Aerial #1

Track Listings

1. Song

2. Om

3. Rumble

4. Shout

5. Raga

6. Dada

7. Tremblar

8. Lala

9. Myst

10. Aw

11. March

12. Harbor

13. Swell

14. Pulse

15. Second Song

Aerial #1,Tod Dockstader,Sub Rosa,Ambient,Electronic,Electronic/Avant-Garde/Minimalist Music,Experimental (Noise),Pop,Rock,Tape Music

Aerial #1

Tracks:

King of the Mountain
Pi
Bertie
Mrs. Bartolozzi
How to Be Invisible
Joanni
A Coral Room

Tracks:

Prelude
Prologue
An Architect's Dream
Painter's Link
Sunset
Aerial Tal
Somewhere in Between
Nocturn
Aerial

Amazon.com

It's often said that a musician's debut represents the culmination of a lifetime's worth of experiences, but their sophomore effort is usually derived from just the intervening year. By waiting 12 years between The Red Shoes and her new double CD, Aerial, Kate Bush has tried to regain that lifetime. It's a remarkably coherent recording, reflecting the unique world of sound and spirit Bush has inhabited since her debut. The first disc, subtitled A Sea of Honey, is a suite of personal reveries. It ranges from "King of the Mountain," a contemplation of unbridled celebrity and its isolation that references Elvis and Citizen Kane, to the piano-and-voice study "Mrs. Bartolozzi," an ode to household chores whose chorus is "Sloshy sloshy sloshy sloshy, get that dirty shirty clean." With its Depeche Mode-influenced synth pads, electro pulses, and lyric cadences, "King of the Mountain" is vintage Bush pop. But many of the songs attain more epic proportions, like the dynamic "Joanni," a hymn to Joan of Arc. It's the second disc--a suite called A Sky of Honey--on which Bush really comes into her own. Using metaphors of the turning of the day and the flight of birds, she orchestrates a meditation on the cycles of life. Musically expansive, she weaves her compositions out of birdsong, subtle orchestrations, and jazz trios, showing herself at her experimental best. Embracing her relatively new motherhood, as well as the death of her mother, Aerial is a deeply personal album, and a welcome return from one of pop music's true icons and vocal wonders. --John Diliberto

More Kate Bush

The Kick Inside
Lionheart
Never for Ever

The Dreaming
Hounds of Love
The Sensual World

Customer Reviews:

She's Matured.......2007-06-30

It's been a little over a year now since Kate Bush put out AERIAL. With over 300+ reviews from casual listeners, to us 'die hard' fans, I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

I,too, waited twelve LONG years for another CD from Kate. When it arrived, I anxiously put it on, did a few things around the house, and waited for that voice of her's to explode. It didn't. Oh I wasn't disapointed...but more like..hmmm...this one needs some serious listening to. A few days later I sat down, put on the headphones, and had a second listen. It was worth it. From the opening track on Disc 1, to the closing track on Disc 2, I was once again swept away into Kate's world. And it IS her world folks. Like it or not.

NO..it's not the HOUNDS OF LOVE...NO..it's not THE DREAMING. She's been there, done that. If she had put out a HOUNDS OF LOVE II or THE DREAMING II...you casual listeners would have screamed bloody murder saying she's copying herself, not taking any risks.... and us 'die hards' would have raised and eyebrow and thought..What are you UP to Ms Kate? Right? OF course right!!!

You don't think AERIAL is a risk? Think again. Kate knows what her fans like and expect from her. And in MY opinion, she didn't let us down. She's in her late 40's now, and a mother. Priorites change, views change..and that comes through cystal clear in her music. Those of us that have grown up with Kate can see her come full circle from THE KICK INSIDE to AERIAL.

Art is subjective. Not everyone is going to like everything. Even a few 'die hards' were disapointed with the CD.And that's OK. Myself, it's one of my favorites now. After a hard day at work I can come home, put on the headphones and relax to her soothing voice.

Thats my two cents worth. Like it or not.

The Ford Edsel of Kate Bush.......2007-06-09

I have tried so hard to love this CD. I've listened to it several times, given it every chance each time trying to come at it anew or after a recent audition. Each time I have been utterly disappointed. Worst of all upon returning to her previous work I was left with the overwhelming urge to fling the Ariel CD into the garbage.

What could have gone so badly wrong? Kate Bush has undeniable talent that has previously been faultless. Even The Dreaming, a CD that at first puzzled & alienate some listeners at the time, has become a firm favourite that has shown itself to have been years ahead of its time. Her writing is legendary with an awe inspiring ability to weave images into song. Her musical ability has also been stunning with not only the tunes but also the production, finding unusual & interesting instruments & sounds that reached a pinnacle on Hounds of Love. She danced amazingly, choreographed her videos & had a hand in her costumes (as in the Chris Achileos inspired "Babooshka"). Her voice had the ability to pound its way through something like "Get out of My House" or tip toe through such songs as "Army Dreamers". Best of all she had the intelligence & self confidence to know when to hammer it & when to tread lightly, unlike some I could mention (Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston to name but 2).

But Ariel is like someone who is doing a bad, tired impression of her. The music just doesn't engage, the voice sounds tired, flat & occasionally falters. Gone is the magic that was always there from the first note to the final fade out, this isn't the Kate Bush we all knew & loved so much.

True she does have the legacy of Hounds of Love to overcome, everything she did before & after has been compared to this just as the Beatles were always measured by how their albums compared to Sgt Pepper's & Radiohead to OK Computer (The Beatles managed to escape this legacy, but Radiohead were always dogged by just how good OK Computer was & their continuing inability to better it). However this should not be an impediment & I don't think it colours my view.

