Re: The Red Shoes

[jessica <jessica@maurolycus.rutgers.edu>]

Meredith reviews The Red Shoes. I agree with most of what she
says enough to finalyl want to voice an opinion here. 

> Initial impression: eh.  But it's not as bad as I thought it was going
> to be.  

You're lucky! My initial impresion was: eh. But a lot worse that i 
*thought* it would be. a *lot* worse. (I was hoping, really hoping, 
for more big stripey lie type songs). 

>The only song to make me sit up and take note upon first listen
> was "The Red Shoes", which is positively infectious- I literally
> couldn't stop dancing until it was over, which is an interesting
> phenomenon, now that I think about it..

I had the same reaction. My first thought when it started was "oooh"
and that feeling just kept going and I still really like the song. 

> Rubberband Girl:  Fun, poppy, I hope this does well on the charts here.
> I liked it from that first over-the-phone listen at KaTemas (hi Vickie :),
> and I still do, a lot.  More on the video later.

I feel the same way.

> And So Is Love:  MUCH better than I thought from that aforementioned
> phone listen, but not exceptional.

yup. This one's really growing on me too, I think i like it a lot.

> Eat The Music:  Barf-O-Rama.  But we already knew trhat.  Er, that. :}

Here i disagree with meredith. I like Eat the Music. I don't tihnk 
I *love* it. but I really liek it. it's fun, i tihnk of the video and
swirl my head around and feel kinda drunk and dizzy and tihnk of
squishy fruit and it works really well for me like that :)

> Moments of Pleasure:  Mmmh, yes.  Again, not goddesshead, but it has
> its own power amidst its flaws.  I find it hard to think critical
> thoughts because it seems amost disrespectful, considreing the events
> in Kate's life which caused her to write it in the first place...but.

yeah... you said this better than i could... that's about how i feel.

> The Song of Solomon:  Interesting.  I saw the lyrics (danke, L  Uli!)
> before I heard the music, so I was expecting soimething much harder
> edged than I got, but it still works for me.  I do think the "bullshit"
> line is a bit much, however- once is okay, but after the nth time it
> staet,  damn,   starts to get a bit gratuitous.  Besides, now I can't
> play it on my radio show, and it's one of the prettiest tracks on the
> album!  Waah!

if the chorus bit (the whole "bullshit" section) were just more like
the rest of this song, I would love it. as it is i only kinda like it.
eh. just kinda. parts of it a so yummy sounding and then, eh.

> Lily:  This song is wonderfully weird.  I agree with those who think
> it's the "curse of the red shoes" woman from the new "RG" video does the
> opening narration.  I can't wait to see it in the context of the film,
> so I can staret to figure it out!

I like Lily a lot. very very good.

> The Red Shoes:  In a word, awesome.  If this album didn't include it,
> I would be gnashing my teeth in frusttration at the lack of a single "WOW"
> on the first listen, but thankfully this is it.  It's been going through
> my head all week.

:) yup! 

> Top Of The City:  I like, but am not going orgasmic over it.  All I can
> think of is Kate sitting on top of the huge angel/eagle statue in the
> lobby of the Ministry of Information in _Brazil_ laughing at the silly
> Flying Nun tour group going by underneath...  dunno weh er, why.

I don't know abotu this one.. i tihnk i'd *really* like the song a lot
if it didn't have the phrase "top of the city". I dont' evenk now if
i've ever *heard* that phrase before, but I don't like it.  oh well. 

> Constellation of the Heart:  I think the line about turning the telescope
> away from the big sky is telling, and it has its (breif) moments, but all
> in all, I don't think this song should have been recoreded.

yucko. yeah. sometimes i tihnk a aprt of this song is good enough that
the song with grow on me (like the telescope line), but in the long
run, the song doesn't. 

> Big Stripey Lie:  I liked it before, and I like it even more than I know
> Kate plays guitar aand BASS (I've always had a soft spot for short female
> bass players ;), but it doesn't fit at all.

amazing song. my favorite on the album.

> Why Should I LOve You:  This song has GOT to go.  I *knew* Prince would
> destroy whatever song on the album he had a hand itn.  Gag.

I can not *beleive* how much i detest this song. I really do not
enjoy listening to it *at*all* *UGH*. It's not even a good "bad kate
song" if you know what i mean. I mean, I just don't *listen* to music
like this. blech.

> You're The One:  At first I liked this one a lot, but I'm already sick
> of it.  There are some interesting voacl bits, but I'm not so sure I like
> them any more.

at first, I wasn't sure what I thought of this one. Now I know. I hate
it. not quite as much as Why Should I Love You, but almost.
It makes me really sad that these songs are the way they are - I wish
they could be amazing songs - if they were, and they said what they
did, expressed somehow the same sorts of feelings/experiences, they
woudl be so powerful and incredible. Most of kate's songs are not
autobiographical as much as these are and they could really make you
*feel* for her... if they were good songs!!! Well, that's how it is
for me anyway,m I know it's very very different for lots of other
people :) I just mean to explain how it is for me..

> As for the New And Improved "Rubberband Girl" Made For eMpTV Video, I
> liked it.  A lot.  It's a vast improvement over the original video,
> and was just perfectly tongue-in-cheek.  ;>  I've always wanted
> to see Kate humping a mike stand.  In shades, no less.  I will say,
> however, that I wish she'd done more weith the scenes with the straight
> hair and leather jacket, and had left out the three random clips from the
> film, which ruined the video's continuity and seemed tacked-on.  (They were,
> weren't they?)  It looks like she was having fun out there, at least.

are you seriously being serious here? It kinda sounds like a joke!?
kate with blonde hair and shades and humping a microphone? I 
*beleive* it.. it just does sound odd..

> There you have it, MY *OWN& OPINIONS.  I don't care who agrees or disagrees, so there.

> Meredith
> meth@delphi.com

and now you've got mine too.

		jessica