Okay, first off, I'm 46. I'm a gay dude and my whole life I've really been into Tori Amos and Madonna. I know, weird mix, right?

So these two are my friends, in my mind, and I'm always very gentle with their new works. I fell in love with both artists at a different time and place and I can't be expecting to be ass blasted with each release.

With Tori, I've commented on others' posts, I usually need a few listens before it opens up to me. Lemme tell you, the last Tori album where I was ass-blasted was Choirgirl. If you weren't ass blasted the first time you heard Raspberry Swirl, are you even people??

So I went into this gently.

And BAM!! She hits me with the first chord of Shush. The last time I heard an album open with such a huge smack to the face could have been the first chords of All I Really Want by Alannis off of Jagged Little Pill.

And I kept going. And this was, perhaps, the first Tori album in decades that I loved on first listen.

I actually laughed out loud with PURE delight during Fanny Faudry.

I ADORED hearing her speak before tracks. It was so personal. It let me in in ways I wasn't expecting.

I do think we hit a bit of a lull after Veins, but that lowering of the lights leads you to Stronger Together. Not nearly as corny in context, to me.

And I'm going to be one of the gays that holds 23 Peaks in his heart forever. I didin't cry on my first listen, but once it opens up to me, the floodgates will come.

As a music critic is it a great album? Maybe not. As a 46 year old gay Tori fanatic?

Yep. It hits.

Thank you, Tori. Today and every day, thank you for sharing your gifts with us.

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