Rate Kate

[evelyn.beckett@canrem.com (Evelyn Beckett)]

-> > As a 12-year Kate fan (though not as well-versed in all things >
-> Bush as most are here on r.m.g! :-)), I'd like to ask people to >
-> rate the seven Kate albums (not counting "The Whole Story", of >
-> course) in order of preference.  I have a sense of where most >
-> people would put certain albums on the list, but who knows?  It >
-> might be an eye-opener! To get the ball rolling, here's my list:
Here are the albums in my order of preference:

 1) The Dreaming. There really is no contest for me.  Every track is
superbly written and played, with an amazing sonic texture unlike
anything I've heard before or since.  I hated it at first, but it's
risen to the top over time as I play them all to death.  "Get Out of My
House" is the creepiest thing I've ever heard and "Gaffa" is Kate at her
catchiest.

 2) Hounds of Love.  I probably never would have become a fan if not for
this album and the attention it received.  Again, every track here is
brilliant, but I find "Mother Stands For Comfort" and "Watching You
Without Me", though terrific, spoil the flow of their respective sides.
Incredible fairlight usage here.

 3) Never For Ever.  For me, the first real "Kate Bush" album.  Some dud
tracks here (Violin), but the final four songs are a tour-de-force to
rank with her very best - "Breathing" is my favourite Kate track, in
fact.  Intelligent and fun, with lots of experimentation not spoiling
the terrific pop sense.

 4) The Sensual World.  Didn't like it at first, but it's grown on me
incredibly.  Her most mature work by far, with some of her best songs
(TSW, Never Be Mine, Rocket's Tail, TWW).  Can't stand "Heads We're
Dancing" or any part of "Between a Man and a Woman" past the first 10
seconds.

 5) The Kick Inside.  Kind of flaky, but a really solid debut effort.
"Wuthering Heights" now sounds a bit squeaky after hearing the '86 vocal
so many times, but it's still a terrific track.  Mostly poor lyrics with
some terrific melodies.

 6) Lionheart.  Is "In the Warm Room" the worst Kate song ever? I think
so - any song with the line "her thighs are soft as marshmallows" - not
the most erotic statement ever - would have to be.  Not a very strong
album, but some undisputed highlights ("Hammer Horror", "Oh England",
"Fullhouse" and "Coffee Homeground") make it better than...

 7) The Red Shoes.  In which she has temporarily lost the plot.  I can't
say I really LOVE any track here, though my fondness for "The Red Shoes"
and "Top of the City" are quite great. "You're the One" would be a
classic if she had rewritten the lyrics substantially.  The chorus of
"Lily" makes me grate my teeth every time I hear it.

Well, that's it.
If anyone is interested in copies of Y Kant Tori Read (as some seem to
be here), drop me a line at evelyn.beckett@canrem.com.  It's nowehere
near as bad as the lady herself would have you believe!

Evelyn

"What do you believe in?"
                - Orson Welles in "The Third Man" (1949)