In short this collection fails to engage in any way, regardless of previous work. Something is missing & I don't know what, but I just keep hearing the word "Flat" in my head. The production is complex but doesn't seem to add to her voice like so often in the last where expert use of the mixing desk layered the sounds into a rich atmosphere, whereas with Ariel its a mish-mash, uncomfortable & disjointed. For instance on the self indulgent "Bertie" she uses her son's laughter, but its completely unbalanced & out of place when compared to the rest of the sound. The lyrics are boring too, like wax fruit it promises so much but when you take a bite it just dissapoints. I would even say that if this were a new CD from a previoulsy unknown artist, or if I had previously never heard of Kate Bush before, I still wouldn't like it. This CD should have been abandoned & never released.

After the final attempt to find something in this mess I gave up & put on Never for Ever & was immediately transported. At least she can be proud of the remaning 99% of her output, something few can lay claim to. But Ariel is the black sheep & should be thoroughly ignored.

Welcome Back Kate. .......2007-04-17

Imagine you are Kate Bush: 48 years old, nearly thirty years since Wuthering Heights, having to endure all the false rumours in the papers; "recluse", "washed up", "eccentric" and other negative terms when all along you have just making your own kind of very unique music, you fall in love, raise a child and are happily domesticated for many years. Kate Bush is one of the most down to earth, fun, witty and very grounded artists alive today. Just read any of her recent interviews she has given. She is no New Age Mystic or Modern Day Witch or Earth Goddess, so give it a rest! True she has written, arranged and recorded some of the most original music of any artist in the last thirty years. But away from the studio, she is just a Mom!

AERIEL is her first album in twelve years. Like HOUNDS OF LOVE, it is best to listen through in one sitting, especially Disc 2. Critics may gripe that it could have easily fitted on one album and maybe that is true. Maybe tracks 1 and 6 on Disc 2 could have been omitted to keep it under 80 minutes.

The album starts off strong with KING OF THE MOUNTAIN. seems to be about unhappy wealthy recluses. Other strong songs on Disc 1 are HOW TO BE INVISIBLE (just a fun pop song), JOANNIE (about Joan of arc) and A CORAL ROOM (a heartbreaking song about the death of her mother). MRS. BARTOLOZZI is certainly unusual and takes some getting used to; with its storyline of sexual emotions triggered from watching clothes in a washing machine. BERTIE is a light-hearted tune about her son. A little too simple for my tastes. PI is has a warmth to it even if it is a bizartre song about a guy fascinated by the number PI. The chorus consists of recting the numbers of pi but at over six minutes playing time, it is overlong.

Disc 2 is where Kate excels. Titled "A Sky Of Honey" (not sure why), there is a theme about birds, painters, architects and abandoning oneself to guilty pleasures, and I am still trying to figure it all out! From her vocal imitation of birdcalls to the eeriness of her vocal with piano only, this is Kate Bush at her most sparse. Towards the end she does liven things up with the last two tracks. Standouts are SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN and NOCTURN (no "E" at the end). The album closes with the title track, AERIAL in a state of jubilation and cheerfulness. Her laugh is very infectious and there is a great giutar solo from Dan McIntosh to close the song and the album.

As with all her albums, production is brilliant and the musicianship amazes. Just listen to NOCTURN. It is worth the price of the album alone but another standout track is KING OF THE MOUNTAIN with its reggae-like guitar accompanying the second verse or the introduction of the drums into the song just before she sings "Elvis are you out there somewhere", My other favourites are A CORAL ROOM, AERIAL, PROLOGUE, HOW TO BE INVISIBLE, SUNSET and SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.

Message to Kate Bush: Please do not wait twelve more years before relaeasing the next album. You are too original and exciting to be away from the music scene. I will gladly take songs about Joan of Arc, Elvis Presley, William Hearst, Bertie, Loss of a Loved One, Sex on the Beach, Washing Clothes, Birdcall Imitations, Being "up on the roof" and so on instead of the dross that is on radio stations today!

Track times are not given so here they are:

Disc 1 (A sea of honey)
1. King of the mountain 4.49
2. Pi 6.09
3. Bertie 4.18
4. Mrs. Bartolozzi 5.57
5. How to be invisible 5.34
6. Joanni 4.55
7. A coral room 5.56

Disc 2 (A sky of honey)
1. Prelude 1.26
2. Prologue 5.42
3 An archhitect's dream 4.49
4. The painter's link 1.35
5. Sunset 5.57
6. Aerial tal 1.00
7. Somewhere in between 5.00
8. Nocturn 8.34
9. Aerial 7.49

Amazing work of art by England's Kate Bush.......2007-03-11

My review of Aerial is based around the fact that I really like Kate Bush's musical and artistic style, and have been a fan of hers since I was aged 10 in 1980 and her songs Breathing and Babooshka became famous. So don't expect an unbiased opinion !

It is still hard though to make a cohesive summary of all that is contained in this unique package. Obviously there are 2 CDs, and of these , Disc 1 has 7 more-or-less standalone songs, while Disc 2 has a song-suite of linked ideas complete with ambient birdsong. The soundwave on the cover represents this; it is a graphic representation of the twittering of some type of bird that, presumably, Kate has grown fond of as she lives and works in the English countryside. Inside the CD slipcase we have washing on a line, taken from the rather regretful Mrs. Bertolozzi ( CD1 ). Kate's son Bertie makes his debut as subject to an ode on CD1 and in the booklet as a swimming, smiling cherub, while conversely her desolation at the loss of her mother finds voice in the contemplative A Coral Room. I loved the idea behind Pi, as it conjures up the romance and mystery in the fascination with numbers that I had as a child, and it still sounds dreamy and otherworldly.
Cd2 is a much different affair, and may as well be a completely separate album. I absolutely loved Nocturn, and have played this song more often than any other track on Aerial - it is beguiling and brilliant , and it segues into the album's title and final tune Aerial with its weird combination of propulsive rhythms, urgency and laughter. I also liked Something In Between. I was delighted at the way these linked songs were composed as a set. The nearest equivalent in Kate's extensive canon is 1985's Hounds Of Love, which had a similar thematic separation between Side 1 ( Cloudbusting ) and Side 2 ( Waking The Witch ).

