A poll was recently started on Computer Music’s forum, “Kate Bush – crazed fruitloop or amazing artist?” and someone replied, “where’s the button for both?” I don’t think I could put it better myself, and this album demonstrates both extremes. It opens with two songs perched perfectly between the two, they’re weird but they stick in your head, but then suddenly you find yourself five minutes later thinking, “dude, is she still singing about a washing machine??” and then Rolf Harris shows up.

Disc Two opens with my favourite track of the whole work, not even a song, really, but an instrumental soundscape with a beautiful, classic, Kate piano theme accompanying a beat-synced owl hoot and a child talking about how the birds sound like they’re talking. I was at work when I first listened to this album and I almost had to hide on this track ‘cos I was gonna burst into tears, it’s beautiful. There shortly follows “The Architect’s Dream” which features my favourite lyric of the album (“it was an accident / and he’s so pleased / it was the best mistake / he could make”).

All in all, I think Kate has overindulged herself, or been overindulged (though her name is on the producer chair). I think there’s a masterpiece of a 45 minute album here, but she’s included everything. It didn’t need to be 2 CDs, but in this age of personal playlists and iPod shuffle, I’ve gotta admit, that isn’t such a problem, I guess.

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