Search - Tori Amos :: Cruel/Raspberry Swirl

Tori at her remixed best

Daniel Jolley | Shelby, North Carolina USA | 09/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD single contains versions of three of my favorite Tori songs ever: Cruel, Raspberry Swirl, and Spark from the incredible From the Choirgirl Hotel album. It took me a few listens to truly appreciate Cruel as the wonderful song it is. The Shady Feline Mix of the song here actually sounds better than the original version, which I consider rather remarkable. I am just addicted to the song Raspberry Swirl. If any song could ever make my completely uncoordinated body get up and dance like there's no tomorrow, this is the song. The Lip Gloss Version sounds much like the original, with just enough of a change to keep things interesting. The Ambient Raspberry Swirl remix is quite different from the original song, but this is a departure from form that really appeals to me. I rarely like the repetitive nature of remixes, but this one incorporates so many new sounds and musical moods that I find it remarkably fresh and fascinating. It does not strike me as a dance remix by any means, though, because there are some significant, well-placed pauses that give the track a distinctively mysterious atmosphere. I also really enjoyed the Mainline Cherry (Ambient Spark) remix. Spark is Tori's most emotionally powerful song ever, and this remix manages to capture much of the depth, mystery, and quiet desperation of the original. It does sound as if many of the words are being sunk backwards, especially the chorus, but there are also snippets of the verses in varying completeness interspersed throughout the song. Overall, this is a great CD single worth much more than it costs. The featured remix of Cruel appeals to me more than the album version, the Lip Gloss Version of Raspberry Swirl is the same as yet intriguingly different from the original, and the more experimental remixes of Raspberry Swirl and Spark manage to convey Tori's uncontainable magic in an entirely new way. The icing on the cake is the cover image of Tori, which I find compelling in and of itself."

Swirl it again and again....

mssmd | New York City, NY USA | 10/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I fall in love with a song, after many pushes of the "Repeat" button on the CD player, I usually go out and try to see if there is a remix of the song. Sometimes the remix is good and others almost an insult to the original piece.Well this mix is amazing, not good, amazing...Tori hypnotized me with this erotic-electronic progression into her world of the "Rasberry Swirl". The "Lip Gloss" version is close to the original with a little addition to the rhythm section raising the level of music euphoria within.The "Scarlet Spectrum Feels" is the dream tale with a definite sensual nature to it. I have a different mix with a third version called the "Sticky Extended Vocal Mix". What I consider to be the "dance" mix, but it is the Tori Amos version of a dance mix....Out of all the single mixes from Tori's library, this is my favorite. This is what a remix should be... the love, study, respect and progression into a piece of work. All I can impart with you now is to urge you to listen to it yourself and realize what you have been missing."

Really nice remixes.

Senne Soli | 07/03/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a nice Tori Amos-single. Like the picture, 'cause they give us a new Tori-photo. First there is "Cruel ( Shady Feline Mix )". It's a bit shorter than the original version, and has some additional beats. Don't know which version I like best. Like the original, but also this one cause it speeds it up a little ( only a little bit - don't expect the same energy as a club mix ). Then there is "Raspberry Swirl ( Lip Gloss Version )". This is like some kind of edited radio version of "Raspberry Swirl". It's shorter and faster, but apart from that, I don't hear much of a difference. After that, "Raspberry Swirl ( Scarlet Spectrum Feels )". This is a very nice and special ambient track - really worth buying. It goes away from the speed and techno that rule the original song, and gives you really something new to listen to. This is not the case with the "Cruel"-remix. "Raspberry Swirl ( Scarlet Spectrum Feels )" adds some new dimension to the song. The same thing can be said about "Spark ( Mainline Cherry )". This is also an ambient track, with a lot of strange voice-mixes and stuff. Someone said it's a bit like Björk - in the way that it's really wicked and new. This is one of the best Tori-remixes I've ever heard. Really special. I won't give the single five stars, 'cause I had the "Raspberry Swirl"-mixes already, and they leave out two really good "Raspberry Swirl"-mixes, namely "Sticky Extended Vocal Mix" and "Sticky Extended Instrumental Mix". And I had also hoped to see some new remixes, instead of the "Raspberry Swirl"-mixes ( which are really nice ) again. But it's a good buy."