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White Reaper is a band I saw live when they opened up for Electric Six. I usually enjoy the bands that E6 chooses to tour with, so I picked up their EP at the merch booth and I've given it a listen over the past couple of months.
White Reaper look like a metal band and although their music rocks like a metal band, they sound more like a lot of that great alternative rock coming out of the 90's. I hear bands like Mudhoney, Fantomas and The Melvins in them. And that's not bad company to be in.
If I had one complaint it would be the vocal levels. The lead singer's voice gets drowned out by the barrage of instruments. The engineering on this disc isn't balanced well and at times you just get washed in sound. I'm guessing the music was recorded as the band played it live in the studio rather than multi tracked.
The disc starts off with 'Cool', featuring a cool guitar effect and a great drum beat. The lead singer comes in and you instantly think about the Paisley Underground movement in the 80's. It's almost something I'd expect to hear from The Beatles with The Go-Go's playing the music. I quite like the song. It's groovy and rockin' at the same time and quite frankly, that's something people who get into Electric Six look forward to hearing. 'Funn' is the second track and this one is a bit more straight forward rock and roll number. I like the punctuated half shouts of "No!" on the chorus.
'Half Bad' reminds me of The Bangles circa "All Over The Place" back in 1984. It's got an amazing breakdown about three quarters of the way into the song. It's a risky move but it works and the church organ sound playing in the background is absolutely brilliant. This is probably my favorite track on the disc. I really like it. 'She Wants To' almost makes me think of Adam And The Ants, while 'Conspirator' has strange timing. There's a hesitancy in the progression that's interesting and quite different. They have a knack for taking unorthodox musical chances and making them work.
'Ohh (Yeah)' is the final cut on the EP and it starts off with an almost reggae vibe then transitions into some excellent head shakin' rock. I like the music I'm hearing on this disc and I'm excited to hear more from this group. My only complaint is the vocal tracks. The lead singer has an animated voice and he's actually pretty good. But again, it gets drowned out in the music. I want the vocals to be more pronounced. Louder in the mix. That's my opinion. I'm super glad I picked up this awesome disc! My final words: ROCKIN' INTRODUCTION TO A NEW AND EXCITING BAND! GET IT IF YOU CAN!!!
WHITE REAPER - WHITE REAPER
01. Cool
02. Funn
03. Half Bad
04. She Wants To
05. Conspirator
06. Ohh (Yeah)
KMFDM were a huge part of the 90's industrial rock scene. They had music on soundtracks, various members were remixing for everyone from Rammstein to NIN. They're a German band and I think their biggest hit in the US was probably the album's first track, 'Megalomaniac'. I think it appeared on a motion picture soundtrack. Probably one of the Mortal Kombat films. This track is the reason I bought this album. I picked it up on sale at the Tower Records on Maryland Parkway back in the day. At the time, this was one of those records I regretted buying. I loved the one track, but I didn't get into the rest of the album.
Part of the reason I picked up the album was because I was going to see them live and I wanted to have something for band members to autograph if I got to meet them.
I remember first hearing about this band... Everyone talking about them said the initials stood for "Kill Mother F'ing Depeche Mode", but the actual meaning is "Kein mitleid fur den mehrheit"; which means, "No sympathy for the majority". I love that saying.
Anywho... I listened to this album a few times in preparation for this review and I wondered if my initial impression of the disc would change since it's been so long since I've listened to the disc. Sadly, it hasn't. The music is fine, but it doesn't jump out at me. I still like the intensity of the music. But outside of 'Megalomaniac', I don't really get into anything on the disc. 'Stray Bullet' stands out, but I don't necessarily like it. More like I find it memorable.
KMFDM is a band I find I like with certain songs and remain indifferent to on others. I remember another track they did I loved called 'Juke Joint Jezebel'. Amazing.
The only other thing I can think of to say about this album is the strange title. It's just a series of symbols. Hence the catalog listing as "Symbols".
This is a record I wanted to like. Really wanted to like and feel disappointed I don't like it more than I do. But you can't win them all. I still think KMFDM is an interesting group and I check up on them when I think of it. I'm sure there's a diamond record in the bunch somewhere. And with streaming media, maybe I'll find it one day and finally have my KMFDM favorite.
