Kate Bush
Issue #26
Aerial (Columbia)
By Jim Keller
Published: December 1st, 2005 | 12:16pm
British singer-songwriter Kate Bush’s eighth album, Aerial, arrives to the chagrin of fans who have been waiting for its release for more than a decade. The double-disc, comprised of all-original material, displays Bush’s signature vocal range, complex piano arrangements, and multi-layered instrumentation. Aerial also showcases some of orchestral arranger and longtime collaborator Michael Kamen’s last work, and manages to paint Bush as a force larger than life.
The first disc, “A Sea of Honey,” begins with “King of the Mountain,” an atmospheric piece that touches on the sensationalism created by celebrity death. The disc quickly gains momentum as Bush courses through “Bertie,” a delightful song about her son, which features renaissance guitar and overall medieval air. Though fans will undoubtedly enjoy “Mrs. Bartolozzi,” with its charming piano, and land into funky pitfalls on “[the symbol for pi]” and “Joanni,” “How to be Invisible” is the one that stands out here with its magical presence and guitar loops while Bush chants her invisibility incantation.
Disc two, “A Sky of Honey,” is a clear, conceptual piece that follows a day from beginning to end with the aid of a painter and some feathery friends. Brimming with bird ambience, it maintains a comparison between bird and human voices through “Prelude,” “Aerial Tal,” and “Aerial,” the last leaving Bush with a full understanding of the bird language.
Both discs tie together in true sum-greater-than-its-parts fashion, making Aerial an engaging album for the masses. Even after such a lengthy hiatus, Bush still captivates with her commanding voice and self-created world that everyone wants to experience.
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