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Sunday, May 15, 2011

KATE BUSH - DIRECTOR'S CUT 2011 - THE REVIEW


PROS:
- A new release from Kate Bush
- She reinterprets and for the most part successfully breathes new life to 11 tracks from her past catalogue.
- This Woman's Work
- The original lyric version of Sensual World now titled "Flower of the Mountain"

CONS:
- The cons for me are essentially song selection.
- I would have preferred she replaced "Never Be Mine" and "Red Shoes" with:
1 - "Why Should I Love You" - I think it would have been amazing if Kate got back together with Prince to re-do their, now very dated sounding, "duet."
2 - "You're The One" is amazing. Maybe it doesn't need to be redone. Maybe its perfect already but I would've liked to have seen where she would have gone with this track.

Overall, I highly recommend this album just to witness and hear Kate's amazing vocal prowess, and her studio wizardry. This album will also help show why she has not only influenced so many artists from so many different styles of the music spectrum but also continues to regularly have her timeless music covered by other artists (Maxwell and Placebo come to mind.) Here is my track by track review:

1 - Flower of the Mountain - Originally titled "The Sensual World" from her 1989 album of the same name. Kate Bush enthusiasts will appreciate the new lyrics, which are direct passages from "Ulysses" which in '89 she didn't get permission to use but in 2011, finally gets permission to use the lyrics she had originally intended to. Thanks James Joyce (or whoever is handling his estate now.)
2 - Song of Solomon - one of my fave tracks on the "Red Shoes." Is it because she curses in the chorus with strength and conviction? Maybe. Her stunning vocals on this new version are even stronger and clearer than the 1993 version. The soft vocal styling is as perfect as a lullaby; the hard edgy vocals are as intense as ever if not more. The actual pace of the track seems a bit faster but overall has not changed much.
3 - Lily - Another track I really enjoyed from the Red Shoes feels like its lost some energy and has slowed down a bit in this bassier version. Though this version is a welcome edition especially for the ending when Kate just lets loose and starts wailing, I still much prefer the original.
4 - Deeper Understanding - From 1989, a song about a woman turning to her computer for companionship as people grow colder....WOW! Kate just knew where we were headed, huh?! The song makes more of an impact for me this time as the chorus is no longer sung by a choir but instead by a computerized vocal from Kate's son, Albert. Gone is the piano from the original, replaced by a harmonica. Definite winner.
5 - Red Shoes - Very little has changed on the title track to her only 90's album. With that said, it seems to be sung in a lower register and feels slower. This song could have really benefited from a complete overhaul or not been included. This would be my least fave track on this album.
6 - This Woman's Work - One Word. Stunning. One more word. Haunting. The 80's version is undeniably, one of, if not the most epic track of Kate's career, and this new version is a welcome edition. There is no organic piano on this track, limited background vocals, and essentially the "80's" has been stripped out of song. I honestly have to say, the woman has outdone herself. If you are going to get just one song from this album, this is the one.
7 - Moments of Pleasure - The 2011 version doesn't even come close to the magic of the 1993 "Red Shoes" version. In the way Kate removed the "80's" from This Woman's Work, she seems to have removed the chill inducing "drama" from this gorgeous track. For me, that drama came in the form of violins, which are now missing along with singing (and towards the end belting) in a high register, which is replaced by a deeper slower moody vocal. Get the remastered version of this song from the "Red Shoes" instead.
8 - Never Be Mine - This song never did much for me on "The Sensual World" and was usually skipped. The 2011 "Director's Cut" version gets a darker, moodier, softer, acoustic treatment and fares much better than "Moments of Pleasure" did, with this mood shift. A mediocre track becomes stronger.
9 - Top of the City - Another fave from 1993's "Red Shoes," Kate slows the track down a bit and sings it in a lower register but essentially this track stays very true to the original and still gives me chills with the roller coaster of energy, from slow haunting vocal and piano to the drums and belting vocals kicking in. This song is a winner all around.
10 - And So Is Love - This could possibly be my favorite track from "Red Shoes" and so any re-vamp would be fine with me as I love when an artist revamps or reinterprets song I love from their library. I like options. With that said, this 2011 version is also sung in a lower register which I don't like as much. I think removing the guitars (Eric Clapton's guitar solo) from this track for this modern reinterpretation could have really been beneficial. Love this song but don't love what the small tweaks did to this version.
11 - Rubberband Girl - The new 2011 version sounds much more organic, more classic rock ala Rolling Stones. The original 90's alterna-pop sounding version sounds very dated when I listen to it now so this was a much needed and well done revamp.

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