|
Midwinter Graces [CD/DVD Combo] | ![Midwinter Graces [CD/DVD Combo]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cnX%2BWXwLL._SL500_.jpg)
| Artist: Tori Amos
Label: Universal Republic
Category: Music
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $9.33
as of 2/9/2010 21:56 EST details
You Save: $10.65 (53%)
New (27) Used (9) from $6.95
Seller: theslippeddisc
Rating:  51 reviews
Sales Rank: 1437
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 001362910
UPC: 602527234496
EAN: 0602527234496
ASIN: B002QCKOME
Release Date: November 10, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Tracks:
| • | What Child, Nowell | | • | Star of Wonder | | • | A Silent Night with You | | • | Candle: Coventry Carol | | • | Holly, Ivy, and Rose | | • | Harps of Gold | | • | Snow Angel | | • | Jeanette, Isabella | | • | Pink and Glitter | | • | Emmanuel | | • | Winter's Carol | | • | Our New Year |
|
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
After nearly two decades writing and recording some of her generation's most emotionally powerful music, Tori Amos will release her first seasonal album, Midwinter Graces, on November 10 via Universal Republic Records. A follow up to Tori's critically acclaimed studio album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin, Midwinter Graces will find Tori reworking and expanding on classic carols as well as developing some of her very own seasonal tracks. Midwinter Graces is an album that has been in the making for the past 40 years. Raised in the Baltimore area under the watchful eye of her Methodist minister father, Tori grew up playing holiday carols at Sunday services and Christmas Day celebrations in her father's church. These were the songs that gave a young Tori her first taste of music, and now almost 40 years later Tori gets her own chance to reimagine classics like "What Child, Nowell" and "Star of Wonder." Tori will also add her own bittersweet bliss to the season with original tracks like "Pink and Glitter" and "Our New Year."
Album Description
Deluxe CD/DVD edition includes bonus DVD. 2009 holiday release. After nearly two decades writing and recording some of her generation's most emotionally powerful music, Tori Amos releases her first seasonal album, Midwinter Graces. A follow up to Tori's critically acclaimed studio album, Abnormally Attracted To Sin, Midwinter Graces finds Tori reworking and expanding on classic carols as well as developing some of her very own seasonal tracks. For Midwinter Graces, Amos has again teamed up with long time collaborators Matt Chamberlain on drums, Jon Evans on bass, and Mac Aladdin on guitars. Tori has enlisted the help of a Big Band and an Orchestra with stunning John Philip Shenale arrangements to create Tori's new seasonal classics.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 51
 Best Holiday Album Ever November 11, 2009
W. M. Bell (Little Rock, AR)
28 out of 29 found this review helpful
I was pretty skeptical at first. I don't usually even listen to seasonal music, its just not to my taste usually. Tori making a seasonal album? Really? Could easily have been a disaster. However, this album is quite the opposite. It is easily her best since Scarlet's Walk. All of the songs are gorgeous and most have these incredible layers that just wrap you in a wintery kind of audio sauna.
The reworked old carols really shine under Tori's care. She found a great balance between respecting the original while giving them a totally different feel, changing lyrics here and there making it very inclusive of people of all faiths and not rehashing Christian ideaologies over and over. She's celebrating something older than Christmas here guys...this is a real Midwinter Festival kind of record. No santa claus hats and puppy dogs. In the reworded hymns there is the Tori element but you can still imagine the ancestors from centuries past filling the streets to this stuff. (this is excluding Harps of Gold, which is the most modern of the reworkings...and probably as upbeat as it gets, you can barely recognize the "Gloria" elements to it, not that its a bad thing!)Her originals are even better. Pink and Glitter has an old hollywood vibe, amazing. Snow Angel is so haunting, and the strings on this one are just impeccable.Winter's Carol, the star of this production, takes my breath away. There is not a dull moment in that song. It is so very well put together and a rather dark and beautiful kind of way.
I could go on forever about this piece of holiday magic, seriously. Hear for yourself! You won't be sorry!
Buy this for yourself, your friends, and anyone who loves holiday or simply amazing music.
This one's got something for everyone.
A very beautiful album everyone will enjoy November 11, 2009
Jennifer Barthe (New Orleans, LA)
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
I was pleasantly surprised by how mellow and smooth this album is. Once you start listening to it, you'll get into such a relaxed mood that all you'll want to do is sit in a comfy chair and sip coffee or tea. I'm listening to Midwinter Graces as I type this review and I have a cup of coffee right next to me :)
I can honestly say that even my parents would appreciate hearing these songs over the Christmas holidays. Now don't get the idea that this album is totally mainstream or lame, because it's not, remember this is Tori Amos were talking about. But it's so well done that non-Tori fans will be asking "Who IS this? And where can I get the CD?".
