Reviews (page 5 of 8)
beautiful and weird
Extremely surreal listening experience. Not always a fan of Kate Bush’s excessive vocal theatrics but definitely worth a listen. Interesting to find that Kate Bush had a greater hand in producing on this record compared to her previous work. The production and instrumentation gave an incredibly dream-like feel and the eeyoring at the end felt like a deliberate nod to A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Underbar liten musikalvärld att kliva in i. Inte hört detta Bush-album förut, tror jag iaf. Många imponerande delar rent låtskrivarmässigt men jag lessnar också lite under varv 2. Kommer nog inte återvända speciellt ofta, men kanske nån gång!
mommy! hon är arg och jag står bakom henne!
En första halva som lovar mycket. Suspended in Gaffa va, vilken mörsare. Sen lyfter det inte riktigt efter det.
This is a wild one. I really wanted to like it. I appreciate it for what it is but it’s pretty noisy.
Kæit Busj baner vei. Prøvd mye rart hu her…
Hounds of Love was so good. But this just wasn't it. Squeaky mickey mouse chorus parts were harsh and hard to digest. Monotonous melodies against new wave rythmns and pop song structures was a triple threat of boring. I really wanted to like it because again Hounds was an awesome album. But this kinda stunk.
Mistaken for a tree? What the fuck? Kate Bush is weird. 3
Experimental pop with 80s flair. It’s certainly an album that showcases Kate’s talent of mixing and singing. I would need to let this grow on me as it is a lot to absorb. Good and bad thing.
Took me a while to get into it. Very strange at times but it grew on me.
Wow, this album was like a fever dream. It’s definitely not the typical pop drivel. I haven’t fully digested it yet, I feel like that would take multiple listens, but there is definitely something deeper here. I’m getting almost like female Pink Floyd vibes. It’s like there’s a concept here that I haven’t discovered yet. Very unique.
Kate bush is not to my taste apparently.
I preferred it to hounds of love or whatever but some of the end songs aren't it
Definitely enjoyable. Tori Amos owes her some royalty checks.
Fine. They are clearly an immensely talented artist, but for whatever reason their music never grabbed me.
Cover 7.5 I have to be in a specific mood to listen to this album. Somewhat experimental. Melodic carnival, big tent music, if that means anything. That's not meant to be an insult. Probably won't mean much to most people. For me, it's a good thing but very specific for a specific time and mood. Anyway, only one or two songs work for me. The test are ok. Overall, that is, Bush's catalog in general, I do like several songs, but one or two per album. So far, I've never connected with an entire album from Bush.
Not her best but I liked what she was trying to do.
After hearing two other Kate Bush albums, I am a bit nervous to hear her "less commercial" album on the list. I didn't consider her music to be commercial in the first place. The Dreaming is not commercial, so that part is correct. It is a fairly beautifully produced album with so many sounds that the listener would have to listen multiple times to take in all the music. It reminds me a bit of some of Lindsay Buckingham's solo music, which straddles the line between artsy and pop-music. Kate Bush is more comfortable jumping over the line into artsy rock and not making music that is easy to listen to. This album is challenging, no doubt. The background vocals are often more a high-pitched screech at times than I am used to. I'm pretty sure there are donkey noises at the end of Get Out of My House. Houdini was easily my least favorite song. My favorite songs were: Sat In Your Lap The Tenner Pull Out the Pin (though it is too long and the "I love life(?)" scream in the background could get annoying) The Dreaming All the Love
Very strange. I don't know what I was expecting.
Pop with expressive voice. 3,3
Not going to be in the regular rotation for me but I respect it as a piece of art
You good, Kate? Honestly wasn't sure what to make of this for a while. It's got such a strange tone and sensibility to it. Weird synth sounds and sound effects, odd voices coming from Bush as though she were doing a character, and seemingly strange topics. Oh and the screaming on "Pull Out the Pin." This felt more like an abstract art piece you'd hear as an installation in a museum and less like a pop music album. That isn't a bad thing. In fact, I found it refreshingly interesting than a lot of other albums on this list. It isn't formulaic. You can't predict what's coming next. And everything she puts into this helped to create a sense that this was a genuine, heartfelt expression of emotion and thought from Kate Bush. That is rarer than it should be from a pop album, and I appreciated it very much. Is it my thing? Would I listen again? Probably not. But it held my attention for longer than some other albums and I applaud her for her innovative and creative approach to music. I'm sure it was seen as even more innovative and creative in its time. I'd be shocked if it didn't push boundaries in 1982. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Sat in Your Lap, There Goes a Tenner, Pull Out the Pin
Theatrical and powerful. Reminds me of Bjork. Definitely unique. A refreshing perspective, albeit quite odd.
Rock, 1982 -> 3
It’s like Kate Bush leading you through a bad trip. Well made, very interesting but I wouldn’t say I had a good time.
Wow. Definitely more... cinematic(?) than some of her other projects. I've heard Hounds of Love and The Sensual World already, and what I think those did better was show a bit of restraint with the level of experimentation. In The Dreaming, that factor is a little on-the-nose. It still has all the markers of utterly Bushian magic and wonder, but there's something kind of unpredictable, alien, almost grotesque about some of the songs here, which wash over you one after the other like a musical. There Goes A Tenner even has the sort of music-hall-production arrangement, what with the muted upright piano, brass section, and incredibly dramatised vocals. Sometimes it works, and you have no idea how; it just does. The grotesqueness I'm talking about peaks at around the time of Leave It Open, with its reversed high vocal harmonies, various weird looping techniques, and so on. It's like she's trying to make her music inaccessible. I completely understand some of the 1-star reviews here. Weird for the sake of weird might fly for some listeners, but not most. Including me. Other questionable moments include the end of Get Out Of My House (less cool than reviewers are making it out to be) and all of the preceding track, Houdini. I can't help but feel that this is too weird for a first listen, and subsequent listens will let me adore this project. That seems to be the case for some other reviewers. Just stick with it, right? Well, first impressions are important too. 3/5 Key tracks: Sat In Your Lap, Suspended In Gaffa, Night Of The Swallow
Favorite Track: Pull Out The Pin
First listen
Out there. Ahead of her time. Thinks she influenced Amanda Palmer.
