Advantages: More settled, mature but still with the interesting quirks in music and words.
Disadvantages: 'Mrs Bartolozzi'; 'Nocturn'. Nothing like 'Hounds' or 'Dreaming'; light jazz elements, for some.

...So, was it worth the wait? With 'Aerial', the hotly anticipated new double-CD album of the British maverick and publicity-shy musician, Kate Bush once again surprises her listeners, for ill or good. A dozen years sans any new Bush album since 'The Red Shoes' would be the longest dry spell for fans, and the occasion of 'Aerial''s release has been warmly celebrated, especially on the other side of the Atlantic. I shan't dwell on Ms Bush's personal events between 1993's 'The Red Shoes' and 'Aerial', which finally went on sale on 7 November 2005. Suffice it to say that Ms Bush's son, Bertie, was born in the interim, a fact you can't miss since he's featured prominently on her latest CD production through his drawings, photographs and a song. 'Aerial' consists of 16 tracks on two CDs that sonically share a close kinship with 'The... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Deeply poetic, rich musical excellence. It's Kate Bush.
Disadvantages: Not instant music for parties. It wouldn't work. Don't do it.

...Let me begin with a highly relevant link because if you go to it you get the first track and a video to watch as well: http://www.katebush.com/video/kingofthemountain/ So, I'm in France with a gorgeous girlfriend with Kate warbling, 'Ai ai! Babooshka, Babooshka, yi, yi!' on the jukebox and I'm just having a great 1982. Something of Kate Bush is imprinted and stays with me, and though singles like, 'Cloudbusting,' and albums like 'Red Shoes,' pass me by un-noticed as the years fly by, the mad-eyed girl who sang of 'Wuthering, Wuthering, Wuthering Heights!' never entirely goes away. She seems to though. For twelve years she's gone. On http://www.white-man-killer.com/kate/ the Webmistress, Sylvia, can be seen opining that Kate Bush is unlikely to tour or make an album again. She's back now with a new album called, 'Aerial... Read review

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Advantages: Recaptures some of the magic of earlier albums
Disadvantages: Perhaps a little quiet for some, after the extremity of earlier work

...mixed feelings when I sat down to listen to Aerial... First comes the gently hypnotic strains of King of the Mountain - mmm...interesting and (almost) danceable. Yet it's infused with passion and an effective eeriness. The beat almost has a reggae vibe, reminiscent slightly of Kate's version of "Rocket Man" in 1991 - though darker and more powerful. One of the Kate Bush traits, on so many of her records, is to start simply, then build and develop powerfully. King of the Mountain rises to something stronger than I'd first realised, especially with volume. Then, Pi, with its theme of numbers - proof if any be needed that Ms Bush could infuse even the driest subject with passion if need be. A low pulsing beat is joined enigmatically by intermittent synths, winding together in a curious spiral. Kate's voice is high and unearthly. "Sweet... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Pure Kate Bush- worth the money.
Disadvantages: Some will find it too quirky.

...This is my first ever review, so I chose a subject close to my heart - Kate Bush's music. Having spent my melancholy teen years accompanied by a Kate Bush soundtrack, I had been disappointed with "The Red Shoes", and longed for the glory days of "Never Forever", "Lionheart" and "The Kick Inside" - those are listed i