Having bought my copy of Aerial in January 2006, I rated it one of my favourite CD's of the year, and have given it 5 stars, not because I love everything on here but simply for the sheer wealth of invention, poetry and creative ability on display. I don't understand everything in the lyrics, but then again, I doubt anybody else does either. That's not the point though. Appreciating art does not necessarily equate to understanding it or "getting it" first time or even at all , but feeling it and experiencing it. I certainly experienced Aerial , and encourage anyone who reads this review to do the same and give it a try.

Recommended for those who like discovering works of art.

Quintessential Kate.......2007-03-11

Long time Kate Bush devotee. Waited a long time for this. COMPLETELY SATISFIED!! Thank you Kate!!

Average customer rating:

The Best!!
Aerial Boundaries
For guitarists, really, and even then...
Aerial Boundaries -- An Acoustic Masterpiece
amazing artist but wrong forum

Aerial Boundaries
Michael Hedges
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Breakfast in the Field
Beyond Boundaries: Guitar Solos
Oracle
Live on the Double Planet
Taproot

ASIN: B000000NFW
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Aerial Boundaries
Bensusan
Rickover's Dream
Ragamuffin
After The Gold Rush
Hot Type
Spare Change
Menage A Trois
The Magic Farmer

Amazon.com essential recording

It's been called the album that opened "a new chapter on steel-string guitar playing," and it's unquestionably one of the most groundbreaking albums in acoustic guitar history. Though Hedges had released the excellent Breakfast in the Field on Windham Hill in 1981, the Grammy-nominated Boundaries came as an unexpected revelation in 1985. On stirring, complex compositions like "Rickover's Dream," "Spare Change," and a deft instrumental reading of Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush," Hedges unleashed a stunning new vocabulary of finger-tapping, hammering, and harmonic slaps--processed with electronics and reverb--that still resounds today in the playing of artists from Ani Di Franco to Preston Reed. Steeped both in classical harmony and the fingerstyle guitar tradition of Leo Kottke, Martin Carthy, and John Renbourn, Boundaries remains the late composer-guitarist's seminal work, and its innovations in technique, tuning, tone, and intensity remain key texts in modern acoustic circles. --James Rotondi

Customer Reviews:

The Best!!.......2007-07-09

Micheal Hedges lived to please his listeners with the best possible music that he could get from a guitar!!

Aerial Boundaries.......2007-07-09

Great CD if you enjoy acoustic guitar. Sophiscated, romantic,ethereal, and abstract all rolled into a ball. Good stuff!

For guitarists, really, and even then..........2007-06-18

Moments of brilliance, (yes, even genius, on this album), but over all it's a disjointed effort. You will listen to this, if you're a guitar player, and be inspired; but you'll find that inspiration fully realized in Kaki King and Don Ross, not on this CD. To be fair to Hedges, he died too early to do that for himself, but I still doubt he would have achieved the perfection of Everybody Loves You or Passion Session. He was just one of those guys who is hell bent on pushing that envelope, and it was kind of fitting he drove off a cliff one night.

Aerial Boundaries -- An Acoustic Masterpiece.......2007-01-03

Rarely do I find an acoustic artist so gifted as to make a guitar do what it supposed to do: convey imagery without lyrical content, or imply a feeling found nowhere else. This is exactly what Michael Hedges has done in "Aerial Boundaries." Mr. Hedges uses his guitar in what was, to my recollection, the first use of percussive slap harmonic technique I have ever heard. There are more recent artists who currently employ this technique, but I believe Mr. Hedges was the first to do so.

Mr. Hedges was a unique talent whose life was cut short too early in his career, but for the few recordings that Mr. Hedges produced, this is his most recognizable and more debatably, his best. I cannot personally think of another acoustic recording of any other artist that comes close to what Mr. Hedges has accomplished.

I will not described individual songs, as there are some better than others, but the recording "Aerial Boundaries" is best taken by listening to it in its entirety. This is the genius of Michael Hedges; revel in it, be absorbed by it and take it to heart. It is a learning tool for any acoustic guitarist who seeks to find originality, and a marvel to any non-musician who asks himself "How did Mr. Hedges coax the sounds out of his guitar the way he did?"

Prepare to be amazed, delighted, and bewildered by the unique talent known as Michael Hedges in "Aerial Boundaries."

amazing artist but wrong forum.......2006-09-14

Michael Hedges was an unbelievable guitar player and performer. This is a good cd but, if you are interested in this artist, you are in the wrong place.

Although Hedges is awesome, and there is good stuff here, it is nonetheless a Windam Hill new age album. This is like having a sports car stuck in your garage...there is not enough space to see what this baby/artist can do.

Hedges "live on a double planet" cd or, even better yet, the live Windham Hill dvd is a much better representation of this terrific and unique artist.

"Aerial Boundaries" is boring compared to the other works

Pandemonium Shadow Show/Aerial Ballet/Aerial Pandemonium Ballet

Average customer rating:

From a Nilsson Fanatic
THE BEST AUDIO VERSION AVAILABLE
Essential two-albuns-in-one-cd and gorgeous bonus tracks!!!
Changing the name of your favourite song...
Everybody should be talking about it...

