Being reminded of the great Kate Bush made me think that while Tori Amos is no Kate Bush, she'll have to do.

It's a dirty and sometimes thankless job, but someone's got to play the spooky older pop chanteuse. Sarah McLachlan is too young yet, Madonna doesn't play the piano, Kate Bush has disappeared off the face of the Earth, so you see.

From this sensitive singer-songwriter (SSS), we expect gentle songs delivered in a soft, quavering voice and lyrics that make you think - and the new Tori is no different. Maybe more funkified and gospelfied, but true to form.

Sometimes coming off like the female Leonard Cohen minus the croaking voice that makes you want to crawl into a hole, Amos tackles sex, God and self, not necessarily in that order.

She also brings her powers as the mistress of the mixed metaphor to bear on such songs as Cars and Guitars, in which the singer channels a Loretta Lynn twang as she explores an automotive relationship: "Restring my wires, you know this gearbox can make the shift polish my rims." If that and song titles like Original Sinsuality don't put you off, you'll like this.

Track Listing:

1. Parasol
2. Sweet the Sting
3. The Power of Orange Knickers- Featuring Damien Rice
4. Jamaica Inn
5. Barons of Suburbia
6. Sleeps with Butterflies
7. General Joy
8. Mother Revolution
9. Ribbons Undone
10. Cars and Guitars
11. Witness
12. Original Sinsuality
13. Ireland
14. The Beekeeper
15. Martha's Foolish Ginger
16. Hoochie Woman
17. Goodbye Pisces
18. Marys of the Sea
19. Toast Album