Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

A product of the Los Angeles scene, Maria McKee is best known as the leader of Lone Justice, a short-lived country-rock band from the 1980s. McKee’s solo work has been equally spotty, her last release being 1996’s Life is Sweet. Somewhere along the way, she left behind the Emmylou influences and adopted grandiose, Kate Bush-style pop pretensions. Despite several engaging story songs, like the childhood reverie of the title track, most of the new material is overblown in the extreme. The worst culprit is “Be My Joy,” a song of agonizing self-indulgence.

Bat for Lashes, aka England’s Natasha Khan, counts Radiohead and M.I.A. among her fans. A former nursery school teacher, Natasha won acclaim with her first Bat for Lashes album, Fur and Gold, which earned Mercury Prize and Brit Award nominations. Her second album should attract a wider audience with bold tracks like the Kate Bush-style opener “Glass,” the Fleetwood Mac-like “Daniel” and the ethereal closer “The Big Sleep.” Wildly exotic, Bat for Lashes’ Natasha is a refreshingly brave new pop princess. April 2009

Produced by electronica artist William Orbit, Katie’s fourth album has an elegant formality that suggests England’s best-selling pop diva has spent time listening to the veteran Kate Bush, especially on the dark, string-laden epic “The Flood.”  But Katie is also capable of venturing off in more surprising directions like the playful cabaret of “A Moment of Madness,” the ambient folk of “Tiny Alien” and the ethereal ballad “Red Balloons,” co-written with quirky U.K. artist Polly Scattergood. Delightfully eclectic.

Before Björk, there was no female pop star as mystifying and yet mesmerizing as this singular British artist. This 90-minute documentary features rare interviews with Bush, stellar videos, from “Wuthering Heights” and the superb “Cloudbusting” to the recent “King of the Mountain,” commentary from critics and a skill-testing interactive quiz. Those seeking deeper insights into this enigmatic artist may be disappointed, but love hounds seeking an audio-visual fix of all things Kate should prepare to be Bushwhacked. June 6

In this age of instant gratification, of rushed recordings and downloaded singles, it’s unusual to come across a thoughtful, unhurried concept album. But, then, England’s Kate Bush is that rare songbird, a gifted artist who rejects market trends to follow her muse. Bush’s latest is a quiet masterpiece, offering seven tracks of gorgeous, wintry piano-pop. The drifting “Snowflake” features the choirboy vocals of her 12-year-old son, Bertie, while the moody “Snowed in at Wheeler Street” includes a chilling duet with Elton John.