Pandemonium Shadow Show/Aerial Ballet/Aerial Pandemonium Ballet
Harry Nilsson
Manufacturer: Bmg Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Harry / Nilsson Sings Newman
Skidoo / The Point
Son of Schmilsson
Duit on Mon Dei / Sandman
Nilsson Schmilsson

ASIN: B00004VXG8
Release Date: 2000-08-21

Tracks:

Ten Little Indians
1941
Cuddly Toy
She Sang Hyms Out Of Tune
You Can't Do That
Sleep Late, My Lady Friend
She's Leaving Home
There Will Never Be
Without Her
Freckles
It's Been So Long
River Deep - Mountain High
Daddy's Song
Good Old Desk
Don't Leave Me
Mr. Richland's Favorite Song
Little Cowboy
Together
Everybody's Talkin'
I Said Goodbye To Me
Little Cowboy
Mr. Tinker
One
The Wailing Of The Willow
Bath

Tracks:

Introduction
1941 (Slowed Down Track & Remixed)
Daddy's Song (New Vocals, Guitar/Piano/Out Of Sync)
Mr. Richland's Fav. Song (New Background Vocals & Remixed)
Good Old Desk (Slowed Down Track & Remixed)
Everybody's Talkin' (Dumped Second Voice & Remixed)
Bath (Re-Eq'd Original Tracks)
Fill
River Deep - Mountain High (New Vocals & Remixed)
Sleep Late, My Lady Friend (Remixed)
Don't Leave Me (Remixed)
Without Her (New Vocals & Remixed)
Together (New Vocals, Edited Out Bridge & Remixed)
One (Remixed)
Closing
As I Wander Lonely
Miss Butter's Lament
Sister Marie
Wasting My Time

Album Details

Three Albums on Double CD: 'Pandemonium Shadow Show', 'Aerial Ballet' and 'Aerial Pandemonium Ballet' (A Remix Album). Includes Four Bonus Tracks..

Customer Reviews:

From a Nilsson Fanatic.......2007-01-15

I first heard of Nilsson from a song he did with John Lennon on Lennon's album Walls and Bridges. I later found out that the hypnotizing backing vocals on Ringo Starr's cover of "You're Sixteen" were also Nilsson's. So when I found out that Nilsson was declared the Beatles favorite singer I realized I had to check him out. This album is simply sensational all the songs show a man who loves to sing and who can sing with the best of them. Pandemonium Shadow show has the powerful and humorous "Ten little Indians" the beautiful and heartwrenching "1941", the wry and catchy "cuddly toy", the gorgeous "sleep late my lady friend" the simply genius "without Her" and the clever Beatles tributes "You Can't Do That" and "She's leaving home". These tracks are all of high quality and are sung beautifully.
The next album Aerial Ballet starts with the fun, catchy, and unsettling "daddy's song" the adorable "Good Old Desk" the beautiful "Don't Leave Me" the thought provoking "Mr. Richland's Fav. Song" which, according to legend, was John Lennon's favorite. The legendary cover of "Everybody's Talkin'" which made Nilsson a Star and the song does not disappoint. Three Dog night also covered Nilsson's original song "One" which is both haunting and reminiscent of Paul McCartney's Rubber Soul-Revolver songs while maintaining a distinctive voice of it's own. The remix album besides being the first one in history is fun and the bonus tracks are smashing. Overall this compilation is fantastic and if I have not convinced you then I will say that this music is perfect for dating because it sets a terrific and fun mood. Thanks Nilsson for all the wonderful music!

THE BEST AUDIO VERSION AVAILABLE.......2006-08-17

If you are looking for the best audio versions, navigating the array of domestic, European and Japanese releases for each Nilsson album can be a frustrating experience.

I have purchased and painstakingly A/B'd them all, and have posted this review on the best editions of each Nilsson title. All you have to do is find this review and the guesswork is eliminated.

As with all my A/B reviews, the discs were compared on two Sony XA7 transports wired via identical Acoustic Zen coax cables to a Camelot Uther DAC.

The entire catalog was issued in 2002 with Japanese K2 remastering. In terms of remastering, K2 would usually be the end of the story, but this catalog is the rare exception: The final six albums in the K2 offering are the best audio versions, but in the front half of the catalog, the UK and one domestic editions are superior.

The 2004 RCA remaster of "Schmilsson" is the only domestic release that is better than the imports.

Here is a list of the best audio versions:

1. Pandemonium Shadow Show/Aerial Ballet/Aerial Pandemonium Ballet (2CD) (2000) UK BMG/Camden Deluxe (catalog number) 74321 757422
2. Skidoo/The Point (2000) UK BMG/Camden Deluxe 74321 757432
3. Harry/Nilsson Sings Newman (2000) UK BMG/Camden Deluxe 74321 757442
4. Schmilsson USA (2004) RCA 82876 572652
5. Son Of Schmilsson (2000) UK BMG/Camden Deluxe 74321 757462
6. A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37249
7. P*ssy Cats (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37251 (the UK has one extra track not on the K2)
8. Duit On Mon Dei (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37252
9. Sandman (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37253
10. That's The Way It Is (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37254
11. Knnillssonn (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37255

The three 2000 BMG Camden UK releases offer more clarity than the Japanese K2's. Perhaps they were working from better source material.

However, the Japanese K2's are definitely better than the UK "2-fer" discs in the later titles. Unfortunately, the K2's are now OOP, more difficult and expensive to locate, although the Japanese frequently re-issue catalog titles.

Before purchasing any OOP Nilsson title off Amazon Marketplace, Half or eBay, I would highly suggest e-mailing the seller (with the catalog number info I have provided above) and confirm the listing. The seller may have another edition of these titles mis-listed.

