The Sensual World
Kate Bush
1989
Album Summary
The Sensual World is the sixth studio album by English art rock singer Kate Bush, released on 16 October 1989 by EMI Records. The album peaked at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart. It has been certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments in excess of 300,000 in the United Kingdom, and Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States.
WikipediaWith all Kate Bush albums there is an element of intrigue and mystery. This is proved sonically with this album. The power and range of her voice is constant throughout with layers of atmospheric instrumentation. All mixed to never interfere with the vocals at centre stage but instead to enhance even more as the tracks build. Highlights are The Fog, Reaching Out, Deeper Understanding and the incredible finale This Woman’s Work. I personally prefer The Hounds Of Love slightly but this is still a valiant effort as a follow up to the album that has defined her career.
it doesn't quite give me the feels hounds of love does, but i'll be goddamned if i wasn't getting verklempt at "this woman's work."
La légende raconte que Kate Bush a écrit cet album quelques heures seulement après s'être acheté deux sweatshirts dans un magasin GAP. Et on a envie d'y croire tant le projet est une réussite.
Beautiful, lyrical, ethereal. The opening and closing tracks are exquisite. Kate Bush is in a class of her own.
Kate Bush suffers from what I like to call "Björkism." Björkism is a disease that causes vocalists to wander aimlessly; rarely, if ever, approaching anything resembling a melody, let alone a legitimate hook. In fact, vocalists who suffer from Björkism often seem downright phobic when it comes to hooks. Instead, they choose to warble endlessly and leave the listener exhausted from trying to follow along. I call this syndrome Björkism, not because I believe that Kate Bush bit the style from the eponymous Björk, but because Björk is the ultimate example of this disease. Accordingly, "The Sensual World" by Kate Bush receives a slightly better score than your average Björk album because, as annoying as it is, at least it's not Björk.
Hard to find something to enjoy about this record. Weird 80s beats and all the songs sound the same.
Right... I'm guessing this is going to be a bit of a theme but here we go: I know this album is great, but spending one day with it isn't enought. I feel bad rating the album anything without giving it its due diligence... So, I'll give it 5 stars in the hopes that I'm not wrong once I've dedicated the time to the album that it deserves. Again, Kate Bush is a fascinating and revolutionary artist, one that is worth studying and appreciating.
Yes. This clicked Kate Bush for me. I always appreciated she had an amazing voice and style, but I never enjoyed her music and always found it a bit too soft and airy. This album packs a punch, it's daring and out there, and her voice cuts through that brilliantly. It's fantastic
This kind of discovery is exactly why I was excited about the prospect of this project. I would never have given it a chance. Wikipedia says "Art Pop?" Gag. But I listened once and felt a spark. Then again and started digging it. Now a third time in four days and it keeps growing on me. I love the theme (of most tracks) of yearning for human connection in various types. It's human and earnest and totally disarmed my assumptions about being pretentious. It's a little weird, but just a little, so it seems like it's in a sweet spot for me. So like, Tori Amos and Robyn and Portishead in a stew, not Bjork salad.
Highlights: The Sensual World, Deeper Understanding, This Woman's Work It's easy (and frankly lazy) to compare Kate Bush to Tori Amos, but there is so much more. Both feature a strong, crystal clear vocal talent, companied with classically-trained piano...Bush's haunting, sweeping melodies intertwined with other-worldly lyrics are easily her own, comparisons be damned. She'll hook you with a pop-like progression and turn on you, shattering your expectations with the unsettling reality that this is her show, she's going to run it her way. It's great. This is a strong album from start to finish.
Bush finally clicks. A sumptuous record (or should I say sensual) where the artist is able to convey an emotional range above and beyond the mere mortal. Best track: This Woman's Work.
