[Pierre]

Joanna Newsom lattest offering has often been compared to Kate Bush early style and voice in the medias (especially in France where we lack good points of comparison as long as female singer/songwriters are involved).

As many of you noticed, I'm a big admirer of this english lady and I've been since the very begining. I was even lucky enough to see her perform on stage in Paris back in '79...

I'm so fed up by those endless lazy comparisons between numerous girl singers and Kate Bush as I rarely can't see it. But it sounded really obvious for early Tori Amos, Happy Rhodes (for whom Kate Bush was a definite inspiration) and Björk (in some aspects of her style, especially the experimental side of songwriting and research for sonic elements). When Joanna Newsom appeared, I immediately thought they belonged to the same musical "family" allthough they didn't really sound the same, but with "Have one on me", it seems the similarity between their respective styles and singing can't be avoided, allthough both sound so personal and idiosyncratic.

A new unreleased early Kate Bush demo has just surfaced on the net. You can hear it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AmqhwAXMiM

I can hear some Laura Nyro inspiration in it, but obviously, once again the similarity with later Joanna Newsom's material is obvious (Soft as Chalk especially).

I think it's probably more difficult for the younger generation (especially american people)to rely on Kate Bush when talking about Joanna, but I'm sure british european fans of my generation can't really escape from it.

Any comment about that?

[Jessie]

No comments about that (I'll go listen now) but just wanted to say I also love Kate Bush. Hounds of Love is my favorite.

Edit: Love the piano on that demo.

[dwaink]

Kate and Joanna are still apples and oranges, fruit yes, but nothing alike. Sure if you want to add difficulty in broaching the mainstream(or more likely disinterest) you could make more comparisons. Kate still it seems was better directed toward the mainstream in her takes, her feel of it. She has much more of a Gothic(well she plays it up dosent she) feel to me, in the sense of her taste in lit, if not so much her style.
I would be hard pressed to choose between them, but my sense is today i would come down on the side of Kate still being the better of the two, so much more polish, but JNew has time on her side
I luv em both, but Kate hit me in a blindisde manner i wasnt at all ready for, knocked me off my center when i heard her, and just kept slaying.......

dwain-the demo is pretty rough but u can hear the train coming, be ready for it to exit the tunnel

[Ludag]

In my opinion I can't see that Joanna Newsom looks a little bit like Kate (or Joni). The first time I've listened to Kate I was impressed from how much things Tori Amos had in common (well actually I'm not a fan of Amos anymore, Kate is so much better than Tori) , but not really Joanna.

[queenofnerds]

I love Kate Bush so much. Really love Aerial and Sensual world albums. And the song under the ivy makes me go all weak at the knees!
I think I do hear some of Kate in Joanna's music. But it is possible that it is just because they are both experimental and unconventional artists.

[Pierre]

I think I do hear some of Kate in Joanna's music. But it is possible that it is just because they are both experimental and unconventional artists.

That was true until "Hoom" was released, but now some high vocal "gimmicks" on "HOOM" sound typically like early KB (from "The Kick Inside" to "Never For Ever" and even "The Dreaming". It's really obvious on disc one especially. Just one example: the "Ooooh- oooh -oooooohhh..." with backing vocals on "Have One on Me".).

Some melodic changes inside one song are also very typical of KB too. This feeling you get 2 or 3 songs inside one (allthough it was already kind of used before (like in " A day in the life" by the Beatles), but never like KB did so often, almost "naturally". Tori Amos did that too in the past...). Maybe younger generations feel used to it now, but when KB appeared, it was very unusual.

And also that feeling of great diversity of inspiration inside one album which, at first, makes you think there's no homogeneity or consistency. You just get it after several listenings.

[Eureka]

The Kick Inside will always be a favorite. Alan Skidmore's solo on The Saxophone Song is legit.

[queenofnerds]

SEXY
I think she is soooo sexy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT26hnP62aU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJc64xncBt4

@Pierre Yes I do also hear KB in HOOM particularly.

[Jessie]

^ I want a poster sized print of that.

[Pierre]

"Hounds of Love" is to be released in vinyl again:

http://www.katebushnews.com/hol_audiofidelity_info.jpg

[queenofnerds]

Loving Aerial right now Possibly inappropriate smiley there but you get what I mean I hope :p

[Jordan~]

Am I one of those horrible people who only like Wuthering Heights? I think I may be.

[Wanbli]

KT is my and my wife's favorite contemporary recording artist. Own every bootleg, video, recording, book over the last 25 years. She is the only artist in the world we would both pretty much pay anything and go anywhere to see perform live. Her profound, positive impact on us in different ways when we were younger has been a gift for which we can never repay. Words fail me when trying to capture her true essence in any way- so I have spent along time on the InterWebz mostly avoiding discussing her.
Glad to see some Lovehounds about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPk0mzsxJyQ
Kick Inside from the Efteling tv special 1978.

Remember this is quite a few years before MTV as were many of her music videos
Her videos weren't just a band performing their track or vapid like the vast majority to this day
She has always created mini films, stories full of symbolism, featuring characters, dance, acting, humor, emotion
She is a visionary who blazed the path for many
She called the shots on her recording deal and has never been pressured by her label or the industry
I could go on and on and on...

and on

[dwaink]

Kate always had something i think Joanna is just begining to grok, call it timeing or phrasing or however it is named. Listen to some of the simple stuff she did, Babooshka or Army Dreamers, there is a fantasticly complex clockwork going on there and Kate is ticking off the movements with her singing and actions, the music can barely keep up with her.....

dwain

[Pierre]

this one's kind of embarrassing but I still haven't checked out Kate Bush. I know, I know, lame. It's been on my list for a long time. What's the most critical album to get, you guys, if you had to choose just one? "Hounds of Love," "Sensual World," or ??

