Re: Kate's downward spiral (long tirade)

[agough@sedona.intel.com (Andy Gough)]

In article <2be7oe$6k2@bigguy.eng.ufl.edu>, greg@deming.eng.ufl.edu (Greg O'Rear) writes:
> vickie@pilot.njin.net (WretchAwry) writes:
> >[Kate] couldn't have made TRS in 1978. She made TKI.
> 
> The problem is that Kate seems unable in 1993 to make "Never For Ever" or
> "The Dreaming."  "The Ninth Wave" was her last, extended brush with greatness.
> She's starting to remind me of Paul McCartney.  What has happened to Kate's
> voice?  She continues to sing primarily in her "constipated" voice.  Now her
> voice has more of a "screaming soul sister" quality to it.  It's ironic that,
> though people complained that she was squeaky and shrill on her first albums,
> I find her more squeaky and shrill now.

Yeah, she uses the "scratchy scream" too much now.

Although, I keep reminding myself that I was displeased with Houdini on 
_The_Dreaming_ at first, I really like the part when the lyric reaches the 
point where it goes "With a kiss, I'd pass the key . . ." and the music comes 
in at the same time and that nice bonging sound starts up . . . and then 
she aborts the whole thing and ends it with a scream! (With my spit on his
lip, he hits the water!).  Arrrggghhh!  But, over time, it grew on me, and
it's now one of my favorite songs on The Album.

So, maybe TRS will grow on me (I have hope, at least).

> 
> Maybe she just doesn't mic herself correctly.  I think she needs to get out,
> move her arms and legs about, try out a different recording technique, travel,
> quit smoking, whatever.  She just seems to get deeper and deeper into her
> own little world.  That was fine when she unearthed insights, but the trouble
> is, she doesn't anymore.  I'm glad to see that she's been reading Joseph
> Campbell, however.  If she's gonna "read it in a boooook," he's a good author.

Reading Drukman's song-by-song review previously (in which I can concurr with
many of the "eh" reviews), and then reading the above, I thought of another
theory.

TRS isn't a result of KaTe isolating herself in her own little world.

Quite the opposite.  This is KaTe's "Smokey and the Bandit III" CD.
Too many people around!  Instead of working, they party!  

It explains the large number of chorus parts.  "Hey, everybody, let's get
drunk and then _all_ sing the chorus!  Wow, we're having fun now!"

It explains the screaming.  "I screamed it!  Isn't that hillarious!  That'll
blow their minds!  Ha ha ha!!"

It explains the lyrics.  "Oh KaTe! You're so outrageous!  You can't say
bullsh?t in a song!"

After all, management experts determined long ago that "a party" is the least
effective type of organization for getting work done.  :-)


> 
> And no matter how many repeated listens I attempt, "Eat The Music" is still
> annoying.  The same simple chord progression repeated *over* and *over* with
> nothing thrilling enough to take my mind off of its sameness.  Even the much-
> touted "Big Stripey Lie" suffers from her deteriorating vocal ability.  Her
> shouts are just annoying, like some cat that is being mortally interfered with.

I concurr with your option (& Drukman's) on Eat The Music (ETM), which I 
will summarize as "it blows."

An idea on how to enjoy ETM has need nagging at me thought.  When I listen
to ETM, I always get the feeling that this is a "tequila" song.  I judge it
to be about an 8-shot tequila song [meaning that after having consumed 8 shots
of tequila, and waiting 20 minutes, ETM would not only be ejoyable to listen
to, but also to sing along with].  I haven't tested this theory, and I am
unlikely to in the future, so if there are any amateur experimenters out
there, please report your results!

The 8-shot tequila song theory also explains why ETM was judged (?) to be
a good "commercial" release for the first U.S. single.  ;-) 


> Take "Rubberband Girl": the song is beginning to grow on me, tune-wise, and
> is quite catchy.  But her vocal performance is, for the most part, terrible.
> The high parts, anyway.  The low parts are odd enough to be OK, even though
> I fear it is less out of invention and more out of her smoking habit, which
> threatens to give her all the dulcet tones possessed by, say, Lauren Bacall.

This one's growing on me.  I would evaluate it as about a 2-shot rum song.

> 
> I remember sitting down with my copy of "Hounds of Love" and playing it
> through, then going, "What?!"  Then I played it again.  And again.  Then with
> headphones.  Then cranked.  Then for friends.  I got into it.  I explored it.
> It challenged me.  From "Experiment IV" on, I thought Kate was doomed.

Agreed.  Amazingly consistent quality.  The only weak song is "Mother Stands
For Comfort."  

> "The Sensual World" had its moments, but it just confirmed that Kate had lost
> it.  She showed good taste in picking the Trio Bulgarka, but vocally, they
> blew her out of the water (though there's some evidence of her trying their
> technique on "Reaching Out", an otherwise unremarkable track).
> 

I've read that Trio Bulgarka is supposed to be famous, but famous for what?

All's they usually do is contribute an annoying, loud, high-pitching, wailing
sound in the background.  Especially on TSW (all songs in which they appear).

Serious question:  Are they famous for wailing like that?  

If so, okay then, I just don't like what they do, but I can agree that they
wail with the best of 'em.  

I also agree they were used better on TRS.  But, I think that mainly because
they're farther in the background (lower volume) and harder to hear!

> I realize that a musician can't always pull the rabbit out of the hat, and
> I give her some slack in that regard.  She will always be a favorite.  But I
> don't agree with the "she really IS" folks who worship her and say she can
> do no wrong: "Hmm, it sounds like crap!  But Kate is Goddess, so it must just
> be something wrong with *me*." 

Oh, don't forget the "You just _refuse_ to understand!" statements.  ;-)


SONG WRITING
~~~~~~~~~~~~
     I also keep thinking how good Kate is singing "Candle in the Wind."  
The synthesized music detracts from it, of course, but just think what it
would have been with real muscians!
     So why is Candle in the Wind so good?  Great source material.  A well-
written song.  A great lyric.  Makes me dream of a Kate CD on which all she
sings are covers of great songs . . ..
     So perhaps KaTe's song writing is more uneven now?  

Regards,
Andy



-- 
Disclaimer:
     All views expressed are my own opinions, and not necessarily 
     those of Intel Corporation.
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 Andy Gough                     |  Internet: agough@sedona.intel.com
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