My final words: SKIP FOR ME, BUT MIGHT BE GREAT FOR YOU. I STILL WANT TO LIKE THIS BAND'S MUSIC.
KMFDM - SYMBOLS
01. Megalomaniac
02. Stray Bullet
03. Leid Und Elend
04. Mercy
05. Torture
06. Spit Sperm
07. Anarchy
08. Down And Out
09. Unfit
10. Waste
I already owned a couple of her older albums when I decided to buy this one. My main reason for buying it is one track... One track I just can't get enough of. I actually burned a CD with that track just repeating over and over. Anywho...
So I picked this up and as much as I like Aaliyah, I find the same pattern over and over with her music. She puts out an album and I love a couple songs on it, but I don't get into the rest. This one is no exception. Which I hate to say because the week I bought this disc is the week she died in a plane wreck and I felt guilty for not liking the disc more. I really wanted to listen to it over and over until I could hear more in it than I did.
I guess that wasn't meant to be until a few years later. The first two tracks, 'We Need A Resolution' and 'Loose Rap' are songs I don't find much use for. They kinda drag and don't really engage me. But then, we get 'Rock The Boat' and everything changes. I may not have found much use for the album initially, but I do like her voice, her style and the way she carried herself. In fact, the video for 'Rock The Boat' is one of my all time favorite music videos. I think the dancing is unique, interesting and goes well with the music. Plus, for a song that's rather sexual in nature, the video was softer, elegant and mellow. The choreography was superb. This amazing track is where the album actually starts for me. It's followed by 'More Than A Woman' and I slept on this track until I saw the video. It must be the same choreographer because the dancing is amazing and it adds a wonderful dimension to the song I didn't hear until I saw the video.
'Never No More' is a sparse production and the singing is beautiful but the song does little for me otherwise. I know a lot of people really love this track, but I'm not one of them. On the other hand, 'I Care 4 U' written by Missy Elliott is one I completely dig. L-O-V-E, love it. This is one powerful ballad and she doesn't pull her punches on it. Wow. Next up is 'Extra Smooth' and although it starts out sounding like an ad for breakfast cereal, it quickly gets funky once Aaliyah starts singing. This is a number with a great deal of wit and style. The music is heavily influenced by the beat but in this instance, it works really well. The techno sounds are also interesting and offer a huge potential for remixing. I ended up really digging this track.
'Read Between The Lines' sounds a little generic to me. There were a lot of songs sounding like this when the album was released. It reminds me of Destiny's Child and I never really got into that sound. The first time I heard 'U Got Nerve', I thought I was listening to an old school Depeche Mode song. The keyboard sounds on this track sound like they were engineered from one of DM's old 80's albums. This is another track I love. It's got a staggered beat and an intensity in the vocal delivery I find apprehensive. Brilliant. Adversely, 'I Refuse' is another Beyonce sounding tune. Not fond of this track.
'It's Whatever' starts and I feel like I'm right back to 'Rock The Boat'. It feels like you're floating underwater and then that trickling piano drops in with a punctuating drum patch and her vocals just drip over the chords. There's a lovely build throughout the track and this is easily one of her most beautiful vocal performances. 'I Can Be' starts off like another delicate ballad, but then it kicks in with a driving guitar riffing and the direction of the song changes. There's a lot of tension in this one. 'Those Were The Days' is a funky tune. It's mellow and its got this groove that just kinda flows around you like smoke. 'What If' has that same tension 'I Can Be' has and that's no coincidence because they're written by the same person.
'Try Again' is the final track and one of best on the disc. I love this number. Aaliyah was more than just a beautiful woman, she was a vulnerable voice in a tough girl body. She was the right role model for the right time. A strong woman who still showed her feminine side and wasn't afraid to mix a tough attitude with sensuality. When I re-listened to this album to prepare for this review, I was sad because in this piece of music, you hear so much potential and I know there would've been so much more Aaliyah had to offer all of us. More she had to offer the music world.
My final words: TRAGIC THAT THIS IS THE LAST MUSIC THIS VITAL ARTIST RECORDED. BUT A BEAUTIFUL LEGACY NONETHELESS.