Pas un gros fan de Kate Bush, mais ça passe bien
Sounds like Chinese opera. Overall creative but just not my vibe.
I struggle to rate this one. An interesting album by an interesting artist, and I'm sure it would benefit from a few listens...but I somehow doubt I'll revisit it
Myös Bushin kohdalla taivun popimpien levyjen diggariksi, mut onhan tällä vankka sija taidepopin maailmassa. En oo kaikista ratkaisuista niin iloinen mutta ei mun tarvitsekaan olla. 3/5
Wow! This is Kate Bush at her most art house! I have listened to quite a bit Kate Bush but never this album. This could take a few listens to fully appreciate. That being said I have rated each album after 1 listen so far so must carry on that system. So it may seem low but I can see it being higher with time as it quite a hard listen the first time around.
Listened to it while playing csgo, was alright not a good album for having in the background tho
It's a little goofy, not gonna lie. It's not as good as Madvillainy.
I love Kate Bush but she defs has better albums
So unhinged, loved getting lost in the weirdness of this album
Some pipes on your wan. Not my favourite songs by her but definitely an interesting album
This whole album felt like Kate Bush was trying to put Kate Bush herself, trying a bit hard to be kooky and experimental. Wasn't absolutely blown away by this, but it's an incredible feat of fuckery putting the best song on the album (Night Of The Swallow) directly after the worst song on the album (The Dreaming). Her vocals are crazy good throughout, songwriting suffered on a few tracks, but overall NAT TOO SHABBY
While I do agree that this album does get better with the more listens, for me at least, the curve when the album seems to be getting slightly better and better just goes stagnant and it hits a plateau. I respect and admire the creative risks taken in this. You can even hear the influence this album had on the next generation of female artists. Something about this album perplexes me because as far as the artistic direction it is great, but when I put it all together the lack of cohesion makes me feel distant. Overall, this was a GOOD album. Top 3: Suspended In Gaffa, Leave It Open, and Night Of The Swallow 2.75-3.25/5
I like Kate Bush generally but this was maybe too much of a good thing? Maybe I'm not destined for an entire album? Three songs in I was like "Yeah!" By the end I was smoked.
Scary voice.
The first half of this album isn't really my jam, but there are a lot of cool tracks in the second half. Favorite track: Night of the Swallow
# Album Name: the dreaming # Artist: kate bush # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: a very out there experimental. especially compared with hounds of love - which i thought was amazing. A few good songs. Very experimental compared to what i was expecting. This could be a grower. But for now its a 3. # Top Tunes: Sat in your lap / Tenner / Gaffa / The dreaming # Would I listen to it again? Probably.
Interesting pick for my first ever exposure to KB. I had a to look it up honestly to see if all her stuff was like this and was relieved/intrigued to figure out this is on her far experimental end.
Honestly this sounds like peak cocaine. The instrumentation of the early 80s (fairlight cmi, etc) but abrupt structural shifts of 70s prog. "There Goes A Tenner" is fun and despite the cockney imitation it sounds like it was probably inspired by The Asphalt Jungle (1950) or something near-identical in plot. I'm not sure what to do with the title track. The concept (destruction of Aboriginal lands in pursuit of uranium) is both strong and well-intentioned but the fact that the song started out with an accidentally racially offensive title shows that Kate was working at or past the limits of her cultural competence. The lyrics to Houdini are great. Gothic ghostly romances are her home territory.
Good album to have on in the background, although was a bit more eclectic than I was expecting. Not necessarily a bad thing but means a few songs caught me off guard. A nice listen overall with a few surprises in it.
Super sperimentale, soprattutto nella seconda metà (non mi aspettavo del growl). Indubbiamente un bel disco, ma non incontra i miei gusti, nel complesso, anche se un paio di pezzi sono molto belli
Very strange, or, uhh, "eclectic", haha. Pretty fun listen, but not something I'd be reaching for often.
Kate bush has recorded some of my all time favorite songs. Unfortunately, none of them are on this album.
I enjoyed this more the second time I listened to it, while skimming through the lyrics. Sat In Your Lap is a pretty aggressive way to start this album, but it’s funny how quickly you can adjust to Kate Bush’s particular brand of avant- pop. The songs are strange and mystical, and I can definitely hear her influence on Bjork, who I’m a fan of. Would I put this album on outside the context of this challenge? Probably not, but I’d be happy for some of these songs to show up on a playlist. I appreciate the weirdness and creativity. Favourite songs: There Goes a Tenner, Suspended in Gaffa, Night of the Swallow
Kate Bush really lives up to her art pop star reputation on this one. This album is delightfully weird and abrasive... but also catchy. It's right up my alley. But I just don't have time to appreciate it fully. It's a lot to take in on a first listen. It doesn't sound like any other album I can think of. It's very frantic piano music. The vocals are wild. Sometimes it's gentle singing, sometimes it's full on screams, sometimes it's weird falsettos, sometimes she has a strong accent. She's really throwing her voice all over the place. The piano/synths are sometimes pretty, and sometimes weird and cheesy. It has a mix of 70s and 80s vibes... which gives it a sort of transitionary vibe? I think I prefer the songs on this to the songs on hounds of love, but i think i prefer the overall sound of hounds of love more in that Kate fully embraces the 80s but also makes it her own. I really like.... Suspended in Gaffa - that falsetto vocal line "i want it all" is stuck in my head. The jaunty rhythm is very hypnotic. I really like this track. Sat in Your Lap - I love the wild passionate vocal delivery on this track. Night of the Swallow - that descending pre chorus into the ascending chorus, so epic. I swear there is bagpipe or some other sort of celtic horns on this track. So good. I'm not sure about... Houdini - the wild screaming, exaggerated vocals are a lot. I don't know how I feel. I do like the haunting instrumentation though. Get out of my house - the Eeeeyooo vocal line at the end is just so bizarre. Really messes with my memory of the song. Made me laugh out loud at first. I didn't like... The dreaming - i don't like her putting on that thick accent. I know she's english... but it just sounds not good. It sounds like a shitty experimental sea shanty Side note: I do think the vocal stylings influenced someone like Lingua Ignota. The wild ghoulish screaming. This is a 3 for me but with more listens it could very well become a 4. I'm definitely grabbing a couple of these songs for playlists.
