TSW: _The Subtle World_ ?

[nrc@cbema.att.com (Neal R Caldwell, Ii)]

> Really-From: John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
> 
> Andrew Marvick (IED) <IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu> says:
> 
> >   However convenient it may be for you, Richard, to accept it as "a
> >given" that _TSW_ is inferior to _Hounds_of_Love_, the claim--unsupported
> >as it is--remains profoundly unconvincing to this fan. IED does _not_
> >accept the album's inferiority as a given.
> 
> Perhaps not given, but if I, personally, base my judgment solely upon
> my emotional response to the two albums, _The Sensual World_ clearly
> comes up the inferior album.  That's just the way I feel it.

Hmmm.  This seems to be a quote from Andy replying to me but that post
never showed up at my site.  If you'd be kind enough to repost or mail
it to me, Andy, I be greatful.  

I'm sure that you will have already noted my acknowlegment that you 
would not accept my premise, Andy.  

-----
 
> Really-From: mit-eddie!eddie.mit.edu!henrik@gatech.edu (Larry DeLuca)
> 
> I find _The Dreaming_ to be a challenging, stimulating, intensely
> exploratory work of a brilliant but immature artist.  She's managing
> all the pieces, but she's still so busy screaming new ideas at the
> listener she's not quite able to make them work in concert yet.

Not able to make them work in concert?  I disagree.  To me, every
element of _The Dreaming_ falls neatly, albeit at times franticly,
into place.

> Another good example of this problem is _Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation
> 1814_.  There are a number of songs which are so "thick" the album
> is tiring to listen to.  I find after a play of _The Dreaming_ my
> ears are worn out from the sheer gymnastics of listening to it.

I see it another way.  To me _The Dreaming_ is an adventure in sound,
the instruments, vocals and effects are all arranged in three
dimensional space.  You can move into the sound and examine each 
element -- finding it's own individual genius -- or you can stand 
back and view it all like a brilliant landscape.  _The Sensual World_ 
seems more like a tightly woven tapestry, the sounds are all very 
tightly knit into a very two dimensional space creating a "wall of 
sound" that is difficult to penetrate.

> One of the really nice things for me about _The Sensual World_ is
> that so much of it is about Kate Bush the songwriter and less
> about Kate Bush the producer.  Her unmistakable touches are 
> definitely there, but it's definitely the songs that are in the
> driver's seat this time.  _Waking the Witch_ has a power and fury
> that may never be matched, but _Never Be Mine_ can be as moving
> a capella as with all the studio trappings.  Have you ever tried
> to sing any song from _The Dreaming_ by itself?  Find it disappointing?

Perhaps not quite as disappointing as _Reaching Out_ exactly as
it appears on _The Sensual World_.  

But what's the point?  Is the Mona Lisa a great painting because you 
can cut it out and do goofy animations ala Monty Python?  If what you're 
implying is that the lyrics on _The Sensual World_ are intrinsicly better 
than those on those on _The Dreaming_ or _Hounds of Love_, I'm not buying.  
The lyrics of _The Dreaming_ and _Hounds of Love_ are at least as good and
in some cases better than those on _The Sensual World_.  Throw in the
superior production and there's not contest for this Love-Hound.
_Never Be Mine_, _This Woman's Work; these songs touch me deeply; but 
_Night of the Swallow_, _Watching You Without Me_; these songs grab my 
heart and crush it.  

> I think she's grown up.

I pray that you are wrong.  Part of Kate's increasing brilliance has
been her growth as an artist.  Having grown up implies an end to the
growth process.  I'd rather see growth than maturity any day.

----

> Really-From: jsd@GAFFA.MIT.EDU (Under Gail Succubus)
> 
> Dear old Jon is feeling a bit crusty today, so prepare for some
> serious heresy...

I'll say!

> This is a completely ludicrous analogy.  _The Dreaming_ was attempting
> to define an entirely new musical vocabulary, whereas _Lionheart_ was
> just adding a few frills to some tired old ideas.

I wouldn't say "tired old ideas," I'd say "the same old".  We can at
least moderate out heresies a bit can't we?  Yeah, I know, the grit.

> >anything else).  It's just that _The Sensual World_ encompasses
> >some truly great writing, and much more subtlety.
> 
> Unfortunately, the truly great writing is also mixed in with some
> less-than-truly-great writing.

Agreed.  And didn't I already mention Kate's concern that things not
be entirely too subtle?   _The Subtle World_?
 
> > I think she's grown up.
> 
> And gotten tired.

<gasp>
You'd better stock up on short sleeve shirts, Jon, because you'll
surely burn in hell for that one!

----

> From: ccjs@cc.nu.oz.au (James Smith)
> I guess you could group people into two classes: those who are attracted
> to Kate's music because it is her music, and those who are attracted
> because it is a particular style of music.

And what about the rest of us: those who love Kate's music because
it's brilliant, all of it, and simply see _The Sensual World_ as
somewhat less brilliant some of the rest of it?


"Don't drive too slowly."                 Richard Caldwell
                                          att!cbnews!nrc
                                          nrc@cbnews.att.com