Category: Reviews Page 4 of 10

Another four stars from Stephen Dalton in The National (Abu Dhabi):

“A new Kate Bush album is always an event. The 53-year-old queen of ethereal English folk-pop may have spent much of the past two decades in reclusive semi-retirement, but the mystique around her has only deepened. … her second album release this year, a lyrically opaque but musically rich meditation on the theme of snow and its attendant folk myths. … a more supple and contemporary affair, with a lightly experimental sound that could sit comfortably alongside recent work by PJ Harvey or Radiohead. Once shrill and piercing, Bush’s midlife voice has grown more rounded and husky, from the dreamy half-whisper … A rambling and eccentric folly, 50 Words for Snow may not satisfy fans of Bush’s early, concise, melodramatic art-pop. But this is still a largely successful experiment, and heartening proof that the creative juices are flowing again.”

Leigh Bartlam at Wears The Trousers magazine writes: “It’s too soon to predict how well 50 Words For Snow will stand up to the inevitable comparisons with her previous “masterpieces”, but with not one dull, waning or filler track on the album, and every one of its sixty-five minutes offering glistening moments of the artist at her most inspired and productive, it could well be that we’re in the presence of yet another Kate Bush classic.” The album is awarded 10/10. Read the full (lengthy) review here. (with thanks to Brian C)

8.5/10 “Best New Music” from Ryan Dombal at Pitchfork Media:

“Bush continues to infuse her narratives with a beguiling complexity while retaining some old-school directness. Because while most of this album’s songs can be easily summarized … they contain wondrous multitudes thanks to the singer’s still-expressive voice and knack for uncanny arrangements. And mood. There’s an appealing creepiness that runs through this album, one that recalls the atmospheric and conceptual back half of her 1985 masterpiece Hounds of Love. Indeed, when considering this singular artist in 2011, it’s difficult to think of worthy points of reference aside from Bush herself … In an interview earlier this year, the 53-year-old Bush told me she doesn’t listen to much new music, and after listening to the stunningly subtle and understated sounds on Snow, it’s easy to believe her … This is an album about trying, oftentimes futilely, to find connections– between Bush and her characters, reality and surreality, love and death … While much of 50 Words for Snow conjures a whited-out, dream-like state of disbelief, it’s important to note that Bush does everything in her power to make all the shadowy phantoms here feel real. Her best music, this album included, has the effect of putting one in the kind of treasured, child-like space– not so much innocent as open to imagination– that never gets old … Snow isn’t a blissful retreat to simpler times, though. It’s fraught with endings, loss, quiet– adult things. This is more than pure fantasy.”

9/10 from Martyn Young at DIY:

“there is definitely a pronounced wintry feeling to these subtle, delicate and at times desolate songs. For an artist who has a reputation for making theatrical, florid music ‘50 Words Of Snow’ features Bush showing her capacity for restraint and her supreme gift for making meticulously crafted beautiful music. The album is very long, indeed at least two of the tracks are over ten minutes in length, but it never fails to captivate and is never dull. In much the same way as it is possible to stare enthralled at falling snow for hours the fragile songs here, despite their length, leave you engrossed … The great thing about Kate Bush is that you cannot imagine anyone else ever possibly making the music she does, and ‘50 Words For Snow’ is another impossibly beautiful and individually brilliant album. A perfect accompaniment to those long and dark wintry nights.”

Five Stars from Sam Wiseman at The Skinny:

“Could anyone except Kate Bush create a concept album about snow, incorporating a duet with Elton John, featuring a title track that sees Stephen Fry reciting a list of increasingly surreal words to describe the substance – and expect to be taken seriously? Bush, of course, has never troubled herself with such concerns, working as she does in an imaginative realm that seems wholly insulated from critical or commercial expectations. As on 2005’s Aerial, it’s 50 Words for Snow’s improbable fusion of drama, magic and absurdity that makes it so compelling. Musically, the uncannily soft, blurry edges of that record return, underpinning Bush’s mysterious ability to create atmospheres simultaneously sublime and understated.”

