The Beekeeper | ||||
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Studio album by Tori Amos | ||||
Released | February 20, 2005 | |||
Recorded | June–November 2004 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 79:31 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer | Tori Amos | |||
Tori Amos chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Beekeeper | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 65/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Entertainment Weekly | B |
The Guardian | |
Los Angeles Times | |
Mojo Magazine | |
Playlouder | |
PopMatters | (6/10) |
Rolling Stone | |
Spin | (5/10) |
Uncut |
The Beekeeper is the eighth studio album by singer-songwriter Tori Amos. It deals with the topics of death, adultery and romantic conflict, and makes brief reference to ancient Gnostic mysticism from the Apocryphon of John. Sonically, it incorporates Celtic choirs, African drums, and Amos's B-3 Hammond organ.
The Beekeeper can be seen as a milestone for Amos, as it debuted within the top 10 on the Billboard 200, her fifth album to do so. This placed Amos in an elite group of women, including Madonna and Barbra Streisand, to have secured five or more U.S. Top 10 album debuts.
After the release of her Epic label debut Scarlet's Walk, Amos received unsettling news when Polly Anthony resigned as president of Epic Records in 2003. Anthony had been one of the primary reasons Amos signed with the label and as a result of her resignation, Amos formed the Bridge Entertainment Group, a company devoted to helping musicians in various ways during a time when the music industry is changing. The following year saw the merger of major labels Epic/Sony Music Entertainment and BMG Entertainment. Amos would later hint in interviews that those in charge at the label (implying the Epic/Sony merger with BMG) during the creation of The Beekeeper were interested "only in making money", the effects of which have not been disclosed.
Three singles were lifted from the album for radio release, the first of which, "Sleeps with Butterflies", was shipped to radio in early January 2005, and became an adult alternative radio staple in the U.S. for the first half of 2005. "Sleeps with Butterflies" reached number two on the U.S. Triple A Radio chart. The follow-up singles, "Sweet the Sting" and "Cars and Guitars," were less successful but sustained steady sales for the album. All three singles released from The Beekeeper were promo-only singles; no commercial singles were produced.