Awww.....you beat me to that track Gguerra ! Good to see you back on the forum by the way
Hang on Tray...just found another album Ive got "hounds of love"
So heres another track I like....
I know some people really can't be doing with her voice, it's like listening to nails down a chalk board I've heard some say I think, like marmite and marzipan, you either love it or hate it Just for you to follow the thread is good enough, and if you are swayed into getting an album or two by her then that will be a bonus
Great thread , Great artist.........and great outfits !!!....stunning.
And now to her music.....simply superb. IMHO I feel that her later albums are better than her earlier material. Red Shoes imparticular combined some classic Kate ballads,especially Moments of Pleasure,with some great harder sounding songs. Her last album was very good,but it's always a gamble coming back with a double studio album after such a long break. the words 'self indulgent' and 'it would have been better kept to a single album' will always be attached to it. But it nevertheless contained some great tracks.
Based on inspiration from your great thread Tray I've checked out Kate's debut:
The Kick Inside
First I have to comment on your text in relation to what I hear. Your words and I quote "unusual, haunting and captivating" are perfect to describe her voice. She sounds ethereal and fantastical! She acts and sings like she is a fantasy character in some world with faeries, dragons and dragonslayers. It seems to match as she from your review seems very literate and inspired by that fantasy literature. The high pitch of her voice is something I can see why it could be grating. I do wish she switched registers a little more but then again to many alterations would take away what makes her sound special. She still stands out as unique today which is no mean feat!
Now onto the album itself. I have the feeling this won't be my favorite album of hers. Besides "The Whole Story" I have given a cursory listen of "The Dreaming" before and I can definitely tell she took an upward arc from this but as a debut and especially one done so young the albums very impressive. Tray picked two great tracks from this to spotlight! "Wuthering Heights" is a classic for a reason. It's such a dreamy theatrical track. I really dig the guitar solo in it and actually just read that was Alan Parson, who's an artist I just got into! The other pick "The Man With A Child In His Eyes" is a great pick as well. It has a great melding of piano, strings and horns. There is a more recent artist, Charlotte Martin (late 90's-Present) who took after Kate way more than Tori is said too and this song makes me think of her most.
We've discussed the possible Kate-Tori influence Tray and one will never know but there's some symbiosis there whether direct or cosmic coincidence. I hear it no more than in this next song! Wow!
James and the Cold Gun
Great track with a cool snarkiness and guitars to it either way!!!!
Kate had a lot of jazzy vibes to go with her fantasy world and none more evident than the aptly titled:
The Saxophone Song
This is my favorite new track to me. The Saxophone was great and the music sounds almost progressive in some parts. I think the more heavy use of instrumentation with Kate's vocals the better!
Overall, this was a good album but I'm expecting and know it will only get better. This album could have trimmed a couple tracks IMO and been better because as it was it felt a little too long for what it was. Their were great tracks and overall a great amount of stuff to find and delve into though. I definitely want to delve into more due to the enjoyment and intrigue that comes through Kate's music! Keep up the good work Tray!
Great thread , Great artist.........and great outfits !!!....stunning.
And now to her music.....simply superb. IMHO I feel that her later albums are better than her earlier material. Red Shoes imparticular combined some classic Kate ballads,especially Moments of Pleasure,with some great harder sounding songs. Her last album was very good,but it's always a gamble coming back with a double studio album after such a long break. the words 'self indulgent' and 'it would have been better kept to a single album' will always be attached to it. But it nevertheless contained some great tracks.
You know I don't think I could choose a favourite album, at a push it would probably be between Never For Ever and The Dreaming, her third and fourth albums. I have to admit to being disappointed with her last album although I really like 'King of The Mountain'. However I do think it's one of those albums I should listen to more as it's probably a slow grower. The Red Shoes though, I love, and Moments of Pleasure is a beautiful song.
Based on inspiration from your great thread Tray I've checked out Kate's debut:
The Kick Inside
First I have to comment on your text in relation to what I hear. Your words and I quote "unusual, haunting and captivating" are perfect to describe her voice. She sounds ethereal and fantastical! She acts and sings like she is a fantasy character in some world with faeries, dragons and dragonslayers. It seems to match as she from your review seems very literate and inspired by that fantasy literature. The high pitch of her voice is something I can see why it could be grating. I do wish she switched registers a little more but then again to many alterations would take away what makes her sound special. She still stands out as unique today which is no mean feat!
Now onto the album itself. I have the feeling this won't be my favorite album of hers. Besides "The Whole Story" I have given a cursory listen of "The Dreaming" before and I can definitely tell she took an upward arc from this but as a debut and especially one done so young the albums very impressive. Tray picked two great tracks from this to spotlight! "Wuthering Heights" is a classic for a reason. It's such a dreamy theatrical track. I really dig the guitar solo in it and actually just read that was Alan Parson, who's an artist I just got into! The other pick "The Man With A Child In His Eyes" is a great pick as well. It has a great melding of piano, strings and horns. There is a more recent artist, Charlotte Martin (late 90's-Present) who took after Kate way more than Tori is said too and this song makes me think of her most.
We've discussed the possible Kate-Tori influence Tray and one will never know but there's some symbiosis there whether direct or cosmic coincidence. I hear it no more than in this next song! Wow!
James and the Cold Gun
Great track with a cool snarkiness and guitars to it either way!!!!
Kate had a lot of jazzy vibes to go with her fantasy world and none more evident than the aptly titled:
The Saxophone Song
This is my favorite new track to me. The Saxophone was great and the music sounds almost progressive in some parts. I think the more heavy use of instrumentation with Kate's vocals the better!
Overall, this was a good album but I'm expecting and know it will only get better. This album could have trimmed a couple tracks IMO and been better because as it was it felt a little too long for what it was. Their were great tracks and overall a great amount of stuff to find and delve into though. I definitely want to delve into more due to the enjoyment and intrigue that comes through Kate's music! Keep up the good work Tray!
Brilliant Soot - as always a super write-up and it's really interesting hearing your first impressions of The Kick Inside You are spot on with your perception of the sort of things from literature that inspired and interested her. Her brothers introduced her to mysticism and paganism and as a youngster she was interested in Greek mythology. And fairy stories obviously fascinated her - a good example being The Red Shoes. I have always thought she is almost a mythical creature herself, so unique and elusive, and has always been one of the most private people in showbiz.
James and The Cold Gun: I agree on all accounts! This was actually the song EMI wanted to release as her first single, instead of Wuthering Heights, but Kate was having none of it
The opening track 'Moving' is a favourite of mine, so beautiful and atmospheric. It was actually released as a single in Japan and made No.1
Btw, I've not come across Charlotte Martin before, I will have to look her up
Thank you Tray! I love having someone knowledgable to even bounce these thoughts off of! If you want a good example of Charlotte Martin in the context of Kate I'll just post one song as a teaser as to not derail your thread too much. I'll make a Charlotte thread in the near future!
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Bet it's the leotard pic that gets the biggest wowzers 
I think, like marmite and marzipan, you either love it or hate it 
....stunning.
You are spot on with your perception of the sort of things from literature that inspired and interested her. Her brothers introduced her to mysticism and paganism and as a youngster she was interested in Greek mythology. And fairy stories obviously fascinated her - a good example being The Red Shoes. I have always thought she is almost a mythical creature herself, so unique and elusive, and has always been one of the most private people in showbiz.