AALIYAH - AALIYAH
01. We Need A Resolution (Feat. Timbaland)
02. Loose Rap (Feat. Static From Playa)
03. Rock The Boat
04. More Than A Woman
05. Never No More
06. I Care 4 U
07. Extra Smooth
08. Read Between The Lines
09. U Got Nerve
10. I Refuse
11. It's Whatever
12. I Can Be
13. Those Were The Days
14. What If
15. Try Again
Back in the day... When Prince was still defining the Minneapolis sound... The Time erupted on the scene. Of course anyone who knows anything about Prince knows that the band was just a pseudonym of sorts. Prince used the group as a vehicle for his own music. He wanted to have an outlet for his more funk/R&B sounding material. As an artist, Prince was calculating and he wanted to be seen as a cross-over talent. He stacked the deck to make it happen. His inter-racial band and rock guitar was his ticket to pop superstardom. But that didn't stop the funk inside of him from bubbling up and looking for a place to sizzle.
Of course you can read countless histories of Prince and The Time so there's no point in repeating the tale here. However, it is kinda important to point out that The Time was, in essence, Prince. He wrote all of their material with the exception of one song and played most of the instruments during recording sessions. The band members you see and relate to The Time were those who played in the live sets. They appeared on the album covers and in the videos, but had little or nothing to do with the actual music. With the exception of Morris Day, who did actually perform the vocals.
The album starts off with 'Wild And Loose', co-written by Dez Dickerson. In keeping with the funk jam styling of the first record, most of the tracks are extended long work outs and the opening is no exception. The song is funky and features one of Morris Day's call and response bits towards the end. It's followed by one of the most interesting of all Time numbers, '777-9311'. The drum pattern and the guitars are absolutely brilliant. This quirky, off-hinged number demonstrates Prince's writing ability even at such a young age. He was daring and challenging. This is a song he did something special with.
If you were listening to a cassette or a record, the next track would be the final cut from the first side. 'Onedayi'mgonnabesomebody' is probably the shortest Time number ever. Clocking in at just over 2 minutes, this little New Wave ditty doesn't offer much outside of Prince's take on synth pop. The track ends with Time members and Prince shouting, "We don't like New Wave!" Of course Prince would later go on to work with New Wave artists so that kinda puts the stopper in that. It's interesting to note, the music he was doing as a solo artist was more heavily influenced by New Wave at the time and his work with The Time was more about hearkening back to the funk that inspired him as a teen. Prince has always been known for opposing points of view that co-exist within him and cause internal conflict. I think this is a good example of that in musical form.
On this particular record, the second side or the last three tracks are the most satisfying of the bunch. Beginning with 'The Walk', side two starts off sounding more grounded and in step with the previous Time album. A long, funk track, 'The Walk' is sparse and layered. There's so much happening in this track it would take forever to go into all the details. Suffice it to say, even though it sounds like a simple groove, it's got a lot of transitions. 'Gigolos Get Lonely Too' is the ballad on this disc and despite the title sounding completely trite, it's actually a great tune. Probably my favorite ballad by the band.
The final track on the album is a sleeper track in many ways. Although it might not rank up there with fan favorites or stand out against some of the more notable tracks on this record, it's my personal favorite. 'I Don't Wanna Leave You' is a great blend of funk, melody and the New Wave sound Prince was adamantly claiming to hate on the previous side. Of all the numbers to date, this one most represents the Minneapolis sound that was developing at the time.
All in all, this is a pretty good record. The songs are fun, light and you can see how they would transition well to a live setting. It's the continued and solid material Prince wrote for The Time that made them a force still going strong today. My final words: ONE MORE STEP ON THE ROAD TO SUPERSTAR AND LEGENDARY STATUS. GREAT RECORD!!!
THE TIME - WHAT TIME IS IT?
01. Wild And Loose
02. 777-9311
03. Onedayi'mgonnabesomebody
04. The Walk
05. Gigolos Get Lonely Too
06. I Don't Wanna Leave You
Industrial rockers, Nitzer Ebb dropped this EP in 1991. They'd supported Depeche Mode on some tour dates and I assume it's because of this exposure, they worked with the people they did on this release.
