[Unamannuato]

The worst transition ever Original Sensuality > Ireland. What was she thinking?!
Ireland ultimately ruins the flow that should be from OS straight to TBK.

[anfuckinggs]

Last spring when a few of the songs leaked, I remember listening to Give & Flavor back to back over and over. I went to the beach on May 1 right before it's release, and I played the hell out of those two songs. Later when I got the album, I couldn't believe that Tori would put a song such as "Not Dying Today" on a proper album release. Really did love Mary Jane unlike so many other fans, but today realize it should have just been delegated to b-side status on another disc altogether. The album is really good if you edit it down. I currently have it as a 13 track album. And it works. And I thought the tour was beautiful.

[Vedun*]

How in the name of all that's holy was He Has A Well You Have An Ocean not on AATS? I find myself playing that improv more than anything she's recorded in years.

[rushiddink]

How in the name of all that's holy was He Has A Well You Have An Ocean not on AATS? I find myself playing that improv more than anything she's recorded in years.

I sooo agree with this. I think it's an amazing song that should be on an album.

[jhfsdhf]

The worst transition ever Original Sensuality > Ireland. What was she thinking?!
Ireland ultimately ruins the flow that should be from OS straight to TBK.

ye, but IRELAND would probably be a bad transition from/to every song

[r5YOPDyk]

My least favorite of her records. The Beekeeper might have had plenty of really lazy lyrics, but AATS has so many flat-out bad ones that it usually gets in the way of ability to enjoy the record. I detest Give, Maybe California, Mary Jane, and Ophelia.

[blogforlovxr]

Am I the only one who loves Police Me? I love its weird movements and quirks. It's the only song on AATS that I still choose to listen to.

Oh oh, and does anyone notice how well the title track and Police Me flow into each other? Perfect.

Police Me is definitely my favorite at the moment. I think it's pure, classic Tori...just arranged in a way that's different than what she's done before. The perfect combination.

[jhkjurter]

I must be in the minority here, but recently I concluded that Fire to Yer Plain is a flawless song.

I am also a huge fan of Police Me.

[anfuckinggs]

I must be in the minority here, but recently I concluded that Fire to Yer Plain is a flawless song.

I am also a huge fan of Police Me.

It's a pretty good song!

[Âåðåùàãèí]

I must be in the minority here, but recently I concluded that Fire to Yer Plain is a flawless song.

I am also a huge fan of Police Me.

I used to hate FTYP. But now it's one of my favorites, and I agree that it's flawless. I used to have a problem with the 80's synth, but now I think it's perfect.

I've always loved Police Me and still do.

[SDorothy28]

I remember when Welcome to England leaked, I was like "I have some nitpicks but I mostly love this song!" I was so excited. I counted ADP a step forward from the nadir of The Beekeeper, and WTE suggested she'd continue in that positive direction.

Then Fire to your Plain leaked and I was like "what"

Then 500 Miles leaked and I was like "THAT'S IT, I'M DONE."

AAtS has some great great songs on it, but my enthusiasm never recovered. First Tori album I never properly bought.

[DesautocaD]

I remember when Welcome to England leaked, I was like "I have some nitpicks but I mostly love this song!" I was so excited. I counted ADP a step forward from the nadir of The Beekeeper, and WTE suggested she'd continue in that positive direction.

Then Fire to your Plain leaked and I was like "what"

Then 500 Miles leaked and I was like "THAT'S IT, I'M DONE."

Yeah, she had some poor choices for the sampler. Of all the songs to leak, it was those two? If it had been Starling and Fast Horse or the title track and Give, I think the anticipation would have been much higher, rather than the dread. I remember thinking at the time that it was possible that FTYP and 500 were the weakest songs on the then-unheard album, but part of me was terrified that they weren't.

[jhkjurter]

There is this piano-only version of Fire to Your Plain she played for some radio station. I don't remember the name of the station, but the date on the CD says 2009-05-28. That version of FtYP is just gorgeous. If it's OK to post, I'll post it (it's from an actual CD acquired from the station, so I don't know if it's OK or not).

[jhfsdhf]

Yeah, she had some poor choices for the sampler. Of all the songs to leak, it was those two? If it had been Starling and Fast Horse or the title track and Give, I think the anticipation would have been much higher, rather than the dread. I remember thinking at the time that it was possible that FTYP and 500 were the weakest songs on the then-unheard album, but part of me was terrified that they weren't.

if i would have listen to the best songs before the release, i would have been SO disappointed (and don't get me wrong, i was still disappointed). maybe she know that just listening to the album for the first time without knowing 500M and FTYP, may damage our health.

[Janny2006]

FTYP solo:

[OnerePeepsy]

FTYP solo just goes to show what a mess she can be as a producer sometimes.

[MaickiP]

Context: I love everything pre-Librarian, never liked Beekeeper, loved ADP at first but now only ever play a couple of it's tracks.

Some opinions:

The songs on AATS provoke the full range of my responses to Tori at her best and worst.

AATS, Fast Horse, Starling and That Guy are among my most played tracks of the past year, and I also like Flavor, Police-Me-LOL and Lady in Blue. I enjoy WTE & Curtain Call when I can set aside thinking about how much I would love them were it not for the cheesbox guitar distortion.

I'm not going to tell anyone "this is a Great Album" but like a football fan who's seen his team at the wrong end of the league for a few seasons, I'm heartened to see some goals here being scored with some flair: The harsh Starling guitar-picky sound and the way it's touched upon in other tracks; the use of the flute-organ (sorry I can't remember it's name) across several songs; the production on Flavor and Fast Horse sounding particularly "right" for the songs.

I wish she'd waited another year and got it down to under 60 minutes, but I expect she would've removed the wrong songs (Maybe California and FTYP - why does she think they're good?)

[OnerePeepsy]

[I]
I wish she'd waited another year and got it down to under 60 minutes, but I expect she would've removed the wrong songs (Maybe California and FTYP - why does she think they're good?)

She doesn't really think they're good. They're just cheese imposed by her new Cheeto-hair-Clowny-wares god of fa(rt)shon. I'm sure she thought they were bsides material, honestly... She must have... !!!

[MaickiP]

It's probably the best production we have had from Tori since 2000. ....It's flawed, but I love it ... I think the horrendous MWG cover makes this one look like a piece of classic art.

Yes, yes, and yes!

Flavor (with remixes)

Oh yeah. What a waste that commission of an excellent advant garde remixatrix that was.

Am I the only one who loves Police Me?

No! It is wonderful in it's deragement. It does go on a minute too long though, but that's not a new thing (TTTS I'm lookin at you "Let me say it 17 more ty-i-imes")

How in the name of all that's holy was He Has A Well You Have An Ocean not on AATS? I find myself playing that improv more than anything she's recorded in years.

Yes. But then, ditto "Sometimes Things Break" not being on Scarlet.

Pete
x

[Voitramma]

I've just re-edited my tracklist. I've never really edited a Tori album before, and I don;t hate the tracks I took off, but what's frustrating about this album to me is that I can hear a good solid album in there - even with the production which is good with decent headphones - certainly her best since Scarlet. So, this works for me:

Give
Welcome to England
Flavour
Curtain Call
500 Miles
Fire to your Plain
That Guy
Abnormally Attracted to SIn
Starling
Fast Horse
Ophilia
Strong Black Vine
Lady in Blue
Oscar's Theme

I hated 500 Miles, but I do love the last half so much now - taking it out pf the great flow at the end really makes it less awful though, and I think since she ended her tours with Strong Black Vine, it works better at the end for me. Anyway - I know people have their own, but I'm just sharing mine. Hm.