TSW

[Valerie Nozick <VNOZICK@EAGLE.WESLEYAN.EDU>]

I couldn't resist adding my thoughts about TSW to the already murky soup bowl.

TSW at first was characterized by excitement .. my excitement over a new KaTe
album.  At that point, it was the most wonderful album yet.  However, a few
listenings thankfully levelled those feelings off.  Now the album remains one
of the most unexciting for me, along with Lionheart.  The problem isn't with
the noise, since i am notoriously incapable of separating notes from hiss (or
separating notes from notes, as anyone who's heard me sing will attest to). 
Whjat bothers me about TSW is the lack of invention in the subject matter. 
Songs like Between a Man & a Woman are banal.  One of the few songs which
 to this day I love is... HWD  This song takes a basic theme (don't judge a
book by it's cover) and gives it an incredibly striking image.  being dazzled
by hitler unknowingly is a frightening thought, especially to someone who was
raised jewish.  he was the worst monster of our era, someone with whom we all
grew up via our parent's stories, and he evokes the largest *emotional*
response of anyone today (although elvis fans might disagree...:-)  ).  this is
an image that brings about knots in my stomach, even without the terrorized
vocal quality/happy musical tone dichotomy.  for KaTe to put this image to
song, and do it while including the fine emotional line walked by the character
who's singing...well, this is genius, folks.  

==> valerie
vnozick@eagle.wesleyan.edu