Kate Bush - Best of the Other Sides
by Kevin Wierzbicki
Here's a real nice compilation of B-Sides and one-offs from an artist that folks are absolutely fanatical about; they want to hear and own copies of everything that Bush has ever done. And while some have likely heard most of these rarities somewhere along the line there are three included cuts that they couldn't possibly own until now. These are 2025 remastered versions of "Walk Straight Down the Middle" and "You Want Alchemy?" along with the unsettling tale of how music might be weaponized that is "Experiment IV." It's no wonder that Bush sequences "Experiment IV" at the beginning of the album; not only is it a gripping mix but the song from 1986 turned out to be prescient as sound as a weapon is unfortunately a reality these days. Kate's take on Elton John's "Rocket Man" puts a new twist on the hit; her vocals at times perfectly convey the uncertainty of a voyage into space, perhaps more than Elton's did, but she also gives the song a reggae groove that to an extent indicates that all will be just fine. Bush has always been known for being a little bit "out there" and here she is deliciously so with an extended version of
Hounds of Love cut "The Big Sky," "The Big Sky - Meteorological 12" Mix" which offers up nearly eight minutes of mania, including a digeridoo intro. Also in the set are "Lyra," "The Man I Love," "Brazil (Sam Lowry's First Dream)" and "Mna na hEireann," a cut that Kate sings in the Irish dialect known as Gaeilge. A cut that really tugs at the heartstrings is "Under the Ivy," a song of deep longing that's performed for the most part with just Kate's vocals and piano. The song is so emotional that one wishes they could give Bush a comforting hug at song's end. The set ends with a version of perhaps Bush's most famous song, a 12" mix of "Running up That Hill (A Deal with God)." This type of compilation can often be a little disjointed but Bush has chosen from her vast repertoire of rarities wisely and the album is cohesive and flows nicely.
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