Music Review: Tor Amos, Native Invader

Lest anybody forget, Tori Amos kicked off her solo career in 1992 with Me And A Gun, a powerfully autobiographical song about being raped at the age of 21. Now aged 54, she's still bravely writing about pain; physical and mental, personal and public; and the way we process it.

Her 15th studio album is largely inspired by her mother's ailing health (she had a debilitating stroke last year, which left her unable to speak), the destruction of the planet's resources, and the agony her native America has been enduring since electing a reality TV con artist to the presidency. As she sings on 'Upside Down', "We've got to turn that frown/ Turn that frown/ Upside down". While Amos' healing intentions are undoubtedly pure, 15 tracks and more than an hour of music is a big ask.

However, while there's some fillers (singles 'Cloud Riders' and 'Reindeer King' play it safe), there are also some real gems. Particularly good is the haunting 'Mary's Eyes', which addresses her mother's stroke ("Can you bring her back to life?" she pleads).

The Trump era is addressed on funky standout 'Up the Creek', in which Amos sings,"We may just survive/ If the Militia of the Mind/ Arm against those climate blind". Musically, Amos skips around lithely between pop-rock ('Broken Arrow'), chilled trip-hop ('Wings') and psychedelia ('Wildwood'). She's at her best with heartfelt piano ballads like 'Bang':"Bang the world now traumatised/ By a cluster of hostile humans who side/ With their warlords of hate." Overall, diehard fans will have no complaints.

3/5. Out Now