This CD boxed set is a real treat. Sooooooo many remarkable Tori Amos recordings in one place! Most of the hits are here (Where is "Talula"?) -- as well as a wealth of hard-to-find b-sides, 10 previously unreleased tracks and alternate takes of familiar Tori gems.

And wait until you hear the re-sequenced, expanded edition of Tori's solo debut "Little Earthquakes"! It's like hearing the album for the first time. The reconditioned sound is top-notch! And the four added-back-in outtakes are tremendous. I love it, love it, love it!

However ...

1. No covers? Tori wrote all these songs, with the exception of two traditional numbers. At the very least, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" should have been included. Tori does an amazing version of that song, one that Kurt Cobain himself loved. And it was heavily played on alternative radio back in 1992.

2. We get the re-recorded version of "Mary". Um, why? The original version is much, MUCH better and is EXTREMELY hard to get ahold of on CD. Besides, fans already have this new, sanitized version on "Tales From a Librarian," where it was an A-side (and promoted as a single), from 2003. Also, why in the world is the newer "Mary" on the "Bonus B-sides" disc? It was on an album, so calling it a b-side is inaccurate.

3. "Purple People" isn't noted as such in the liner notes, but it is an alternate version. Not as inviting as the other version, but still a tasty morsel. "Beauty Queen/Horses" is also an uncredited alternate mix that contains slight electronic vibe under the track, which was not on the original "Boys for Pele" version.

4. We get two versions of "Professional Widow," but neither remotely resembles the album version, either musically or lyrically. Kind of a disappointment, because the original album track most effectively relays the song's story.

5. I was bummed that "Humpty Dumpty" was not included. I think that is one of Tori's best b-sides. Such an mean-spirited little ditty; I love it!

That's it. All the "flaws" (for lack of a better word) I could find.

This collection is DELICIOUS. If you are a Tori fan, this is essential to your collection.

Thank you, Tori, for 15 years of soul-searching and -searing music.

Most of what I feel has already been said in other reviews so I will simply recap.

1. No Covers. Where is Smells Like Teen Spirit, Angie, Thank you, Do It Again etc?

2. Just the rare and unreleased please. I own all the Tori albums and don't really need a recap (Though Tori points out that disc one is they way Little Earthquakes might have been, so that is kind of cool)

3. I have never liked the Digi pak, I like the jewel box. Digi paks wear out and are hard to deal with.

4. Now I have to find a place to store this obnoxious box. Sorry Tori or whoever designed it but I just want the music and the liner notes, I don't need another box to hide away somewhere.

WIth that said, this is a great box to give someone who wants some Tori and has none. It covers many of her best songs and her comments in the book are interesting and insightful.

I also recommend more men to give Tori a listen. As one of her male fans I like to compare her to music legends like Kate Bush.

Obviously die hard fans will have to own this one and nothing I say will change that.

Enjoy.

In my opinion, this collection is worth the money for two reasons: "Not David Bowe" and "A Sorta Fairytale" (the version that was unedited and NOT on the Scarlett's Walk cd). those are, hands-down, the best songs in the collection. this release is like a timeline of tori's musical career. the inclusion of the awesome, hardcover lyrics album with commentary by Tori, the cool artwork and cd covers featuring classic and never before seen pictures, the amazing faux-piano case, and the b-sides and other rare tracks are just the icing on the cake. if ur just beginning to discover tori, consider yourself lucky, because you can just buy this collection and you're set!

After years of whispers, promises and delays, finally here comes the Tori Amos box set, and what a delight it is for Tori fans.

"A Piano: The Collection" (5 CDs, 86 tracks, 383 min.) brings an overview of Tori's best work, plus a wealth of rare, live, demos and previously unreleased tracks. When you get so much music (6 1/2 hours in total), it takes a while to digest it all, reason I only now post my review (I bought this box set the day it came out). The most enjoyable CD for me personally is Disc C ("Pele, Venus and Tales"), which brims with energy from start to finish (I admit that "To Venus and Back" is my favorite Tori album). Disc A is rightly devoted solely to Tori's incredible debut album, here titled "Little Earthquakes extended". It includes 4 B-sides from the singles of that album. Disc E ("Bonus B-Sides") brings just that: a wealth of B-sides, demos and other rarities (check out for example the excellent "Merman", previously only available as an internet download in 1999). And so on...

The packaging of this box set is outstanding. The set comes with a 60 page book, providing lines notes and album and track commentary by Tori herself. The folks at Rhino did their usual job of delivering a top notch product. After the disappointing "Tales from a Librarian" compilation in 2003, this 5CD box sets the record straight, and brings us almost all we'd ever want. Almost? yes indeed, despite the wealth of 86 tracks on this set, the box could have easily added a 6th CD with a collection of Tori's cover songs, of which she has done so many and so well over the years. Maybe there is another compilation on just that still waiting to be made someday. Meanwhile, enjoy this box set! Highly recommended.

The sound on this collection is amazing. Crank up the stereo, because these songs have never sounded this good. The b-sides, in particular, come out very well in the remastering.

Fans may also want to note the significant number of b-sides which weren't included on this compilation. No reason has been provided for their absence, though the artist has commented on the deterioration of the original masters of various tracks -- thus the "alternate mixes" being chosen for the compilation. Here is a list of officially released b-sides and rarities which were not included:

"I'm On Fire"

"Purple People (Christmas in Space)" (b-side version)

"Take to the Sky" (original b-side version)

"Flying Dutchman" (original b-side version)

"Siren" (soundtrack)

"Blue Skies" (collaboration with BT)

"Graveyard" (b-side)

"Butterfly" (soundtrack)

"Losing My Religion" (soundtrack)

"All the Girls Hate Her" (b-side)

"Over It" (b-side)

"Song for Eric" (b-side)

"A Case of You" (b-side)

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (b-side)

"Ode to the Banana King" (b-side)

"Humpty Dumpty" (b-side)

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" (b-side)

"Angie" (b-side)

"Thank You" (b-side)

"Samurai" (b-side)

"Amazing Grace / Til the Chicken" (b-side)

"That's What I Like, Mick (The Sandwich Song)" (b-side)

"Sister Named Desire" (b-side)

"Alamo" (b-side)

"Tootles Mr. Jim" (b-side)

"Thoughts" (b-side)

"Operation Peter Pan" (b-side)

"Mountain" (internet-only b-side)

"London Girls" (b-side)

"Garlands" (bonus DVD track)

"Ruby Through the Looking-Glass" (b-side)

"Seaside" (b-side)

"Bug a Martini" (b-side)

"Apollo's Frock" (b-side)

"Tombigbee" (b-side)

"Indian Summer" (b-side)

"Carnival" (soundtrack)

"Murder She Said" (soundtrack)

"You Belong to Me" (soundtrack)

"If Six Were Nine" (b-side)

"Strange Fruit" (b-side)

"After All" (b-side)

"Only Women Bleed" (b-side)

(plus various live tracks, remixes, and early tracks)

The track list incorrectly labels "Purple People" as being the b-side version from the "Spark" single, when the version featured here is the live soundcheck version from To Venus and Back.

Likewise, the version of "Take To the Sky" featured here is a different mix than the one actually released as a b-side on the "Winter" e.p. The alternate mix on this compilation is mostly noticeably different in that it does not have the backing vocals on the second chorus or during the outro.

Other errors in the printed tracklist may also be present.