Uh oh, this may be the start of something...

[katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City)]

Vickie here. I'm about to lose a lot of my supporters. But hey, I wasn't
able to post when the album first came out so I have to have my say now.

> Subject: TSW = 2 * HoL - NW?  I think not.

   Originally from: Ed Suranyi:
    
 >>> You know all those people who were so disappointed with _The Sensual
 >>> World_?  Well, I've finally been able to look at the love-hounds
 >>> archives.  Guess what.  _Hounds of Love_ produced much the same sort
 >>> of reaction initially!  Even I didn't like it that much the first
 >>> time I heard it.  But now I think every song on that album is
 >>> perfect, with the possible exception of "The Big Sky", which is only
 >>> excellent.  So draw your own conclusions about rushing to judgment.
    
   Answered by Doug Alan:

  >> Except that no one ever criticized "The Ninth Wave".  The only
  >> negative comments were that the first side is two commercial.  Even
  >> those who were hesitant about the first side, agreed that "The Ninth
  >> Wave" is every bit as good as *The Dreaming*.  The problem with *The
  >> Sensual World* is that it does not have a "Ninth Wave" on it -- it's
  >> only as good as if both sides of *Hounds of Love* had been like the
  >> "Hounds of Love" side.  This still is damn good, of course -- it just
  >> doesn't reach the orgasmic peaks of *The Dreaming*.

Michael "C&V & IED fans" Mendelson responds:

> Um, right.  I beg to differ, |>oug.  This equation may be correct, say,
> within the same order of magnitude.  But I actually would prefer 2 sides
> of the first side of HoL to TSW (except, maybe, for RUtH and C, which
> don't do as much for me as the middle three tracks).  It's hard to put
> a finger on it, but when I listen to HoL, TBS, and MSfC, I get that
> magic Kate Bushy feeling all over, whereas most of the songs on TSW
> (after many, many listenings) still don't do that for me.  The ones
> that come closest are DU, NBM, and WSDTM.  An album full of those would
> be real nice too.
> Not that such equation making has a whole lot of value, though.
>-mjm

Well, gee, this business about having fans was real nice while it lasted but
flattery won't get you out of this one Michael.
No, I'm not going to flame you. After all, I wouldn't yell at a deaf
person for not hearing something that I hear.

I *DO* get that magic Kate Bushy feeling all over when I listen to most
of The Sensual World. Some songs hit me right away. Some took a few listens.
Some took many listenings. One, to be honest, has not hit me at all yet
(Heads We're Dancing, in case anyone's interested), though there are things
within that song that I do like.

I'm NOT one of these people who absolutely ADORES *every single little*
thing that Kate does. There are actually Kate songs that I detest. Only
a couple though (these are not on TSW).
There are other songs, on previous albums, that, if they disappeared
from the albums, I wouldn't miss them. Only a few though.
Even those "I-could-do-without-them" songs have interesting things within
them that I can hear and appreciate.

    The Dreaming is the only album in which I * LOVE * EVERY * SONG *!! 
         It's Kate's magnum opus. Her greatest accomplishment.
                     It's a MASTERPIECE!

Re your reaction to TSW: I'm tempted to bestow my condolences. IF your
ability to feel Kate's magic has been smothered by tons of expectations
and comparisons, then I am truly sorry for you. IF feeling Kate's magic
will only take more listenings with an open mind, then go for it.

DON'T BLAME KATE OR THE SONGS ON THE SENSUAL WORLD! 

I've been a hard-core fan since 1981. If *I* can feel the magic, it's there!
Waiting to be heard. Waiting for those with open ears, open minds and 
open hearts. Waiting for you maybe?

Yes, I have put my asbestos suit on, preparing for those of you who can't
feel the magic of TSW and who are positive it has to be Kate's fault.


Vickie (one of Vickie'n'Chris)
katefans@world.std.com