Is it a 3? Is it a 2? Every other song had me ping-ponging back and forth. I’d like a song ok or think there was a great bridge in it, then the next song she’d growl (like a hound of love?) and I just couldn’t do it. I think, on balance, it’s a 3. I really liked “night of the swallow.” I really disliked the donkey impression that ended the album. Such is the duality of this album.
For the early 80s, a pretty interesting, intriguing sound. Better than expected. But I think this is an album you need to grow up with, or it needs time to grow on you. I don’t doubt its value but my 3/5 is where it sits for me for the foreseeable future.
I wonder how many 80s bands would explode if they just rerecord or remixed their albums without the 80's synth toolkit. This is definitely true for me with Kate Bush. While it still bears some 80s sound influences, it is early. And I just enjoyed it better than her commercially successful follow-up.
Not my favorite Kate Bush Album
Kate Bush had her whole little moment a few years back, and I was pretty happy to see her come up. Listening: -This s a bit jarring at the start. High drama here. -I swear if you wanted to do an over the top mocking british accent, "There Goes a Tenner" would still feel a bit much -Suspended in Gaffa--here the album really feels like it comes into its own. Good stuff. -The dreamer has a nice idiosyncratic rhythm to it. Review: This album is real weird. I liked it, but found it a bit too dissonant at times. 3.5 rounding down
Bush's vocal control and ability to manipulate her voice is on full display throughout the album, even if it isn't always a pleasant sound (e.g., her Toad voice in "Suspended in Gaffa"). You have to recognize the technical artistry of what Bush is capable of. Interestingly, the title track seems like it wants to condemn her native Britian's colonial past. However, Bush does it in ways that may not hold up to today's expectations of what that looks like. For instance, "The Dreaming" co-opts Aboriginal sounds, but doesn't really have any aboriginal artists. That probably would have been fine in the 80s (and is definitely a feature of the musical legacies that Bush is part of), but it's not great now. This leads into a song that is heavily Celtic influenced, which felt like an intentional choice by an artist living through The Troubles. 3.5 stars, rounding down to 3 for not aging the best.
Weird for sure, I liked some of it, had a hard time staying with it though.
Her operatic voice and writing style is pretty wack. Obviously, she's much more famous for a major hit, but she's written some other amazing songs on other albums that show off her sing talent. Way more than this album although this album is thematic and consistent it's just not my thing.
Not a big Kate Bush fan but she’s got some good music and she’s a great songwriter/musician.
An eccentric, musical theatresque album filled with catchy piano melodies and unique vocals.
I was in the aftermath of my divorce with my second wife. I was in a church with my grandmother. People were pointing and starring ar me. One was my 2nd wife's sister. Then out of abaxkroom or maybe I'm in a backroom I see my ex-wife. She's accusing me of following her. I sit dumbfounded bc I hadn't seen or thought of her in months. I leave with my grand mother. We pull into the parking lot of of a apartment complex right next to a giant tree. She gets out of the car. I start to follow her then don't. She's wearing all black. She says nothing and runs into the complex. Somehow I'm behind her and she has a machine gun and firing it. I don't see anyone else but I run back to the car. And sit. I'm all in black now and behind me is machine gun fire. Then a cop pulls right up next the car on the other side of the tree. I see my grandmother come out with a giant stack of board games and vhs' that are falling over and gets in the car. I'm terrified of going to jail. All the people from the church start showing up and the parking lot is full. I notice my medicine bottle is almost empty and I'll need a refill soon. I'm even more terrified. I look over to my grandmother and tell her 'you have to tell them I'm not a part of this. I didn't know you were going to do this." She says "I can't do that it's not part of my book" I say what book? The one that's in heaven. She looks scared. I think of withdrawal and I'm terrified. I woke up in a garage. There was a television show on an old crtv with Jason Bateman and Jennifer Anniston listen to either true crime or ghost stories on a walkie talkie. The lights in the garage where slowly going on then off. My mom came out to the garage and I asked her if this was normal. She asked me if anyone else could see the lights. Was it sending a signal? I said I don't know. I suddenly got a wave of anxiety and started checking the prescription refills on my medicine bottles but couldn't read them.
It was ok, but another I wouldn’t be rushing back to listen to. Alright background music
A different album. I love Kate Bush, but I don't like to be screamed at, even by her.
6 / 10 - I feel like I should be rating this album as it is extremley unique and artistic, however, it just didnt really captivate me, sorry Kate :(
Got a little too odd in the second half to bring home the 4
I've been waiting for a Kate Bush album! I'd never heard of her before Running Up That Hill went viral. Bit odd, but I don't hate it. After three listens, I don't really like it, either. I am looking forward to the other two albums on the list that are more commercial and less expiremental.
I'm really not a Kate Bush fan I'm discovering. This album is fine but nothing standout for me. The vibes are just a little strange.
The worst part about this album is that I just found out that Clipse released their first album in 15 years, and Travis Scott also released a new album this week. I'd much rather be listening to those albums, so I'm kind of listening to this like a kid eats his broccoli. Overall, it's pretty OK. It's weird, not your typical 80s pop sound, so that's endearing. I'd probably give it a 2.5 if I could.
Weird, but not in a bad way.
Where is Cloudbusting? Where is Hounds of Love? Where is Wuthering Heights?? It's fine but it's not very fun compared to other works :(
A hidden gem! Enjoyed the listen. Have heard of her, but never heard her music.
