The Sensual World
Kate Bush

We listened to the Sensual World coming back down the M1. Though this time the sun was shining, I didn’t find this an easy first listening.

Ben said it took  few goes for him to ‘get’ the album, and that was aided by his adolescent memories of the Babooshka video. Anyone who looks that great has to sound great, always.

So Kate had to prove herself with this one for me. Title track Sensual World is sexy, mmh yes. She was inspired by Molly Bloom’s soliloquy in James Joyce’s Ulysses  (not got round to that one yet – maybe I will now) and includes Irish instruments. Love and Anger is fierce and fine, and another single from the album.

And This Woman’s Work is a work of genius.
‘I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.’

Kate Bush works best for me like this, where her soaring, powerful voice is used to propel a simple story, or even feeling. I got lost in some album tracks. Fog was just that for me, and a couple seemed too complex and conceptual. (I feel my ‘taste’ is emerging in these reviews, and it prefers music more neatly packaged and patterned).

She is a legend, as the response to her recent live shows demonstrates. The Sensual World, was her 6th album, and she’s never stopped developing. I’ll keep listening.

#Ichallengems