Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes (1992)

Singer-songwriter Tori Amos brings an unusual amount of spunk and wit to her game — she's brave enough to gamble cracking a joke (albeit a mordant one) in the middle of an a cappella recounting of a rape. This singular vocal stylist and talented pianist's unusual, starkly designed ''Silent All These Years'' was an out-of-left-field MTV hit, and it's presented on Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes with three other clips, all sharing similar visual motifs.

The rest of the hour-long program features live footage and Amos' sharp, sometimes eccentric ruminations on her art. Her playing stance is as sui generis as her music — she straddles the corner of her piano bench. But the concert sequences fail to capture the intimacy that seems crucial to her stage work. Besides, unless you're in a particular mood, a little Tori Amos goes a long way. And when you're in that mood, the Little Earthquakes CD is probably what you'll prefer. B-

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