A joyous return to form from Tori Amos, American Doll Posse draws on classic American late 60s protest songs, reinventing the tradition with panache. Swirls of swaggering guitar-led Americana, country, psych and honky-tonk wrap themselves around her unmistakeable vocals to provide a distinctly rock-based collection. Although undeniably political in its lyrics, it never touches upon that self-indulgent rock star morality exemplified so well by Madonna’s dreary 2003 album American Life.
Amos’ vocals are among her strongest to date, while the musical arrangements break through her former comfort zone to provide an expertly accessible multi-layered rock opus. Secret Spell brings to mind Fleetwood Mac, while the whimsical Programmable Soda can’t help but raise Sgt Pepper’s ghost. On songs such as Devils & Gods (“they are you and I”) Amos makes her point without preaching, and obviously has a lot of fun twisting her vocal chords round the Kurt Weill cabaretflavoured Velvet Revolution, not to mention oddities such as the concise Fat Slut.
This is an album of many strengths: eclectic, insistent and accessible. It wears its influences with pride but deftly avoids being derivative. Despite a political emphasis which would fall flat on its face in lesser hands, the mood is, fortunately, far from sombre.