Quite the ride. Lots of sounds I haven't heard before. At some points I didn't know if I was listening to a spoof album or something from Disney. Overall it had it engaged and I wouldn't turn it off if it was on.
I’ve listened to some other Kate Bush before, and it feels like this is the album that a lot of her reputation from when I was a kid comes from. It’s ok, but not as good as some of her other work. You can see the massive influence this one had on Tori Amos and the swine Amanda Palmer. Also her Australian accent on the song The Dreaming might be considered a hate crime
English 80s art rock. Her most experimental album. Bonkers. Regina Spektor definitely drew from this. Whimsical and catchy.
Weird, baffling, but cool and daring.
Some weird interesting sounds. Not always into that 80s pop style but it was unique and weird in a way I enjoy
I liked it... different and pretty creative. Theatric arrangements. I started listening to it on the day it was first assigned to me, and I knew it was good but I was super tired and knew I wouldn't be open to it, so I saved it for when I knew I would be more receptive. Glad I did that.
Not at all what I was expecting. Very strange and experimental. Almost does feel like a dream with the cryptic lyrics and the production that see-sawd between very bare and very loud. Not entirely my thing, and has parts that don’t click with me, but has enough bright spots and interesting ideas for me to appreciate it.
Rv/g
I really hoped I would be into Kate Bush. This is the second time I've been served one of her albums and TBH it's just not working for me!
I am aware that this is one of Kate Bush's less popular albums and I find her style confronting at the best of times. However, this was weird and experimental-feeling enough that actually I kind of liked it. Rating: 3
There are albums that I gotten here that I know what to rate the moment they end and there are albums that I have no idea how to rate. This album is part of the latter. I kind of wanted to like this. I don’t know shit about Kate Bush (outside of that song, you know the one), so I was hoping this would be a great start. But to be real with you, I couldn’t get a handle of this and a large chunk of it was because of Kate’s vocals. They’re all over the place, changing pitch and tone constantly. Sometimes she’s high-pitched and delicate and other times she’s fucking screaming like she’s in a metal band. I know Kate is talented and this is a personal gripe, but I didn’t care for her style here. Also, this album doesn’t feel really too experimental. Like, it’s in this in between where it’s coherent, but not easily assessable. This could have been great. I would love me some catchy 80’s progressive pop with some quirkiness. But really, I found this only okay. I’m hoping this wasn’t a bad start for me for Kate Bush and that this was just a weird exception. Favorite track: Houdini Other hits: Get Out of My House (minus the donkey noises), Pull Out the Pin, Suspended in Gaffa, The Dreaming
Pretty good
An album that sows off Kate Bush's rtier side. Melodies are hard to discern, hooks non-existent. The vois=ce is powerful and emotional but aultmately I wait for a song or two that is more accessible to help draw me in. But it doesn't ever come. Respect the artistic statement but I don't enjoy the work. 3 stars
I can appreciate that this album is trying to be different. I think Bush can use her voice in a unique and interesting way. However, the music did not really sit that well with me.
Quite enjoyed the first song, i liked the switch from 6/8 to 4/4. The album as a whole was also enjoyable, but didn't really enjoy her sometimes overuse of effects, even though it was quite fun and original.
3/5 for this album but 4/5 for Kate Bush and her overall weird vibe. Great moments here but a little off the rails. May grow on me over time.
If you get lost in a dark wood and kidnapped by an evil witch, when you awaken in her dungeon and she takes a sort of venomous liking to you - she will explain herself through song in a manner very similar to this album. I actually kind of like it in small doses. In other moments I feel like I’m about to get baked into a pie.
Sean, feel like you summoned this album with your plead for more boundary pushing. This was wild. I really only know Running Up that Hill, from its recent resurgence. From what I’ve read this is the double black diamond of Kate Bush albums. The most experimental and least accessible. Not a lot I’m going to come back to on its own. If I end up listening to more Kate Bush, I may find more appreciation for this in context. Get Out of My House and Suspended in Gaffa stand out.
This selection is revealing as to the demographics of the list editors. I am guessing white Gen x men from UK. It's not bad, just boring and time has not bolstered it's stature, let's just say.
if pre-eclipse griffith was a fuckin album
Not a massive Kate Bush fan but some interesting stuff going on here…
As this is a full notch below her other entries on this list, it makes sense that it never sold. One's a fan but doesn't hear much here to get excited about – it's all too theatrical, melodramatic, stiff, non-flowing and excessively arty. Her view that it was a "she's gone mad" record shows considerable (and admirable) self-knowledge. It would seem that the "KB is the female Bowie" theory applies equally to the lowlights as well as the highlights.
Odd!
Not a Kate Bush fan. Don't like her voice. This is much too theatrical for me. Not bad enough for a 2 but definitely not for me.
I cant say I needed a 3rd Kate Bush album even if it is refreshing to see a female artist again. I don't think the production aged well at all, but I'm guessing this sounded pretty otherworldly at the time of its release
Not horrible, just worse than expected, but enough to remain above a 2 I suppose, but still an insult to other albums that I ranked 3.
I couldn't really connect to this music. I can see how this album would be really important to folks though; it evokes a primal, almost repressed feeling--like someone wanting to escape from a structure of music that wasn't built for them, but they don't have the tools to do it. Railing against the patterns of chords and repetitive percussive elements, Kate Bush belts, hollers, and sometimes brays like a donkey to create a dissonance that rails against the structure of the music. I don't say that to be insulting in any way, it's just true and I respect the artistic decision to go there. If I were to listen to this album again, I would want to be deeply engaged in a creative process where I had to confront complicated, almost violent feelings. I would lean on Kate's vocals to carry me through my frustrations with the process and remind myself that the art is in fact found in the pain of that process. As a listener, it's difficult for me to parse the lyrics, so I would run this back another time and see if I can appreciate the poetry of her words. If anything, this album really sparked my curiosity and I'd love to discuss this work with a fan.
