Cloudbusting - 12" Vinyl Picture Disc

Released in 2019 for RSD, this 12" single contains the remastered versions that are also found on The Other Sides collection that had been released the previous year. As for the record, it's nice - really, really nice. My scans, and even online photos, really don't do it any justice, but it probably ties for first place with Lake Tahoe as my favourite picture disc release for RSD.

What I like about this one is the fact that the Orgonon Mix of Cloudbusting was used instead of the album version. It's probably one of my favourite remixes. I'm not generally a fan of remixes as I've mentioned before, but I like the Hounds of Love era ones and the one made for Experiment IV. They aren't your typical remixes and they really stand out as special.

Warm and Soothing is a bit of an odd choice to use on this release, especially next to Rocket Man. I like the song, don't get me wrong, but compared to the other tracks used it definitely feels and sounds a little out of place. I think something else should have been used in its place, just to make it more cohesive sounding with the rest. Brazil would have worked better here.

This is the last truest picture disc to date. I suspect if Kate ever releases anything further in the future via RSD or otherwise, it will be UV printed instead - just like Eat The Music.

There also doesn't appear to be any messages scratched into the run-off vinyl on either side - only matrix/catalogue numbers. As I mentioned in my post for Eat The Music, it seems as though Kate has given up doing this. The last vinyl releases that seem to have received inscriptions are The Red Shoes era ones; including the original album, 12" and 7" singles and the jukebox 7" promos. 

This can still easily be found online for a decent price if you want it. Some people are asking the world for it, which is ridiculous, and some are charging large shipping prices. Do some comparative shopping first to get the best deal.

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Side note: Not a part of RSD, but for anyone who maybe wondering, I chose not to get the 2019 French 12" release of Ne T'Enfuis Pas for various reasons. 1. I already have the songs a gazillion times over now. 2. I didn't think too much of the packaging on this one, especially the design layout for the jacket. It reeks of an early '80s bootleg, so I passed on it. Even I have my limits.

Cloudbusting - Japan 12" Single

The Japanese 12" for Cloudbusting is a good example of how later releases really lost their individual uniqueness. Everything that made a Japanese release a "Japanese release" was literally gone by this point. Even the obi-strips had become minimal and lost their appeal to me. While I collected a few more singles after this point, this was the very last full sized vinyl record I ever bothered to get.

By the time Hounds of Love was released Japanese releases began to mimic the UK releases more and more. Not only did this include the LP releases, but also CD and Cassette as well. You can see how the Cloudbusting sleeve literally mimics the UK version. Any Japanese text is downplayed and kept to a minimal size on the back.

While this one-sided insert is for just a 12" single release, you can see how drastically they've changed in comparison to much earlier ones.

Even the record labels are completely devoid of any Japanese text by this point. If it wasn't for the red circular printing around the label, you wouldn't even know where this record was from.

Cloudbusting - UK 12" Single

Although both the 12" and the 7" feature the same artwork on the front and back, the back of the 12" release features an additional photo of Kate from the video, which is not found on the 7" release.

The 12" also features the Organon Remix of Cloudbusting. Most of the UK 12" single sleeves from the Hounds of Love era are also pretty flimsy. This sleeve is no exception.

The labels on this release are purple. However, there is another release with the black labels as well. Unlike the 7" single, which has an inscription on the run off vinyl, it's not to be found on the 12" version.