Tori Amos is the current darling of the music media, her girlish visage peering out from the covers of virtually every other music magazine currently on the newsstands. If you watch the music video channels, you couldn’t have missed her clip for the song “God.”
Her 1992 debut, “Little Earthquakes,” went gold, and her new “Under the Pink” album has catapulted into the upper reaches of Billboard’s albums chart just a few weeks after its release, and has already reached the No. 1 spot in the U.K. Not surprisingly, Amos’ solo show Thursday at the Vic was a quick sellout.
Blessed with an angelic voice that recalls Kate Bush one moment and Joni Mitchell the next, the former child prodigy is a masterful pianist who often eschews the use of band accompaniment on her albums.
She’s getting plenty of radio airplay in Chicago, and according to one Chicago record store manager, “Her album has just been flying out of here, and was our top seller this week.” He adds a caveat, though: “Frankly, I just don’t `get’ her music at all.”
And therein lies the rub.
Amos’ abstract, impressionistic lyrics on “Under the Pink” are loaded with obscure images that often make it impossible to figure out what her songs are about. Take the opening verse of “Space Dog”: “Way to go Mr. Microphone/Show us all what you don’t know/Centuries, secret societies/He’s our commander still/Space Dog.” Then there’s “Bells for Her”: “And through the life force and there goes her friend/On her Nishiki it’s out of time/And through the portal they can make amends/Hey would you say whatever we’re blanket friends.”
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Say what? And what exactly is a “Cornflake Girl” anyway?
Perhaps Tori Amos just operates on a much higher astral plane than the rest of us. Then again, maybe she’ll hand out Cliffs Notes at the concert.
Other concerts of note
The Skatalites Friday at Metro: Think of ska pioneers the Skatelites as the Booker T. & the MG’s of the genre characterized by its infectious herky-jerky rhythm, choppy offbeat guitars and jazz-inflected horns. As a studio band the Skatelites were there at the beginning of Jamaica’s ska craze in the early ’60s and played on such classics as Desmond Dekker’s “The Israelites.” On their own, the instrumental group scored a number of Jamaican hits and were a major influence on the late ’70s British “Two-Tone” ska revival and on its resurgence in the U.S. a decade later. Since reforming for a Reggae Sunsplash date in 1983, the group members moved to the U.S. and released the excellent “Ska Voovee” album on Shanachie Records last year. The touring group includes original members Tommy McCook on tenor sax, Lloyd Brevett on bass and Lloyd Knibb on drums. Opening are ska revivalists Skapone, Mustard Plug, and the Invaders.
Steve Forbert Friday at Schubas, Saturday at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn: Forbert’s on-again/off-again recording career has frustrated longtime fans of the Mississippi-born singer-songwriter who made a big splash in the late ’70s, and whose choice early material can be found on the 1993 Columbia Records compilation, “What Kinda Guy.” Word is Forbert is recording a new album in Nashville, produced by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers bassist Howie Epstein. He’ll appear solo at these two shows.
Lake Shore Jazz of Chicago Jazz Festival Friday and Saturday at the Bop Shop: Lake Shore Jazz of Chicago, a new nationally distributed record label that has ambitious plans to release 20 albums by Chicago jazz artists this year alone, will showcase the stars of its first five releases at this two-night event co-sponsored by WBEZ-FM. Scheduled for Friday are singer-songwriter Jackie Allen, pianist Bradley Williams and his trio and drummer Jeff Stitely and his quartet. On tap for Saturday are bassist/composer Marlene Rosenberg and her trio and the jazz-fusion group Byron Febbs.
Robert Gordon Saturday at Buddy Guy’s Legends: 1970s rockabilly revivalist Robert Gordon has become one of rock ‘n’ roll’s forgotten sons. He’s had some fine moments, though, especially 1977’s delightfully snotty “Red Hot” (“My girl is red hot/You’re girl ain’t doodley-squat”). See if he’s still got the touch.
The Gap Band, the Ohio Players, the Bar-Kays and Evelyn Champagne King Saturday at the Bismarck Hotel: It doesn’t get much funkier than this assemblage of ’70s stars including the Gap Band (“Early in the Morning”), the Ohio Players (“Fire,” “Love Rollercoaster”) and the Bar-Kays (“Too Hot to Stop”). Appearing a bit out of place on the bill is former disco queen King.
The Reverend Horton Heat Saturday at Metro: The Reverend Horton Heat (aka singer-guitarist Jim Heath) mixes his neo-rockabilly and supercharged boogie tunes with tongue-in-cheek “sermons” befitting his name. He’s backed by upright bassist Jimbo and drummer Taz, and if you want the short version of where the Reverend is coming from, check out the lyrics to “Beer: 30” from the group’s “The Full Custom Gospel Sounds of the Reverend Horton Heat” album: “Party/Get naked/Buy us beer.” Opening are kindred spirits Flat Duo Jets and Minneapolis’ Run Westy Run.
The Pogues Saturday at the Vic: While some may still mourn the defection of founder Shane MacGowan, the Pogues have been doing just fine without him. Their new “Waiting for Herb” album shows them to be as wonderfully anarchic as ever, mixing Celtic rock with traditional Irish folk music, accessible pop and the occasional mazurka or two. The raw-voiced Spider Stacy has assumed frontman status, though each Pogue gets his turn in the limelight. Opening are Austin, Texas’ Shoulders, whose intriguing music can best be described as the result of Tom Waits, P.T. Barnum and Jack Keruac going on a bender together.
Cocteau Twins Tuesday at the Riviera Theatre: Over the last decade, Scots alternative rockers the Cocteau Twins have been inching ever closer to the mainstream. Or is it that the mainstream has been inching ever closer to them? Either way, their music is a bit more accessible, and you can actually make out most of singer Elizabeth Fraser’s hypnotic vocals-which in the past sounded like they were recorded at the bottom of Loch Ness. By the way, the Twins current touring ensemble makes them a septet.
Fishbone Tuesday at the Vic Theatre: Fresh from last summer’s Lollapalooza tour, Fishbone returns with their idiosyncratic mix of metal, funk, hardcore and ska, the result of what happens when some South Central L.A. residents move to the burbs and discover Led Zeppelin. Also on the bill are Bio Hazard and Kyuss.
Uncle Tupelo Tuesday-Thursday at Lounge Ax: Belleville’s Uncle Tupelo (essentially the duo of Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy) has come a long way since its origins as a Midwestern garage band version of the Clash. The band has received widespread acclaim in recent years for its folk/country-oriented rock approach, which reached full maturation on last year’s eloquent “Anodyne” album for Sire/Reprise Records. See them up close in this rare club stint. Opening on Wednesday is singer-songwriter Joe Henry.