Re: Lets Talk Music (longish)

[butterworth@mscf.med.upenn.edu]

In article <8912011659.AA14137@GAFFA.MIT.EDU>, declann@scol.UUCP writes:

> Right then.
> [stuff deleted]

> WHAT ABOUT THE BLOODY MUSIC !!!!
> [more stuff deleted]
>

ok.  my turn...
 
i haven't looked at this group in a while - probably because, what with there
not having been an album out in quite some time, love-hounds have had to 
contend with amusing themselves (as is their want) with discussions concerning
the arguable location of the kate symbol on old album jackets and the names of
her cats -- STUFF WHICH DOESN'T INTEREST ME ONE IOTA!  

but now that her new record has hit the streets, i figured i'd catch up on some
of the stuff that DOES interest me, i.e. other people's comments (both positive
AND negative) on "The Sensual World.  i bought the new album last week having
only heard "This Woman's Work."  wasn't particularly crazy about the title but
it's no worse (or no better) than, say, "Hounds of Love" or "The Dreaming" for
that matter.  i've listened to the album about a dozen times so far (in a week;
i guess that doesn't make me a true love-hound, eh?) and here's what i think: 
 
1. the sensual world
knocked my socks off the very first time i heard it.  great vocals, great
backing, great pacing.  love those opening church bells.  once i discovered
this was based on molly bloom's speech from joyce's "Ulysses" i liked it
even more - i remember sally kellerman's reading of the speech in the movie
"Back to School" (of all films) and read the book looking for it, only to
find it came right at the very end.  kate has kept the "feeling" of the
speech surprisingly intact, with some nice changes too ("machiavelian girl" as
opposed to "andalusian girl", for example).  as far as i'm concerned there are 
only two things wrong with this cut: (i) at under 4 mins. it's way too short
and, (ii) as i consider this to be the best track on the album, "The Sensual
World" goes down hill from thereon out!  point of confusion: was this song the
first single from the album or was that "Love and Anger"?  sources appear to 
vary.
 
2. love and anger
if this is, indeed, the first single from the album then i think the title cut
would have made a better choice.  i found this to be somewhat choppy and a bit
"noisy" in places.  i don't recall dave gilmour's contribution from the inner
sleeve and i can't say his usually unmistakeable guitar sound is in evidence
here.  more anger than love, if you ask me.
 
2.5 "the laugh"
does there have to be a reason for EVERYTHING anyone - even kate - does?
 
3. the fog
this is the kind of blend of voice, vocals and instrumentation that worked so
well on "Hounds of Love" - solid yet disparate, the album's most 
transcendental cut.
 
4. reaching out
controversial track #1.  personally i like it a lot.  love and anger would be
a better title for this cut if you ask me, what with the soft, controlled 
verses matched by an emotive and powerful chorus.  but it's not just WHAT she 
sings (only kate could qualify a hand reached out for as one that "spanked") 
that makes this track so strong but HOW she sings it (listen to how she 
grapples with the word "explode").  not quite the sawing strings one normally 
associates with michael nyman but hear me now (and believe me later);
they'll be singing this one at english soccer games before the turn of the 
century.  (a real "scarf waver" if ever i heard one!)
 
5. heads we're dancing
kate at her quirky best and this album's answer to "Get Out of My House" or
"The Wedding List."  yeah, sure - hitler is a bad lyric to use in a song but 
she doesn't dwell on it and has the audacity to follow up the reference with 
a bunch of anything-but-evil do-do-do's.  no-one else could go from the 
sublime to the ridiculous (and back again) with such confidence.
 
6. deeper understanding
anyone involved in computers should find this lyrically embarrassing.  not
only does she press "execute" but puts in that cutesy computer sound to
supposedly punctuate the irony.  come on; that's pretty old hat now (the pet
shop boys have been doing it for years!)  it's as if kate just got her first
commodore or something.  musically it's probably the most (dare i say it?)
"commercial" cut on the album - certainly more accessible than most - but the
banality of the lyrics spoil it for me. 
 
7. between a man and a woman
nothing special here but some nice arrangements nonetheless.
 
8. never be mine
this is more like it!  substantive, generous, sincere - these are just some
of the words i'd use to describe this, one of the best tracks on the album.
the chorus just folds you up inside; it's a beautifully controlled, heartfelt
offering.
 
9. rocket's tail
controversial track #2.  this one's wasted on me.  a lot of indecisive musing
topped off with a riff which falls way short (ooh - just like a rocket... 
maybe i'm missing something here?).  but again, i didn't "hear" gilmour and
even if i did it'd be too late.  this cut's much ado about nothing as far as
i'm concerned - definitely the weakest on the album. 
 
10. this woman's work.
kate puts away the production pyrotechnics and simply let's her voice pull 
it off.  and she does a very nice job, methinks...  
 
11. <cut missing>
i have the album, not the CD/tape.
 
summary: "The Sensual World" is a fine album which, although not quite up to
the sophistication of its predecessor, stands head and shoulders above the
rest of today's recycled pap.  kate certainly hasn't lost anything in the 
last four years but let's just hope we don't have to wait as long for the 
next release.


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			      David N. Butterworth
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Internet: butterworth@a1.mscf.upenn.edu         "Which shoes are those?" -- f.f.
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