I really wanted to like this but it was just ok
Enigmatic and odd - pretty compelling but short on hooks and memorable melodies. Probably deserves another listen or two to really get my head around it
Yea it was weird and I definitely wasn't digging portions of this joint. But I would be remiss if I didn't point out that there are some things that work for me and I think the commitment to exploring unique sounds is ultimately a win in the long term for music and for Bush
First time listening to an entire Kate Bush album. Not sure where I am at with it, will need another listen for sure.
As whimsical and dreamy as ever, Kate Bush shows that her voice is an emotive, tonal instrument as much as it is the vehicle for singing lyrics. “There Goes a Tenner” has a fun jumpy piano melody while Kate Bush surely lays out the vocal blueprint not just for this album, but surely for Björk as well. The 3:45 mark of “Pull Out The Pin” continues that super impressive vocal work in the way Bush dramatically screams “I love life!” over and over. The title track has the most compelling story on here, about the forced assimilation and destruction of Aboriginal life in Australia. The instrumental passage at the end of this track is stunning! It’s easily my favorite on the record and totally worth a few listens. Strong 3 on this one, if I go back and listen to it more I could see myself converting to a 4/5!
3/4
Meh. When Kate hits the spot she's amazing, but with the exception of 'Sat in your lap' noke of these tracks really do anything for me, and the awful cockney/Australian impressions on a couple of tracks do NOT stand up. Hounds Of Love is undeniably a classic, but this falls short. Just about scrapes a 3 because it's not awful, and SIYL is a brilliant opener.
This album had some crazy highs and crazy lows. When Kate Bush is at her best on this album, the songs are amazing, but sadly many songs are just downright annoying. This album kicked off with two really bad songs, then got good for a while, before ending on another down note.
BUSH! A bit too much bush for me. Really like Suspended in Gaffa but majority of album not really growing on me - despite repeated listens over several days .
Basically a nice album by a very good singer with an incredible voice. But it's still by far not as good as Hounds Of Love.
Very weird album, but not bad weird, just…. Odd.
I thought Kate Bush's remarkable voice was great in many of her songs, even if she sometimes uses it on the edge of being caustic. I've never heard a whole album from her before. So this is the first. As I said, a remarkable voice, but this time more often on the wrong side of caustic. I didn't like the album. It's possible that this is her most experimental album. But who says experiments have to be successful? From my point of view, this one is a failure. 3/5
A favorite of a bunch of artists I love. But it never gels for me. Maybe you had to be there? Or maybe it'll gel someday. I do love the thicc 80s drums though.
Kate Bush somehow manages to sound ahead of her time and also of her time at the same time. I really liked the layered, back and forth vocals on a few of the tracks and the synths were pretty great. It’s a weird record, like prog-pop or something. Good, but I’m not sure I’ll be revisiting.
Not her best. Still good.
Profoundly strange yet hugely creative. Didn't know what to think.
Like her unique voice
I could give this anywhere between 1 and 5 stars. I’m not a huge avant garde pop fan but I recognise how important it is to have this music pushing the genre to interesting places. Ultimately for me, she doesn’t quite tip her experimentation into a compelling hit in this album.
ein sehr weirdes album.. auf eine weise hat es mir gefallen, zumindest bestimmte aspekte und stellen: kate bush‘s stimme gefällt mir gut, sie ist sehr extravagant und unique. auch die harmonien sind spannend und es passieren in der musik generell crazy sachen, die interessant anzuhören sind. auf eine andere weise hat es mir allerings nicht gefallen: ich empfinde das album als anstrengend und teilweise lärmig. mir ist zudem aufgefallen, dass ich dem album eine grössere chance und von anfang an mehr credit gegeben habe, weil ich kate bush kenne und sie mir gut gefällt. auf jeden fall keine belanglosen 3 sterne im sinne von „ismiregal“ sondern eher im sinne von „teils/teils“
To be honest I do like Kate Bush i think she is avant garde theatrical creative and cool. I am definitely more of a hounds of love Kate Bush fan, This was cool to listen to but i doubt i will buy the vinyl or revisit it.
This is the third Kate Bush album I've had so far on this project, and it's the first one I didn't hate. Although that goes a long way, I didn't love it either.
I don't think I've heard "early" Kate Bush before, not outside of "Babooshka" at least. This is very much one of her more experimental releases. Everything is avant-garde in an instrumental sense, and Bush's unique vocals in addition to the unsettling vocal loops featured in almost every track make for a very...interesting listen I'll say. To quote the outro lines from the fifth track: "We let the weirdness in". I think that's a pretty apt description for what I just witnessed.
Vocal pop display From carnival heights down to Feral haunting growls
I enjoyed it a good amount. It was a good bit better than I expected. It has some interesting experimental elements.
uhh kate bush nomal! hahaha omg wie nervig, aber au sehr cool seg ihres experimentellste album? sat in your lap bestätigt das bis jz die nächste 2 lieder würdi jz nöd behaupte, dass sie mier würkli gfalled, aber find d kreativität und eifach d weirdness sehr cool wie sie I love life schreit soo geil hahah barocki kate!! das irische lied hani na funny gfunde all the live sehr schön! find de bass seehr cool ich find sooo cool wie sie ihres schreie ihsetzt jaa mega cools und komischs album. chan nöd sege, dass ich de grossteil vode lieder per se "gnosse" han aber definitiv es 3
Not quite sure what to make of this one I enjoyed it somewhat
Typical Kate.
I can never tell if I’m going to love or hate listening to Kate Bush. It changes day by day. This go around on this one was kind of a neutral experience for me.
very good
Challenging, lush, interesting.
I know Kate Bush, not really heard much of her. Not for me. I respect it.
So long as she isn't doing Tom Waits-ass poverty cosplay ("There Goes a Tenner"), braying like a donkey ("Get Out of My House") or doing whatever the title track is supposed to be (is that a bad Australian accent?), it's pretty great
I quite like some Kate Bush, but some of this album is a bit toooo out there isn't it??
