Nostalgia of the Moment: Tori Amos - “Spark”
Album: From the Choirgirl Hotel [Atlantic; 1998]
Genre: Art Pop

I have this massive playlist on my iPod/girlfriend’s computer called “Playlist made of awesome” (it has since morphed into different versions, Amanda has the “Playlist made of amazing”, we hybridize the lists with the “Playlist made of awemazing” and the NNSFW version is known as the “Playlist made of cleanliness”. There is also the “Playlist made of awesome (w/rap)” as that seems to mostly be a me-only thing).

I have always been a fan of doing this going back to my college radio days - I love juxtaposition. Songs that have no business being played back to back get played back to back all the time. (After “Spark” came Sunny Day Real Estate’s “Grendel” and The Knife’s “Silent Shout” - not as jarring as some combos, but also not the best flow either.)

I am constantly digesting new music that I often don’t get to appreciate older music unless it comes up on my playlist. And now that it is 1,200 songs long and could play for several days without repeating a track (#humblebrag) it’s often a constant chain of surprise. Oh right, I forgot how much I loved “Chinatown”.

“Spark” is probably my favorite Tori Amos song, and I think I continue to hope that she will uncork another one like this even though she has gotten to the point where no one edits her work and she isn’t interested in doing so either. So, listen and remember a time when Tori Amos was played on the radio for a very very brief period. And then listen to this. Juxtapose!