"Speaking with Trees" is a song by American musician Tori Amos, released as the first single from her sixteenth studio album Ocean to Ocean on September 29, 2021.[1]
Background
The main inspiration behind the song was Amos’ mother.[2] Asked about the meaning of the song she stated:
My mother, really, I am hiding her ashes in a treehouse in Florida. That's "Speaking with Trees". Getting out and being able to talk to the trees in Cornwall thinking that they’re the network, the worldwide web that lives under the trees.
Additionally, a press release described the song as being about "the absence of live music during the coronavirus pandemic."[3]
The track features many of Amos’ frequent collaborators, including bassist Jon Evans and drummer Matt Chamberlain, alongside husband Mark Hawley on guitar and her daughter Natashya Hawley contributing backing vocals.
Reception
"Speaking with Trees", alongside its parent album, received positive reviews from critics. Medium likened the track to Amos’ earlier material, saying it “[partners] painful and sensitive lyrical content with vibrant, offbeat pop hooks."[4]
Personnel
- Tori Amos – vocals, piano, keyboards
- John Philip Shenale – synthesizer
- Tash – backup vocals
- Jon Evans – bass
- Matt Chamberlain – drums, percussion
- Mark Hawley – guitar, dobro
References
- ^ Whitaker, Marisa (September 29, 2021). "Tori Amos Shares "Speaking With Trees"". Spin. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Lentini, Liza (25 October 2021). "On The Record: Tori Amos' Ocean To Ocean". Spin. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ Moore, Sam (September 30, 2021). "Listen to Tori Amos' breezy new single Speaking with Trees". NME. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "TORI AMOS: SPEAKING WITH TREES, AN INTROSPECTION". Medium. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.