Re: Wait for Kate

[nbuchwa1@ix.netcom.com (Norman Buchwald)]

btd@carina.cray.com (Bryan Dongray) wrote:

>Firstly, let me apologize to any Toriphiles, I did (and do) not
>mean to criticize a very good performer, such as Tori, my message
>was supposed to one of warning to those (like myself) who on knowing
>a Tori album was out, rushing and buying it. I too, do wish Kate
>produced albums faster, but now I appreciate waiting for something
>of quality. I was expecting something like LE or UtP, but apart from
>the occasional track, BfP is NOT.

And that's fine, Bryan.  Like I said before you are entitled to your
opinion.  :)  

>My message probably was a bit harsh, I felt like Tori had taken my
>money and flushed the rest of me down the toilet! (To borrow a phrase)

>Perhaps my mood was not too high either, I get quite offended by anyone
>who make sweeping stereotypical statements, especially if they put
>me (being a man) in a stereotypcial bad light, like Tori's "toilet"
>statement. I really would hate to think myself in such a nasty way,
>and these statements just reinforce stereotypes. I *DO* like Kates
>Eat the Music, just for this reason.

Which is the theme of "Boys For Pele," even if she changed her mind
that it's about sacrificing the men she knew to Pele, the Volcano
Goddess there are some bitter poetic phrases to men.  But it's not
anti-male, it's more from a woman's standpoint who feels hurt and
wronged.  Some of these songs are really touching.  And there seems to
be more complexity than the simple confrontation in "Leather."  

>I have forced myself into further listenings and I see my problem
>with the album, the good ones are interspersed by ones which do
>not fit my taste. I *really* do not like the abuse of the hardsichord
>in track 4 (Professional Widow).

At first, I found it odd.  It's now one of my favorite tracks from the
album.  :)  There have been certain Kate tracks that have done that to
me, once upon a time as well.  (I dismissed songs like "Pull Out The
Pin," "The Dreaming," "Waking The Witch," "Lily," "Get Out Of My
House" at first and they've later become some of my favorite Kate Bush
tunes).  Tori Amos reminds me of a character in one of my stories who
always tried to use his musical instruments to deliberately produce
new sounds.

 

>As to Kates albums, I have NEVER taken time to "get into" an album,
>perhaps Kate is my style, she being just a few years older than me
>possibly transmits on my wavelength. No track of Kates is bad, my
>recent experience has shown me this. Any future discussions of which
>Kate track is her worst (or is that "worse"), will be meaningless to me!

Hmm. . . none even seems really weak at all?  

>As to comparing Kate and Tori, this was not my intention, I just know
>from reading posts that some Kate fans are Tori fans, and I was just
>giving a word of warning, any similarlities have really gone now (IMO).

Bryan, did some of us back you in a corner?  I'm sorry about that.  As
I've said before you have your own tastes and you're entitled to your
opinion.  :)




>I also should not base the musical content on the effort (or lack of)
>that the record company puts into the extras (like wordsheet) or artwork.
>My comments on BfP photo "art" are based on my general dislike of
>much modern "art", which I often think ought to be spelled with an F.
>None of the images to me are shock either, some are boring, others
>probably have done their job, provoke discussion.

I'm not even sure if the main purpose of art is to provoke discussion.
There are pictures that make me take another look at it again.  The
meaning is not as easily reached, which explains Tori's general style
of songwriting.  Some of the "obscurity" can be reached once one
realizes her general songwriting style,  a more pronounced style that
is more metonymic than metaphoric.  And more often used on this album
than on her previous ones.


>One of my thoughts was to call BfP "Y Kant Tori Write/Play/Sing".

Finally, you speak your honest opinions, Bryan.  I honestly disagree
with you here, but that's okay.  She clearly knows how to write, play,
and sing.  She's hardly traditional about any of the three.  And
believe me, I should know.  To do something experimental most often
risks failure.  Regardless of taste, you have to at least admire her
courage to take these risks.

The Storm

no one's picking up the phone
guess it's me and me