It's the perfect holiday album to listen to with loved ones but it can also help you introduce Tori's brilliant music to new listeners. Don't be surprised if months from now, your mother discovers 'Little Earthquakes' and shouts to the world that 'Cornflake Girl' is her new favorite song, lol. Trust me, by listening to this album with your family it's ridiculously possible. Of course you'll have to explain to your mom what 'Cornflake Girl' is about and that's it's not just a catchy tune, but a song with a deep message.
Now back to Midwinter Graces...
My favorite songs on this album include:
1. Star of Wonder (my #1 favorite)
2. Holly, Ivy, and Rose (a believe she sings this song with her young daughter)
3. Snow Angel
4. Jeanette, Isabella
5. Emmanuel (a beautiful version of the holiday classic)
6. What A Child, Nowell
7. Winter's Carol
At times it doesn't even feel like I'm listening to a holiday album at all, just a mellow Tori album. I highly recommend getting/downloading it and listening to Midwinter Graces all year round. It's really that good.
Best Tori Amos album in years November 11, 2009
Eclectic Music Fan
13 out of 16 found this review helpful
For those old Tori Amos fans who became disenchanted with her later work, this album is a return to form. It is tight and beautiful while still full of surprises to keep your interest. Similarly, for those who have become disenchanted with the celebrity artist holiday fare, this album blows away nearly everything else on the market. Tori Amos manages to create an album for the holidays that can also stand on its own at any other time of the year.
Highly recommended.
Whodathunk Tori could create a classic? December 9, 2009
Architect of Skin (Philippines)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Ten years from now, when pop Christmas albums have come and gone, Tori Amos' "Midwinter Graces" has a strong potential of becoming a great holiday classic--oh if only the public would give it a chance!
Pop Christmas albums sell more of the artist and less of the songs. As the artist's star fades, expect that album to be played less and less.
Surprisingly, "Midwinter Graces" isn't just Amos' most accessible album, it is also the most timeless.
As the first few bars of each song play, you'd think you were hearing original compositions. And for the most part they are. However, Amos beautifully injects lines and tunes from classic Christmas songs. Not just reinterpretation, but reinvigoration.
In standard Tori fashion, a number of the songs are bittersweet in tone, but she also has a good number of heartwarming ditties. "Star of Wonder," "What Child, Nowell," "Harps of Gold" and "Jeanette, Isabella" are personal faves.
"A Silent Night with You" could easily be part of a movie soundtrack. "Snow Angel" is a playful tease. "Pink and Glitter" is fun. "Holly, Ivy & Rose" sounds like a magical medieval ritual.
Again... if only the general public would give this a chance!
 A twist to the genre November 19, 2009
Daniel Ting (Austin, TX USA)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Like Tori mentioned before the album was released, the real shocker in this album is that there is no real shocker. Overall it is a very pleasant listen with Tori doing songs across a wide range of sounds. There is big band (Pink and Glitter), medieval (Candle: Coventry Carol), Persian-tinged folk-rock (Star of Wonder) and music from the Dark Ages (Emmanuel). There is also a song, Winter's Carol, that is from the musical Tori is working on (The Light Princess). Tori also wrote a song in memory of her brother Michael, Our New Year, which is a very beautiful, true-to-Tori-form song with some nice strings.
Some highlights of the album are that the piano is now back to the center, an element that has been missing in the last few Tori albums. I must say I enjoyed watching the interview, it shows a side of Tori that is not usually brought out in past interviews - and you see that she really does know quite a fair bit about church history. Even though this album is very much your unconventional Tori, I really think Tori could have done a little better with this album. For one, songs like Harps of Gold and Candle: Coventry Carol were not very suited to Tori's voice. And the album cover (I know this should not be a point of contention, but it is not something easily ignored) looks very obviously photoshopped - as a Tori fan put it: "she looks more and more like an android with each album cover." I don't mean to speak this way about Tori but there is something to the raw Tori we all find magical.
My favorites on this album are:
Star of Wonder - reminds me of Strong Black Vine.
Pink and Glitter - a wonderful nod to the big band era, reminiscent of the songs Tori sang on Mona Lisa Smile.
Jeanette, Isabella
Comfort and Joy (Bonus Track on Deluxe Edition)
Showing reviews 1-5 of 51
|
|
|
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.
Proud member of the Celebrity Pro Network. Make sure you check out these other great Celebrity Pro Network sites:
Lyrics Database
Celebrity Blog
Celebrity Thing
Celebrity PC
Celebrity Latest
Portal Site
Travel Photos
Quotes
Flash Games
|
Is there a better
price available?
Find out:
|
|
|
|