Essential two-albuns-in-one-cd and gorgeous bonus tracks!!!.......2005-11-18

Harry Nilsson entered in my life about a couple of years ago and God, I just don't knew what I was losing!!! I firstly bought a twenty-two-tracks-best-of, but rapidly I was delighted and got his records in single cd's...But I was mad to find his first two, "Pandemonium Shadow Show" and "Aerial Ballet" and only this compilation could satisfy my true desire!! I must say that the sound of this Camden Deluxe is not the clearest, but damn that, I was so happy (and moved) in hear this beautiful songs of a superlative composer/singer, I think too (and shamelly!) underrated...
Well, we can forget, for moments, the remix-album "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet" (seems it was the "first" remix-album, chronologically!) that came with this edition, it's only a experted reworking of some songs of both albuns, with a couple of good ideas...In fact, I'll give all the money for the bonus-tracks, everyone of higher quality, not deserving the second-hand interest. "As I wander Lonely" (hey, is it Divine Comedy!??), "Miss Butter's Lament" and "Wasting My Time" are prime-Harry Nilsson moving songs, with that peculiar melancholic tenderness. And "Sister Marie" a bit appart with a much more acid arrangement (dubbed keyboards?).
But first cd is a masterpiece, both of records being a perfect collection of songs...Harry Nilsson is so inventive in his solid musical ground, playing with a dozen of recording possibilities, just in time with the masters Beatles, certainly his great influence. It's not saying that he was the nearest american-clone of Lennon-McCartney (like a Janus statue!), no, he just deserves a great place in musical pantheon and be recognized by the masses!!
What we could say about the intrepid rhythm of "Ten Little Indians" with intriguing nursery-rhyme lyrics; the truly sentimental beauty of "1941" (delicious harmonium and trombone!) and "Sleep Late, My Lady Friend" (gorgeous, gorgeous!) or the happy-erotic keyboard (with Nilsson's comment "Oh, beautiful") of "Cuddly Toy"??? Say nothing, just give a thousand listens and bring joy to our life!!
The two covers here are quite great, in fact I think "She's Leaving Home" surpasses the original, more rich in details (magic tablas here!); "River Deep-Mountain High" is not so "Spectoresque" but it works in dramatic pulsation...
Nilsson is simply gorgeous in love songs, giving only the essential, sometimes with a sad regret and disappointment, like in "There Will Never Be" (a lonely dance), "It's Been So Long" and "Without Her", the latter one the most perfect whispered love song (great flute!), the true loneliness without indulgence...In another hand, he chose happy counterpoints in the ragtime approach of "Freckles" or the extraordinary meddle of Beatles work "You Can't Do That"...
"Aerial Ballet" is a kind of second chapter to "Pandemonium...", some more of magnificient crafted songs in an ecclectic manner (Nilsson's scat is a copyright!), so distinctive and not a single moment dated!! Truly masterpieces here are "Don't Leave Me" (another touching love song! Notice the superlative last scat!), "Together" (probably his second best song!!Impeccable!!), "I Said Goodbye To Me" (superb bass backing vocals!) and all the last four tracks!! More commercial-oriented hits like "Mr.Richland's Favorite Song" and "Everybody's Talkin'" aren't also easy listening.
"Mr.Tinker" is a deep social meditation of a lonely person; "One" is probably Nilsson's best song (beautiful lamenting cello at the middle section) and "The Wailing of the Willow" is that late-sixties new thing called "bossa-nova" so softly inspired in Nilsson's hands!! "Bath" is a remarkable shouting farewell...And then go straight to bonus tracks again, the remix-album is just a interesting variation, this edition is an essential one!!!!

Changing the name of your favourite song..........2002-03-01

This is an irresistible package for anyone tracing (or revisiting) Harry Nilsson's sadly under-rated and neglected catalogue.

The "Pandemonium Shadow Show" album is a 1967 charmer, introducing Nilsson's unique and brilliant singing/songwriting talents. It features classics like "1941" and "Without Her". It could be accused of being overly in the thrall of the Beatles, but that would be to deny the charm of "You Can't Do That", which manages to cram much of the Beatles stylistic repertoire into one arrangement. At least he's wearing it on his sleeve. This playfulness remained one of Nilsson's many endearing characteristics.

The "Aerial Ballet" album is a real revelation; an achievement on equal terms with the Beatles, rather than standing in their shadow. With only one non-original song on the album ("Everybody's Talkin'", the one Nilsson song I guess everyone's familiar with), the strength of the songwriting ("Good Old Desk", "I Said Goodbye To Me", "One", etc) would stand alone even without the often breathtaking vocal performances. Most of the songs dissolve into Nilsson's inimitable "scat" vocalising in the final verse, which adds a level of poignancy and poetry beyond language. Running out of lyrics was an opportunity for such a talent! The vocal multilayering is very effective, and, I guess, technically advanced for its time.

The "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet" remix album is an interesting addition for the sake of completion. It was more successful saleswise than the original two albums, but I find myself sticking more with the original versions of the songs.
The bonus tracks are all very worthwhile, particularly the spine-tingling "Wasting My Time".

The sound quality appears to be fine, although I have my doubts about the "remastering" on these BMG reissues. I have nothing to compare "PSS" and "AB" to, but the reissue of "The Point" (double with "Skidoo") sounds markedly inferior to my original CD of that album.
Now, speaking of reissues, what about the post "Pussycats" albums?

Everybody should be talking about it..........2000-11-02

The original mastertapes were in shambles. When BMG went back to Harry's original masters for his first two albums for the Personal Best Anthology they found that the tapes needed tender loving care to bring out the best sound. Like lots of recordings from the same time frame, the tapes hadn't aged well.

This 2 disc set gets things right. Yes, there is still a significant amount of hiss but, trust me on this, it's better than having BMG reissue these classics using sonic solutions no noise (which was used on the Badfinger reissues from Apple--it's one of the reasons they sound so bad).

Tracks:

King of the Mountain
Pi
Bertie
Mrs. Bartolozzi
How to Be Invisible
Joanni
Coral Room

Tracks:

Prelude
Prologue
Architect's Dream
Painter's Link
Sunset
Aerial Tal
Somewhere in Between
Nocturn
Aerial

Album Description

Japanese 2 CD pressing of her 2005 album. EMI.

Album Details

Japanese Edition of the Long Awaited 2005 Opus from the Legendary Queen of Modern Singer/Songwriters. Includes Japanese Lyrics and an Obi Strip.