Eigensinniges experimentelles Album von Kate, das durch die Vielen Nuancen zu einer Reizüberflutung beim Ersthörer führt. Es matched deswegen nicht direkt zwischen Kunst und Gehör. Trotzdem hat auch starke Elemente und ist alles andere als schlecht.
279/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
I've said it before: I keep thinking I should like Kate Bush more. But albums like "The Dreaming" are not going to be the thing that converts me. There are a lot of interesting ideas here, but some things that just make me feel bewildered. Songs like "Get Out Of My House," and "Pull Out The Pin"... there's something there, I think. And maybe if I listened to it 5 or 6 times I may get the brilliance there. But as it is, I don't think I have the patience for it. Top tracks: "Sat In Your Lap," "Night Of The Swallow," "The Dreaming"
Ugh. That's what I said when I saw Kate Bush on tap. Her albums have been decent but also so weird, I find myself torn between adoration and disdain. Oh no. That's what I said when I clicked and saw that this album is often seen as her most uncommercial and experimental. Well what were those other albums doing? Still, at least this list got to some early Kate Bush albums, because from what I understand she was quite the trailblazer in terms of self writing, producing, and arranging. And on this one she took the production reins for the first time to create her weirdness. So kudos to that even if weird. And she really is a thoughtful, mysterious lyricist - a true poet. But like watching an art film, it was like listening to an art album, and I don't fully get art. So another maddening album to listen to for me, full of adoration (lyrics, creativity) and disdain (shrill vocals, strange musical arrangements).
A bit weird - I have no idea what the songs are about. But they are still interesting to listen to, though I doubt I'll ever listen to this again.
2.5 stars to be honest
Now with extra texture!
I like the two Kate Bush songs that everyone likes. Unfortunately they’re not on this album. These songs are a little too weird for me, but she gets points for originality
I appreciate its erratic nature. Nothing quite grabbing me though. Needs a Running Up That Hill, Wuthering Heights etc. Simpsons: Songs featured, but no reference I don’t think.
It felt like the kind of album that you could appreciate more with more listens. But after just the one listen, this was a three.
This is fucking weird.
Listened to this back to back after her album, Hounds of Love. This one was weirder which I was into. Best songs: Sat In Your Lap There Goes A Tenner Suspended in Gaffa
Not a bad album some great tracks, some mediocre tacks. It's a good album by Kate Bush. Nothing more needs to be said really. 3
Really not that special sorry Like I liked the vibes but it just wasn’t very cohesive or entertaining
Much as I like Kate Bush, I found this a hard album to get into. Couldn't hear anything that stood out.
It was fine. Honestly I didn’t finish it. Weirdly shouty and not my favorite sound. Cool and artistically out on a limb which I can appreciate. But cannot say I liked it.
I switched to this after listening to some Orchestra Baobab – specifically Kelen Anti from A Night at Club Baobab. The opening track to this album has a similar groove going on in the back, but whereas the lads from Senegal bring a total groove to it, Bush seems to hide it. Not cool. I get that Bush's big weapon is her voice. It's the most important instrument on this album for sure. But there are countless times when the music itself could sing some more, make more of an impact. And it just doesn't come anywhere near to where it could do. Maybe that's the production and Bush's lack of experience at this stage. Maybe it's the 80s and those god awful drum styles, presumably from the sampler she used. Not my thing. A mate of mine dominates his musical likes through a degrees of separation thing. He likes Big Country. Bush sand on The Seer, so, by default, he loves Kate Bush. With no reservations. I don't get that idea. I mean, how? Especially with an artist as diverse as Bush. I didn't find this overly experimental fwiw. I much preferred Björk's Medúla album. I listened to this once. I doubt I'll listen again, but it did send me down NPR's list of greatest albums by women, so it can come it at three stars for that alone.
Decently done. You can tell this inspired a lot of more recent artists. Not the deepest listen. Good style and vibe. Good to be on the list. Didn't blow me away.
The mixing could be better, it's a bit muddy. It is interesting and her voice does a lot of the work. Suspended in Gaffa stands out immediately. I would need more time with this.
I’ll have to own up to not really getting along very well with this one. Took my time and tried a few times over a couple of days but it didn’t gel. I like plenty of Kate Bush and I’m fairly certain that, one day, the penny might drop with this record. But not yet. It felt like the constituent parts of an artist gaining full creative control and travelling from prog to post punk sensibilities. Which is all good, but the flowering of that shift is yet to come on later records that are more melodically rewarding and, perhaps, burnished by an extra pair of ears via a producer. Funny; I thought that a Kate Bush album with her full creative control would perfect her art, but I think actually she thrives with that 3rd party input and creative sparring.
Some of it is very good, a lot of it is just weird. Favorite song: pull out the pin.
3.5
Didn’t hate this. May listen again. But to British for me
Bit boring
Interesting, and justifies inclusion, but I don't see myself going back to it. The Dreaming has not aged well - weird Rolf Harris vibes and strange Australian accent
3.1
Some songs are beautiful and others are nightmares
Интересно. Надали ще си го пусна пак, ама интересно 3-4
Kinda mid but at least it’s not another mind-numbing boring pretentious rock album
I know some girls who, if they had known her music back in school, probably would have made Kate Bush their whole personality.
Way too experimental, still handled this one without blasting a puke
Pretty wild for a first listen but not in the same way other stuff has made me baulk at here. I can only give this a three now but can believe people find more to it as they get to know it better.
boring
An astonishing voice seeing what she can do with it. Hits the mark a good half the time.
Pop progresivo. Ni fu ni fa.
My second Kate Bush album on this list. This one is certainly a more challenging listen than the other. I didn't quite know what to make of this on first listen. Luckily I got this on a Sunday, which meant I had time to leave it for a while and come back to it with a fresh mind. Personally I find this album makes more sense if I think about it as a soundtrack to an avant-garde musical theater production. That said I don't think it's a musical that I would want to see.