Excellent album, en revanche j'ai pas trop apprécié sa décla comme quoi "tout le monde préfère sa propre race à celle des autres"
Titellåten gjorde ingenting för mig. Försökte för hårt att vara porrig och sensuell. Bra fart och nice David Gilmour-gitarr i Love And Anger. I The Fog är Kate Bush' röst så fin och skör. Precis tillräckligt stämningsfull och mystisk och experimentell, mycket bra! Reaching Out är kraftfull, kanske lite för powerballadig. Mer poetiskt än melodiskt vacker. Heads We're Dancing visar upp ett kul och innovativt låtskrivande, när berättarjaget blir uppbjuden till dans av Hitler. Deeper Understanding fortsätter understryka vad som verkar vara genomgående i albumet: briljant låtskrivande och sång av Kate Bush, men musikaliska arrangemang som är ganska släta och för mycket 80-tal för mig. Handlar om hur berättarjaget får kärlek och förståelse endast av en dator (före sin tid frågetecken). Between a Man and a Woman och Never Be Mine ljöd i lurarna utan att jag reagerade nämnvärt, varken bra eller dåligt. Rocket's Tail däremot! De första tre verserna är endast Bush' sång ackompanjerad av en bakgrundskör (den bulgariska kören Trio Bulgarka enligt wiki) innan bandet slår som en slägga - gitarrer och bas, trummor och hat - som förvandlar låten till ett fantastiskt rocknummer. David Gilmour med även här. This Woman's Work fantastiskt vacker. Tydligen ska bakgrundssången låta som en kvinna med sammandragningar inför en födsel. Ett bra album, med ett sound som kanske inte åldrats så väl, men som ändå lyckas dra in en i sin meditativa aura. Med en enigmatisk och mystisk Kate Bush blir det en upplevelse! Avslutet, med Rocket's Tail och This Woman's Work (räknar inte med bonusspåret Walk Straight Down the Middle), höjer albumet väldigt mycket! Under lyssningen gick mitt betyg från en 2:a, med hjälp av Kate Bush' mysticism till en 3:a, och tack vare de avslutande låtarna, som hjälpte mig se resten av albumet i ett nytt ljus, till en stabil 4:a! Bästa låt: Den första som stack ut efter en grundligare lyssning var The Fog. Men de två sista låtarna måste också nämnas. Speciellt andra halvan av Rocket's Tail.
I’m a huge fan of Kate Bush but I think this is one of her weakest albums. There aren’t any bad songs, but no absolute knockouts either. This is probably her most commercially appealing work which is also probably why I’m not as enthusiastic about it. I would give this a 3.5 but round up because I’m not sure if her iconic albums like Never Forever, The Dreaming, Hounds of Love or Aerial will show up on this list
Who knew that something that begins with a Ulysses-inspired tune would turn out to be so lush? Layered, dense, and beautiful.
This just wasn't for me. I liked the David Gilmour solo towards the end of the album that other than that this was a chore.
Okay but have you seen the Sensual Worlds music video? ♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️
- iffy volume mixing, nice for background with moments where it steals your attention. - Out-there but not as out-there as other Kate Bush stuff. Nicely listenable.
The most extravagant thing I've ever done is fly to the UK to see Kate Bush twice in a week back in 2014. It's not The Hounds of Love or The Dreaming but there's a lot of good things on this album. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this album. The B-side (starting with 'Deeper Understanding') is a go to but I often skip the patchier A-side. There's something about the "mmm, yes" at the start of the title track, the whole song is one of my favourite vocals of hers. 'Love and Anger' is interesting but after this the first side gets increasingly patchy. 'The Fog' is ok, 'Reaching Out' is a bit of a nothing song and 'Heads We're Dancing' is one of the worst songs she's ever released. The second side is a different story though, some of the very best of her songs - 'Deeper Understanding', 'Never Be Mine', 'Rocket's Tail, 'This Woman's Work' plus the tacked on B-side 'Walk Straight Down The Middle' included on the CD version. I was originally excited hearing about 'The Director's Cut', anticipating she was taking the worst songs from this album and 'The Red Shoes' and making something of them. Instead she took the best songs from both albums and made them worst. Not her best but up there. Would probably give 4.5 stars but have no problem rounding up to the full 5.
One of my favorites. Nobody addresses poetry in music quite like Kate.
Kate Bush is my guilty pleasure, however just based on her hits. Never took the time to listen to albums let alone this one. The album is great, the songs really flow together with the indistinguishable voice of Kate of course.
Kate Bush’s THE SENSUAL WORLD was a staple since my college years. I have routinely listened to it since its release in 1989. I love every song on it. While not her most experimental sounding work, there is plenty of variety on it. I particularly love her use of the Bulgarian ensemble and other world music influences scattered throughout. On of my many favorite Kate Bush albums that I never tire of.
Kate Bush is incredible. In looking at previous work in this project, Hounds of Love is one of my favorite albums ever. This album didn't quite show the variety of voices and styles that I appreciated so much in that one, but I still very much love so much of it. The title track has always been a sensual favorite, and "This Woman's Work" will always be emotionally connected to the scene from "She's Having a Baby," which it was written for. I did notice the influence from the very popular in the late 80s "Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares" keep creeping in, and then saw that it had an actual Bulgarian women's choir join in. "Deeper Understanding" is strangely prescient of our times for 1989! "Love and Anger" continues to be the sort of engaging song that made it on the US charts.
