50 Words For Snowis the new album by Kate Bush. She doesn’t tour but will she tour this new album? keep your fingers crossed, but I think they may be crossed for a long time.

This is Kate Bush’s 10th album containing what I can only describe as lovely, beautiful music. This is an artist that gets better and better and I wouldn’t be surprised taking the rigors of the road out of her life helps a great deal with maintaning the inner energy that is required to produce truly artistic work. She doesn’t get herself wound into that album touring, album touring life that so many bands need to do. Mind you she can obviously afford to do that, not everyone can.

As you might expect this is an album heavy on piano peices and such intense chordings. There is an appearance from Elton John on the track “Snowed In At Wheeler Street” I do like his voice and interesting to hear him sing someone elses melodies and lyrics. This song rises and takes you away with the performers. In fact the whole album has an ethereal feel to it, you are taken on a lush fantasy.

Another surprise appearance comes from the (popping up everywhere-and good luck to him) very talented Stephen Fry reciting the “50 Words For Snow” track, a nice touch.

Kate Bush 50 Words For Snow

How Kate Bush manages to make by what is now a well heard combination of piano and vocal into something so full and still interesting as this is a measure of her talent. Bush sits on the perimeter of rock and art and then pops in at amazing speed with such dramatic albums.

Of course she is not to everyones taste, her music requires time and positioning, and by that I mean placing yourself in the moment, being with her on a journey to wherever she has set her compass. It’s not always to the stars.

And my favourite track? well I don’t have one. This is an album that is complete in its near perfection, and I say near, as perfection is in the eye (or ear in this case) of the beholder and I haven’t seen perfection yet. I guess if I was to make a negative comment about this album it would be that it is, and only a tad, overblown. There is a tendency for this to happen when artists put together work that has imagination, sensual intensity and fantasy. In other words combining many emotional aspects, getting them all to sit with meaning, a tough task to pull off respectably. Kate Bush does this well though through her weaving of jazz hints and slight electronic moments. This essentially however is a piano album and a worthy one.

The production as one might expect is second to none. I like my music very rough at times but I also appreciate the lushness that a well played, well produced album can bring to the ears and heart. The voice? well as beautiful, if not better, as ever.

And the snow? well! the backdrop of falling snow? have a listen. If you are a Kate Bush fan you won’t be dissapointed, if you are new to her albums? well you might well become one.

50 Words For Snowentered the British charts at no 5, so Kate Bush has another hit on her hands and not interested in touring as yet, although wouldn’t that be a marvellous thing.

Tracklisting:

1. Snowflake
2. Lake Tahoe
3. Misty
4. Wild Man
5. Snowed In At Wheeler Street
6. 50 Words For Snow
7. Among Angels