The companion to
Precious Things, the electronica-influenced string tribute to
Tori Amos,
Pieces follows in the same vein as the former, but eschews any kind of programming in favor of a four-piece string group instead. (Actually, "four-piece" is a bit misleading, as the two violins are played by the same person -- not simultaneously, one would assume.) As individual compositions, the tracks on
Pieces work well enough, but none of them come close to capturing the raw emotion
Amos has in her piano and polished, powerful voice. That doesn't mean there aren't some pretty moments here: "Snow Cherries from France" and "Spark" are both well performed and affecting, as is "Professional Widow," one of the artist's most famous songs, and one that has been redone numerous times. Nearly all of
Amos' albums are covered here, from
Little Earthquakes to
The Beekeeper, and even
Tales of a Librarian (only
Under the Pink is skipped completely), but this still doesn't make the record more than a novelty, and most likely of little interest to any real
Amos fan. ~ Marisa Brown