Times review

[nbc%INF.RL.AC.UK@mitvma.mit.edu]

Review of The Sensual World from The Times, Friday October 13th.

                A little girl lost in waffle
		   David Sinclair
  While there has always been something faintly ridiculous about Kate
  Bush's over-mannered vocal style, her best songs have had a tang as
  sharp as fresh lemon on the palate. It is not a quality to be found
  in the current single, "The Sensual World", a drifting piece of
  atmospheric waffle.

  The number is, unfortunately, typical of the album of the same title,
  a woefully studio-bound extravaganza which, in the wake of "Hounds of
  Love", it has taken La Bush no less than four years to complete. She has
  overplayed her hand and the collection is beset by a sluggish undertow
  resulting from too many meandering or overwrought arrangements being
  applied to melodies of a generally slight and nebulous nature.

  You can sense the cabin fever taking grip as she sings about falling in
  love with a talking computer in "Deeper Understanding", or discovering
  that a charming boyfriend is really Adolf Hitler in "Heads We're Dancing".
  Now in her thirties, Bush continues to apply the language of an adult to a
  romaticised fantasy world-view that does not seem to have altered
  significantly since she was 12. "The Fog" and "Reaching Out" are both
  laden with regression-to-childhood themes delivered in that irritating
  little-girl-lost voice.

  Two tracks stand out from the pack - "Never be Mine", a poignant ballard
  in the classic Bush mould, and "Rocket's Tail (For Rocket)" - a thumping,
  slow rocker that begins with the erection of a gorgeous lattice-work of
  a cappella harmony vocals courtesy of the Bulgarian all-woman troupe, the
  Trio Bulgarka, before being battered into a pulp by the muscular guitar
  soloing of Pink Floyd's David Gilmour.

  Despite the painstaking attention to detail, a nagging impression that
  she has lost the initiative remains.

  *********************************************************************

Blame him not me!


>From: ide!lofdahl@Sun.COM (Corey Lofdahl)
>Subject: Re: rec.music.dylan - Hi Neil!

>Oh *PLEASE* Neil, spare me the lecture and lighten up.  I'll admit that
>it's not the funniest piece ever written; it's not even the funniest piece
>I've ever written, but compare what I wrote with look what you wrote.

Gee, awfully sorry Corey. You know I was labouring under the silly
misapprehension that this newsgroup was for sharing information and
opinions about Kate, her music and other interesting musicians,
not a vehicle for displaying one's prose skills (or lack of them).
Naturally, I am now enlightened and humbly chastened by your
stimulating riposte.

>While we're at it, let's get a few more things straight.  I live in
>San Francisco which is filled to the gills with pretentious people

Surely that's your problem :-)

>As to whether or not it was a failure, Tracy liked it and I know her.

Ah, that's sweet, and I bet your mum thought it was great too!

Keep smiling,
	Neil