Kate Bush // 50 Words For Snow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToR1-CJ3q0s

New Age of Earth not really New Age tho, ironically

I think, by "bland new age", Zuleika is referring more to, like, Celtic Reflections CDs. It's not such a lousy opinion, really, if somebody prefers the spiky, gated drum sounds of Dreaming/Hounds to the velvet hand of Steve Gadd.

b-b-b-but gated drums are cool again!

No. What s/he said makes as little sense as saying, 'I hate this new banging acid house direction she's taken over the last two albums.'

It is not bland new age in any way imho, but I do agree with the sentiment that Kate seems to get closer and closer to more conventional pop music. The stuff of her last two albums is closer related to the music of artists like Elton John or Sting than the stuff from The Dreaming or Never for Ever. Peter Gabriel went that road too. And even Laurie Anderson. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. But I can imagine why people - especially those not familiar with the Kate (or Gabriel or Anderson) of yore - do not understand why people go so whoopee over new music that doesn't sound special or different enough to deserve all this praise.

"Lake Tahoe" carries much of the same vibe as "The Third Wave" off HOL- especially in the vocal sections which echo the Popol Vuh choral parts from Herzog's 'Nosferatu'. Truly gorgeous on headphones (how I'm listening at this moment).

Really the 2nd and 3rd songs on this, even with their stripped down instrumental pallette of mainly piano, bass and drums, are classic Bush in their lovely weirdness. Very powerful.

what's the difference between saying 'sounds like bland new age muzak' and 'this sounds like new age music'

i mean, thank you for pointing out that it sounded like the bad kind of new age music; that was nice of you

Because "New Age music" tends to cover quite a broad canvas. The Penguin Cafe Orchestra and some half decent ambient often gets lumped in with the blander, more mediocre stuff.

I am genuninely amazed at the reviews this album is getting. This album sounds so much to me like bland, New Age muzak that I'm surprised at some of the hostile comments above. Just because KB isn't very "uptempo" these days obviously doesn't mean she has to be musically uninventive (which is what I meant by "bland" in case there are any more tiresome dissections of that word). I'll give it more listens, but it sounds to me insipid and very weak musically: not really pop, ambient or classical, but a mediocre mish mash of all three. On The Hounds of Love she created a fantastic blend of those things - now it sounds predictable and stale to me.

the vinyl edition of this is seriously incredible. worth the £20 or £25 or whatever is being charged for it.

What is it? Just the quality?

yeah just reaaaally nicely mastered on good quality vinyl, 1 or 2 tracks per side.

New video set to my favorite part of my favorite song on the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKPHA3_cBus

enjoyed this today after a walk in deep snow. i love how much silence there is on the album, or the first few tracks anyway - the uncanny way she captures the stillness that follows heavy snowfall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsXhtJ9BTJA

This is the most beautiful thing I have heard all year... Astonishing. (thanks to Geeta on twitter for the heads up)

Wow.

i so wish there was a version of this album that took out the Elton John verses

it's just so fucking magical up to then then it's all Elton barreling into the track yuck

I keep forgetting that Misty is one of the best songs of this rapidly-ageing decade

Still a fantastic listen. Have warmed to the rest of it more or less. The song with Elton stillsounds like a bad "Red Shoes" B-side.

I'd be proud to have Rolf Harris on a record of mine tbh

― R. Stornoway (Tom D.), Thursday, 10 November 2011 18:00 (3 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

... errrrrrrrrrrr

I had somehow forgotten to listen to this when it came out, possibly because I was so turned off by the idea of Director's Cut. But when it popped up on shuffled I thought it was really lovely.

Scots 'have 421 words' for snow

Lovely record, but pretty seasonal eh?

btw if you bought the vinyl and are in need of cash it seems to be relatively highly priced http://www.discogs.com/sell/release/3242669?ev=rb

This is majorly hitting the spot this morning in snowy New Jersey. Her most beautiful of the "comeback" records for me.

Stephen Fry track puts me off this record nowadays

It's 50 Words equivalent of the Rolf Harris one on Aerial

Great record. Snows come out in Vancouver so it's on my mind

This could be an ECM album until Elton swans in and kills the mood.

‘Misty’ is the standout track on this...not enough sex with snowmen songs in my opinion...

also just came on to say this is VERY ecm! if only Weber could have played on it :-(

it's grown on me a huge amount since release, and I find it fairly weird it was produced so close to Director's Cut which I think overall doesn't stand up well.

the only listenable thing elton john has ever done.

I liked his other snowy track, “Nikita”.

‘Misty’ off this is one of the best things she’s ever done...

Thanks ILM for sending me on another Kate Bush kick

I love this album.