Midwinter Graces: Short, Sweet and Spiritual

When we mention Christmas, we usually think of joy, lights, feasts, spirituality, gifts, excess, thanksgiving, happy children and love. When thinking of Tori Amos, one might conjure images of cornflakes, waitress murder, unorthodox takes on religious concepts, celebration of womanhood. As you see, there is very little overlap and that is why Tori, despite her being a minister's daughter, would probably be the last musician we'd ever expect a Christmas album from. But then, she's not really calling it a Christmas album, is she? Midwinter Graces is technically labeled a "seasonal album" instead, so I go and nod, okay, this is characteristic of her, after all.

But what could a "Christmas" album from Tori Amos sound like? Definitely not trite or religious. But surprisingly not at all that would make devouts rally to ban this album from being sold in a Catholic country. For one, she retains the soul of traditional (and Christian) hymns (What Child, Nowell, Emmanuel, Star of Wonder, Jeanette, Isabella and quotes from Gloria in Harps of Gold), and yet fuses them seamlessly with the rest of the album.

"The rest of the album" is the one that I can happily say sounds very Little Earthquakes/Under The Pink-like, where the piano rules. Not lacking in richness - the sorely missed harpsichord makes a comeback, complementing the strings and the perfunctory Christmas bells that lend themselves to some of the songs' old world-ly sound. Precious tracks Holly, Ivy and Rose (where Tori duets with daughter) and Candle: Coventry Carol bring you to an entirely different world. I have never experienced winter where I live but this album puts in my head snapshots of the season over the ages and across cultures like a silent movie.

Meanwhile the cheery, urban side that is associated with the holidays is in the subtly wrapped present that is Pink and Glitter, with its (quiet) big band ballad arrangement. Very anti-Tori title, but nice song. My favorites are Winter's Carol (this is Tori's return to form) and Our New Year (the "saudade"-filled finale that seemed to be a common thread going on with Toast in The Beekeeper and Gold Dust in Scarlet's Walk). There is a love song Silent Night With You that borders on sappy, but forgivable.

Short, sweet, different and spiritual, this album is. Not much about the lyrics, but I like that it successfully set a mood - that is, of bittersweetness. The minor chords and orchestral arrangements can take your mind to a gray and cold Northern village where faint lights bring hope and a spirit of rebirth for the New Year, an overall sentiment of peace, which is what the winter solstice (and Christmas, for that matter) represents for most people.

Rating: ****