Customer Reviews:

Some tough-love concerning Aerial..........2007-07-30

First, the good news: Aerial is not another pair of red shoes, and it does contain some very good material. The not-so-good news: it's without a doubt the most uneven recording that Kate's ever done, involving more than its fair share of filler material. I'm going to go out on a limb here, risking the ire of probably all other Kate fans, to say that I've always thought she would benefit greatly from an outside producer, and I think this album bears me out on this. I'm thinking of someone who has solid credentials for protecting the artist's experimental nature, but who is also capable of maintaining a solid level of pop sensibility - Brian Eno comes to mind as a good example of what I'm talking about (Brian Eno producing Kate Bush, how awesome would that be!). Someone not only to bounce ideas off of, but also to act as a lens, focusing Kate's keen talent and vision for more consistent and satisfying results. Jeez, let's just try it for a couple of tunes and see what happens. Anyway, that said, it is great to hear her voice again after all these years, and the magick is definitely still there. Now, here's my play-by-play analysis of the songs on this ambitious 2-disc set, and I calls `em like I sees `em:

Disc 1 (A Sea of Honey) opens strongly with the first single, "King of the Mountain". This song reminds me a lot of some of the better songs off her very first album, as it has a cadence similar to "Moving", or "Saxophone Song". A cautionary tale about fame (in the be-careful-what-you-ask-for sense), this one gives me chills and stands right up there with her very best work. Unfortunately, it would set the bar a bit high. "Pi" is carried along by a bouncy little synthesizer and follows thematically in the vein of songs like "Them Heavy People", "Delius", and "Sat in Your Lap", where Kate expresses fascination, but also frustration, with those people that she views as her intellectual superiors. Reciting pi out to umpteen decimal places is certainly a clever device, and, being a scientist myself, I understand the point she's trying to make, but it can wear a bit thin after a few listens. I feel it might have been more effective and interesting to do a song about the CONSEQUENCES of focusing on one thing to the point of excluding all the other things that life has to offer. However, that said, if I'm going to listen to anyone recite numbers, then Kate would be the one, and I do appreciate the experiment. "Bertie" reminds me a lot of "Oh England, My Lionheart", except that it's a love song for her son instead of her country. Yeah, I guess it's awful cute right now, but boy it's sure gonna embarrass the heck outta the poor kid when he gets older! I can hear the taunts on the playground now: "Oooh Bertie, your sooo love-e-ly!", and "Oooh Bertie, give us sweet kisses!" Oh, man, the horror! I guess that, ultimately, mother does NOT stand for comfort! I sure hope there's a male influence in the kid's life, but, if there is, he's ominously absent from the CD booklet photos (unless it's the dude in the bird mask, but I doubt it). "Mrs. Bartolozzi" is just one of those slow, mellow songs that Kate does, and I've never really been into those. I've always primarily enjoyed the unique ways that she has employed rhythm, as well as her wild and whacky side, and there just isn't enough of that here. At least, I guess, in back-to-back songs we have the good and bad sides of motherhood and family life. "How to be Invisible" is the second great song on the album and has the hands-down best guitar sound that I've ever heard on any of her recordings. It's interesting that this is sort of a companion piece to "King of the Mountain", and deals with the problems of reclusiveness as a response to the pressures of fame. "Joanni", presumably about Joan of Arc, has a great feel to it, and reminds me texturally of some of Peter Gabriel's middle-period stuff. It also includes a great throat-clearing exercise that you can try at home! "A Coral Room" falls into the same category, for me, as "Mrs. Bartolozzi" - it's just too mellow and subdued for me to get into.

A lot of people are trying to push that disc 2 (A Sky of Honey) is just one long song in 9 suites, but I do think that each song is distinct. Unfortunately, this disk doesn't really get going until "Sunset", the 5th song; and I see the first 4 songs ("Prelude", "Prologue", "An Architect's Dream", and "The Painter's Link") as little individual overtures that lead up to (but overly delay) the main action. "The Painter's Link" could have been good, except that there's some guy trying to sing on it who can't (who is this man and why is he on my Kate Bush album?). Once again, this is where an outside producer, if present, could have gently whacked Kate across the knuckles with a ruler and assured her that she needs no vocal assistance. Getting back to "Sunset", it starts slow, but builds steadily into a snappy, flamenco-style ditty. For all its shortcomings, at least this disc saves the best for last, and finishes strongly with "Somewhere in Between", "Nocturn", and "Aerial". Of these 3, the first two are really great, moving along with a subtle, insistent beat, but also with a silky jazziness that is unlike any of her previous work. Never has her voice sounded so sexy and soulful! The whole affair closes with the (finally!) confident and demonstrative rocker that is the title song.

In conclusion, for longtime fans, I can recommend buying Aerial. Even with all that I perceive as filler, there's still plenty of good stuff to pick out and enjoy. Personally, I program in "King of the Mountain", "Pi", "How to be Invisible", "Joanni", "Sunset", "Somewhere in Between", "Nocturn", and "Aerial" for 49 minutes of thoroughly enjoyable music (note that this would have fit nicely onto ONE disc that I would have awarded 4 stars - ahem, ahem). For potential new fans - yeah, I guess you can start here, but be prepared for some pleasant, even shocking, surprises as you work back through her catalogue. Finally, my hope is that this represents a fresh re-start and that we won't have to wait until sometime next decade for another offering. Hey Kate, your son's going to be in school soon (if he isn't already) which means that you're just going to be sitting around the house with nothing to do. But, wait a minute, that's right, you've got a recording studio right there in your house! I've got an idea, since you evidently find doing laundry to be a traumatic experience, why not get someone else to do that while you RECORD MORE SONGS! I'm a genius! I demand a new album at least every two years (and don't forget to give Brian a call)!

splended!.......2006-01-01

Kate out did herself in this cd - the music arrangement is absolutely brilliant. It is a joy to hear her rich voice come through with such emotion in a every song. Her voice and music will elevate you like a bird flying in the sky.

