David Smyth in The Evening Standard has also previewed Aerial here although he explains that he was only allowed to hear A Sky Of Honey, the first disc: “I can report that disc one’s seven distinct songs constitute a fascinating listen, demonstrating all that Bush does best and showing a notable change in her outlook. The slightly unhinged wailer is nowhere to be heard here. Since her last album, The Red Shoes in 1993, she has become mother to Bertie, now seven, and there is a peaceful contentment evident throughout the new songs. Along with A Coral Room, Mrs Bartolozzi is one of two songs played solo on piano; it revels in domestic bliss, being principally about a washing machine. On Pi, Bush continues to find beauty in the mundane, softly reciting the infinite number over a waltzing rhythm and echoing synths. As ever, plenty of nature imagery is conjured, especially on the spooky spell described on How to Be Invisible. For lyrical complexity she remains worlds ahead of the likes of Franz Ferdinand, probably our most articulate contemporary band. But while she continues to employ layered electronics to great effect, nothing here sounds overly dramatic or elaborate. Even Joanni, about Joan of Arc going into battle, remains stately and restrained. A reserved Kate Bush is still more adventurous than a boatload of hip new guitar bands.”…Music Week has the Aerial artwork on its front cover this week, with a large picture of Kate on the inside cover detail release dates and album/single formats. The album is on their playlist “Two CDs, 16 tracks, 80 minutes of musical eccentricity, bordering on genius, this album will challenge all listeners – the release of THAT voice should be cherished.” King Of The Mountain is their Single of the Week “There is huge expectation for this single…it begins quietly with a loping dub-like rhythm, with Bush’s mysterious vocals seeming to tell the story of a powerful man and the emotional cost of his success. Already climbing the UK airplay chart, primarily because of Radio Two’s support, there is little doubt that she is back with a bang.”

The Guardian has published a fascinating piece written by Michael Berkeley on his involvement with the recording of Hello Earth in 1984, well worth a read here…Billboard in the US has reviewed King Of The Mountain: “Her first work in 12 years is predictably ethereal, mosaic and nonconformist. That is to say that it takes several listens to fathom what is going on, and even then, it is a best guess. But there is that voice: angelic, fragile and ever bewitching. It is all about atmosphere here.”…King Of The Mountain also gets a review on the Channel 4 site here…EMI Canada have an Aerial E-Card which you can send here, also Canadian fans in British Colombia can enter an Aerial preview competetion here…NME 15th Oct issue have a 1 page feature on Wuthering Heights and beyond…UK freebie gay mag Boyz has a Kate feature this week see here…Entertainment Weekly in the US are running a pollasking which album its readers are most anticipating, Kate is in second place as I write…iTunes 6 (free download) now offers video downloads of 4 Kate videos Rubberband Girl (US video), Eat The Music (similar to, but different from, The Line, The Cross and The Curve version), The Red Shoes and And So Is Love. Priced £1.89 each…Kate has contibuted to a book to be presented to the family of the electronics genius Colin Sanders of Solid State Logic (SSL), the brand of mixing desk Kate uses. Mr Sanders tragically died in a helicopter crash in 1998. The book will go on permanent display at the Colin Sanders Innovation Centre in Banbury. Read more here…finally one blog owner has done a very detailed analysis of the soundwave on the Aerial cover, see it here.