A mega dose of '80s vibes (via old-school synths) from an artist who's aiming for high-art timelessness and here and there achieves it, with much strangeness besides. It doesn't fully come off, mainly for feeling disjointed and excessively theatrical. "Silver Bullet" and "All the Love" are the best songs. While there is much that is interesting and some dramatic and moving bits, it's missing tunefulness and flow. It's a classic "admire more than enjoy" sort of record.
This was interesting, for sure. I enjoyed parts of it, but it definitely felt like she eventually went overboard with the experimentation. By the time I reached the closing track, it just became really annoying, which is why I can't give it a 4. 3.5/5 stars
Love her voice and a couple of the songs - the rest are a bit out there for me. Later album, Hounds of Love was/is a favorite album.
She has her own unique style. I'll forever respect her for that. Easy to recognize and hard to copy. 3.5/5.
Having only heard running up that hill, I was absolutely not ready for this level if experimental music! I was absolutely fascinated for the duration, despite not enjoying it that much. This demands multiple listens to appreciate properly, but having only listened once, I can't give it a high score. I think i would like it more down the line. This is a perfect "album you should listen to before you die" because its just experimental enough to expose you to something new without being too challenging
Very eccentric and experimental. A lot of weird sounds but also some good arrangements hidden within. Some tracks worked better than others, some were a bit too far for me. Instrumentals good throughout, overall decent. Highlights: Sat In Your Lap Suspended In Gaffa
Kate Bush’s talents do not quite match up to her ambitions yet.
Not my fav Kate album too many high pitched backing vocals for my liking.
Experimental Kate Bush. Interesting if not super entertaining.
this (and lowkey most of) kate bush album was a lot of bad-to-okay songs with a couple good ones sprinkled in. obviously pushing the boundary of pop music in cool ways though
Was this brilliant or just madness? I may have to listen to It again. Very strange that's for sure
Ok. Quirky and solid. Sonically interesting at times, which is something I like.
It was fine.
Good but I think there are better Kate Bush albums.
Everyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the last 2 years has heard of Kate Bush because of the show Stranger Things. No wonder, Running Up That Hill is a great song and Kate Bush is one of the most original singers to have ever appeared. But I'm not sure if I was able to properly digest the work done on The Dreaming. The feeling I have is that something is missing. Maybe it's something I'll come across throughout her discography, but while The Dreaming isn't something I'll listen to every day, it definitely has its value. I'm going to leave 3 stars today, but maybe that rating will change over time.
2024-08-07...
I appreciate the musicianship here, but it's a little too dramatic for me. I do like the way how Bush sometimes uses her voice as additional instrument.
It's not bad, but it feels very all over the place and I think there's actually bad songs on it. It's a 3 because I think there's better Kate Bush out there and I think I had higher expectations for this
The Dreaming doesn’t really have any standout songs the way The Kick Inside or Hounds of Love do, but the album as a whole is beautiful, and probably my favorite of Kate Bush’s. It’s also one of the most apt album titles ever, considering the wonderfully dreamy pop sounds she’s able to put together.
3,5
Certainly a bit of a strange duck but some good ideas
Interesting sound scape
3rd Bush album in 11 albums. She's just meh to me. Sorry fans
She’s weird
It is very very Kate Bush Which can be equal parts impressive and just too much
to much for me .. 3 stars
Aleight
pretty weird and not always pleasant but usually interesting
This jumped out at me at first but then tailed off and Sam found it annoying. Probably a 3 but I would look forward to other albums by her
Weird …
Good sound i suppose
sure man
It was at least interesting
Ok-ish album, with this and Bowie it feels we're getting the more mediocre albums of big stars?
Interesting vibes, I liked it but it didn't blow me away at any point
"Musicians such as Björk and Big Boi have cited The Dreaming as one of their favourite albums..." Yes, I see that 😅... I appreciate what Kate does on this album, but for me it is to weird and not memorable at all... Crazy, different, but only occasionally good melodies...
All 3. Deleted my rating on accident and I'm not typing them out again. Interesting. Not my music, but not bad music.
A portrait by a true artist, even if it's a little mired in chaos. There are a lot of musically rich details here, and I love that she is using the bleeding edge technology of the day to take pop structures to new places. That don't make it any less challenging of a listen. Plus, you could argue that without this artist exploration, you don't get the landmark Hounds of Love that follows. Then, this style of art pop has had such a clear influence in so many to follow, like Bjork and St. Vincent. Still, this is the exploration, not the finished product.
Interesting but I think I need another listen or two.
It's not good, but kind of interesting. Maybe for the time it was pushing the envelope, I could see this influencing future artists. 2.6.
Kate Bush is hugely influential, but I just can't dig her stuff.
Too odd for me to rate it higher.
