Is there any new album news?

[<GREINER@UCLASTRO.BITNET>]

Recently, Neal has written,

>I'd say it's a bit early to say that she _is_ going to direct for
>anyone else.  So far the best report we have (until Larry digs up the
>industry rag :) says that Kate (and others) have been "approached"
>about directing a video.  If her album is going as well as has been
>reported I'd say the odds of her taking a break to direct for someone
>else are pretty slim.  If she does we can suspect that things have
>stalled and settle down for a long wait.

I too, distrust this rumour, but mainly because I distrust all rumours
of this sort until I hear something darn "official" from someone (and
even then I'm pretty skeptical about it for a while).  However if she
*were* approached about it, and she were serious about breaking into the
American market big time, shooting a Prince video could provide her with
some real opportunities.  Prince whether you like his music or not (I'm
not all that crazy about much of his stuff) is a Big Name in the U.S.
if she does like his music and feels creatively stimulated by the
project it could provide her with some press over here as a side
benefit.  (I say "if she likes..." because I'm sure that Ms. Bush would
never do it for the publicity.  One of the things I like most about her
is that she does her work on her own terms with little regard for how
popular or safe it is.  Heck if she wanted to I'm sure she could have
written "Wuthering Heights" clones for an entire career and gotten lots
of U.K. number 1 hits.  Not that I don't like WH but I'm glad she moved
on!)

Whoops, I've rambled a bit from what I really wanted to ask in this
posting which is : what is this about the "... album doing as well as
has been reported..."  I guess I missed these reports.  How is the new
album going? What is the source of the info?  Has she actually started
recording yet?  I hope she was serious about her next album being more
simple than the previous few.  Don't get me wrong: I love TH and HOL but
I think her voice has improved so much over the years (become more and
more expressive) that I hope she'll do a more vocally focused album.
In songs that are almost all vocal (like Under the Ivy, The Handsome
Cabin Boy, and This Woman's Work, etc/) her voice becomes so expressive it's
frighting.  Oh well, enough rambling,


                                                Wade