• Record Label: Sony
  • Release Date: Nov 8, 2005
User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 325 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 26 out of 325

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  1. RR
    Nov 15, 2005
    4
    Maybe my expectations were just too high. Maybe I need to listen to the album a few more times (had 5 -close- listens so far). But I can't help being completely and utterly disappointed by Aerial. 12 years is a looong time by anyone's standards. I always thought that if Kate Bush had found different priorities in her life, well, then that's all right. She had already given Maybe my expectations were just too high. Maybe I need to listen to the album a few more times (had 5 -close- listens so far). But I can't help being completely and utterly disappointed by Aerial. 12 years is a looong time by anyone's standards. I always thought that if Kate Bush had found different priorities in her life, well, then that's all right. She had already given us some of the best songs in any musical genre. That's enough for me. But now, consider Aerial. The songs in Aerial are completely unremarkable. There is not a single melody on this album worth remembering. I listen to it, I really try to concentrate on the music, but my mind wanders off to something more interesting while I'm doing it. As I am a musician myself, I can appreciate the craft and ingenuity that went into the arrangements - this is Aerial's one saving grace. But the songs? Kate's songs used to be earth-shaking. These don't even manage to ruffle the wings on a fly. The best example is perhaps the song "Pi", which is really as exciting as someone reciting the number Pi to you - endlessly, mercilessly. No dynamics, the song starts nowhere and goes nowhere. Intellectually, I know that the musical form is supposed to mirror the lyrical content here, but emotionally, I am left out in the cold. And that's ultimately how I feel about the entire album, even though the subject matter of some of the songs should be able to move me. It doesn't. Well, that's not entirely true It all really makes me sad, because it took Kate Bush 12 years to come up with a beautifully wrapped waste of time, but thankfully, I can easily dispel that feeling by putting Hounds of Love or The Dreaming in my CD player. Even her last disappointment, The Red Shoes, was a strong album by comparison. Expand
  2. DavidA
    Nov 24, 2005
    4
    Kate is laughing up her her English garden-soiled sleeve. Her label should have shown her the Dana Carvey skit "Chopping Broccoli" before they let her release this. Come on, Ms Bush...who are you kidding?
  3. istvan
    Nov 25, 2005
    6
    I'm happy to see so many people love Kate, but the reception of Aerial seems to me a group exercise in self-hypnosis. Aerial is actually a decent but average record, I dare say dull by Kate standards, and bears no comparison with The Dreaming or Hounds of Love. It's not up with them musically nor lyrically. Detto vocally. I wish Kate would just give up the self-imposed domestic I'm happy to see so many people love Kate, but the reception of Aerial seems to me a group exercise in self-hypnosis. Aerial is actually a decent but average record, I dare say dull by Kate standards, and bears no comparison with The Dreaming or Hounds of Love. It's not up with them musically nor lyrically. Detto vocally. I wish Kate would just give up the self-imposed domestic isolation, get some new experiences and feel a little bit more motivated. Aerial seems to tell: 'I'm contented with my placid life and have basically nothing to say to you'. So the title's reference to communication doesn't hold well. And while all the tracks have audibly been given pretty much care, they all feel laboured (even A Coral Room and Mrs Bartolozzi), not one of them flowing with a creative abandon. Even the much-maligned Red Shoes album seems more insipired to me. At least that record adressed some real issues I can relate to. For me Aerial is Kate's 'lazy record'. Hope there will be a better one some day. Collapse
  4. JamesT
    Nov 26, 2005
    5
    Hi, I am a very big Kate Bush fan but I am very disappointed with Aerial. You can probably tell that i am a musician / engineer. So much of it is quite flat and unadventurous. Just put on Hounds of Love and The Sensual World and there is no comparison in the songs and the sound. Aerial sounds quite one dimensional like a lot of albums these days. There is very little depth and space in Hi, I am a very big Kate Bush fan but I am very disappointed with Aerial. You can probably tell that i am a musician / engineer. So much of it is quite flat and unadventurous. Just put on Hounds of Love and The Sensual World and there is no comparison in the songs and the sound. Aerial sounds quite one dimensional like a lot of albums these days. There is very little depth and space in the sound. I blame a lot of this on computers and modern digital technology used on so many albums these days. To be honest I don't think Kate has the time and energy to make albums like Hounds of Love or The Sensual World anymore. These are extremely ambitious albums which take over your life during the recording process. I think the guitar contributions are extremely boring,its like Dire Straits or Sade in places. After all these years I was expecting something exceptional but I too am disappointed. I still think Kate is brilliant but I just end up playing the older albums again with the occasional play of Aerial. Expand
  5. tmendez
    Dec 23, 2005
    6
    actually i was really disappointed with this album, there's like 2 good songs, the rest sounds like it should have come out in 1992...sorry critics, I love Kate Bush but you GUYS have to get over your teenage crush on her. I mean come on there's a song about doing her laundry?!!? I dont get it.
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 23
  2. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. There's no pushing of the envelope because there doesn't need to be. Aerial is rooted in Kate Bush's oeuvre, with grace, flair, elegance, and an obsessive, stubborn attention to detail.
  2. Despite her prolonged absence, Bush sounds as vital as ever.
  3. Like all ambitious double albums, [Aerial] is not without its flaws, but even Bush's moments of failure are much more interesting than those of her contemporaries.