Kate Bush ‎– 50 Words For Snow

I have just finished listening to the double vinyl version of this album. It's a far cry from some of her other fodder, such as the more popular first album, "The Kick Inside" (and 'Wuthering Heights'). I enjoyed the 65.00 of...shall I say unusual...style of composition of her songs on this album. Some albums may take the first listen for it to become your favourite record; this one, I feel, is an acquired taste that may take several playbacks before the album will remain with you long after the music has ended.

Kate Bush is one of those rare gems in music. Every album she releases is a work of art, a conceptual hotpot of ideas, each part of it carefully crafted, sung, written and produced by the same person. She is a true artist, always managing to remain current while being completely different and entirely out of context to the rest of her peers. The music she creates invites us to her own little world, the Kate Bush bubble, a refreshing break from the over-saturated, over-produced, over-rehashed, tired pastiche of what we call contemporary music. In her world, music is still in a state of original creation and personal revelation and this almost presents itself as a romantic, nostalgic way of seeing music.

With a mature artist such as Bush though, there is always the danger that new work will appear diluted and repetitive, becoming a faded icon of what used to be, like many big artists of the past have become. So it was with great caution and trepidation but also excitement that I pre-ordered this new release. To my great relief, Kate Bush once again does not disappoint. The first track starts simply with her playing the piano, and when her voice comes in you are instantly captivated. You are back again in that bubble, protected and soothed by her unique voice that gently invites you in her specially crafted environment of soundscapes. The whole album is slow and deliberate, there is absolutely no hurry to get to the point or to immediately bombard you with her beautifully created subtle production. It is simple, yet rich. It is Kate Bush effortlessly showing that she is still a rich source of creation. It keeps you wanting for more. And that is perhaps my only 'problem' with this album. I wish it would last longer. This will be probably the only real music album of the year, and I do not want it to end. Luckily Kate Bush's back catalogue still remains or is even more relevant and rich as ever before. I hope this will not be the last we hear from her, or that she does not go on a 10 year hiatus again, because we truly, desperately need real artists like her. A new album from Kate Bush still remains a privilege, a faith-restoring gift from a true genius.