AERIAL

It has been 12 long (very long) years since her last album (Red Shoes) , which wasn't as good as the previous one (Sensual World). If you wonder how can an album require so much time in the making, you'll understand why when you dig your teeth into this one. What can I say except absolute brilliance and sheer beauty from the first second to the last one. I won't go in detail describing the songs (someone below just did it brilliantly) but you do have to allow yourself time to accomodate yourself to it and appreciate it for what it is, as oppposed to what you thought it should be. Yes it is comprised of two "sides" one side containing individual songs (Sea Of Honey) , all of them delicious and strong (except maybe How To Be Invisible), and to answer fellow reviewer Chris Stacey, I think Joannie refers to Joan Of Arc. The second side is a concept suite called Sky Of Honey, and here, unlike The Ninth Wave on Hounds Of Love which has soft as well as diabolically agressive moments, the whole suite is kept to a relatively constant mood, which is very pastoral and plays a lot on "soundscapes". It is meant to be a journey through nature from the afternoon through to sunset, night and finally dusk with Kate being the observer (or the painter maybe); each period of time presented in richly coloured and almost , yes, honey-like musical ideas. The whole thing is a celebration of nature in wonder and amazement, and the mood is transmitted to the listener with wonderful skill. You should listen to this side with the lights off, at high volume, with your eyes closed; and let yourself be transported to a magical journey. It is like a hot baked cake that smells like sugar, or for that matter, honey. Masterpiece!