It should come as no surprise to those familiar with Tori Amos' body of work, or her artistic reputation, that her new holiday album, Midwinter Graces, is not a standard, run-of-the-mill offering. In fact, her holiday album is not really a holiday album at all. If you take Amos' word on it, it is a celebration of light, of the s-u-n, as opposed to the s-o-n. This is an important distinction, because Amos is not taking her cues from the American holiday classics, but from the Medieval, ancient roots of the hymns that evolved over time into what we call holiday music today.

Once you wrap your head around the concept of the album, you settle into a pleasant sonic landscape of bells and harpsichord on "What Child, Nowell." This is the first appearance of the harpsichord in Amos' work since 1996's fiery Boys For Pele, where Amos was thematically gathering boys for the slaughter to obtain a sense of power. The difference in the instrument's role between albums is significant, since on Pele it was used as an instrument of exorcism and aggression, whereas on Graces the instrument serves as the sturdy yet gentle base to the earthy track.

Every song on Graces has its own Amos stamp on it, whether it is an original composition, or a traditional hymn to which she added lyrics or special arrangements. Several of the songs at first seem wholly unrecognizable until you get further into them and hear the familiar refrains breaking through. The unexpected arrangements are one of the strong points of the album, which is arguably her best since 2003's Scarlet's Walk.

The album as a whole is her most concise and focused in years. With the demise of the maxi single and the lost ability to put out B-sides, Amos has sent out ambitious opuses on her last few efforts that were valiant and credible, but would have been more resonant had they been paired down. Fans of Amos' early work will rejoice when they hear the piano in the forefront of most of the album.

Amos penned four tracks for the album, "A Silent Night With You," "Snow Angel," "Pink and Glitter," and "Our New Year." The original compositions are consistent with the rest of the album sonically, with the latter two being of the best on the album. "Pink and Glitter" has a subtle, sexy big band swagger that takes the listener to a romantic cabin in the mountains. "Our New Year" incorporates strings and an orchestra that adds a tension to the rhythm and anchors the emotional arch of the song. [X]