Director's Cut (Kate Bush album)

Director's Cut is the ninth studio album by English singer-songwriter Kate Bush that she released in May 2011.[1] It contains no new material: it is only made up of songs from her earlier albums The Sensual World and The Red Shoes which have been remixed and restructured, three of which were re-recorded completely. It was Bush's first album release since 2005's Aerial and the first on her own record label, Fish People.

Director's Cut
Studio album by Kate Bush
Released	16 May 2011
Recorded	2009–11
Genre	Art rock, alternative rock
Length	57:04
Label	Fish People EMI
Producer	Kate Bush
Kate Bush chronology
Aerial (2005) Director's Cut (2011) 50 Words for Snow (2011)
Singles from Director's Cut
"Deeper Understanding" Released: 5 April 2011

Bush wrote all of the songs and lyrics with the exception of lines referenced from James Joyce.[1] The album has received mostly positive critical reviews.[2] Praise has appeared from various publications such as Allmusic and The Scotsman.[1]

Overview

Released in May 2011, the album features four tracks taken from The Sensual World (1989) and seven from The Red Shoes (1993) which have been re-recorded while retaining most of the original instrumentation.

Regarding the entirely new lyrics to the song "The Sensual World", now re-titled "Flower of the Mountain", Bush said this: "Originally when I wrote the song "The Sensual World" I had used text from the end of Ulysses by James Joyce, put to a piece of music I had written. When I asked for permission to use the text I was refused, which was disappointing. I then wrote my own lyrics for the song although I felt that the original idea had been more interesting. Well, I’m not James Joyce am I? When I came to work on this project I thought I would ask for permission again and this time they said yes. It is now re-titled "Flower of the Mountain" and I am delighted that I have had the chance to fulfill the original concept. For some time I have felt that I wanted to revisit tracks from these two albums and that they could benefit from having new life breathed into them. Lots of work had gone into the two original albums and now these songs have another layer of work woven into their fabric. I think of this as a new album."[3]

All the lead vocals on Director's Cut and some of the backing vocals have been entirely re-recorded, with some of the songs transposed to a lower key to accommodate Bush's matured voice. Additionally, the drum tracks have been reconceived and re-recorded, with some of the tracks featuring Steve Gadd. Bassist Danny Thompson also appears and, on backing vocals, Mica Paris. Three songs have been completely re-recorded: "This Woman's Work", "Rubberband Girl" and "Moments of Pleasure".

Director's Cut is available as a digital album, a standard CD in a case-bound book, a deluxe version ("Collector's Edition"), consisting of a box set including Director's Cut, The Sensual World and The Red Shoes (re-mastered from digital to analogue), and two-disc vinyl. Director's Cut was recorded using analogue equipment. Bush stated in an interview for BBC radio that she never liked the "hard-edged sound" of the digitally recorded The Red Shoes and feels both the new recordings of the songs from this album and the re-mastered The Red Shoes have a "warmer, fuller sound."[4]

The album was a chart success, reaching No. 2 on the UK albums chart (matching the chart peak of both The Sensual World and The Red Shoes) and although it fell swiftly down the chart after its first week it has sold consistently and has since been certified silver in the UK.[5] The album also charted in a number of other countries, including a No. 4 entry in the Irish charts,[6] and also went top ten in the Netherlands and Norway.

Director's Cut versions of "Lily" and "Top of the City" were performed live for the first time in Before the Dawn 2014 series of concerts.

Singles

The only single to be released from the album was "Deeper Understanding", originally the sixth track of The Sensual World. Its lyrics describe a relationship between a lonely person and a computer which has replaced human companionship.[7] The video was released through her official YouTube account.[8] The song features a newly recorded main vocal by Bush, and the voice of her son Albert on the chorus. The single, upon its initial release as a digital download, charted in the UK at No.87.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.4/10[10]
Metacritic	80/100[2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Daily Telegraph	[11]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[12]
The Guardian	[13]
The Independent	[14]
NME	8/10[15]
Pitchfork	7.3/10[16]
Q	[17]
Spin	9/10[18]
Uncut	[19]

Critical reception for the album has been mostly positive, with most reviewers acknowledging the confusion surrounding the release of this unique revisitation of old songs. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 80, based on 22 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[2] Simon Price of The Independent noted: "Director's Cut was greeted with reactions ranging between disappointment, bafflement and ridicule, before anyone had heard a note... taken on its own merits, however, there's plenty to enjoy".[20]

Specifically, Fiona Shephard of The Scotsman gave Director's Cut a 4-star review, writing: "Ever the perfectionist, Kate Bush has revisited earlier songs, the first-time recordings of which didn't reflect her original vision. The resulting revamps are satisfying, rounded – and occasionally bizarre."[21] Thom Jurek of Allmusic stated that he found the release "deeply engaging and satisfying" and particularly stated that since Bush has "her own world-class recording studio" where "she's kept up with technology" that it shows positively in the details added to the remade songs.[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kate Bush, except "Flower of the Mountain" by Bush and James Joyce.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Flower of the Mountain"	5:15
2.	"Song of Solomon"	4:45
3.	"Lily"	4:05
4.	"Deeper Understanding"	6:33
5.	"The Red Shoes"	4:58
6.	"This Woman's Work"	6:30
7.	"Moments of Pleasure"	6:32
8.	"Never Be Mine"	5:05
9.	"Top of the City"	4:24
10.	"And So Is Love"	4:21
11.	"Rubberband Girl"	4:37
Total length:		57:04