'Family Man' would appear on the subsequent release, "Ebbhead" and it's a great number. The version appearing here was mixed by Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke. Since the same/similar version appears on "Ebbhead" I won't go into much detail here. 'Lovesick' features production and mixing by Flood. He was popular during the 90's and worked with everyone from U2 to Depeche Mode. I think this guy was everywhere. And this track sounds like a stripped down DM number.
Douglas McCarthy's vocals are always slightly grinding. He kinda assaults your senses with his sound. They sound evil! And that's part of the reason he's so effective as a front man. He oozes creepy. But in a cool way. The industrial sound they've created is a hybrid mash-up of traditional industrial sounds from bands like Einsturzende Neubautin and the bands they later inspired like DM and NIN.
'Come Alive' is produced by ex DM member, Alan Wilder. He went on to work with McCarthy on his solo Recoil project. And 'Come Alive' sounds like it belongs on one of these records. It features McCarthy's flat expressionless vocal delivery with the sinister sounds Wilder loved to use with Recoil. It's easily my favorite track on the disc. 'Higher' is produced and mixed by Barry Adamson and PK. Adamson is probably best known for his part with Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds. Of the four tracks on this EP, I think 'Higher' is my least favorite. It doesn't really escape from a drone and the musical progressions only increase the sound or intensity of the droning. Sadly, I just don't think this track gets over. Still, it's not a bad song.
Nitzer Ebb are a band I think have a lot of potential and I find them fascinating. They have strange subject material and they cross over effectively from one sound style to another. Even though most of the time, they stick firmly in the industrial category. A smart producer would harness this energy and channel it toward a more pop friendly record. But in a way, it's a good thing they don't. My final words: A NICE EP! IT'S GOOD FOR TAPPING YOUR SHOES AND ROCKING OUT.
NITZER EBB - AS IT
01. Family Man
02. Lovesick
03. Come Alive
04. Higher
The Black Keys were a band that kinda played around my consciousness for a few months before I finally actually sat down and listened to them. My sister was listening to them and the guy I was dating at the time was into them pretty hardcore. In fact, my copy of this disc is the birthday gift I bought for him and then he left it behind when he disappeared. So now... It belongs to me.
I know absolutely nothing about the band other than what I'm hearing on this disc. There's a certain quality to the music that reminds me of my favorite My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult album, "Hit & Run Holiday". It has many elements from classic pop and rock. The album starts with 'Lonely Boy'. This is not only the 1st song on the disc, it's also my favorite on the disc. I adore this tune and I think it's brilliant pop. "I've got a love that keeps me waiting..." is both totally descriptive of my life and how I feel most of the time. It's followed up by 'Dead And Gone'. This is another strong rock/pop tune and it's quite catchy. I like it too. The next track is awesome too. 'Gold On The Ceiling' keeps the momentum going and keeps the record swinging. The chorus on this number is absolutely inspired.
'Little Black Submarines' is the first slow song on the disc and once again, the Keys have written a catchy melody and it's a strong song. The first time I listened to it, I thought the vocals were weak, but on subsequent listenings, Auerbach's vocals actually sound vulnerable rather than weak. He sends out a very powerful message with this sentimental confession. And it's pure art. Very lovely. 'Money Maker' feels like a dance song after that. However, the vocal arrangement is slower and makes the song sound like it was written in the 60's. Of all on this record, this is probably my least favorite but I still like it.
'Run Right Back' has a twang and groove similar to the rest of the record. There's an interesting vocal in the chorus I quite like. 'Sister' starts off like a stomp and it's another sensible song with a great beat. The echo effect is on this tune a little more than I normally like, but what can you do. 'Hell Of A Season' sound similar to 'Lonely Boy' to me. It's still a good song. 'Stop Stop' sounds like that psychedelic music from the 60's to me. It's probably the tamborine that does it. Still, the chorus is strong and I enjoy it.
'Nova Baby' starts off loud and strong as a full band song, but it quickly transitions to a stripped down rocker, with the band coming back in on the chorus. What this song does have is amazing lyrics. The gist of the message is Auerbach singing about how his lover won't return his sentiment and affection because they don't know what they want. The album closes with 'Mind Eraser'. This mid-tempo semi-ballad is an interesting way to close out the record. Auerbach sings, "don't let it be over..." but sadly, the album can't go on forever and at some point, it needed to end. Still, they did a great job with this record and I recommend it. Especially to older people who feel like they're out of touch with current music trends. Check it out and see what you think.