A little into the title track, the first on the album, the impression was that this was going to be a fairly flat reworking of early Kate Bush, but how wrong this impression was. The album grows steadily throughout and by the end I was more than a little impressed. A very suprising 5 from me It is not going to be to liked by everyone as it is not pop, not rock, nor blues, not even jazz. It defies any form of categorisation
It took me a while to formulate my thoughts on this one as it's an album I find very hard to rate. On one hand this is very clearly a step down from her best but it's still a Kate Bush album and still a great one. It doesn't have the wild experimentation of The Dreaming or the grand pop tunes of Hounds of Love but it does have consistently great Kate bush songwriting throughout with excellent personal and touching lyrics. Not 5/5 in the context of her discography but in the wider world of music I think I'll just about give it a 5.
4/26 Certainly a more personal, divine feminine type album, she does it well and she's got a great, very expressive voice. Standout Tracks: The Sensual World, The Fog, Between A Man And A Woman, Rocket's Tail (For Rocket)
i have listened to kate bush before but not this album, i'll probably like it post listen: nice
Deeper understanding is a disturbingly accurate depiction of today. Rocket Tail is my highlight.
Always a fan of her unique expression. I feel like I need to listen to her more.
Like it - pleasantly surprising that Kate Bush was such a popular artist. She is so strange and interesting. All very dramatic - Really like the strings, not so keen on that 80's guitar. I was really digging Rocket's Tail until that bloody guitar... Still a cool song. Liked the last few songs the most
Hier en daar enkele eigenaardig opgebouwde nummers, maar wel een goed album
Eccentric in all the right places with the added bonus of 'This woman's work' being one of my favourite songs
A couple of super excellent tracks on this- the instrumentation is so beautiful and at times like nothing I have ever heard before. Her voice is soo unique as well and the approach to a lot of the songs is genius. Love this woman and her work :’)
This is an album from 1989. It sounds like 1989. I can hear where other artists have emulated Kate.
This was the first time listening the album which is consistently strong collection of songs. The range is there, the intricacies but it is missing something.
Not her best album, or even her second best imo, but still bloody good.
I neglected to try out this record before. Shameful. I got the impression before her style was insufferably quirky. However, her duo with Peter Gabriel was achingly reassuring, "Don't Give Up." That carries over directly to the tone of this album, especially with "This Woman's Work" and the quality of production and Mick Karn on fretless bass. Just like I was late to the party (by decades) for Annie Lennox - Diva, I've got to take some sweet time to brew on this one.
Ok...Love and Anger is an all time favorite I like the rest of the album too. Yes, she goes "out there" because she was more performance artist then musician. I forgive the kooky so I can enjoy the good stuff
enjoyed this much more than i thought i would. waves of lush instrumentation and Bush's unique voice all add up to something that is wonderful rather than weird
Pretty cool, I enjoyed this one. More of a 3.5, but rounding up because of how consistent the high quality of this album was.
She has a different sound. I was always a fan of 'Wuthering Heights' but had never listened to any of her other albums.
Last few songs were great, but overall not as good as some of her other albums
Jag ämnar inte ljuga, jag började lyssna på detta å sen kom de gäster å de va på i bakgrunden så ja fick int lyssnat ordentligt,,,, det får ändå en 4 dock ty kate bush LOL🌅
I hadn’t heard this before and it didn’t have an immediate great number like Hounds of Love or Wuthering Heights, but on second and third listens it reveals itself as a wonderful, coherent piece. Four stars, and can see it gathering the fifth after more listens.
I remember thinking that Kate Bush wasn't angry enough when I was in high school and now I feel like she is jus the right amount of angry. Her intensity is captivating.
The voice. The mysterious yet uplifting atmosphere. These are things that sit right up front and center for any Kate Bush record. I'm not as familiar with this particular one but it doesn't disappoint. If there's any negative there's definitely no escaping some of the 80s feel to it (e.g. chorus, gated drums)...but honestly somehow it's rarely distracting I think because the music itself is so interesting. There's often much going on and yet not so much as to be distracting or anything approaching a wall of sound. Her arrangements are always impeccable in terms of instrumentation within a song. Highlights: "Love and Anger" (with notable guitar from David Gilmour) "Reaching Out" and "This Woman's Work" 7/10 4 stars.
