Tori Amos

Tori Amos releases her new album on 1st May, and fans have been eagerly waiting to see what the iconic singer/songwriter has to say in 2026. The world is certainly in turmoil, the political landscape one of unrest, and people seem more divided than ever. With this project, Tori has not shied away from exploring the world as she finds it, and asks her listeners to somehow make sense of it with her.

In Times of Dragons is certainly an ambitious album, one full of unexpected turns. For a singer who has been releasing albums since the early 90's, it's no easy feat to still be producing fresh and dynamic material that sounds every bit as inspired and exciting as early releases, yet somehow the flame-haired icon manages to do so.

With In Times of Dragons, Tori sets a dark and somewhat sombre tone. For instance, the album opens with Shush, a track that sets the mood for much of what is to come, with a sense of deep unease. Tori sings about the oppression of the patriarchy and the political elite, with the oppressed being told to “shush themselves down now.”

The project overall is certainly a socially conscious one. The title track itself, with its southern vibe, talks about lizard demons who want “the suffering, suffering of you and me.” With funky bass from long-time collaborator Jon Evans, and a sprinkling of Rhodes keyboard, this is an engaging moment on the 18 track release.

"Stoned by henchman, of that lizard scum...free speech? Here, there is none,” Tori sings in Gasoline Girls. “Just a little ditty" is one lyric, something she sings towards the end, which best describes the vibe of this particular track.

One standout is Veins, a moody little gem, with Tori and her daughter Tash (who sounds fantastic on this). The verses are piano and band, followed by an interesting pre-chorus section with synths, where they exchange: "Tori: I don't want it running in your veins, Tash: You don't want it running in my veins? Tori: No, I don't want it running in your veins." The song could (potentially) be about a mother fiercely wanting to protect her daughter from generational trauma, and it ends in a sinister way, with Tash singing "it's already running in my veins."

Song of Sorrow is a stunning track - a dark, enchanting ballad that starts out with elegant strings. Tori's piano enters with a simple, dark motif. "I invited you in, I invited you in, you said yeah." The haunting, darker verses are contrasted by a chorus that sounds quite anthemic in a mournful kind of way - certainly one of the more immediate choruses on the record and a memorable, standout moment on the project.

"I can't sugarcoat our future" Tori sings on Flood. Those lyrics sum up a lot of the artist’s concerns about what lies ahead. This song itself seems to be about a relationship, "falling in love, well it can flood into everything, you're everything, my everything" in the chorus. Chorus lyrics sound sentimental, but the song is in no way saccharine and there's a somewhat unsettling vibe to the track.

"Saint Cecilia warning me, I could lose myself so easily" the singer breezes in Tempest. Something about it reminded me of the more nuanced tracks from 2005's divisive The Beekeeper, as if Barons Of Surburbia, General Joy and Mary's of The Sea clubbed together and created this superior offspring. In Blue Lotus, which has a Hey Jupiter Dakota style beat on the verses, Tori expresses her dispair at the treatment of women throughout history. "I'm not going back again, to Salem, tied to their stick.I'll be burning, yes I'm burning into you, blue lotus."

The closing track, 23 Peaks, is full of sombre sounding strings. Tori's voice enters on top, with the distant sound of waves in the background. No piano, just Tori and strings for the majority of the song, with an organ entering towards the end. It's quite unlike anything else she's ever done before. Perhaps her best vocal performance on record in quite some time. There's a sense of desperation to her vocals that's really palpable. Certainly her most ambitious album closer in many a year.

I believe In Times of Dragons stands out as her most unsettling and socially connected work since her much-revered 90's output.

The songwriting is expansive, the arrangements surprising; the whole project sounds like less a collection of songs strung together with a loose theme and more like a complete work. I believe that fans will be surprised, particularly by Blue Lotus and the closing track 23 Peaks, which showcase some of her best vocal work in quite some time.

Musically, the whole thing sounds quite intense and moody. There are few moments of levity throughout, but the overall vibe is unrelenting from the opening track to the stunning album closer.