Label: EMI Records Ltd

Producer: Kate Bush

Release Date: November 08 2005

©2005 EMI Records Ltd

When I heard Kate Bush was releasing her new album 'Aerial' in November, her first since The Red Shoes was released twelve years ago, I was excited, delighted, and relieved that the empty void that had filled a huge part of me for twelve years was about to be filled with an abundance of what I expected to be everything I love and admire about Kate Bush! Then, on 7th November, the 14 track double CD arrived and I knew then that everything else would have to be put aside, shelved, put on hold, until every note had been absorbed.. I had waited twelve years for this.. but I still had no real idea at that point that from the moment I would press the play button, I was going to heaven for a while.. at least until the last track faded out and ended those years of anticipation.. years of wonder!

Aerial is packaged as a lovely and inventive gatefold with the photography of John Carder Bush and Randy Olson, a painting by James Southall (Fisherman), a portrait of Kate by Trevor leighton, and some additional drawings by Bertie Bush (Kate's son). I mention the design and packaging because, it's a long time since I have been this drawn-in by CD artwork, in fact, it takes me back to the days when album covers really really mattered and this CD art matters! The two CDs, Disc one (Sea of Honey) and Disc Two (Sky of Honey) are an intrinsic part of the John Carder Bush washing line photography.. it's inspired art folks and I love it!

So... on to the music. Now what would she sound like these days? She's the same age as me, give or take a month, she's from England, she is an Ivor Novello awarded consummate artist of the first division.. an inspirer of Tori Amos, Bjork, and just about every other female artist/singer with similar interests and influences and inspirations. The first few tracks would, surely, be something to behold... and oh deary deary me are they something to behold indeed!

Disc One - Sea of Honey

King of the Mountain is the UK single released a few weeks ago which is currently sitting at the Number 4 position, and which was written and composed with Elvis in mind but in a way that looks at the late great performer with hints of curiosity, warmth, and remembrance. It's a unique vision transformed by Kate in her own inimitable style. The result is more like a painting on new canvas and employing a variety of media. The musical acrylics are keyboard dominated, the vocals are like the purest of watercolours, and the arrangement is a delicate and vibrant blend of oils. One of the things that Kate knows very well is how to use percussion and vocal harmonies to amazing effect.. always with the originality that flows throughout everything she produces and which so many other artists find so inspiring.

Pi is one of the most interesting of Kate's compositions to date. Who else could get away with singing about numbers related to Pythagoras in a way which is at once captivating and quite awe inspiring. The opening keyboard elements remind me of Supertramp and 10cc in some places and the percussion that follows against some fine acoustic guitar work is absolutely outstanding. Kate's vocal articulation in emphasizing the numbers that make up 'Pi' is excellent and intriguing... what a fine and delightfully innovative production job all round.

Bertie is of course the name of Kate's son who is also the subject of this wonderfully warm mother to son song that Kate has managed to produce quite masterfully in her obvious intent to share the joy of motherhood with the rest of us. The string arrangement courtesy of Michael Kamen is outstanding but what's more amazing is the sheer delight that Kate expresses in her voice and in her lyrics. It's a bit like she's captured what made some of the songs in films like 'Mary Poppins' so magical. This is a very magical song on all kinds of levels.. musically, thematically, and in the way it takes the listener from wherever they are all the way into an English Counties living room shared by mother and son.. Kate and Bertie Bush.

Mrs. Bartolozzi is a beautifully rendered and performed solo piano and vocal song that reminds us that Kate is still very much 'needed for the symphony' she sung about back on her second album 'Lionheart' from 1978. The lyrics look somewhat abstractly at a washing machine and the clothes being washed that relate to their owners in ways that I don't think have ever been explored in anything like this way before. It's very poetic... very artistic and very Kate at her best.

How to be Invisible is a fantastic piece of work for it's originality, arrangement, and production. At once bright and dynamic in it's mid tempo flirtings and meanderings, the song features so many innovations in it's musical direction that each of the musicians perform exceptionally with emphasis in their particular corner of the canvas and you realize very early on that what you have here is an epitaph of brilliance and flawless artistic integrity. Well done Kate... it's just brilliant!

