Thrill 4-18: Mary Magdalene Superstar {Marys of the Sea}

(Yes, it's been a while.)

Tori Amos' obsession with Mary Magdalene has been building for years now, and I feel like it's finally come to fruition here. Although I could quibble with the accuracy of Elaine Pagel's version of the legend of two Marys arriving in France (note: only because I watched a documentary about The Da Vinci Code that followed a few side paths), it's clear that Tori has found the legend to be a good 'jumping-off point'. It's also one of the few tracks on The Beekeeper that clearly has a connection to the supposed 'theme' of Gnostic gospels and the lost place of women in the Biblical story.

Musically, Marys of the Sea starts with a real bang. I know very few pieces of music that open with this kind of force and determination. Beethoven's 5th symphony immediately springs to mind, but not much else. I think it's a big part of why this song has become something of a favourite with many fans - it's something fresh, direct and unapologetically not part of the mainstream.

It took me quite a few listens to realise that it's also theatrical. Ultimately, I think the reason that Marys of the Sea sounds so much more radical than most of the album is because of the genre it represents, which is not pop music at all. It's musical theatre. You could drop this song into the middle of a certain Andrew Lloyd-Webber musical and it would not seem the slightest bit out of place.

It's a significant point, because I think it could point to a whole new direction for Tori. There's often one song somewhere on an album that points the way forward, and in the past she has indicated an interest in doing a musical. So maybe, just maybe, Marys of the Sea represents the first working out of that interest.

Whether it leads to an actual show, or just a theatrically styled album, or nothing much at all, only time will tell. But it's one of the thrilling things about this artist that I never can quite guess where she might be going next.