born to run

Enigmatic songstress and national treasure Kate Bush has had her busiest year in recent memory. After six years between "Aerial" and "Director's Cut", her collection of select reworkings from across her towering catalog, Lady Kate delivered "50 Words For Snow", her second longplayer in a year.

Now, she continues to revisit past tracks with a reswizzling of "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)", arguably one of her most beloved singles in her repertoire. Apparently, it is part of a one-two marketing punch.

Firstly, rumor has it Kate will make a rare appearance at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London this Sunday. Sources close to Kate suggest she will perform her iconic track in front of a newly filmed video featuring Jude Law as the backdrop.

Secondly, a little bird has revealed to me that Kate will be updating her one and only singles collection, "The Whole Story", this fall.

"The Whole Story Revisited" will expand the original tracklisting to feature all of her singles up through this year topped off with the new mix of "RUTH". The song selection for the retrospective has not been revealed yet.

Online retailers briefly featured a snippet of the track on their sites earlier in the week. To these ears, it didn't sound much different from the original which appeared on her groundbreaking longplayer, "Hounds Of Love", from 1985.

The original version of "RUTH" peaked at #3 on the UK singles chart while it also marked Kate's only appearance in the Top 40 of the US singles chart where it reached #30. The new mix will hit the "shops" on August 12, the date of the closing ceremony.

snowbound

Kate Bush has returned from the studio wilderness mere months after releasing "Director's Cut", a compilation of newly mixed and rerecorded editions of previously released songs.

“50 Words For Snow”, scheduled to hit the "shops" on November 21, will feature seven brand new tracks set against a background of falling snow. The following is the official tracklisting.

1. Snowflake
2. Lake Tahoe
3. Misty
4. Wildman
5. Snowed In At Wheeler Street
6. 50 Words For Snow
7. Among Angels

Don't call it a comeback. Don't call it a Christmas album. I can't help but wonder if she went through the trouble of recording over and hour of actual snow falling? That would be crackers!

Kate's cut

This just in! Be warned, it's a bit confusing. Kate Bush will release a (sort of) new album, "Director's Cut", on May 16. The longplayer, her first release since "Aerial" in 2005, will revisit some of her classic songs.

Released on her own Fish People label, Kate will feature new versions of songs from her albums "The Sensual World" and "The Red Shoes" which were released in 1989 and 1993, respectively. "Deeper Understanding", which originally appeared on "The Sensual World", will be issued as a single in April.

The album will be released in various fan friendly flavors. You can choose between four formats. A digital album. the standard CD, a two disc vinyl package, and a deluxe three CD set, including "Director’s Cut","The Sensual Word" and re-mastered edition of "The Red Shoes" in a case bound book.

Kate's label will be distributed through EMI, her home for the last 33 years. Not sure how I feel about her revisiting her mighty catalog with new versions of her work. Apparently, she has rerecorded some elements of the tracks whilst keeping the best musical performances of each song. An interesting concept, if nothing else.

Those of us who are looking forward to new material from Ms. Bush will have to wait a little longer. She is currently in the studio working on bits and bobs, but no release date has been scheduled for a full length album.

this woman's work

Rumors abound on the interwebs, mes chattons! Apparently, Kate Bush will be gracing our presence with some new material sometime this year. I think I might have peed a little!

Her spokesperson has been quoted in a carefully worded statement which indicates Kate is recording something new, but that doesn't necessarily mean she'll be releasing a full-length longplayer.

Seems to me that it will probably be a singles collection with a few new tracks tacked on the end for her salivating fans. By now, we are used to Kate's long droughts between musical rainshowers. Clearly, she's in no rush. After all, she has only released eight elpees in thirty years.

With her dedicated and patient fanbase, new music from Lady Bush is always seen as food from the gods. Since the release of "Aerial" in 2005, she has only released "Lyra", a song for the movie "The Golden Compass".

If a career retrospective is on the cards, it is long overdue. It's hard to believe "The Whole Story" was released in time for the Christmas market WAY back in 1986. In fact, it's the only hits collection Kate has issued to date.



As for new material, I hope she delivers more than one track. Kate's sumptuous, velvety soundscapes are beyond comparison. They live in a musical universe of their own. However, I'd like to hear something with a bit of tempo, as well.

When Kate gives good rhythm, we get this...





And when she goes all lush and lovey, we get this...





Gosh! The video for "This Woman's Work" brings me to the brink of tears everytime. Nearly everything Kate has released still gives me serious goosebumps. The strength and passion embedded in her work has not faded over time.

And who doesn't love the kooky, arty side of Kate?



Eccentric. Reclusive. Emotive. Genius. Always amazing! Kate really hasn't put a foot wrong. Let's hope she gets that new stuff in the "shops" tout de suite!