Decca Records release Tori Amos's new LP, Ocean to Ocean, following on from her last studio record, 2017’s Native Invader. The inspirations for this latest release are diverse, including a Tennessee road trip, stories inspired by her ancestors, the ascension of Donald Trump and the slow loss of her mother to a stroke...

Written during the lock down between March and summer 2021 Tori Amos's Ocean to Ocean is a universal story of going to rock bottom and renewing yourself all over again. In Cornwall, Amos was surrounded by those she loved – her husband Mark and adult daughter Tash and Tash's boyfriend. For a record written within limited surroundings it manages to deliver rich stylistic variation, from tango to wide-screen romance, and the big-heartedness of songs, which run almost like a series of love letters to family both present and absent.

Amos delivers a diverse and engaging album with Ocean to Ocean. There are songs, like 'Speaking With Trees' that will please her older fans, as they touch on a similar vibe to her earlier work. But there's also a strong feeling that she's branching out with new material that's designed to show a slightly different side to her as both a writer and singer.

There are a number of tracks that are instantly memorable ('Spies', 'How Glass is Made') but listening to the album numerous times, it soon becomes obvious that all tracks have their place and all will eventually become ones that the listener will fall in love with.

This is a rich and diverse collection that will delight longtime fans, while drawing in a new audience.

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Nick Smithson