Kate Bush's "50 Words for Snow"

#50WordsforSnow #KateBush

From up on that hill, perhaps wearing a capelet over a flowy Victorian gown, Kate Bush has been regarded as a spirit saint of fearless individuality by a generation of musicians such as Björk and Tori Amos as well as younger mystics-in-training such as Florence Welch, Leslie Feist and Bat for Lashes. All that adoration in the ether must’ve stirred the reclusive British singer-songwriter to create not just one album this year — “Director’s Cut,” a reinterpretation of songs from “The Sensual World” and “The Red Shoes” — but also a second one, “50 Words for Snow,” an art-song cycle that veers from delicate to blustery but always with a sheen of elegance.

Bush grounds her songs in the permafrost of winter, with her piano work sounding like the first stirrings after a cold snap. “Among Angels” could be the soundtrack for plants stretching toward the new spring sun, but as much as it’s connected to the natural world, the song twinkles with something more ethereal. “I can see angels standing around you,” Bush sings in her windblown soprano, “they shimmer like mirrors in summer.”

With all seven of the songs clocking in at six to 10 minutes each, Bush takes her time, but the songs aren’t built of different parts; it’s more like mounting meditations on one theme. The opening track, “Snowflake,” is written from the point of view of falling snow, the kind of precious conceit only Bush and maybe a class of kindergarten children could get away with. But it’s a committed trance, a chase down a liminal hallway made of ice, dust and other fleeting natural phenomena. In the center of the song, Steve Gadd’s drums kick up and recharge the mission, one of many examples of his key influence on the album.

For all the concentration on the songs, there’s energy and humor too. “Misty” depicts a little knocking boots with a snowman; unfortunately, he’s melting right next to her. On the title track, Bush goads British actor Stephen Fry into naming, with flourish and deadpan ease, all the words for “snow,” which include “whirlissimo” and “bad for trains.” For the star-crossed love note “Snowed In at Wheeler Street,” Bush teams with Elton John, who sings with more conviction than he has in years. It might be cold in Bush’s world, but it’s far from frozen. It’s the vanishing world illuminated by a furnace-blast of life.

LA Times--Margaret Wappler

Comments

4 Strategies for practicing Radical Self-Acceptance

Radical Self-Acceptance Painting by Jennifer Mazzucco #mindfulness #self-judgment #RadicalSelfAcceptance #negativethinkingpatterns #thoughts Radical acceptance involves acknowledging how life unfolds without resistance, even if we don't like things at any given moment. It can take effort to apply this principle. How can we begin to accept our situation and ourselves despite experiencing anxiety, uncertainty, and fear? Why self-acceptance is not the same as complacency. It is essential now, more than ever, to practice radical self-acceptance. This means training ourselves to find inner stability despite unpredictable external circumstances. Ultimately, we are responsible for acknowledging our hidden wounds, which can lead to personal and collective growth. Radical self-acceptance is the opposite of avoiding responsibility or giving up in self-defeat. It requires pushing against old ways of being to open the door to deep healing. Embracing radical self-acceptance allows us to int...

Coping With Moods: The Challenge of the Turbulent Mind

#Mood #Impulses #selfregulate #selfsoothe #Triple5LightTherapy #BlackMaleTherapist #Psychotherapy The power of moods and impulses can be overwhelming, but we can learn to self-regulate and self-soothe through awareness practices like meditation and mindfulness. By developing a healthy dialogue with our emotional nature, we can access deeper parts of ourselves and become more resilient in the face of stress and pressure. Rather than being swept away by our ever-shifting moods, we can learn to pause and reflect before acting. by Gillian McCann, Ph.D., and Gitte Bechsgaard, RP

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

#MLK #Assassination #MartinLutherKingJr #Memorial National Civil Rights Museum The Lorraine Motel where James Earl Ray assassinated King on April 4, 1968, is a complex of museums that trace the civil rights movement in the U.S. from the 17th century to the present. #MLK #MartinLutherKingJr #Memorial https://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

Overcoming Resentment in Relationships

#resentment #Anger #bitterness #jealousy #Shame #Trauma It’s normal to feel resentment, which involves feelings of anger or bitterness over a slight injustice or a major incident. However, continuing to hold onto these feelings can have negative consequences for your physical and mental health. Some people avoid addressing their feelings and continue to harbor anger at their family members or significant other. For example, maybe your sister started dating your ex after you told her it was okay, but you can’t believe she went ahead and did it. As a result, you avoid seeing her or making snide comments when you’re with her as you are so angry. Others act out because of their resentment. Maybe you said something rude to someone at work because you can’t believe they were chosen over you for a special award. Or after your significant other was unfaithful to you, you lashed out by choosing revenge to cheat to get back at them. This article will discuss the ...

Triple5Light Therapy

Search This Blog