My final words: A REDNECKIN', HAY-RIDIN', CHICKEN SCRATCHIN', GRITS EATIN' GOOD TIME FROM A BAND THAT SHOULD BE SUPER EASY TO FOLLOW AND ENJOY! THIS ONE IS WORTH OWNING.
THE BLACK KEYS - EL CAMINO
01. Lonely Boy
02. Dead And Gone
03. Gold On The Ceiling
04. Little Black Submarines
05. Money Maker
06. Run Right Back
07. Sister
08. Hell Of A Season
09. Stop Stop
10. Nova Baby
11. Mind Eraser
Atticus Ross, now full fledged NIN member and Trent Reznor have embarked on some interesting projects to date and this 3 disc album is no exception. They've done some stuff like this before, and it's kinda hard to review the work because the songs generally bleed together in a tantric sorta way. They become dark sinister chants that draw you along subconsciously. Unless you're listening for it, you won't realize where one track ends and another begins. That doesn't mean to imply they all sound the same. They don't. But they create the same effect. The soundscape you're hearing builds up around you and you get trapped in it.
The important thing to remember when you're listening to this mostly instrumental album is that it's a film score. The album clocks in around 3 hours, but the actual songs appear in the film with shorter, different edits. There are versions of the album released by the record company that list the tracks according to their corresponding cues and in their edited versions. This version, purchased through Reznor's NIN site, is the work in its imagined entirety. The music is presented in the manner the two men wrote the tracks and fully unedited. Hence the long track times and the trance-like quality many of the songs possess.
The album spans three discs, but the track listing counts the songs as one continuous disc. So... I will break them up by disc at the end of the review, but I will number them according to the way they appear in the liner notes.
There are a few numbers with vocals. The first disc starts off with 'Immigrant Song', a Led Zeppelin cover. Vocals are provided by Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I think the track would've benefited from Reznor's vocals rather than a female lead. I suspect they went with a female lead vocal because of the nature of the film. The third disc also contains a cover track with a vocal. 'Is Your Love Strong Enough' is a Bryan Ferry cover and features the singer from another Reznor side project, How To Destroy Angels.
Musically, this is a very satisfying piece of work. However, going track by track isn't an option. First and foremost, I don't have the time to do it right now and second, the similarities between the songs are hard to verbalize without getting technical. I don't want this blog to be one that alienates people in any way. I try to relate the music to my life and hopefully inspire people to relate it to their own.
Suffice it to say, the music follows many of the patterns you've come to expect from Reznor. There's a sense of unease hoovering around. There's also that white noise distortion, the resonating piano, simple but menacing motifs repeating in sinister fashion and an overall feeling of haunting.
When you listen to the music, you start to wonder why video games like Resident Evil haven't hired Reznor to score their games. You can also feel the power and majestic quality of the material projected through your speakers. If you listened to this album while you were falling asleep, I can promise you'd have some strange and disturbing dreams. If you were planning on putting on a haunted house, you'd create more fear if you played this music over the speakers while people were walking through. It's spooky yet effectively conveys the idea of a mystery unfolding. Like Scooby Doo... The underlying message of this film and this soundtrack is rather simple... The monster is actually just a man. Because human beings are the true monsters in this world. And it's that dark revelation, this soundtrack builds up to. That this music ultimately helps reveal. And hasn't that been part of what Reznor was always about? Showing us the dark side of the human condition? Showing us the decay, the rot, the filth, the sadness and tragedy of being human? That even though man rages and defies the natural world, it is nature that will destroy us in the end? Reznor holds our faces up the glass and shows us the things we pretend not to see.
In that very act, he also shows us the way out. How to be better than what we really are. Because the way out is through the damaged areas and broken bits. It's putting the pieces back into place and constantly building what we've destroyed. It's learning from your mistakes. Too often, he's written off and not given credit for his message. Probably more than any other artist alive today, Reznor's music mirrors humanity. More people should listen to him and take him seriously.
