The Red Shoes (2018 Remaster)

純然たるオリジナリティ、豊かな情感に裏打ちされた表現力…、全世界を魅了する歌姫の作品が、新リマスター音源となって再び世界に鳴り響く…!世界から圧倒的リスペクトを受ける稀代の天才、ケイト・ブッシュ。童話『赤い靴』をモチーフにした1948年の同名映画にインスパイアされて制作した、1993年発表の7作目『THE RED SHOES』が待望の初リマスター音源となって遂に登場!

Entertainment Weekly - "...Filled with lovely, if loopy, pop songs, RED SHOES makes sense of Bush's excesses without squelching her beguiling silliness...." - Rating: B+ NME - Ranked #45 in New Musical Express' list of `The Top 50 LPs Of 1993' - "...when the blues really burn, she'll break your heart...." NME - 9 - Excellent Plus - "...a paradoxical thing. It's her most personal album to date, yet it's also her most accessible, in which the listener can identify personally with the pain she's trying to pull herself through....a truly exceptional album...." Rolling Stone - 3.5 Stars - Good Plus - "...There are more hooks on THE RED SHOES than on any of [Kate Bush's] releases since THE DREAMING...while the music has settled down somewhat, Bush herself remains rambunctious, and it's a saving grace..." Spin - Recommended - "...Great songs lurk on THE RED SHOES....Bush still sings like a siren..." Melody Maker - "...an utter masterpiece. It had decked me within four tracks and by the climax I was positively subterranean...." Musician - "...Between the theatrical arrangements and aggressively intimate vocals, Bush has clearly labored to do justice to the soul's storms..." Q - 3 Stars - Good - "...THE RED SHOES improves immeasurably after repeated plays over a long period of time...[it's] more musically varied than thematically..."

The album is a continuation of Bush's multi-layered and multiple musical pursuits and interests. If not her strongest work -- a number of songs sound okay without being particularly stellar, especially given Bush's past heights -- Red Shoes is still an enjoyable listen with a number of diversions. The guest performer list is worthy of note alone, ranging from Procol Harum pianist Gary Brooker and Eric Clapton to Prince, but this is very much a Kate Bush album straight up as opposed to a collaborative work like, say, Santana's Supernatural. Opening song "Rubberband Girl" is actually one of her strongest singles in years, a big and punchy song served well with a horn section, though slightly let down by the stiff percussion. "Eat the Music," another smart choice for a single, mixes calypso and other Caribbean musical touches with a great, classically Bush lyric mixing up sexuality, romance, and various earthy food-based metaphors. Another highlight of Bush's frank embrace of the lustier side of life is "The Song of Solomon," a celebratory piece about the Bible's openly erotic piece. Those who prefer her predominantly piano and vocal pieces will enjoy "Moments of Pleasure" with a strong string arrangement courtesy of Michael Kamen. Other standouts include "Why Should I Love You?" with Prince creating a very Prince-like arrangement and backing chorus for Bush (and doing quite well at that) and the concluding "You're the One," featuring Brooker. ~ Ned Raggett|