In a word ............2005-12-29

...... WOW!!!

(Well worth the wait, folks! GET THIS ONE!!!)

(B)aerial.......2005-11-21

what a dissapointment. after twelve years kate couldn't come up with a little bit more than this boring bunch of bad songs...where is the fire? where are the real songs? this bland slowtempo thing just makes you wish for exciting songs she did on most of her previous albums. being a kate fan from the beginning, i realised that things went wrong from the whole story on. the new vocals for wuthering heights were so terrible and unneccesary. decline had set in. the sensual world did have three great songs ( sensual world, love and anger, this woman's work) but the rest just seem to drag on. The red shoes was even worse. And now there is aerial. Two cd's with pointless songs and unexciting melodies which we've heard before by other artists sung in a very insecure and tired sounding voice....my god woman upgrade your studio down and write some good songs.

Wow wow wow wow wow............2005-11-20

I have to admit it took me a while to really understand this album. It's so complex... and beautiful, really. At first listen there were a few songs that hit me right off, the evocative and sad Coral Room, Sunset, Bertie (a love song to her son), the throbbing Pi, How to be Invisible (which is a lot like the old Kate) a few others, but it's only after you've really listened to the whole package, with headphones, without distractions, do you really appreciate the labor of love that this record represents. She's going in some new directions -- more jazzy, more subtle. Some reviewers complained that this isn't the old Kate. Well, the old Kate grew up, had a child, and because she sings from her heart, of course her subject matter is going to be different. She's a much more mature artist. This has got to be album of the year. Oh, and the design of the package is amazing too. All I can say is wow.

Average customer rating:

The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Film Score Monthly
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Vol. 2
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Spy With My Face: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Movies
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Book: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of a Television Classic

ASIN: B0006SSQ8O
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

First Season Main Title [Revised/Extended]
Jerry Goldsmith Medley: The Deadly Games Affair/The Vulcan ...
Quadripartite Affair
Double Affair, Suite No. 2
Belly Laughs
Finny Foot Affair
Fiddlesticks Affair, Suite No. 2
Yellow Scarf Affair
Meet Mr. Solo
Spy With My Face
Discotheque Affair, Suite No. 2
Nowhere Affair
U.N.C.L.E. A Go Go
Bat Cave Affair
One of Our Spies Is Missing
Monks of St. Thomas Affair, Suite No. 2
Spy in the Green Hat
Gerald Fried Medley: The Foreign Legion Affair/The Apple a Day Affair
Karate Killers
Richard Shores Medley: The Summit-Five Affair/The "J" for Judas Affair

Tracks:

Girl from U.N.C.L.E. Main Title
Dog-Gone Affair
Prisoner of Zalamar Affair
Mother Muffin Affair
Mata Hari Affair
Montori Device Affair
Horns-of-the-Dilemma Affair
Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (End Title)
Deadly Quest Affair: Teaser
Deadly Quest Affair: Act 1
Deadly Quest Affair: Act 2
Deadly Quest Affair: Act 3
Deadly Quest Affair: Act 4

Average customer rating:

Great Music

Thomas Linley, Jr.: A Shakespeare Ode

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Shakespeare At Covent Garden / Pickett, Musicians Of The Globe
Nutmeg and Ginger: Spicy Ballads from Shakespeare's London
The Enchanted Island (Music for a restoration "Tempest") / Pickett, Musicians of the Globe
From the Court of Frederick the Great

ASIN: B000007OTE
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Tracks:

A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: Overture
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: Minuetto
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 1 Chorus: O guardian Of That Sacred Land'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 2 Recitative: 'Tis Thine Alone'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 3 Air: 'Come Then, O Fancy'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 4 Recitative: 'At Shakespeare's Happy Birth'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 5 Air: 'And Now Is Come'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 6 Chorus: 'Be Shakespeare Born'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 7 Recitative: 'So Spake The God'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 8 Air: 'There In Old Arden's Inmost Shade'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 9 Recitative: 'And As Before His Purged Eyes'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 10 Air: 'Thy Hand His Youthful Footsteps Led'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 11 Air: 'Some Drive The Clam'rous Owl Away'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 12 Solo & Chorus: 'Some Drive The Clam'rous Owl Away'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 13 Recitative: 'But Oh! What Sudden Gloom'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 14 Quartet: 'By The Pale Light'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 15 Recitative: 'See Through The Glimmering Darkness'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 16 Chorus: 'What Howling Whirlwinds'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 17 Recitative: 'For Whom, At Yonder Livid Flame'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 18 Air: 'Whither Ye Beldames'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 19 Quartet & Chorus: 'The Tempests Cease'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 20 Recitative: 'No More The Elves'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 21 Air: 'Ariel, Who See Thee Now'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 22 Recitative: 'No More Shalt Thou'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 23 Duet: 'For Who Can Wield'
A Shakespeare Ode On The Witches And Fairies: No. 24 Chorus: 'Yet, Fancy, Once Again'

Customer Reviews:

Great Music.......2000-06-04

Thomas Linley Jr. (1756-1778) was one of the most promising young english composers at his time. He was like Mozart a wunderkind, born into a very musical family. He was also a student of William Boyce (1711-1779). Unfortunately Thomas Linley Jr. died in a boat accident only 22 years old. The english musicologist and conductor Philip Pickett (the leader of the brilliant original instruments orchestra New London Consort) has formed the theatre-ensemble Musicians of The Globe in order to perform music written for and inspired by Shakespeare's plays. The music is beautiful, the performances are superb, and the recording is excellently balanced.

