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Gold Dust Image
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 70 Ratings

  • Summary: The second release under the Deutsche Grammophon label from Tori Amos contains 14 [15 on the deluxe editions] of her songs reworked with the Metropole Orchestra conducted by Jules Buckley.
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Top Track

Winter
Snow can wait, I forgot my mittens Wipe my nose, get my new boots on I get a little warm in my heart when I think of winter I put my hand in my... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 13
  2. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Oct 2, 2012
    87
    Re-sculpting many of her best loved songs, the complexity of her musicality emerges from the intensity of the originals-as dynamics are truly sculpted and the songs take on new and often more ominous colors.
  2. Mojo
    Nov 29, 2012
    80
    The orchestral setting tempers the mannered vocal tics of some originals and proves transformative. [Dec 2012, p.96]
  3. Magnet
    Dec 4, 2012
    80
    The tunes sound lustrous but Amos, the singer and writer, sounds richer. [No. 93, p.53]
  4. Oct 1, 2012
    70
    Gold Dust is another of Amos' dreams realized--to record live with an orchestra--and it is most certainly for her dedicated fans, who will no doubt find elements in these new versions to enjoy.
  5. Oct 1, 2012
    60
    Unfortunately, the remainder of the tracks on Gold Dust simply aren't significantly better or worse than they were in their original forms.
  6. 60
    In some cases, as in "Cloud on My Tongue", the orchestrations serve as little more than swaddling blankets. But the more thoughtful rearrangements can be transformative.
  7. Q Magazine
    Oct 22, 2012
    40
    Often the orchestra feels under-used on what, for the most part, are some disappointingly inert reinterpretations. [Nov 2012, p.89]

See all 13 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 8
  2. Negative: 3 out of 8
  1. Oct 16, 2012
    10
    This may be one of my favorite Tori Amos albums to date. Beautiful song choices. The emotion behind the songs are increadable. I wasThis may be one of my favorite Tori Amos albums to date. Beautiful song choices. The emotion behind the songs are increadable. I was disappointed when I first found out it was an album of reworkings but I can not sstop listening to it. Why did i think Tori would disappoint, she never does. Expand
  2. Nov 5, 2012
    8
    It is necessary to listen several times to find the true sense: the song "Marianne" (which for me went unseen in the album "Boys for Pele"),It is necessary to listen several times to find the true sense: the song "Marianne" (which for me went unseen in the album "Boys for Pele"), has an outstanding interpretation also thank the impulse that gives the orchestra. The same goes for "Flying Dutchman", "Maybe California" and "Cloud on my tongue". The songs that fewer caught my attention are "Snow cherries from France" and "Gold dust", the would replace by the "Caught a lite sneeze" and "Spring haze" for saying some of the tori-pieces. Expand
  3. Jun 22, 2016
    7
    This project was an interesting attempt at creating more classical music tributes to her previous work, the only weakness is at times it comesThis project was an interesting attempt at creating more classical music tributes to her previous work, the only weakness is at times it comes across as a weak "Greatest Hits". Download: Flavor (Gold Dust Version), Programmable Soda (Gold Dust Version), Gold Dust (Gold Dust Version) Expand
  4. Apr 19, 2014
    4
    I truly love some of these songs in their original form... but she hasn't added anything too new to the tracks. The vocals are much worse (badI truly love some of these songs in their original form... but she hasn't added anything too new to the tracks. The vocals are much worse (bad production, not bad Tori-voice) and it's just not a dynamic sounding record. It sounds like she wanted to record her old songs again just like she did a decade ago with similarly boring results. Where's the life? Expand
  5. Apr 14, 2013
    3
    I really do not see the point of this album. Had she made it a live orchestral album, it would be fine. Had she chosen some moreI really do not see the point of this album. Had she made it a live orchestral album, it would be fine. Had she chosen some more instrumentally diverse songs, songs that didn't already feature piano and strings, from her vast catalogue, it would be fine. But this? Other than Flavor, Yes Anastasia and Precious Things, you can barely tell the difference from the originals. Actually, the only difference noticeable is her weaker, aging voice, which wouldn't be noticed if there were bigger changes to the songs themselves, and which ultimately ruins the songs for me. The idea behind this album is great, but the song choice is definetly wrong. Moreover, the only song she really improved was Flavor, while the other aforementioned two still pale in comparison to their majestic original versions. Flavor is the only reason this album gets a 3 instead of a 0. Also, Tori decided not to include any material from The Beekeeper and To Venus and Back, the two albums that have songs that would benefit the most from the orchestral changes, and she chooses songs like Girl Disappearing and Jackie's Strength (both with strings and piano), while the albums these songs are featured on have a large number of more experimental songs. All in all, a very unnecessary and forgettable release. Expand
  6. May 31, 2013
    3
    Fail. Gold Dust is a completely unnecessary record. Chock full of pretty strings, layers of emotionless vocals and as much autotune as aFail. Gold Dust is a completely unnecessary record. Chock full of pretty strings, layers of emotionless vocals and as much autotune as a Britney Spears record, these "re-workings" don't hold a candle to the originals. Collapse
  7. Oct 4, 2012
    3
    I'm sorry, but you've got to be kidding me. When I first listened to this album, I thought there was some mistake. The songs sound exactlyI'm sorry, but you've got to be kidding me. When I first listened to this album, I thought there was some mistake. The songs sound exactly like the original versions. After putting on headphones and trying again, I can hear that they are new recordings, but barely. Sure, there's orchestration and it's pretty, but I would absolutely not call these "re-workings." If you played these for random people and had them listen to the old versions, they would be hard pressed to tell you what is different. I'm a huge Tori Amos fan, but there has just been something terrible happening with her music with everything after American Doll Posse. I'm sure plenty of people will think this album is great, but I really thought I was going to get "new" versions of the songs with completely different feelings. It just feels lazy to me. If you want to buy it, I highly suggest you listen to some samples first to make sure you know what you're getting. Expand

See all 8 User Reviews