Joanni views Joan of Arc in a similar way to the way in which Elvis was viewed in King of the Mountain. Again, my observation is that the warmth, remembrance, and hints of curiosity are just as abundant here. The music is absolutely first class and I particularly love the percussion and sweeping pads that create the landscape for this particular portrait. What's especially striking is the way Kate uses her voice here.. the effect is amazing and I wanna go out and buy a complete surround sound job to swim and enjoy the sensual audio surroundings in. A Coral Room meanwhile, is six minutes of sensual delight. Reminiscent of the piano work on 'This Woman's Work' from the Sensual World album, and of the lyrical style set in 'Moments of Pleasure' from the Red Shoes album, this incredible song firmly establishes Kate Bush as a very worthy contender for any Ivor Novello award the commitee cares to bestow. I can imagine a spellbound audience should this fine song ever make it to the stage.. spellbound and enchanted.

Disc Two - Sky of Honey

With leanings to the kind of work we were introduced to in 'The Ninth Wave' from Kate's Hounds of Love album, this second CD opens with Prelude - a soundscape complete with birdsong that I recognize as belonging to Blackbirds and wood pigeons especially. The child inserts of 'Mummy' 'Daddy' 'the day is full of birds' 'Sounds like they're saying words' are truly beautiful and uplifting but the piano following the bird song is particularly imaginative. Prologue follows with Kate's bright and colourful vocals covering her optimistic and enigmatic lyrics and it's all set against escalating piano phrases with warmth and passion.

An Architect's Dream appears with Rolf Harris sharing his inspirations in painting... the kind of thing I was exposed to when Rolf would do this kind of things for millions of children everywhere in his TV shows in the Sixties and Seventies in particular. Rolf Harris taught me to turn the paper to get a better grasp of angles... I learned but never really used it much because my love of music was much more dominant! It's a wonderful song this... wonderful musically and quite captivating lyrics bind your attention all the way to the last second in the performance. Kate Bush has a habit of making this artistic phenomenon possible and she's made it possible for us all to be enveloped in here. Painter's Link returns with whisps of birdsong and Rolf's gripping vocal before Kate's harmonic vocal orchestra reaches right into your heart and sense of well being. They should keep this kind of magic on prescription at Health Services the world over! Sunset emerges with some superb upright bass playing that's comforted and accompanied by Kate's piano and vocals. Sunset is one of the most beautifully written and produced songs I have ever heard in my life... jazzy... smooth jazzy... colourful and amazingly vivid across the Sky of Honey landscape.

Somewhere in Between has some of the most striking string and vocal arrangements that are somewhat reminiscent of what we saw in 'The Sensual World' album but in a much more richly produced fashion and which so much more virtuosity and brilliance. Little bits of reflections of Bjork come to mind now and then and the sheer magnitude of the joy of life seems to effortlessly pour out of every featured musician and instrument. A superb achievement on any scale between nine and ten! Watch out for the "Goodnight Sun' bits followed by Bertie's 'Goodnight Mum'... a little blessing in there!

Nocturn highlights Kate's vocal presence and maturity wonderfully. I particularly love how the bass and percussion blend perfectly below the sweeping strings and the how they emphasize the engaging lyrics. It's a very very nice track with Gary Brooker's Hammond Organ work making perfect use of the entry points in all the right places. I love Gary!

Aerial is an eight minute long excursion across the ultimate realms of audio and sensual wonder for every beat and every note made visible and tangible in Kate's hands. It's the perfect conclusion to this magnificent album with some fine collaborations between human and bird song and laughter... I mean... what a girl!!! Keeps us waiting all these years and proves to be just as executive in her command of her art as ever... as ever the consummate artist Kate Bush always has been and it shows much more than we could ever anticipated in this incredible piece of work called Aerial.

Dear Kate... thank you so much.

 

Colin Lynch - November 08 2005

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