Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes

Moody BluesTori Amos‘ first album, Little Earthquakes, is released, featuring the singles “Silent All These Years” and “Crucify”. Read more


Order this CD in the StoreThis one is an oddity. I don’t know quite how it managed to get so much attention so very quickly; not that it’s not good music, mind you – it’s astonishingly good, easily the best pop album to hit the shelves in the early 1990s. But it’s an oddity in its execution – mostly acoustic piano with little accompaniment, and a husky solo female vocal. It’s certainly not like anything else on the market, and maybe that’s why I like it so much. The songs to listen for closely are 4 out of 4“Little Earthquakes”, “Tear In Your Hand”, and the emotionally shattering “Winter”; actually, that’s far from the only song capable of stirring deep emotions here, which may be key to its appeal (and, frankly, another reason I was surprised it caught on when it did). Also check out her early singles if you like this album – more on that in another review in this section.

  1. Crucify (4:58)
  2. Girl (4:06)
  3. Silent All These Years (4:10)
  4. Precious Things (4:26)
  5. Winter (5:40)
  6. Happy Phantom (3:12)
  7. China (4:58)
  8. Leather (3:12)
  9. Mother (6:59)
  10. Tear In Your Hand (4:38)
  11. Me and a Gun (3:44)
  12. Little Earthquakes (6:51)

Released by: Atlantic
Release date: 1991
Total running time: 56:54

1993 music review by Earl Green