Kate Bush – “50 Words For Snow”

(Released 21st November 2011)

Following “Director’s Cut”, released in May 2011, “50 Words For Snow” unveils a much anticipated new album from Kate Bush and as the title suggests is a slushy album, with “snow” being the central metaphor throughout. Although the album only consists of 7 songs, one of the tracks “Misty” is over 13 minutes long. Like all the songs on the album, Misty is a very sensual song, which is lyrically perplexing and often ambiguous. Whether the song is regarding a sexual escapade or a snowman, the lyrics are very much open to interpretation: “Melting, melting, in my hand. Sunday morning I can’t find him. The sheets are soaking, and on my pillow”. Regardless, “Misty” is a wistful, spacious song, which enables you to inhale, relax and ponder upon the jazzy, unfolding soundscape. What’s great about this song is it encapsulates Kate’s gift at being able to sculpt a piece of music, which incorporates the classical, with the unusual.  On one hand, “Misty” is predominantly upholstered by a melancholic piano, layback percussions, sweeping violins and a bass cello. On the other hand, “Misty” is steeped in peculiar lyrics such as: “He is dissolving, dissolving before me and dawn will come soon. What kind of spirit is this?” which also illustrates the slow, building intensity of the song”. With a fleeting, dual vocal arrangement, “Misty” builds to crescendo and melts with the lyrics: “he is dissolving” “find him”, where by this time the song is crystallised in sorrow which finally evaporates on the sombre notes: “I’m coming out on the ledge. I’m going out on the ledge…”

What’s interesting about this album, is it’s almost an extension to “Wuthering Heights” as it’s loaded with twisted ramifications of love and sorrow, customised with the odd blizzard insert sounding as if the album has been recorded from some bleak Yorkshire Moor. It’s also an album, whose narrative singing and enchanting concept, creates post-modernistic storytelling, reaffirming Kate as an original and experimental artist. Take the album’s title track “50 Words of Snow” which features Stephen Fry. Such a song illustrates Kate’s skill at being able to place music into a refreshing literary context, enhanced by the quintessential British, narratives of Stephen.  It is during this song that the electric guitars, sythns and tribal drums takes a step back, as it’s the quirky 50 concocted words for snow, i.e “icyskidski”, “faloop’njoompoola”that grabs the spotlight. Despite having a more low-key position in this song, Kate’s sultry and playful vocals compliment the impeccable delivery of Stephen. However just when you think Stephen is hogging the limelight, Kate spurts the modified chorus: ‘”come on you got 32 more words to go, let me hear your 50 words for snow…’.placing her very much in the director’s chair. Elton John also makes an appearance on this album, sparing his smooth vocals in “Snowed In at Wheeler Street”, trading fervent lyrics as  Bush’s eternal lover.

“The Wild man” is the first single released from the album, which is so meticulously crafted that it really captures the primitive emotions of the song. With a variety of instruments used, it’s the Eastern sitar which is the persistent sound throughout, establishing the geographical boundaries of the song: “From the Sherpas of Annapurna to the Rinpoche of Qinghai / Shepherds from Mount Kailash to Himachal Pradesh”. It’s a song, whose lyrics suggest Kate as an observer or someone who has attained wisdom from visiting the Himalayan, whether metaphorically or literally: The schoolmaster of Darjeeling said.We saw you by the Tengboche monastery.You were playing in the snow. You were banging on the doors”. Whether the “Wild man” is based on some roaming mythical creature or not, it’s a song whose dramatic keyboards bring “fear” out of the shadows, which appears to be the central emotion in the song: “They want to know you. They will hunt you down. Then they will kill you. Run away, run away. Run away”. It’s also a song whose fragile vulnerability is projected through the exquisite triangle, harp, glockenspiel, which synchronises with Kate’s breathy vocals in juxtaposition against the “Eve of The War-esque” multiple backing vocals and cinematic crescendo.

“50 Words for Snow” is a classic album, which nurtures the perpetual willo-the wisp spirit of Kate. Although it takes a few listens to completely appreciate the album, it thinks outside the box, containing a haunting beauty which sends chills down the spine. Its picturesque music, whose orchestral and stripped down acoustics, glide effortlessly across an intense, emotional backdrop. Like snow, on a hillside, “50 Words For Snow”, melts subtly revealing a lush core at its own organic pace.

 

 

One thought on “Kate Bush – “50 Words For Snow”

  1. Pingback: “A haunting beauty which sends chills down the spine”: The Manc Review |

Comments are closed.