KATE BUSH

Released for the US and Canadian markets, Kate Bush's self-titled 1983 EP is some variation of different singles that were released years prior, the one exception being the 1979 Hammersmith Odeon live version of "James and the Cold Gun" (released that year via the On Stage EP ).

It begins with the excellent "Sat In Your Lap", released a year prior on The Dreaming. I'm sure I said some variation of this, but this is a Kate Bush essential to me. "James and the Cold Gun", to reiterate, is a call-back to a different time entirely, released on her 1978 debut, The Kick Inside, this version being from a live performance in '79 (still 4 years before the release of this EP). I believe I said something of this sort when reviewing On Stage, but there's something slightly heavier in this version. It's nice to hear the backing vocals handled live. Organ sounds awesome and, as I noted then, the half-time slow at the end of the song is actually more impactful here than on the studio version. I got a real kick out of watching the actual video of this live performance, with a creeping Kate holding a pistol and then, even going so far as aiming at the audience, a rifle.

"Ne t'enfuis pas" is the French-sung post-progressive number, which B-sided "Suspended in Gaffa". Just an interesting use of sonics. I would think just a bit ahead of its time. Not a wild or crazy interesting song, but lovely. Then it's onto one of her signature classics, "Babooshka", a wild Art Pop track about infidelity and... trickery? Of course the chorus (and the music video) is iconic. Then the aforementioned "Suspended in Gaffa". I definitely had to be more honest with myself about rating for this track. It's a Baroque Pop song with a sort of harpsicord sound and a light, upbeat lilt. I love this song, and especially when it crescendos to a feral, untamed Kate, just waiting to be king, I do suppose haha. And finally, the French version of "The Infant Kiss", "Un Baiser D'Enfant". Interesting, indeed. This is a sort of eerie track off of Never for Ever. This is my first time hearing it in French. Nice song, but it was never anywhere near a favorite of mine.

A barely-rounded-up True Rate of 3.5/5.0