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I first became aware of Gabriel when his album "So" was all over the place. I was young and going through that period where I thought only the music I loved was worth hearing. I remember thinking some of his stuff was catchy, but just hearing he had a history in rock music with Genesis turned me off to him. I hated Genesis. So I never gave him a real chance.
Even then, his music was always around. You couldn't pay attention to the charts and not be aware of him. And quite frankly, some of his stuff did filter through to my hard candy center.
It was while I was living in Europe that I really developed an appreciation for him. During that time, whenever I was missing home or my family and friends, there was one song I could play that would bolster my spirits and help me endure. 'Don't Give Up' featured Gabriel singing with one of my favorite musicians, Kate Bush. That powerful message made me feel less alone when I really needed a friend. I bought this CD while I was living there just because I needed to have a copy of that song. It was through this compilation that I discovered what a true talent this man is.
The great Gabriel tracks are here. And although I admit, I like his chart toppers, it's the stuff that doesn't get the huge attention that I respond to the most. Right off the bat, you get 'Solsbury Hill' and 'Sledgehammer'. But for me, the meat of the record starts with 'Mercy Street'. There's something in the way Gabriel composes mood music. They seemed to be packed with emotion. The sounds of the instruments reflect the feelings these songs stir inside the heart of the listener. 'Mercy Street' feels like an emotional salvation falling like snow on a hopeless soul. When he sings, "...in your daddy's arms" you feel that softening comfort flooding your body and making you long for a brief moment to let yourself be weak and be assured by your dad. Just let yourself be hugged and for a split second, feel safe. It's truly moving. 'Don't Give Up' is another tune that creates this incredible connection with the listener. There appears to be two stories happening in this song. Gabriel sings a song of despair and the desperate search for purpose. When Bush comes in, she sings a song about encouragement and hope. The two themes juxtapose each other to mirror a sense of hopelessness and hope at the same time. This is one of the few songs I have deeply internalized in my life. Even now, when I feel horribly alone, I can put this song on and find comfort.
'San Jacinto' starts off sounding like the tinkling of rain and moves into an emotive track that ends with Gabriel repeating the phrase, "Hold the line...". It's followed by another beautifully written number called 'Here Comes The Flood'. Delivered almost as a prayer, he uses the music to create a lull... A calm before the storm. There's whimsy, nostalgia and sadness pouring out of him. In so many ways, I think Gabriel captures the soul of the American working class in tunes like this. It seems like he's telling you to accept the inevitable and find a way to survive. To move on afterward. This trilogy of songs sees its fulfillment in 'Red Rain'. A massive downpour of sound surrounds you when it explodes from your speakers. 'Red Rain' has a huge organic build that absolutely swamps you as it washes the room. I love these three tracks together and I think they're absolutely brilliant.
Songs like 'Shock The Monkey' and 'Games Without Frontiers' are brilliant in their own right. They're interesting and show Gabriel's ability to build songs using unconventional sounds. The percussion work on these tracks is quite interesting and compelling. 'I Have The Touch' is simply ahead of its time. I think it would've sounded much better if he'd recorded it later with a larger more fleshed out sound. Still, I think it's one of those tunes you never forget. It's too catchy.
'Big Time' is probably the first song by Gabriel I actually heard. 'Biko' is the one track I have a problem with. It reminds me too heavily of Phil Collins' solo material and I'm not a huge fan of his sound.
This compilation certainly sparked my imagination and made me interested in Peter Gabriel. I've since picked up additional material to check out more of his work. I think he's a master of emotive music and has the ability to tap into some primal feelings. This is one of the best compilation discs ever put together and if you don't have any of his albums, you should buy this. My final words: EXPRESSIVE, TOUCHING, BRILLIANT MASTERPIECE.
PETER GABRIEL - SHAKING THE TREE: SIXTEEN GOLDEN GREATS
01. Solsbury Hill
02. I Don't Remember
03. Sledgehammer
04. Family Snapshot
05. Mercy Street
06. Shaking The Tree
07. Don't Give Up
08. San Jacinto
09. Here Comes The Flood
10. Red Rain
11. Games Without Frontiers
12. Shock The Monkey
13. I Have The Touch
14. Big Time
15. Zaar
16. Biko
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
This amazing album is a 2 disc set surprisingly... That will make sense as I get more into the review. Essentially, this disc is two separate albums though only the second really fits in with the artwork and album concept. The first disc is an odd collection of songs that range from the mundane to brilliant; from highly personal to highly perceptive. 'King Of The Mountain' starts the album off on a rather sombre note. The song seems to target Elvis Presley and the pursuit of happiness. She wonders if fame and fortune really brought him happiness in life.
"why does a multi-millionaire,
fill up his home with priceless junk?"
She then points out the wind is whistling through the house implying that even though it's full of stuff, it's empty and lonely. She then wonders if Elvis were alive, would he be out there happy having shed all the crap he accumulated in life. 'Pi' is an interesting if not unusual track about a man who's primary obsession is the calculation of Pi. Once again, Bush takes an unusual subject and gives it breath in this musical portrait. 'Bertie' sounds like an old English piece and one can tell the instruments used are period pieces. This track is Bush's ode to her son. 'Mrs. Bartolozzi' is a song about a cleaning woman. I realize there's probably more to this song then I give it credit for. Bush uses people and situations as metaphors, but truthfully, I'm not drawn to the track. It's probably my least favorite on this disc. The next song, 'How To Be Invisible' is a song that would do better on the second disc. However, even though it has an interesting idea and starts to develop in the first verse, it never really pays off. The music is compelling enough to keep listening, but you get the sense she wasn't sure where to take the tune once she started writing it. As a songwriter myself I can tell you this happens quite often. You start writing something that sounds amazing and then you don't know how to finish it. 'Joanni' is a song about Joan of Arc. It's interesting but once again, it's not moving you in any certain direction. 'The Coral Room' seems to deal primarily with Bush's mother. This is a lovely number.