Personnel

• Kate Bush – vocals, keyboards, backing vocals, piano
• Paddy Bush – mandola, flute, whistle, backing vocals
• Steve Gadd – drums
• John Giblin, Eberhard Weber, Danny Thompson – bass guitar
• Danny McIntosh, Eric Clapton – guitar
• Gary Brooker – Hammond organ
• Albert McIntosh – programming, backing vocals
• Brendan Power – harmonica
• Ed Rowntree, Mica Paris, Jacob Thorn, Michael Wood, Jevan Johnson Booth – backing vocals

Chart and certifications

Charts Chart (2011) Position Australian Albums Chart[22] 41 Austrian Albums Chart[23] 35 Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[24] 27 Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[25] 20 Canadian Albums Chart[26] 66 Danish Albums Chart[27] 11 Dutch Albums Chart[28] 6 Finnish Albums Chart[29] 8 French SNEP Albums Chart[30] 31 German Media Control Albums Chart[31] 11 Irish Albums Chart[32] 4 Italian Albums Chart[33] 32 Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[34] 132 New Zealand Albums Chart[35] 38 Norwegian Albums Chart[36] 2 Polish Albums Chart[37] 28 Spanish Albums Chart[38] 71 Swedish Albums Chart[38] 12 UK Albums Chart[5] 2 US Billboard Current Albums[39] 186 US Billboard Tastemakers[40] 19 US Billboard Independent Albums[40] 36

Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Gold 100,000 Summaries Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

• "Deeper Understanding"

References

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2. "Reviews for Director's Cut by Kate Bush". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
3. Sean Michaels (5 April 2011). "Kate Bush reveals guest lyricist on new album – James Joyce The Guardian 5 April 2011". Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
4. "BBC Radio, interview with Kate Bush". Bbc.co.uk. 4 May 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
5. "The Official Charts Company – Kate Bush – Director's Cut". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
6. "The Hot Press Newsdesk, 20 May 2011". Hotpress.com. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
7. "Deeper Understanding Lyrics". Lyricsfreak.com. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
8. KateBushMusic. "Official Kate Bush channel". YouTube. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
9. "Deeper Understanding". Official Charts Company. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
10. "Director's Cut by Kate Bush reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
11. Brown, Helen (13 May 2011). "Kate Bush, Director's Cut, CD review". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
12. Wood, Mikael (18 May 2011). "Director's Cut". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
13. Petridis, Alexis (12 May 2011). "Kate Bush: Director's Cut – review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
14. Gill, Andy (13 May 2011). "Album: Kate Bush, Director's Cut (Fish People)". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
15. Elan, Priya (11 May 2011). "Album Review: Kate Bush – Director's Cut". NME. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
16. Harvell, Jess (19 May 2011). "Kate Bush: Director's Cut". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
17. "Kate Bush: Director's Cut". Q (299): 115. June 2011.
18. Walters, Barry (31 May 2011). "Kate Bush, 'Director's Cut' (Fish People/EMI)". Spin. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
19. "Kate Bush: Director's Cut". Uncut (169): 81. June 2011.
20. Simon Price (15 May 2011). "Album: Kate Bush, Director's Cut (Fish People) – Reviews – Music". The Independent. London. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
21. Published on Thu 12 17 May:00:57 BST 2011. "Album review: Kate Bush, Director's Cut - News - Scotsman.com". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
22. "australian-charts.com Kate Bush – Director's Cut". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
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25. "ultratop.be – Kate Bush – Director's Cut". ultratop.be/fr,, Hung Medien (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
26. "Albums: Top 100 (for the week ending 2 June, 2011)". 9 June 2011. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
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29. "finnishcharts.com Kate Bush – Director's Cut" (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
30. "lescharts.com Kate Bush – Director's Cut". lescharts.com (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
31. "Album Search: Kate Bush" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
32. "Irishcharts.com – Kate Bush – Director's Cut". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
33. "Classifica album FIMI" (in Italian). ACNielsen. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
34. "Highest position and charting weeks of Director's Cut (Deluxe edition) by Kate Bush ケイト・ブッシュ-リリース- Oricon Style – ミュージック". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 August 2011.
35. "charts.nz – Kate Bush – Director's Cut". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
36. "norwegiancharts.com Kate Bush – Director's Cut". Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
37. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
38. "swedishcharts.com – Kate Bush – Director's Cut". swedishcharts.com (in Swedish). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
39. "Top Current Albums". Billboard.biz. 18 June 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
40. "Billboard Charts". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
41. "British album certifications – Kate Bush – Director's Cut". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 December 2016. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Director's Cut in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.