Album of the Day

Among the most intense singer-songwriters to emerge during the 1990s, Tori Amos explores raw emotional terrain few performers would dare touch, and FROM THE CHOIRGIRL HOTEL is no exception. The miscarriage Amos suffered shortly before recording the 1998 collection crops up in several places, but as painful and personal as these dozen originals sometimes get, their strength and resilience remains universal. Cut in Cornwall, England, the self-produced Atlantic set features an equally tough sound, and though Tori's trademark piano can be heard throughout, it's framed in tighter rock band arrangements than on previous albums. “Spark,” “Jackie's Strength” and the Grammy-nominated “Raspberry Swirl” are some of the highlights of the platinum-certified set, cited by many fans as their favorite. This is Tori Amos' birthday, and we'll mark the occasion with music FROM THE CHOIRGIRL HOTEL.