Overall, I think you know I find this album exciting and stimulating. I think it's one you should own even if you're not a fan of NIN. My final words: AN UNCONVENTIONAL, UNUSUAL AND BEAUTIFUL SOUNDTRACK TO AN EQUALLY BRILLIANT FILM!!!
TRENT REZNOR / ATTICUS ROSS - THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
DISC 1
01. Immigrant Song
02. She Reminds Me Of You
03. People Lie All The Time
04. Pinned And Mounted
05. Perihelion
06. What If We Could?
07. With The Flies
08. Hidden In Snow
09. A Thousand Details
10. One Particular Moment
11. I Can't Take It Anymore
12. How Brittle The Bones
13. Please Take Your Hand Away
DISC 2
14. Cut Into Pieces
15. The Splinter
16. An Itch
17. Hypomania
18. Uunder The Midnight Sun
19. Aphelion
20. You're Here
21. The Same As The Others
22. A Pause For Reflection
23. While Waiting
24. The Seconds Drag
25. Later Into The Night
26. Parallel Timeline With Alternate Outcome
DISC 3
27. Another Way Of Caring
28. A Viable Construct
29. Revealed In The Thaw
30. Millennia
31. We Could Wait Forever
32. Oraculum
33. Great Bird Of Prey
34. The Heretics
35. A Pair Of Doves
36. Infiltrator
37. The Sound Of Forgetting
38. Of Secrets
39. Is Your Love Strong Enough?
Kate Bush has become one of those artists I find endlessly fascinating. I've heard a lot of concept albums in my day and most of them completely fail. But somehow, Bush writes the best of them. I'm not entirely sure what the concept of "Hounds Of Love" is, but as a whole, this record is strong, cohesive and enjoyable from start to finish.
The problem I'm going to have reviewing this record is two fold... 1) most of what I take from this disc is what it sparks in my own imagination. And I could write for hours about what thoughts I have when I listen to it or how I feel about it. 2) I have two versions of this record. One of them has bonus tracks and that's the one I'll review since it includes the same tracks as the regular version. Except, I only have the single disc version with me today. So I have to go by my memory to review the 2nd disc.
One of the biggest hits from the album and one of Bush's most well known numbers is the first track on this disc. 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)' is a brilliant number. If you haven't heard it, stop reading this blog, go to youtube or some other streaming site and play it. It's certainly one of the strongest songs from the 80's. 'Hounds Of Love' is the second number. This track was actually the first song I ever heard of hers. There was an old radio program that I could pick up on Thursday nights if I put the radio in just the right place in my mom's bathroom. It was called Rock Over London and it's from this program that I discovered so many different groups. While many of the New Romantic bands were releasing heavily synthesized music, Bush's drum heavy blasting 'Hounds Of Love' was something new and different. The imagery of love as a hound hunting you down is both powerful and primal. Bush's lilting voice and musical sensibility allow her to use more traditional sounds and still sound cutting edge. This is even more evident on the third track, 'The Big Sky'. As broad and expansive as the concept of sky is, the song is just as grand and lifting! It feels huge and encompassing. The build is natural, strong and hugs you like a warm wet rain cloud.
'Mother Stands For Comfort' is a wistful tribute to mothers. The song possesses a rather sad and lonely quality and yet at the same time, there's a feeling of acceptance. You listen and feel like no matter what you do, your mom would still love you. Everything in the song conveys this message. From the lyrics to the punctuated piano playing. If this were the cassette or vinyl version of the album, 'Cloudbusting' would be the final track on side one. In a rather unique fashion, Bush title's the albums' sides. Side one being "Hounds Of Love". It reminds me of her later work on 'Aerial'. She released a double disc and gave each disc a separate title. This song, although one suspects the strings are actually programmed keyboard sounds, stresses the rhythm built around the pulsing orchestral movement rather than a drum or bass track. The drums do come in eventually and add to the build of the track. Once again, the song has a dramatic climax and drifts off into the distance as we here the sound of a train begin to chug and whistle as it leaves the station. In a round about way, everything on this side deals with aspects of love. 'Running...' is about feeling what your partner feels. 'Hounds...' is about trying to escape love. 'The Big Sky' is about the grandeur of love while 'Mother...' describes the quality of love. In this case, the love a child expects from its mother. 'Cloudbusting' is about the anticipation of love. "I just know that something good is gonna happen..."