Another great Kate Bush album. Gorgeous production to match her beautiful voice. Not quite as good as Hounds of Love or The Kick Inside but still a great album. 4 🌟
I wasn't super into this one until the second half, which was excellent!
After the incredible success of her prior album, Hounds of Love, Kate Bush effectively had total artistic freedom. She had proven herself as being a pop virtuoso, being skilled in songwriting, production, and performance. Kate Bush was untouchable, and could do whatever the hell she wanted. The Sensual World comes across as her most mature and subtle work to date. Instead of big bombastic vocal performances, Bush lets the instruments tell their story while blending in her voice which results in a more polished, appreciated product. Admittedly, I enjoy this a lot more than her previous works (though nothing will ever top the song Running Up That Hill). Really just a wonderful release from the pop queen. I expect nothing less.
I’ve have never really gave Kate Bush much time, as the little I knew of her work didn’t really appeal to me back in the day. Now that my exposure to her work has been expanded, I do have appreciation for it…although I struggled to connect to all of this album. Repeated listens did help, and there are a few tracks that I really love!
I’m the clear Kate Bush newbie here, it seems. Shame on me. I liked this a lot! Definitely liked it more than Bush. (The band and the Presidents.) The sound of this record won me over pretty much from the word go. Beautiful sounds, colorful voice. I dig it. And now I’m wondering if there’s gonna be a Bush record on this list. I mean, probably. Ah hell.
Already own this album, and I have to admit - after The Kick Inside, this one took a while to grow on me. But grow it did! Kate Bush's lush soundscapes are augmented with prominent use of synthesised sounds, including what I take to be a Fairlight - and it works. Yes, it's a sleeker proposition than many of the preceding albums. That works for me! Hell, there's even a Mick Karn bass line on 'Heads We're Dancing'. Bush's singing is every bit as characterful as it ever was, and on this release seems to find new depths of feeling. Am I off-base by suggesting that this is Bush's most overtly feminist collection to date? Regardless, it's indebtedness to New Wave aside, The Sensual World is a peculiar, original, lovely creation.
So what this is telling me is that St. Vincent owes a lot to Kate Bush. Everything I like about St. Vincent is here in this album, it seems like, though I don't have that one song that gets stuck in my head, like 'New York'. But that's neither here nor there. I've listened to other Kate Bush work before but it never grabbed my attention like this one. And this is lesser Kate Bush? Fantastic.
Kate Bush is sexy. Standout tracks were the title track, Deeper Understanding, and Rocket's Tail.
I was pleasantly surprised with this album. Quality songs, cool orchestration mixed with classic 80s synth sounds. Flavors of Stevie Nicks with complex vocal arrangements. Musical influences from around the world-- Sensual indeed! I appreciate the non traditional song structures. Favorite tracks: The Fog , Heads We're Dancing, Between a Man and a Woman, Never Be Mine I liked almost every song
Absolutely Ethereal. Which I think is just very much Her vibe. I'm glad people are finding about her, she fucking deserves more.
Number three from Kate Bush. It's my least favorite of the three but dammit it's still great. Something about her voice, and just the eclectic instrumentation, you never know what's coming around the corner. This one's a lot less experimental than The Dreaming, and it lacks the dreamy pop grandeur of Hounds of Love, but it's still very enjoyable, with plenty of melodies and hits that I'll come back to. Special shoutout to "Deeper Understanding," where she croons about treating the computer as a friend as she installs a new program. Hilarious. So far, Kate Bush has been one of my favorite discoveries from this list, even with all the Stranger Things tik tok stuff going around. I'll take as many albums from her as they want to throw at us. Favorite tracks: Reaching Out, Love and Anger, Heads We're Dancing, Deeper Understanding, Never Be Mine, Rocket's Tail, The Woman's Work. Album art: Frankly, weaker than the other two as well. Pretty basic portrait shot with little intrigue. Not much to say here, wish it was more enticing. 4/5
For as modern as the arrangements of this album are, Kate Bush’s voice retains its timeless otherworldly quality. She has a clear vision of what she wants this record to be, an intimidate understanding of what women endure.
It's Kate Bush. It's just not as immediately catchy as her earlier work. The late 80s instrumentation is a little bit soft for me but there are many layers of experimentation hidden in this well produced pop album. (4.0)
Yeah, nice album, particularly liked This Woman's Work. Her voice is very atmospheric and enjoyable. I prefer it to The Hounds of Love definitely.