Lost in the clouds

Tori Amos gets political on her 15^th studio album, Native Invader. Amos has churned out albums since her solo debut in 1992 (Little Earthquakes). Her latest release is a marriage between classical and pop-rock, with a pinch of stardust for good luck.

The album begins with “Reindeer King.” The theatrical piano-driven track surpasses the seven-minute mark, but the constant movement of the melody keeps listeners interested. The follow-up, “Wings” dissipates all prior progress with strange, dated production. “Broken Arrow” is heavy on the wah-guitar but equates the United States to the song’s title asking, “Have we lost track?” The lead single, “Cloud Riders” is folk-rock that remains one-note.

“Up The Creek” is an album standout, being one of the few upbeat tracks. A quick, plucked guitar loop, intermittent synths, and melodic piano keep the song’s pace. Amos’ voice is catchy and her point is made clear, “We may just survive / If the Militia of the Mind / Arm against those climate blind.” It’s easy to nap through the next few songs, but the jangling chain thumps of “Bang” will wake listeners up, if only for a moment to hear Amos’ political and celestial messages: “Immigrants, that’s who we all are / ‘Cause we’re all made of stars” and “Bang the world traumatized / By a cluster of hostile humans who side / With their warlords of hate.” It’s safe to skip to the next song after she begins to name elements in her signature mezzo-soprano in order to become a “molecular machine.” “Mary’s Eyes” is a piano ballad for her mother who suffered a stroke, and is a true emotional masterpiece.

Amos captures the state of the world with the lyrics, “Lately seems like everything / Is falling down / All around us” on “Upside Down.” The singer ends her 15-track album with the pointed “Russia.” This lullaby in C-minor asks for the left and the right to build a bridge, but this underwhelming finale might not be heard by many despite being one of the shortest tracks.

Native Invader was an attempt at unifying the left and right, but many of Amos’ messages were lost in the clouds.