You can find a 2.5 star review of The Beekeeper in the February 25, 2005 edition of The Miami Herald.
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Thanks to menju56 for sending this to me. You can read the review online at miami.com or below:
Amos' 'Beekeeper' mostly a treat for fans
By Howard Cohen
2.5 stars
The good news is that Tori Amos has, for the second album in a row, returned to the sort of melodic, piano-based pop that made her 1992 debut Little Earthquakes such a striking record.
She's never topped that one, and The Beekeeper has its problems, but after losing her direction into noisy, electronic-based, full-band rock in the late '90s, it's a pleasure to hear Amos framing her expressive voice with piano playing and a B3 Hammond organ on mostly accessible songs. First-rate Beekeeper tracks Parasol, Sweet the Sting and The Power of Orange Knickers rank with her best work.
But Amos, who produced this 19-track, 79-minute concept album, is in serious need of an outside producer or editor who could trim her excesses. She may be in love with her concept -- something male-female about six "gardens" of songs inspired by the six-sided cells of a honeycomb -- but only her most devoted fans will wander these lyrically insular paths with her for all that time. The Beekeeper is easily 35 minutes too long and its crushing overlength does a disservice to its good songs, which get lost.
Trim this baby down on your iPod, though, and relish Amos' convincing foray into lite-soul music on Sweet the Sting; and Parasol and Knickers boast the kind of haunting melodies that made past Amos compositions like Past the Mission, Winter and Crucify so rewarding.