Arwa Haider writes in the UK Metro paper today: “…still radiating sexy mystique, Kate Bush has suddenly hit a prolific purple patch…these are adventurous, multi-layered works you can really sink into…with instrumentation merging classical choruses, sweetly mournful piano and electronics, this album is an eccentric thing of beauty…” (This review also appeared this morning in their sister paper, the Dublin Metro Herald)

Lip is an Australian feminist site for Girls. I found the perspective of this review by Angelique Lu quite interesting :

“Even if you haven’t heard of Kate Bush, there’s a good chance that your parents are fans (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) … The first thing you notice about this album is that it is long. Only seven tracks feature on 50 Words for Snow, and yet each song is a lengthy endeavour, creating the type of unique atmospheric record Kate Bush is so famous for. The album is one made by a woman who is in no hurry. 50 Words for Snow was recorded during the English winter, and it shows. It’s a minimalist album. It’s mature too … For hardcore fans, Kate Bush’s new album delivers. For those who are new to her music, it requires patience and perseverance. Her imaginary world, and the sheer length of the songs on the track may alienate those who are looking for songs that they’ll immediately connect with. Kate Bush is from a different era, where concept albums are the norm, and where single tracks were relatively unheard of. The risk with concept albums, like 50 Words for Snow is that there is a danger that all of the songs might begin to sound the same.”

A lengthy appreciation of 50 Words from Debi Withers (author of Adventures in Kate Bush and Theory) at the feminist website The F-Word:

“Kate Bush does not only create music, she creates the world. 50 Words for Snowis one of the many sonic multiverses Bush has imagined over an illustrious 33 year career that has seen her experiment, mutate, delight, annoy and amaze audiences with her skilful song craft and studio witchery … Her concept driven art could not be more out of step with the short attention span of our times … If, however, you are prepared to do the hard work and sit with the challenge 50 Words for Snow presents, you will be immensely rewarded … Whenever you listen to Bush’s music, a healthy appreciation of the ridiculous is a useful tool to have. It helps you to be ready for those moments in her albums that always pop up, the ones that make you wince inside and perhaps feel a little embarrassed that you are listening to it. But, nevertheless, you persevere because you love her and trust that there is something else going on, a deeper meaning that exists on the tantalizing fringe of the ludicrous … It has to be said here that as much as I love Kate Bush’s work, there are times when she gets too close to an uncritical and unthinking appropriation of indigenous cultures … On her new album, I do think Bush has not given enough thought about using the myth that ‘Eskimos’ have 50 words for snow as her core inspiration … there are moments on the title track and on ‘Wild Man’ in particular, that made me feel uncomfortable for all the wrong reasons. And is dressing in indigenous Tibetan costume really acceptable publicity material Kate? … 50 Words for Snow is the sound of a songwriter doing what she has always done: written, performed and produced music that is out of this world yet, importantly, in this world. The music, indeed, opens up multiple worlds, stimulating creativity, heralding expansiveness. Perhaps most significantly it forces contemporary listeners to exist within extended soundscapes that require the skill of attentive, deep listening in order to appreciate the full magnitude of the music’s beauty … Kate Bush has always been a healer, messenger and mediator between worlds …  Nevertheless, I do think Bush needs to bring more awareness of how she appropriates other cultures in pursuit of her art. She risks alienating a lot of people who would otherwise be fans of her music. This is a shame, because in many ways it sparkles with brilliance.”

Jason Morehead in his Grace Notes* section at Christ and Pop Culture:

“On 50 Words For Snow, Kate Bush sings from the perspective of a snowflake as it drifts down from its cloudy birthplace to the ground, tells the story of a woman who has a love affair with a snowman, and has comedian/author/actor Stephen Fry recite 50 words for, well, snow. So you could be forgiven for dismissing the album as pretentious. It is pretentious. It’s also otherworldly, delightful, and constantly arresting … 50 Words For Snow feels warmer, more organic, and even playful at times.”

(*Grace Notes is a weekly exploration by Jason Morehead of signs of common grace in the music world. We hope to alert you to wonderful music, some of which will be spiritual in nature but all of which will be unique and worthy of your attention)