Ladyslipper Catalog

[barger@aristotle.ils.nwu.edu (Jorn Barger)]

My name and address seems to be making the rounds of feminist mail-order
sources (which is fine by me) and today something especially interesting
turned up: the 15th anniversary edition of the Ladyslipper Catalog of
recordings by women (Ladyslipper Inc, POB 3124-R, Durham, NC 27715.)  They
appear very broadminded (including Madonna, eg).  They include Jane and
Victoria (but not Happy or Amy Denio).  Here's their reviews of Kate:

HOL: This 1985 recording resembles little in Kate's previous discography. 
Images of spirituality and conflicting layers of consciousness pervade;
myth and reality merge and split love and life and death and rebirth--
you'll be lucky if you land with your feet on the ground!  Instrumentation
is similarly textured: subtle vocals and piano peek through wave after wave
of electronically-altered keyboards, drums, vocals, a wide array of
synthesizers.   Side 2 is subtitled "The Ninth Wave" in reference to
Tennyson's "The Coming of Arthur."  Highly, highly recommended for the
acoustically challenged.

TSW:  Complex, layered, and allegorical songs, with instruments such as
Uillean pipes and Celtic harp, combine to make one of Kate's typically
weird yet most accessible albums to date.  The most surprising element here
is the fact that several songs feature vocal contributions by the Trio
Bulgarka.  Includes "Deeper Understanding", portraying a computer that has
become the primary source for companionship, and "Rocket's Tail," on which
the Trio's vocal harmonies are a prominent and integral part of the song's
structure.

LH:  The mellowest Kate Bush LP we've found, if Kate can ever be called
mellow... "Symphony in Blue" and "Oh England My Lionheart" are both
melancholy and beautiful, while "Kashka from Baghdad"s a light shimmery
piece about two men in love, and "Fullhouse" documents the inner splits and
struggles that we face as women.

TD:  This LP wins the "Wildness of the Year" Award-- the instrumentation is
exquisitely intricate and complex, using an assortment of electric pianos,
synthesizers, Uillean pipes, pennywhistle, bazouki, mandolins, etc.  The
vocals are lower than Kate's usual siren blast-- perhaps she's been coached
by Nina Hagen on this one?  But the real strength lies in the lyrics-- she
creates surreal landscapes of fantasy and fact-- no clear lines here... The
title song is an eerie, haunting recreation of a dream about the
colonization of Australia-- sure to give goosebumps!  Other songs include:
Night of the Swallow, Get Out of My House, Suspended in Gaffa, and
Houdini-- the jacket is a somewhat disturbing photo related to a line in
the song ("with a kiss I'd pass the key") Recommended.

NFE:  No question, strangeness reigns.  The general mood of this LP is one
of fantasy (Breathing, The Wedding List), with a little frenzy thrown in
(Violin).  The vocal impact of Kate's sometimes chilling harmonies is
stunning.  Great instrumental back-up.  Also includes Army Dreamers and
Babooshka.  Import.

TKI:  Kate Bush is weird.  She is also this reviewer's favorite artist.  A
pianist with obvious classical training, she writes songs of simple themes
coupled with bizarre ideas.  Combine these factors with her voice (falsetto
is too extreme a word, but you get the idea) and you get a spirited,
sometimes wild, experience.  Best cuts:  Saxophone Song, Feel It, Them
Heavy People.

=====
I like the way they alphabetize by first name, too.
And I stole this sig-quote from them:

==================================================================
There's the:
biddies (baby boomers in debt)
dimps (dual income, money problems)
dinks (dual income, no kids)
dopies (disgruntled older persons)
droppies (disillusioned relatively ordinary professionals preferring
independent employment situations)
flyers (fun-loving youth en route to success)
frumpies (formerly radical upwardly mobile persons)
guppies (gay upwardly mobile professionals)
maddies (middle-aged debtors)
mossies (middle-aged overstressed semi-affluent suburbanites)
muppies (Mennonite urban professionals)
rubbies (rich urban bikers)
rumpies (rural upwardly mobile professionals)
the omnipresent sasc (surprisingly alert and spry centenarian)
skippies (school kids with income and purchasing power)
yobs (young obnoxious bores)
yuffies (young urban failures)
yummies (young upwardly mobile mommies)
yuppies (young urban professionals).
              --From "Monk, the mobile magazine"