I am used to hearing Jo Beth performing music which has a high level of improvisation within it, and the material has always been original, so it was something of a surprise to see that here she has worked on a cover. However, it all became clear when it transpired she and Peter Yates had been invited by a German record label to take part in a Tori Amos tribute album, which is to be released next year. Ahead of that, Jo Beth has made her version of the track which originally appeared on ‘From The Choirgirl Hotel’ available on her Bandcamp site. I typically love everything Jo Beth does, as the way she treats her voice as an instrument and then wraps it all up in emotion and atmosphere is something truly special, and yet again that is what we have here.

Whereas many will know the original, with Tori’s thrown vocals creating all the atmosphere, alongside delicate piano, Jo Beth has taken it to a totally different level, allowing her vocals to shine through yet wrapping everything else in gossamer mist to create something quite special. She combines Tori, Kate Bush and Enya into something very different indeed, which while being true to the original is also taking the original accompaniment just as an inspiration and taking it far further than Tori could have imagined. There are times when we also feel like we have been dragged into Sgt. Pepper, with weird experimentation which manipulated sounds which make us question our own sanity. It pulls us into Jo Beth’s world, with her voice creating a magical spell.

Rating: 8/10

Links:
https://www.jobethyoung.com/
https://www.wildnessrisingrecords.com/