Comments on: I Put This Moment… Over Here

By: Jerry Mahone

Jerry Mahone — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 05:52:11 +0000

I’m still learning Aerial’s language, so like all Kate’s efforts, it takes effort from me to get everything out of it. I agree, generally, with your assessment on the years that included The Red Shoes and The Sensual World. I think, at first listen, Aerial is substantially better than those efforts, in my opinion. I will say that I know I appreciate this one more than I would have 12-15 years ago, before being a parent.

As far as your Kate bait:
Best Kate Bush song: Wuthering Heights
Best Kate Bush album: The Dreaming (turn it UP!)
Simply the best Kate Bush: The Ninth Wave

I disagree with your first one; I found the songs from The Kick Inside interesting, but not her best work. Same with Lionheart. Neverforever showed real sparks to me. The Dreaming was definitely her best album overall, in my opinion. Hounds of Love definitely had the best Kate Bush piece (as you indicated) in the second side; The Ninth Wave still is something I listen to only in order. The songs comprising The Ninth Wave are the only ones on my iPod that have been joined so that they play together, in order, and that’s saying something, because I used to be something of an album order freak. I’ve gotten over it, especially with iTunes/iPod’s emphasis on songs rather than albums, but not with The Ninth Wave.

So we agree on your best album and best piece selections, but back to the song…

So, my favorite Kate Bush track? This is very, very tough…

The finalists: Mother Stands For Comfort, Cloudbusting, And Dream Of Sheep, Under Ice, Waking The Witch, Hello Earth, Night Of the Swallow, All The Love

These songs don’t necessarily feature her best vocals, but rather, in my opinion, her most interesting, well-crafted efforts. I appreciate Kate Bush more as a songwriter than anything else, and in the last 12 years, we have definitely been plagued by the singer/non-songwriter genre, which makes me appreciate those who write their own lyrics and music, like Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco, and many other great songwriters.

I guess between Mother… and All The Love, I’d go with Mother Stands For Comfort.

Had fun with this, thanks!
Jerry

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 22:10:58 +0000

Yeah, the jury is still out on Aerial for me. It’s cerainly no Dreaming, but I am really digging the second disc. That last (and title) track is the perfect closer. I’m not sure what to make of songs like Pi — they’re either brilliantly creative, or just silly. I’m inclined to say that while Aerial is pretty good, it doesn’t quite live up to the twelve year wait. I do pretty much agree with your best of Kate rundown (The Dreaming and the Ninth Wave blow my mind!), but for best single song I’d have to pick Running Up That Hill or Waking the Witch / Get Out of My House / Rocket’s Tail (I can’t decide) for the vocal work.

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 15:12:34 +0000

I don’t think so. Haven’t seen it in years. If I stumble across it, I’ll let you know. It’s a shame too, because it started me on her music.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:45:00 +0000

I had forgotten about that tape. It was called EkLaVtIeS, wasn’t it? I also made you a mix tape with a fish skeleton on the tape insert. I don’t suppose you might still have either of those laying around in a drawer somewhere?

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 04:58:19 +0000

You can’t just use such a simple judging order for Kate Bush. This is Kate Bush. By the way, I don’t know if you remember, but you introduced me to Kate by a tape you made for me once. It was alternating Kate/Elvis Costello songs. Took me forever to sort out the lyrics to Wuthering Heights. I think I gave up and bought the album so I could read the lyrics. Kate Bush categories should be tied to ones fate. For example, if I don’t hear Cloudbusting, The Big Sky, Infant Kiss, Wuthering Heights, The Man With the Child in His Eyes, songs like that every so often, then I become a catatonic lump of goo. That sort of thing. I’m not into downloading music, though i’m sure my daughter will be very soon, so I’d love to get the songs from The Dreaming. Haven’t heard that in years. I’ve just got The Kick Inside, and Hounds of Love. I seem to remember liking a lot of songs from Neverforever.