Transistions and Musicians for Pele
Bryan144
>Bryan, I origanally wanted to just write to you over the Magritte comment
>page but my computer wouldn't let me. I just wanted to tell you that I
>have also linked Tori to Magritte and other painters. I think that Under
>the Pink is purely abstract and I think BFP is abstract and surrealistic,
>but I'm having trouble labeling Little Earthquakes...can you find a
>word that means tranlucent and simple in "art terms"???
>I have been listening to BFP since it came out but I only like maybe
>half of the songs. I've tried to let them grow on me but I just don't
>think so. Can you relate???
>Sincerely, Denise
Hello Denise. Here's what I've been thinking regarding the transistions
between albums:
1. Little Earthquakes was said to be written "in diary form" -- very
voyeristic and emotionally exposing, so Tori chose to write Under The Pink
like she was putting her clothes back on. Little Earthquakes was the
enchantment phase of the relationship between Tori and her fans. Under
The Pink was like dressing up and going out to dinner because she couldn't
strip herself down beyond naked. Well, I believe Boys For Pele is the
disenchantment phase of the relationship. Not like "God Tori, you're
awful now," but more like becoming familiar with her personal quirks. Or
perhaps like the difference between seeing someone dressed up and all for
dinner juxtaposed with seeing them first thing in the morning. It doesn't
mean mean the relationship's over or that it's changing for the worse. I
think it's just another step in the natural progression of getting to know
someone -- even if it's only through their music. So I'm not breaking up.
I'll take morning breath kisses and late evening wine stained lips alike,
but I know which I prefer.
2. I find the above explaination more satisfactory that the whole art
analogy because I'm having trouble making the art analogy work. Tori said
that UTP was written like an impressionist painting -- I agree
wholeheartedly. I see BFP as a very strongly abstract, surrealist album.
That leaves us trying to peg LE once again. Well, the analogy seems to be
following the patterns of nineteenth/ twentieth century art, so I looked
into it a bit more. As far as I can tell, LE probably is more of a
romantic album or an expressionist album. The the art of the romantics
was highly emotional (but mostly about noble type subjects) and resembled
closely the real world. Expressionism was less concerned with visual
resemblance to reality, but strongly emphasized emotional realism. I
think LE best fits under expressionism -- the music is not quite your
typical mainstream, but the lyrical emotional content is easy to relate to
because it is so strikingly honest.
I am indeed disappointed with BFP. It doesn't *move* me the way the other
albums did. LE and UTP were drastically different in style, yet both were
very moving works of art. So I'm not complaining just because Tori's
trying something new. Perhaps we're disturbed by Pele because it's more
of a Dali surrealism than a Magritte surrealism. Magritte was much easier
to digest than Dali. But I believe someone else on rmta had a good point:
LE was written as Tori was claiming victory over these problems. UTP
grew out of a very secluded, secure, and stable enviornment. BFP comes to
us right in the middle of emotional upheaval -- not after the fact. The
music is bound to reflect this. If the music is disturbing, unsettling,
etc, etc... I suppose that's what it's supposed to be doing. We do,
however, have the next stage in Tori's musical/ emotional development to
look forward to. :)
I've realised something though... I've been running to Tori and various
other musicans in my life for my fire, to move me, to inspire me, and so
on. And I've been so disappointed here lately when they haven't
delivered. Well, that's exactly what Tori was writing about in Boys For
Pele -- looking to others to find your fire and then being resentful when
you don't get what you need from them. I've been guilty of my own
"Musicians For Pele" so to speak.
Bryan