The second side is called "The Ninth Wave". She gets the title from a piece by Tennyson called, "The Coming Of Arthur". And this side also achieves an effect. It starts with 'And Dream Of Sheep'. A soft beginning that rings and lulls at the same time. Bush sings about shutting out the world and dreaming of sheep. She sings about the droning of engines, the hypnotic quality of the spoken word and how they lead her to the comfort and stillness of sleep. Like the Tennyson poem, this song would be the first wave or first movement and it's soft, relaxing and yet steady. But there's an urgency behind it. In the waves coming up behind. 'Under Ice' takes the idea of sleep to a more permanent level. The story of a skater falling through the ice and being trapped under the frozen surface. 'Waking The Witch' begins after a brief piece of music we'd call a segue today. Untitled, this piece is tracked as part of 'Waking...' and summons the sleeping dreamer back to consciousness. It's followed by a frightening deluge of sound. While Bush sings nursery rhyme lyrics that sound strangely like spells, a darker, more sinister voice trumpets judgement, fire and brimstone like a priest condemning a witch. The terrifying courtroom dialogue is unsettling and the church bells along with the loud drums all contribute to a very complex and disturbing song. Another powerful number. Very powerful.
'Watching You Without Me' is a softer, more heartfelt number describing feelings of separation and the need for understanding. Once again the dominant sound of traditional instruments leaps to the fore. 'Jig Of Life' gets its frantic tempo from a fiddle playing rather aggressively throughout the song. Again, you have a rise in sound. A musical swelling. The wave metaphor continues with another crescendo into 'Hello Earth'. This one starts off as a simple minimalist ballad that has a wave building in itself. The progression is dynamic and harks back to previous tracks through the background vocals. At the end of this song, the album feels like it's had a natural conclusion. But it's not over yet. 'The Morning Fog' kicks in with a major upbeat sound as yet completely unheard of on this record. This is probably my favorite song on the whole album, but it's also the one track that feels out of place. It just doesn't belong here.
There are six additional tracks on one of my versions. The first of these tracks is 'The Big Sky (Meteorological Mix)'. If you thought this song couldn't get any grander or sound more full, you've got another thing coming. This lovely mix also features an additional part with people discussing the shapes of clouds and what they look like. It's whimsical and fun! 'Running Up That Hill (12" Mix)' is fairly faithful to the original with some extended bits and a slightly different arrangement. It's enjoyable as well. Next up is the first of the single b-sides. 'Be Kind To My Mistakes' is an interesting number. I like the song, but I don't feel like it's as strong as some of the other material on the record. Still, it's pretty good. 'Under The Ivy' is a piano solo piece by Bush and she sounds lovely on it. Of all the b-sides, 'Burning Bridge' is probably the track I most enjoy. The drums start and you feel like you're listening to 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)', but then the music bursts forth and you know you're dealing with a much more positive and happy number. Such a great tune! The final number is a cover of a traditional tune. 'My Lagan Love' is an acapella track and Bush delivers a breathtaking version.
Over all, "Hounds Of Love" in any configuration or version is a must own. It's a beautiful piece of work and an example of a songwriter who utilizes her strengths in every possible way to create a story. She'd go on to do it even more successfully later on "Aerial" and "50 Words For Snow", but don't discount or write off this stuff. It's just as brilliant, nuanced and meaningful. My final words: UNCOMPROMISING BRILLIANCE FROM A MAGICAL ARTIST!
KATE BUSH - HOUNDS OF LOVE
01. Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
02. Hounds Of Love
03. The Big Sky
04. Mother Stands For Comfort
05. Cloudbusting
06. And Dream Of Sheep
07. Under Ice
08. Waking The Witch
09. Watching You Without Me
10. Jig Of Life
11. Hello Earth
12. The Morning Fog
13. The Big Sky (Meteorological Mix)
14. Running Up That Hill (12" Mix)
15. Be Kind To My Mistakes
16. Under The Ivy
17. Burning Bridge
18. My Lagan Love