Well, for me, there are two ways, one being better than the other:

In the case of Kate Bush, like Joanna Newsom and a few others, I can't really understand the concept of "best album" (there's none to me!) or "what to begin with?" as the whole thing has to be considered as a fascinating deep experience. Her evolution as a woman in an artistic context is really the best thing she achieved, and still, more than 30 years later, I just feel unable to decide which album can be extracted from a whole process beginning as a child to a young woman getting into a woman getting then older or maturing, it's a bit like the process of a great wine....

So my advice would be to begin with... the beginning. "The Kick Inside" was an exceptional debut-album, and still now, I think there's nothing like it. I really felt just the same when "The Milk-Eyed Mender" was released. Right from the start, I felt with only this album (I only listened to this during months, untill she released "Lionheart" a few months later)that Kate Bush would become a major artist.
Just take your time to get into it. There's enough material in "TKI" (the music, the lyrics, the voice, well... just the whole thing actually!) to make you long for more. If you don't, well, just leave it or listen to "The Whole Story" (the best of which really doesn't mean anything really), you'll know enough of Kate Bush. But if you do, just follow the journey with her. And you'll have enough in your hands and your head to REALLY appreciate why "The Dreaming" and "Hounds of Love" are just masterpieces (especially "The Dreaming").

So here's the list in chronological order:

1978


1978


1980


1982


1985


1989


1993


2005


I mentioned releases dates in purpose. They're important in the case of Kate Bush. The first 2 albums were released in the same year as she had a huge catalogue to take from and a very few time to compose as she suddenly became a big star in Europe and the rest of the world except America, she had to promote the whole thing, that's why she then chose to spend more and more time composing and most of all recording, and less and less time promoting (she hates promotion!), and there was a gap of 12 YEARS between the last 2 albums as she had to deal with very important things in her life....

I didn't include "The Whole Story" as it was never a project she really chose to achieve, but EMI (her label) asked her to...


There's another way to get into KB for me. Try "Aerial" first, which is the result of her evolution, and if you like it, go back to "The kick Inside" and get the trip chronologically again. You'll be surprised to see how she came to compose her last one.

Last advice, take your time between all the albums (even between "TKI" and "Lionheart" which are not so similar allthough most of the songs were written during the same period) to really appreciate her evolution. It took me years to really understand or feel what was going on with "The Red Shoes" (I really didn't like at first, and I still don't think it's that good but I feel touched by it now) for example... Actually, I really got it last year...

Of course, you can begin with a best of or "Hounds of Love" which is supposed to be "The best one" (it is not to me on the whole, but most people- except her oldest fans who tend to prefer "The Dreaming"- seem to think it's her masterpiece. It was just more commercial and easy to get into), but as much as I'm concerned, there's no point beginning with what is supposed to be her best work...

Hope it helped. Now, you can do whatever you want. Anyway, you might never like or appreciate her work, but if you have to, it would be better to follow this order.

[juniper]

Pierre,

Thanks for such a complete list. I'm bumping Kate Bush to the top of my to-do list now... as soon as I finish moving homes. I love music and love people who love music

[Pierre]

Pierre,

Thanks for such a complete list. I'm bumping Kate Bush to the top of my to-do list now... as soon as I finish moving homes. I love music and love people who love music

You're welcome Juniper! I love people who want to know more. I just wish you'll take as much pleasure and interest listening to this fantastic and rare artist as I did. It may not be immediate, but once again, like Kate Bush, allow yourself some time to appreciate her work. Good luck!

[queenofnerds]

Listeining to Delius right now! It's rather strange Love it though.

[dwaink]

alright Pierre what about the rares whats your favorite one? Cathy's Song? My fav is the The Sensual World ep, because i think the music is so much better than the straight album cut, i have it on vinyl and it fairly screams its so good.....? Its not so rare but is so much better.

dwain

[Pierre]

alright Pierre what about the rares whats your favorite one? Cathy's Song? My fav is the The Sensual World ep, because i think the music is so much better than the straight album cut, i have it on vinyl and it fairly screams its so good.....? Its not so rare but is so much better.

dwain

Hi Dwain!

This is a hard one as I love everything Kate Bush did minus some B-Sides ( those from "TSW" and "TRS" era, these 2 albums being my least favourite period in the KB production). Actually, there's only one song I really never understood and definitely hate in her work: "Constellation of the Heart" in "The Red Shoes" album.

Concerning rare things by Kate Bush, I just LOVE all the demos! Many of them are so fresh, touching, mature, funny and original, considering she was about 13 years old when she began to write those songs. Already, at such an early age, she had a style of her own. I love Piano/vocals songs by her, so I also tend to think B-sides songs like "The Empty Bullring" or "Warm & Soothing" are just PER-FECT allthough they sound rather simple.

I also like the way she deals with covers. I think she's ace with an exercise we're over-loaded with at the moment in such a pityful and uninspired way. What she achieved for example with "Donovan's "Lord of the Reedy River" or Elton John's "Rocket Man" is just brilliant really! And what she expresses as a woman in Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" is so interesting!

(Sorry dwaink, I'll be back later with that. My neighbour just came to visit me and we have things to talk about... )