I know that many Kate fans have been disappointed with this album. I was so overcome with anticipation back in 1993 waiting for her next album that I was beyond comparing it to any of her other work. It's true that she definitely took a different direction, as she did in "The Sensual World", "Hounds of Love" (who ever thought that the experience of a person drowning could be made so lyrical and beautiful?), and "The Dreaming" (Kate's response to 'the public wants to hear some more piano-based songs'). I know the reason we love Kate so is that she continually experiments and breaks new ground. There will never be another "Hounds of Love" or another "The Dreaming", and would we truly appreciate it if she went back, re-worked those albums, and gave us an album every 2 or 3 years? My answer would be no. Kate is the epitome of a true musical genius, thus we can never expect her to conform to her previous albums' soundscapes. As for "The Red Shoes", it reveals the most personal side of Kate we've seen, perhaps mainly due to the death of her mother. The title track, based upon Hans Christian Anderson's faery tale of a tormented ballerina, is typical of Kate is that she draws upon a story of myth and then twists and molds it to make it her own (such as she did with "Cloudbusting" and "Wuthering Heights") The revelation for me on this album was "Moments of Pleasure"; when "This Woman's Work was released I remember thinking 'Kate would not be able to top the emotional stirrings of that song'. How wrong could I have been. Now, I can only pine for her next album.

Note to Duayne below- not all Kate fans are Tori-haters. I happen to like some of Tori's work. Some of the antagonism may have to do with all of the comparisions to Kate and Tori being labelled as the "new Kate Bush". I do wish all of the comparisions with Kate would stop. Kate remains incomparable, and Tori has her own style. Suffice it to say that some Kate fans, myself included, can be a bit batty regarding her. Also, she did pave the way for Tori, as well as Sarah McLachlan, et al. It's sometimes easy to forget that "The Kick Inside" was released in 1978.

It took a long time for me to get "The Red Shoes". I wasn't impressed with it at first; but I was pretty young when I had first picked it up. It was when I fell in love (and fell down hard) that I finally "got" this album.
I couldn't believe the sincerity, the maturity of it - the whole sensuality and most of all, the sadness. There's sadness written all over "The Red Shoes", even in hyper tunes like "eat the music" or "rubberband girl". Even the title song is a desperate cry, it's the story of a girl who tries to heal herself through music and dancing - and she can't stop; because "the red shoes" are on and they'll make her dance until she dies of exhaustion - just like the movie and the original tale itself.

I have just one warning about this album: If you're going through a hard time, if you just broke up with somebody, if you just lost something that was very dear to you - It'll definitely take you by the hand and lead you through it; but...
stay away from "You're the One".
I'm addicted to music and I have many favorite musicians/bands; but in my life, I've never heard such a painful song before - it's truly a murderer of joy.
All those layers and genius composition will be apparent in time once you start listening to it; but then it'll be too late - It'll grab you by the soul and shake you to the core. Trio Bulgarka, that wailing guitar and keyboard accompanied by Kate's trembling voice...
Trust me on this. Stay away from "You're the One" unless you want to cry for many days to come.

I must admit I was disappointed when I first heard this album back in '93. I thought it was too commercial, and none of the songs really gelled for me. The big singles Rubberband Girl and Eat the Music just seemed completely lifeless to me ... strange for Kate's music. The programmed drum beats were annoying, and some of the lyrics (esp Song of Solomon) made me cringe. I wanted The Red Shoes to be funkier, edgier, and more cohesive, all at once. I really tried to like it, but after a while I put it aside and decided it was simply one of Kate's weaker efforts, period.

Flash forward 10 years where I've recently started listening to The Red Shoes again, and I now have a new appreciation for this music. I've read a few posts here that have more or less said the same thing, so I wanted to chime in and say "me, too." Now these songs sound wonderfully rich, full, and wise ... even intense and scary in parts. There are subtle layers to the music that I never heard before (even though I was really listening for them!) Rubberband Girl and Eat the Music actually get me dancing around the room, and I'm almost moved to tears by Moments of Pleasure and especially You're the One. This album now sounds classic and touches me in a way it couldn't 10 years ago. It is the work of a mature artist struggling with life, and I would agree that maybe it takes a little life experience on the listener's part to really get into it. I know this is true for me.

The Red Shoes is hardly perfect, and it's one of the most divisive of her albums even among hardcore fans. But right now it is my favorite Kate album, the one I can most identify with. Listening to it again after all these years with a new attitude is almost like getting a new album from her. Anyway, this is the one Kate CD that I always see stacked in the used bin at record stores for cheap, and I wonder if others who have written it off would be willing to give it a second chance.

Unlike so many other reviewers, I love this album. Every song is wonderful. Kate Bush proves herself to be the exceptional songwriter and producer that we know her to be on "The Red Shoes"

I've tried to understand the issues people have had with the album, but every time I listen I can only hear solid craft.

This album isn't one that I can listen to very often, because it can be very sad, but the beauty in the songs and production are sublime.

Kate's new single "King of the Mountain" is amazing, and I'm looking foward to the new album!

One of the most missed artists of modern music reality is withought doubt Kate Bush . Although there are many ladies around who have the guts to fully open their souls and reveal their sensitivities to the fans ( Bjork , Tori Amos , Tanya Donelly , P.J Harvey ) Bush still stands out for being a person so dedicated and focused on human love , it makes me wanna cry everytime i realize it .

Considering the fact that " Hounds Of Love " was maybe the best british record of the 80's and " The Sensual World " a ( much much more than just a ) great album by a female singer-songwritter , her 1992 is undeniably not the earthshattering third masterpiece in a row . It had it's good moments and it had it's bad ones .

The epic sadness of " So It's Love " with it's haunting flutes and Clapton's guitar playing is so rich in feelings and deeply affecting while " The Constellation Of The Heart " has a greek tragedy touch in it with Bush discussing and arguing with the backing vocals about what she should do with the challenge of love . Furthermore , " Top Of The City " is powerfull and sweet and even the initially harmless latin folklore of " Eat The Music " features lines like " does he conceal / what he really feels ? / he is a woman at heart / and i love him for that / let's split him open ! " which make it highly addictive . On the other hand , " Song Of Solomon " ( in which Bush asks from her lover just his ' sexuallity ' ) is maybe too bold , maybe too vulnerable to make it , " Rubberband Girl " although catchy in a twisted way doesn't carry the emotion of Kate's past singles ( Cloudbusting , This Woman's Work ) while " Moments Of Pleasure " is somehow more easy to admire than to enjoy .

George Michael named his recent new album " Patience " because it took him eight years to deliver it . With that in mind , Bush should name hers " Lots And Lots And Lots Of Patience " though it's not the ( more than ten ) years that have passed since The Red Shoes' release that have made her fanbase so hungry for a new offering. It's the fact that this album was such an unexpected farewell which despite some uneven moments , it showed an artist on top form , interested in exploring new sounds and certaintly not a music career close to it's end .