The overall impression I have of the first disc is not really negative, but not exactly positive either. The songs have little or nothing to do with each other and seem highly self indulgent. But when you consider the strength of the second disc... This disc is certainly a wonderful addition, but should have been the second disc rather than the first. Now let's talk about the second disc...
The cover is a golden sunset photograph showing a sky and the ocean below. There appears to be islands running along the horizon, reflecting in the water, but in actuality, the image is a waveform of birdsong. The word "Aerial" is defined as "of, relating to, or occurring in the atmosphere; existing or growing in the air rather than the ground or water; fanciful, ethereal". Whether you take this as a literal definition or a metaphorical one, Bush delivers. The songs on this disc feature birdsong. 'Prelude' begins with birdsong and Bush's son telling his parents, "the sky is full of birds and it sounds like they're saying words." From this moment on, the music is interwoven with sky themes. She draws us a beautiful picture of a 24 hour period where we experience the heavens and the splendor of nature. 'Prologue' sets the stage with Bush confiding the morning light has lost its way from Italy and has found her creating a feeling of magic. She senses the day will bring many wonderful things and as the lovely afternoon approaches, she invites us to visit the song of the oil and the brush. This "song" called 'The Architect's Dream' is a painter who is attempting to capture the changing light. He continues the theme of Aerial by drawing inspiration from the air around him. He captures a non-corporeal spirit lingering around him and creates a masterpiece. My favorite line from this song is where Bush says,
"that bit there
it was an accident
he's so pleased
it was the best mistake
he could make
and it's my favorite piece
it's just great"
She describes his style as full bodied. His brush strokes begin in his hand and flow down through his whole body. She likens his movements as making love. She describes his lines and strokes as an "Architect's dream". We finally learn he's painting on the pavement and a sudden afternoon rain storm begins to wash his painting away. 'The Painter's Link' describes this event by saying all the colors run. They become the sunset. 'Sunset' picks up there and describes the afternoon shower fading away to reveal a colorful sunset. Again, you get descriptions of birds and the colors of the evening sky. It starts as a gold and becomes red before finally becoming the deep blue of evening. The song takes an odd twist about halfway through and becomes a Flamenco tune. Throughout she describes the black bird singing his song of color as the sun sets. 'Aerial Tal' features this bird song with Kate vocalizing along with it. Interspersed throughout is the sound of her son laughing.
'Somewhere In Between' begins the triumphant culmination of this disc. She sets the stage in the half light of early evening. The sun is gone, but there's still enough light to see shadows play. She's walking along with her lover experiencing this majestic time. You get the feeling, she's deeply moved by nature and the incredible moment she's found herself in. The story continues as the night deepens with 'Nocturn'. She and her lover go to the ocean and swim in the water. She describes the stars as diamonds reflecting in the water. She experiences a physical escape from life in the act of swimming in the sea that looks like the night sky and compares it to the escapism of dreamers all around who are sleeping. Dreamers who touch the Aerial and find inspiration in their airy dreams. The build is magnificent. At first, the song is quiet and peaceful. But as the night moves into morning, there's a building crescendo. The light starts to change again climbing in the sky. Suddenly, the sun bursts over the horizon and the song explodes, like white light. 'Aerial' moves back into a peaceful sound. The delicate and soft explosion of morning. But there's an urgency to it as well. Kate is ready to get up and move into the day. Once again, the sound of birdsong fills the sky, along with laughter. Mother and child. You're left to wonder if maybe 'Nocturn' was just a dream. If you have the disc on repeat, it simply moves right back into the first track and you start the new day over.
She covers so many themes on this disc and they all deal with different aspects of the term "Aerial". She describes the basic movement of the heavens with the transition from night to day. She also covers the spiritual aspect of inspiration and dreams coming from thin air. She sings about those things associated with the sky, like stars, clouds, birds... She discusses the power of nature as it plays out in the sky. This is one of the most creative and singular pieces of conceptual music I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. I enjoy it thoroughly. It's almost impossible to believe these two discs were created by the same person. Much less that they have this album in common. They are as different as light and dark. As happy as I am to have the songs on the first disc, they don't begin to equal what Bush has created on the second. Each line seems to be meticulously planned to fit together in this complex tapestry. It is without a doubt, singularly brilliant. I can't praise it enough. My final words: CONFLICTED; STUNNINGLY BRILLIANT!
KATE BUSH - AERIAL
A SEA OF HONEY
01. King Of The Mountain
02. Pi
03. Bertie
04. Mrs. Bartolozzi
05. How To Be Invisible
06. Joanni
07. A Coral Room
A SKY OF HONEY
01. Prelude
02. Prologue
03. An Architect's Dream
04. The Painter's Link
05. Sunset
06. Aerial Tal
07. Somewhere In Between
08. Nocturn
09. Aerial
