Boy I got The Red Shoes late.

[brownfld@rcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (Ken Brownfield)]

     Not listened to the whole album yet, but a couple of things have
struck me right off the bat.
     This album is much more "musical" to me than TSW.  It is much more
melodic and lyrically hooky.  Much more rhythm, less of drums as
textures or an instrument.  Her voice does some things that I haven't
heard before (Song of Solomon, for example).  Much less of sound
textures, and more of dark emotions under the rediculously ironic bouncy
music.  She seems to be singing for expression, just singing, not trying
to hit high notes or control her voice.  More grain from her voice, which
personally I like a lot (and may be intentional or smoking.)
     Eat the Music really sounds much better along with these other
songs.  If Eat the Music showed up on the Dreaming, it would suck rocks,
just because it didn't fit.  I think all the things that people cringe
at in the song (repetitive progression and rhythm) are intentional.  At
least I think so, this is Kate after all, right?  The whole album screams
"I'm being rediculously bouncy" and whispers some really nasty things.
     Technically, this sounds digitally recorded, or at least mixed.  It
sounds like the exciter and high-end EQ was saved for only Kate's voice
this time instead of every damn thing.  Compressed to death, but I think
overall this is MUCH better than TSW, and even HoL to a point.  No
"noise wainscoting." ;-)  Someone should smack her for using drum samples
instead of live, but hey, I think that fits too.
     I'm really attached to this album.  I think this is the most
expressive (expressive in it's irony) KT except the Dreaming.  More
listens, but this album is on it's way up in my list.  The Ninth Wave
alone is still co-best-KT with Dreaming in my book, tho.
     Now, don't get me wrong, a couple of the songs (Constellation of
the Heart for instance) go a little far into some kind of 70's/funk bucket
for my taste, but getting used to it is second nature for Kate fans. ;)
     Anyway, 'nuff said.  Hope everyone's enjoying it.