Tori Amos: Welcome to Sunny Florida

The imp of the perverse is clearly evident in this first-ever DVD concert from alterna-weird piano-playing chanteuse Tori Amos, filmed in not-so-sunny (at least on September 4, 2003) West Palm Beach, FL on the final night of the Scarlet's Walk tour: out of the generous 18-song set, only a handful of tunes could rightfully be called hits (“Precious Things,” “Crucify,” and “Cornflake Girl”), while stellar favorites such as “Jackie's Strength,” “God,” and “Bliss” are notably missing. Still, let's give extra credit where extra credit is due. Weighing in at two-hours-plus, this is one polished production, with every single note (presented in crystal clear Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo) meticulously accounted for in stripped-down but fulsome (and sometimes, as in “Father Lucifer,” with bold new arrangements) renditions, with Amos playing multiple pianos and organs, brilliantly backed by Matt Chamberlain on drums and percussion and Jon Evans on bass. In addition to the hits, standouts here include “A Sorta Fairytale,” “Take to the Sky,” “Cloud on My Tongue,” and--during the encore--“Amber Waves” and the new song “Tombigbee.” Fans of Tori Amos (full disclosure: I not only own all of her CDs, I think she's truly one of the most gifted composers of the last decade-plus) will love this beautifully-lensed concert, and overlook the singer's semi-creepy stage persona; others will find her vocal stylings (“sonic shapes”) self-indulgent and grating. DVD extras include two bonus interviews with Amos and her mother Mary, a photo gallery scored with a live performance of “Past the Mission,” and a six-song bonus CD. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)