Gruber: Aerial; Eötvös: Jet Stream; Turnage: From the Wreckage

Average customer rating:

Gruber: Aerial; Eötvös: Jet Stream; Turnage: From the Wreckage

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

John Adams: The Dharma at Big Sur/My Father Knew Charles Ives
Exposed Throat
Misterioso
Osvaldo Golijov: Ainadamar
Louis Andriessen: Writing to Vermeer

ASIN: B000FOR9XC
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

Done With The Compass - Done With The Chart!
Gone Dancing
Jet Stream For Trumpet And Orchestra
From The Wreckage: Concerto For Trumpet And Orchestra

Amazon.com

A fascinating disc combining brilliant virtuosity and outstanding contemporary works. H.K. Gruber's Aerial is an accessible two-movement trumpet concerto. Its first movement depicts an imaginary landscape of northern wastes and begins with thin-air sonorities that turn into weightier passages that climb and recede. The second movement is more earthbound in its wit, with the trumpet, often muted, now soaring, now quizzical, partnered by the powerful rhythms of the orchestra. Peter Eötvös, who conducts the Gothenburg Symphony in all three works, contributes his Jet Stream, which opens with a cross between a foghorn and a Bronx cheer, and continues to explore spacy textures and a fascinating solo part, part improvisational, in which the soloist is shadowed by a trio of trumpeters. Mark-Anthony Turnage's From the Wreckage moves from desolation to assertive hope, with compact orchestration, lyric passages of great beauty, and raucous jazz rhythms - a heady mix that works here. Hardenberger is amazing throughout all three works, playing a variety of instruments, from flugelhorn to standard trumpet to the brilliant high piccolo trumpet, plus a range of mutes and altered trumpets as well. This one's not just for trumpet aficionados, it will intrigue anyone interested in the best of the current contemporary classical scene. --Dan Davis

Average customer rating:

Dreamy British Pop Sounds

Aerial Days
Songs of Green Pheasant
Manufacturer: Fat Cat
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Lo-Fi | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Songs of Green Pheasant
Yellow House
God Save the Clientele
The Good, the Bad & the Queen
Ys

ASIN: B000FQWG06
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Tracks:

Pink By White
Remembering And Forgetting
Wolves Amongst Snowmen
Stars Form Birds
Dear Produence
Wintered
Brody Jacket

Customer Reviews:

Dreamy British Pop Sounds.......2007-02-20

Duncan Sumpner of Oughtibridge in Sheffield, England makes some gently melodic shoegazing psychedelic pop for your own personal afterhours post-party session(s). Floating in a warm/cool haze over the course of six original compositions and a fine cover of The Beatles' "Dear Prudence", this casts a long sweetly melancholic shadow over your living room. A real gem and well worth your time.

Average customer rating:

TRACKS ARE...
Post-Progressive Fusion At Its Best
A Exelent option

Aerial View
Gamalon
Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Gamalon
High Contrast
Project: Activation Earth
Snakes & Arrows

ASIN: B000008FVF
Release Date: 1990-04-11

Customer Reviews:

TRACKS ARE..........2006-08-31

1. Beat The Heat
2. Lena
3. The Lost Ghost
4. The Rift
5. 1969
6. Bleeker St.
7. Large March
8. U.F.O.
9. Aerial View
10. Relapse

Post-Progressive Fusion At Its Best.......2004-06-27

The best band ever to come out of Buffalo, New York (sorry, Goo Goo Dolls) is right on the mark with this one. This is post-progressive fusion at its best. Bruce Brucato shines, a tremendous but unheralded talent. Ted Reinhardt is a local legend in western NY, and his drumming on "Aerial View" shows why. Gamalon is still together in 2004. This one is a great way to learn who they are.

A Exelent option.......2003-06-18

When you want to ear progresive rock, you only have to do something, buy this gamalon's cd. It's charged with a perfect combination of jazz, rock, everything that you want to ear in a group.

Average customer rating:

More than organized sound...

Aerial #1

Manufacturer: Sub Rosa
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Aerial #2
Aerial #3
Pond
Dockstader: Apocalypse
Dockstader: Quatermass

ASIN: B0007O3920
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Tracks:

Song
Om
Rumble
Shout
Raga
Dada
Tremblar
Lala
Myst
Aw
March
Harbor
Swell
Pulse
Second Song

Customer Reviews:

More than organized sound..........2006-12-15

John Cage famously posited that the most eloquent music occurs without human intervention; that which we hear if we simply sit quietly. But, much of Cage's music, especially the aleatoric, is more interesting to talk and think about than to listen to. Composers of electronic music have always been on the defensive regarding the issue of whether or not their compositions are, in fact, music, as opposed to organized sound or composed noise. Part of the problem is that many listeners wonder if the music is driven by evolution of the technology; e.g., "That's a neat sound, let's plug it in here." I'm afraid that that may be the case among lesser composers. On the other hand, technology has always had a hand in moving the thresholds of musical thought and playing technique. Just try to imagine Franz Lizst played on a harpsicord, or even an early piano-forte.

But enough about me. Tod Dockstader is one of the 2nd generation of composers to have utilized purely electronic means to realize the music - the performance is the composition, and vice-versa. I won't go deeply into his biography, but he worked in the hinterlands of movie soundtracks in the late '60s and '70s. Denied access to the major e-music focus groups such as the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center, he was forced to make his own way with more primitive and limited resources. Therein lies the wonder of this music. Dockstader has limited the raw material of Arial 1, 2 and 3, a vast composition with a duration of well over three hours, to shortwave radio noise; the stuff you hear between recognizably human signals. Divided into episodes, the music soars and rolls over the listener with an amazing power; and it just keeps on coming. As with any worthy music, the whole is much more than the sum of the parts. And the titles of the episodes reveal that Tod realised them without programatic pretense; they simple suggest how the sound plays on the ear, and not incidentally, give us a handle on each more usable than merely numbering them.

Is this music? I would say, mostly emphatically, yes. What does it mean? What does any music mean. Does it conjur images? I suppose that's unavoidable, but not necessarily undesirable. Will it pay your taxes and get rid of your dandruff? No.

Pop Music: