tone that she is trying to convey, play for play, throughout the length of the entire CD. When you listen to her music you feel as though you had just made a connection. Amos really strikes a chord with all different types of people. If you go to one of her concerts, you'll observe how eclectic the audience is. People of all different ages and musical persuasions can connect with her, something that few artists can do.

While each album Tori Amos has released is of quality "Under the Pink" remains her finest work. It's one of the most intense, honest, and beautiful albums that I have ever listened to. Even if Piano-led confessionals aren't normally your cup of tea, this album is well worth a listen. No matter what kind of music you like; metal, classic rock, classical, you may find yourself taken with this album.

Tori Amos has done lots of great work over the years, but I always think of this as her definitive album. It has the slam-dunk rockers "God" and "Cornflake Girl," and the hilarious "The Wrong Band". And it's got the hypnotic, heartbreaking "Bells for Her," one of the most daring and original things she's ever done.

One thing I always liked about Tori Amos is that despite her famous-person image projection (probably inevitable when you are famous), she always seems to be genuinely living out her day-to-day emotional life in her art (viz., not just trying to live up to a posture or a career move). Nothing shows that off better than "Bells for Her," with its stalactite piano notes and its moving, painful lines "Are you in there? / You have her face and her eyes but you are not her."

It would be a better world all-around if more pop artists had the nerve and the focus to make songs with that kind of honesty and precision. Save Tori a spot right next to Joni Mitchell, Chrissie Hynde and PJ Harvey on the Mount Rushmore of Cool Women Rockers.

yes, I'll admit i was more than a bit disappointed that this umpteenth album i don't own slipped much more slowly into the drama than did Tori's first effort Little Earthquakes, therefore making it a success...but if one does appreciate the placid experimental themes of most tracks this album shouldn't be one to disappoint, so give it a try i suppose. "god" and "the wrong band" were considerable high notes...

After her life changing, brilliant and almost perfect debut "Little Earthquakes" in 1992, Tori Amos appeared to have a big challenge on her hands trying to top or even match that absolutely astonishing piece of art with her follow up "Under the Pink".

Did she pull it off ?

No.

But she gets an A for effort.

This is a very solid album with great songs including several hits and even multiple music videos.

The best songs here are "Pretty Good Year", "Cornflake Girl", "Baker, Baker", "Past the Mission", the haunting and beautiful "Bells for Her" and the closing track "Yes, Anastasia", a long but beautiful epic.

The rest are OK, but the thing that separates "Little Earthquakes" and her 3rd cd "Boys for Pele"...(my 2nd favorite Tori album by the way) from "Under the Pink" is not necessarily the individual songs themselves, it's the cohesion of those albums.

Tori Amos is very much an album artist.

Her albums are like experiences and each song is essential to the collective greater good.

That is very true on "Little Earthquakes" and "Boys for Pele", but I don't get the same feelings of awe and wonder with "Under the Pink".

The other two induce deep feelings, emotions and reflection.

They are masterpieces of the highest degree.

On this one, the songs don't intertwine to form that "feeling" that you get from the other 2.

It's still a good cd and even a less than perfect Tori album beats the hell out of most of what other female artists put out.

In summation, "Under the Pink" probably suffers a bit from being released in between Tori's 2 best albums (LE and BFP), but on it's own, it is a very solid sophomore effort.

I would definitely recommend it, but it's not up to the standards of LE or BFP.

But that is not an insult, because very, very few albums are up to that standard.

Under The Pink is my third favourite Tori Amos album. In my opinion, Tori's creative peak was around the late-nineties, so my favourite Tori album is the fantastic Boys For Pele (pay-lay) followed by From The Choirgirl Hotel and Under The Pink is probably my third favourite and To Venus and Back (very underrated) may be my fourth.
I especially love the more experimental side of Tori Amos, although I really really love this album. My favourite Tori song comes from this CD by the way.

The album begins with what I thought would be another 'China', but I was very wrong. Towards the end of the song, the song gets unpredictably loud and more complex - I love the weirdness of that. A song called God follows and features some overrated lyrics. Next is Bells For Her. At first, I didn't think much of this song, but, like most songs which feature only an instrument (piano) and vocals, it grew on me, but because of its simplicity, its peak for me, has passed - although the lyrics are great - which gives the song some more durability.

Track 4 is Past The Mission, which also took a while to grew on me. Although this isn't a highpoint of the album, it is still very good. Baker Baker is a fan favourite, but I prefer to listen to tracks such as The Waitress and Pretty Good Year, and a few more from this album. "The Wrong Band" is also a lowpoint although I stress that it is NOT bad at all.

"The Waitress" WOW! This song is sooooo weird, creative and original: just my type of music. It features such strong metaphors, but conveys such an odvious and stroing message: Tori believes in peace! (bitch) - I especially like the chorus, which reminded me of the Pretty Good Year climax. And by the way, this song is absolutely divine on the To Venus And Back CD, which goes for more than ten minutes. Note that this song is vry inaccessible (which is always good) - This is my second favourite Tori song of all-time - at the moment - And you can tell how much I like this track by the amount of things I wrote.... anyway, new paragraph:

Cornflake Girl is to put simply, a modern-day classic, and appeals to quite a broad audience actually: The people who like Bjork, Goldfrapp and other experimental artists may like it for its complxity and metaphors. Did you know this song is abouyt a female body part? And poeple who only care about 'good' music and like artists such as Delta Goodrem or other pop singers will like it for its strong chorus and it's up-temponess, if you know what I mean. The song is also quite long. I love its little piano solo's, and it's very abstract video clip!

This song is followed by the fanstastic Icicle, which also requires some time to reach its peak. I has a great intro and very very good lyrics. Cloud On My Tounge is like Icicle - it takes time to grow on you etc and is very creative. The accessible (but good) Space Dog follows and features some bizarre lyrics. Yes, Anastacia is my favourite song of all time and I will finish this review later... i just realized something.

goodbye!

A tuneful, rocking Tori spans all music genres with lyrics that make you sit up and scratch your head, but your foot remains tapping to the music.

I love this CD, and of course my favorite is Cornflake Girls. My girls and I use to jam to that song frequently and it remains a favorite after all these years. Great listening!

This is one of the greatest things that i own...treasured and inspiring...beautiful,passionate,creative,deep and moving...
Under The Pink is Tori at her best and in truth,music at its best.

Pretty good album by the great Tori Amos. I've been a fan for years - I grew up with her - yet UNDER THE PINK is one of the last albums I bought to complete my collection. What a pleasant surprise ! I know this album spawned the everlasting and haunting "Cornflake Girl", but so many overlooked songs came from that very same place. "Past the Mission" - Lyrical, Beautiful. One of those Tori songs where the lyrics are hard to decipher, allowing an enormous free space for personal interpretation. I cannot live without the heartbreaking "Pretty Good Year". A song which always makes everything bad in your life seem fine.

Overall, this is quintessential Tori Amos. A giant step away from LITTLE EARTHQUAKES, and already sending smoke signals of the heavy BOYS FOR PELE and FROM THE CHORIGIRL HOTEL to come.

I'm a fairly new fan of Tori's and there isn't much of her work that I can give less than five stars to. She is a remarkable artist and this album shows more of what she's capable of. It's really hard for Tori to do wrong. My favorite track on here is God, it's one of the most noteable as well.

Pretty Good Year - 10/10
God - 10/10
Bells for Her - 10/10
Past the Mission - 10/10
Baker Baker - 10/10
The Wrong Band - 9/10
The Waitress - 10/10
Cornflake Girl - 10/10
Icicle - 9/10
Cloud on My Tongue - 8/10
Space Dog - 10/10
Yes, Anastasia - 10/10

116/120

My Top 5...
1) Pretty Good Year
2) Bells for Her
3) Yes, Anastasia
4) Baker Baker
5) The Waitress

I encountered this work after I had encountered Boys for Pele (see my review). This is another beautiful work worthy of many hours of attention.

On her 2nd CD, Amos stretches out quite a bit musically and lyrically. This results in what one reviewer called "musical impressionism": Like the paintings, you get an overall feel for the scene but you have to guess at the details. Ultimately, many of these songs are "about" whatever you decide they are.

One of the "tricks" she deploys quite a bit here is grungelike play with dynamics as in the abrupt loud/soft transitions on "Pretty Good Year". She also makes use of some interesting instrumentation with a "prepared" piano on "Bells for Her" (items are inserted into the strings and hammers of the piano to make it sound more like the bells in the title), backwards masked drums on "The Waitress" and the mandolin on the strutting "Cornflake Girl".

As an example of how much you have to read between the lines lyrically, the aforementioned song is apparently about female genital mutilation (based on something from an Alice Walker book if I recall correctly). Try getting that out of the lyric without having that advance notice! "The Waitress" and "Space Dog" are also pretty impenetrable.

Best tracks here are the alternative "hits" "Cornflake Girl" and "God", along with the funky vibe of "Space Dog", the haunting "Bells for Her" and the polka lilt of "The Wrong Band". (No really...listen to it again and see how easy it is to imagine a tuba "oom-pa-pa" in place of the bassy piano figure..)

While I believe this is a better album than "Little Earthquakes", it also takes some time to settle in, so I wouldn't recommend this as your first Tori purchase if you're getting acquainted. But if you're already enjoying that CD, and you're ready to make a little effort to meet her halfway, Amos has treasures that are more than skindeep.

This is actually the first album of Tori Amos's that i bought. I didn't really know an awful lot about her music, so i didn't know what to expect. "Cornflake Girl" was the only song i had heard but i loved it so much i wanted to hear what else the girl can do. And, let me tell you, i was so impressed.

The Songs...

[1] Pretty Good Year

This song is such a great way to start the album. As soon as i heard the melody i was captivated, it's beautiful. I was listening to it with headphones on, so i had turned it up quite loud because it seemed to be a soft song. But wow, i was so surprised when it burst into a loud, powerful sound as she sings "Hey what's it gonna take till my baby's alright?" I love the unpredictability of that, it really makes the song have an impact on the listener, makes you sit up and pay attention.

[2]God

Another great song, very smart and sassy lyrics "God sometimes you just don't come through / do you need a woman to look after you?" It has a nice scratchy guitar sound and good beat/rhythm which sounds even better when played loud.

[3] Bells For Her

This one, although good, took me a little while to get into, probably because it was very quiet and muffled. Admittedly, this is deliberate, and creates the moody effect of the song, but i think it takes a few listens to warm up to. I like it now :)

[4] Past The Mission

I like the tune of this one, it's quite uplifting after the soft, subtle Bells For Her. Not too sure what it's about mind you, but i think that's part of the fun of Tori's music, different people can read differently into things and find different meanings.

[5] Baker Baker

Such a sad song. And yet i really like it. The lyrics are lovely and i love the simplicity of just the piano and Tori's voice. Her voice is really emotional and expressive and...gorgeous. Sorry i'm not very articulate. I particularly like the way it ends with "If you see him say...hi" it kind of breaks my heart...in a good way...i mean, it's touching.

[6]The Wrong Band

Heh heh, this one makes me jolly. It has a lively tune and i love singing along to it. I think it's about prostitutes, which is an interesting topic to sing about...and that's why I like it. It's...quirky.

[7] The Waitress

Okay at first this one didn't appeal to me at all. It's strange...i'm not at all good at defining musical techniques and instruments but there's some kind of weird shifting sound and eerie "uh-huh" voices and a big burst of noise for the chorus "But i believe in peace, bitch". Certainly different. Despite my initial reaction to it, however, the more i listen to it, the more i like it. It's really experimental and works well for what she's singing about. If you don't like it, keep trying and it might grow on you..perhaps.

[8] Cornflake Girl

Ahhh, my beloved Cornflake Girl. Not much to say apart form the fact that I love it. Love the tune. Love the funky whistling sound. Love the lyrics. Love it.

[9] Icicle

The piano starts off playing a really soft, gentle tune...a bit like a children's lullaby or something...really innocent sounding. Then it kind of builds up into quite a menacing pounding on the keys (which in my opinion sounds really good)
And then the main tune comes in, it's simple but captivating. I really like it, but i tend to skip it if a member of my family is in the room because...i think the words might worry them a bit! Bless them.

[10] Cloud On My Tongue

Seems to run on from Icicle effortlessly. I think this has a lovely melody, and her voice sounds so pretty. I especially like it when she sings "Don't stop now what you're doing..." It sounds really sweet and child-like.

[11] Space Dog

This one has a funky beat that makes me bop (yes, i bop) Not too sure what she's singing about, but the lyrics are interesting, "There's Colonel (sp?) Dirtyfishydishcloth" and "Racing turtles the grapefruit is winning" Perhaps it's about drugs? I don't know, but i like it alot.

[12] Yes, Anastasia

Now, i don't think this song gets enough credit. I really really really love it. Yes, that's three reallys. It is a big epic beast of a song, and it inspires me. It's got a varied structure...not predictable at all, always changing. The piano is hypnotising. And i love the contrast between her sweet singing, such as in "Show me the ways to button up buttons that have forgotten they're buttons..." and her rather more serious, almost menacing voice when she sings "we'll see how brave you are / we'll see how fast you'll be running" There's also a contrast in the piano playing itself, sometimes a light, breezy tune and at other times a powerful strong buildup of sound along with violins and things.

Although it's nine minutes long, i actually feel it's over the quickest out of all the songs on the album, probably because i love it so much. It ends the album on such a great note, and when she holds out the "we'll seeeeeee" note at the end, it leaves me breathless and gives me goosebumps. So stunning.

Conclusion...

As you can probably see, i am rather obsessed with this album. I think it's hypnotising, you have to give it your full attention in order to properly appreciate it. I bought Little Earthquakes after this one, and i love that one so much too, but i think Under The Pink will always be special to me because it was the album that first made me fall in love with Tori Amos and her amazing music. The music itself, the poetic lyrics and her voice...it's just perfection.

Sorry if i have bored you! I tend to go on a bit.
By the way if it interests you, i am 17 years old, so Tori can appeal to younger people. Mind you none of the people at my school have heard of her...
They don't know what they're missing out on!

xxx

The first time I bought this album, I was hoping for something like Little Earthquakes or even Boys for Pele: Something raw and intense. My first reaction was dissapointment, because this album, to me, is a bit more relaxed than those two albums. But now it's my favourite Tori CD.

Lyrically, I think this is Tori's best. Musically, this is her best. Vocally, it is her best. It is one of the few albums that I consider "perfect."

The confrontational "God" introduced me to Tori, and I love it's paranoia and anger. The song ridicules the head of the Christian church for not always delivering, asking him if he needs a woman's touch to keep him focused. "Baker Baker" is a beautiful song using a baking metaphor for a breakup. "The Waitress" is a self-deprecating song based on the pure hate a woman can have for another woman for seemingly no reason. "Icicle" is another Christ-confronting song, but much softer in tone than God and more shocking lyrically. I burst out laughing when the meaning of one particular line clicked. It ends with the wonderfully long "Yes, Anastasia."

As with "Little Earthquakes," don't let the deceptively soothing music fool you. The lyrics are often stark, often whimsical, but always confrontational. Tori's voice is a gift of, well, God, equal parts motherly and paranoid. A perfect album.

Tori Amos is one of the best pianist of all time. I love the kind of songs she's writing. This was the first Tori Amos' CD that I heard. a really good choice !!!

"Under the Pink" is not quite as accessible as its predecessor, Tori's debut album "Little Earthquakes". The arrangments are more complex, intricate, etc., and the lyrics are weirder and vague. But it's even more rewarding in the end, if you're not turned off.

The opener "Pretty Good Year" goes from hushed and quiet into a glass shattering crescendo, out of nowhere really. It blew me away at first.

The singles were "God" and "Cornflake Girl". The former combines atonal guitar screeching with angelic interludes into a surprisingly accessible pop song. The latter is the most radio friendly thing on here, a breezy, Celtic-tinged pop song.

"Past the Mission" is torn between two emotions; part of it (the verses) wants to be a playful pop song, and the other part (the chorus) wants it to serious.

"Bells For Her" is a wintry song in which Tori plays a reconstructed piano (which sounds like a glockenschpiel) over hushed vocals. It's very murky and drab sounding, but in a good way. It's interesting. "Icicle" is another intricate ballad that takes many listens to get into, if at all.

The album closes with one of her best compositions, the 9+ minute orchestral epic "Yes Anastasia".

Other highlights include the lighthearted romp "The Wrong Band", the eerie/intense "Waitress" (one of her angriest and loudest songs), the lush "Cloud on my Tongue", and the spacey avant-pop of "Space Dog".

Think of this more as a transitional album; somewhere between stripped down, emotional balladry of "Little Earthquakes" and the erratic weirdness of "Boys For Pele". A great, rewarding listen.

Best Songs: Bells For Her, Cornflake Girl, Yes Anastasia, Space Dog, Cloud On My Tonge.

Under the Pink is one of Tori Amos's earlier records. It is majestic in it's simplicity. "Pretty Good Year" serves as the perfect opening track to a pretty great album. It begins tranquilly, with an exquisite strings arrangement backing Tori's piano playing and beautiful voice. However the song soon tumbles into a schizophrenic change to minor key where she moans with the sort of angst reminiscent of an alternative rock tune straight from Alanis's "Jagged Little Pill." The next track is the classic single, God. It has sort of a jazzy feel to it with edgy screeching guitars (which get slightly irritating) in the background. This song is good mostly for the clever lyrics. "God sometimes you just don't come through. Do you need a women to look after you?" Bells for Her is musically quite simple (just Tori's vocals and some sort of an instrument that sounds like chiming bells) yet haunting. One of my favorites on the record is another catchy single, "past the Mission," which sounds like a mellow, upbeat rock lullaby. "Baker Baker" is a song about a break up based upon the metaphor of a bakery. "Baker, baker can you explain if truly his heart was made of icing?" Preceding that is the whimsically ethereal, "The Wrong Band" that kind of sounds reminiscent of the music you'd hear at a carnival. Then there's "The Waitress," one of Tori's experiments with industrial rock. The lyrics are ironic and somewhat comical, especially when she screams, "I believe in peace, bitch!" at the chorus. "Cornflake Girl" is one of Tori's most popular singles. It has an almost country twang to it with guitars and mandolins complementing the resonant piano playing. In my opinion, "Icicle" is one of the strongest songs off the record. It begins with an intriguing modern piano solo (with lots of dissonance) and continues with Tori's soaring soprano vocals. Cloud on my toungue is another nice piano ballad. Then behold... here comes the funky Space Dog. This song is lots of fun, with some great percussion, lot's of key changes, and some hilariously weird lyrics. Lyrics like "Lemon Pie, he's coming through our comander still Space dog lines secure, space dog," remind me of some other ridiculous lines from a later album "Boys for Pele." The last song, "Yes Anastacia" is an exhilarating nine-minute orchestra epic, drawing the album to a suitably dramatic close. I'd recommend this CD to any fan of quirky singer song-writers and certainly believe it is one of Tori Amos's strongest efforts. There's not a song here I don't like.

When I bought "Little Earthquakes" back in October 2004, I fell completely in love with Tori Amos. I knew from that point on that I needed more of her music, but I wasn't sure when I'd be buying it. I wanted to buy her entire back catalogue in its order of release so that I could see the changes and evolution in her style. Therefore, the second purchase I made was that of "Under The Pink," Tori's sophomore release from 1994. Upon first listening to this album I was not impressed but always knew in the back of my mind that it would grow on me, and it has but in an unprecedented way! Tori Amos is now easily amongst my top 5 female recording artists of all time. I just connect to her music in such a visceral way that just feels natural and right for me. She might be a bit strange, but that's better than being boring, right?

The album Under The Pink came two years after Tori's debut Little Earthquakes which was rightly hailed as a monumental achievement in emotional and tormented alternative rock pop. Her piano was the main focus for that album, and it is for Under The Pink, but her lyrics are deeper and her subjects even more unusual and fresher than ever before. Tori avoided the sophomore slump with this album because of these factors, and was then free to continue making excellent music for the next ten years.

The album opens with the beautiful "Pretty Good Year." This song has an amazing shift in volume from soft and fragile vocals to screeching and bellowing yelps in the space of a few seconds. Tori controls it extremely well and the lyrical matter is superb, especially "Greg, he writes letters with his birthday pen. Sometimes he's aware that they're drawing him in." One of the most popular songs from the album is up next, "God." This sassy rocking number sees Tori challenging the faith in God by asking, "God sometimes you just don't come through....Do you need a woman to look after you?" It's easy to see why the Bible Belt wouldn't approve of Amos! "Bells For Her" is the next song and is one of my favourites from the whole album. I didn't really have much of an opinion on it to begin with because it kind of slipped by me. However, when I really listened to the lyrics and the bells, I fell in love with it. It's such a haunting and ominous song. It creates a feeling that something is coming - something is on its way, and it's not good. "Past The Mission" was another single and is one of my favourites from the album. Again, I didn't like it at first but now I love it, especially the way the lyrics are arranged in the verses and the bridge section.

"Baker Baker" is a fan-favourite and a heart-breaking and emotional piece of music about breaking up in a relationship. Tori uses bakery as a metaphor for this break up and whilst it might sound corny, you just need to listen to it to experience its unashamed beauty. "The Wrong Band" is another great song and has a funny feel to it like it doesn't take itself too seriously. Tori's piano playing is great and the chorus is very memorable. "The Waitress" is probably my least favourite song from the album, but that doesn't mean it's bad. It's rather good infact. Tori sings of wanting to kill a waitress who's worked at a cafe a year longer than her. Her reason? We're not sure, but we don't have to be with the lyrics! "Cornflake Girl" is easily the most popular song from the album. This song is a modern classic and was a big hit in the UK. The way the lyrics are arranged in the chorus is very memorable and will stick in your head for years!

I didn't really take too well to "Icicle" at the start but now I really do love it. I think the intro is a bit too long, but once it really starts at 1:33 it's all good. I love the way this beautiful ballad is full of energy but is kept under control by Tori's voice, especially when she sings, "Gonna lay...it...down." Another song which is similar to its predecessor is "Cloud On My Tongue." This isn't my favourite song on the album and I find it a bit forgettable, but every time I listen to it I find myself remembering the beautiful melody. "Space Dog" is another album highlight with its beat that plods along. I also love the way the lyrics are arranged in the verse, it's incredibly catchy. The mini piano-solo before the chorus is great too, and then of course comes that amazing chorus "So sure we were on something!" The final song is "Yes, Anastacia," and clocks in at a staggering 9:32! This has to be the longest song of Tori's career, but it's another great composition which changes its tempo a lot like the first song.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

The question of whether or not Under The Pink is a better album than Little Earthquakes raises its head quite frequently. I personally think Little Earthquakes is better, but only by a short stretch. Under The Pink is a superb album that confirmed Tori's status as one of the world's leading alternative female artists. There isn't really a bad song in the whole album making it a strong and solid body of work that will require repeated listens for all the genius to sink in.

Amos's sophomore effort did not disappoint. The songs were more complex, both musically and lyrically. Subjects ranged from the cruelty of women toward one another to masterbation in the church. The album is rich with metaphors and stunning piano-based arrangements. "Cornflake Girl" garnered the "girl and the piano" some long-overdue attention. And as the world would find out soon enough, Amos was just getting started. Highlights include "God," "Past the Mission," "Cornflake Girl," and "Yes, Anastasia."

Tori's 1994 album is one of my favourites, remaining on high rotation in my stereo. In my opinion, it's the only time in her career when she didn't have to prove anything, or write about anything in particular-- during the writing for "Boys for Pele", she was going through a breakup, and since "To Venus and Back" all her albums have been based around a particular concept.

"Pink" is beautiful. It's not as experimental as later albums, though, and is made up mostly of piano-and-string pieces. The opening track, "Pretty Good Year" is one of my favourite Tori Amos songs, with a pretty opening that builds up to a crashing crescendo near the end of the piece. "Cornflake Girl" is an upbeat pop song with incredibly confusing lyrics and a cute tune. "Yes Anastasia" is a nine-minute orchestral epic.

There are so many good things about this CD, but of course there are bad things as well. "Bells for Her" is slow and dreary, and "The Waitress" isn't particularly pleasing to listen to (it's far better live.) Overall, though, this is a strong effort, and highly reccomended.

This is Tori's second best album! she wrote it out of a lot of pain and hope, I don't know from what, because it hardly seems to be linked to Little Earthquakes. Tori certainly develops her style of songwriting and lyrics in UTP, from jazzy, experimental songs like God and Cornflake Girl, to doleful songs like Icicle and Yes, Anastasia.

Tori allows you to hear her whimper and shriek; all the inflections of her voice are very moving. The lyrics are more abstract, but still leave you resonating messages, such as in 'Bells for Her,''Pretty Good Year,' and 'The Wrong Band.' She infuses a lot of feeling in every song, containing sarcasm and desire at the same time.

Tori is too complicated to become a categorized musician, which she proves further on Under the Pink.

also recommended: Boys for Pele, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, and any albums by Jonatha Brooke,Joni Mitchell, Incubus