Whereas 2001’s Strange Little Girls, a collection of diverse cover versions sung from a female perspective was a considered if heartfelt project, Scarlett’s Walk is a record born out of extremes of joy and tragedy. Tori Amos began thinking about the record, at the same time as she discovered she had fallen pregnant with her daughter Natashya. As impending motherhood encouraged her to contemplate the future, life and love in a way that she hadn’t before, the unprecented September 11 attacks on her native USA occurred, shaking her to the core. The album was completed in the wake of those attacks.

Although described as a concept album documenting the travels and experiences of the fictional Scarlett as she crosses modern-day USA from West Coast to East, the record is more like a collection of snapshots or mini-movies. Each song tells a unique tale, sometimes moral, sometimes intensely personal, but all narrated using Amos’ considerable lyrical talent. The songs also frequently evoke both historical and more spiritual facets of Americana; there are tales of cars and girls but also of ghosts and mountains.

Her vocal performance over the album as whole may be her most consistent yet and fans of earlier work will quite simply be delighted. Choosing stand-outs on such an album is an onerous task, as with all Amos’ work. Her deeply personal style means that the listener is invited in to each song yet no two people might enjoy an identical welcome. For my money ‘Gold Dust’, ‘Taxi Ride’ and ‘Pancake’ are among the best things she’s ever penned. Tori Amos’ Northern Light it appears, is still shining.