Tried one last time to enjoy this quote-unquote "experimental" album by this grand priestess of weird "avant-garde" pop. Opener "Sat On My Lap" and second cut "There Goes A Tenner", with their ridiculously cheesy and artificial-sounding simulation of trumpet / brass section on the Fairlight CMI synth, make that umpteenth attempt extremely difficult. More atmospheric "Pull Out The Pin", where Kate Bush screams her lungs out to perform the "I love life" vocal hook in such an impressive and fully theatrical fashion, surprisingly fares far better. And so does waltzy "Suspended In Gaffa", thanks to its (this time lush) synth parts imitating a string quartet, along with its memorable ecstatic chorus. Background male vocal parts (some of whom performed by Bush's mentor Dave Gilmour, from the Floyd), also bring interesting layers to those tunes. Conversely, "Leave It Open" comes off as a pointless, shapeless and tasteless dirge that's mostly a pretext for more performative or heavily produced and manipulated vocal shenanigans. Skip that one as soon as you can. At first, the track that follows (giving its name to the whole LP) sounds like another self-indulgent, gratuitous exercise in being weird for the sake of being weird, but I have to admit the performance and composition quickly becomes strangely addictive. The didgeridoo brings an evocative background mood, but it's mostly the Meredith-Monk-inspired vocals that seal the deal here. After that full-blown delirium, the admittedly *objectively* extravagant "Night Of The Swallow" almost come off as "mundane", in spite of its lively Irish folk music instrumentation. Likewise, "All The Love" hits interesting marks, especially in its cinematic breaks / bridge sections using haunted vocals to suggest a foggy landscape filled with forlorn ghosts. Yet one can't help feeling that those two cuts are drafts for the even more wonderful experimental moments that would make *Hounds Of Love* so striking and breathtaking. Ballad "Houdini" then tries hard to revisit the peculiar and yet enticing harmonies of "Wuthering Heights", mixed with some weirder (and sometimes more grating) moments in keeping with the overall feel and tone of this record. Yet what comes off is that the song is only an afterthought to Kate's debut hit (or the later one "Breathing"). Finally, "Get Out Of My House" concludes the whole weirdfest in a way that nicely sums up what the whole album conveys, both in its good and arguably terrible moments. The braying of donkey was a fun touch (just like the sheep bleating on the title track), but it's mostly the guitar parts and the (qawwali-inspired?) vocal adlib during the fade out that leave the strongest impression here. Not that said impression is "fully" convincing... Verdict: glad I tried one more time, because in spite of the blatantly self-indulgent or overblown moments in this LP, there are also terrifically creative and let's dare say *entertaining* spots in it. It's always a very thin line between the two with Kate Bush, who managed to find a more satisfactory middle ground between her experimental, extravagant drive and a more streamlined pop appeal elsewhere, in her truly *essential* albums (*Hounds Of Love*, and possibly also *Never For Ever* or *The Kick Inside*). Yet I now like or at least can appreciate half of those songs, most of them in the middle of this LP. And it's possible others grow on me after. That said, the first two tracks (singles from the album, I think--quite inexplicably, I might add) definitely come off as bad and tragically "dated" and daft to my ears. Therefore, there's no way I can ever consider this LP as "essential", not with such clunkers opening it. *The Dreaming* was a great laboratory for Bush, allowing her to try out new ideas and sounds. But, in science as in music, some results should stay in the test tubes and never see the light of day. 2.5/5 for the purposes of this particular list, rounded up to 3. 7.5/10 for more general purposes (5+2.5) Number of albums left to review: 195 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 347 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 202 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 256 (including this one)
Well that was a wild ride. Maybe the most insane album yet. I really enjoyed it, but its a bit much for regular listening (save for the 2 tracks listed below). 4 stars for being interesting, 3 stars for enjoyment. Standout tracks: - Pull Out the Pin - Leave it Open - When she screams GET OUT OF MY HOUSE in Get Out of My House Album Cover: A-
This album was very weird but good. I am quite behind, so that is all I have to say. 6/10
Distinctive KB voice. I enjoyed it.
Kate Bush is typcially mental on this album and for me she swings wildly from absolute banger to complete whimsy while tripping on bad acid. She is a sure fire genius though so maybe when the tracks that don't hit that's actually my fault? I mean, the donkey braying at the end of the album proves that right? Right? Best Tracks: Sat In Your Lap; Pull Out the Pin; Suspended in Gaffa;
Mad but great voice. Possibly a grower
Not as "experimental" as I anticipated. She has a nice voice, and the album has nice vibes.
Interesting
Kate Bush's "The Dreaming" is a bit of an enigma on the first listen. Albums with this level of complexity often require a second or third listen to fully appreciate their depth. I have a deep appreciation for Kate Bush, particularly because she's a significant influence on one of my favorite artists, Tori Amos. The similarities in their vocal tonality are evident, yet Kate's musical style in "The Dreaming" draws a closer parallel to Björk's experimental and eclectic sound. There's a quirky, almost otherworldly quality to this album that reminds me distinctly of Björk’s work. Tori Amos’s music tends to be more straightforward and emotionally direct, which resonates with me on a more personal level. While I admire Kate for pushing boundaries and creating something truly unique, there are moments on "The Dreaming" where it feels like she might be trying too hard to be kooky—parts of the album feel more forced than naturally eccentric. This can sometimes overshadow the raw talent and genuine creativity that is clearly there. Favourite Tracks: Night Of The Swallow, All The Love
I kind of like Sat in Your Lap and There Goes a Tenner
This album is absolutely insane - the vocals run all over the place and the sounds are jarring at times. I like her other album better but this one is bananas
Good
While I don't think I totally vibe with some of the music choices I can't help but respect what kate bush did here. It all came together sonically and makes sense in a kind of unhinged way. I don't think I'm going to put this album on unless I'm going green goblin mode.
Did you ever wake up and find yourself completely naked except for a blindfold, duct taped to a metal folding chair, with your hands tied behind your back? There are questions, adrenaline, and dread. This album has that and more. It is dark and fantastically dramatic. I listened with my eyes closed; the show was filled with torchlit tunnels, a dragon’s lair, beings made from mud coming to life, cauldrons, an occasional searchlight, and fangs. I’d love to see the live production, broadway musical, or Circ de Soliel show (if available.) The Dreaming is the best song, but it is sinister. This album may be a creature that escaped from Pandora’s box; it’s out, it’s disturbing, and it can’t be put back in. Kate must have been having nightmares when she put this project together. Well done, but not my type of art. (2.9*s)
This album is super experimental and ahead of it's time (like all her work IMO). It's far better than a lot of other stuff that came out in the 80's but it's a bit too theatrical for me. I like a lot about it (except Suspended in Gaffa) but it also reminded me of a really dark Disney soundtrack with little muppets popping out everywhere with hisses and chants. You're transported on this wild journey for sure and it's no surprise that Bjork cites this as a fave or that it took KB 2+ years to craft (she's obviously talented). I really like the variety, from witches to bagpipes, she pulls it off. Night of the Swallow is brilliance but not for the mainstream. In the words of Uncle Ronnie... "fricken bizarre." She's taking big chances and they're working.
I was worried as I initially hit play. Once this got going I was on board with the weird experimental indy stuff that Kate Bush went for. She managed to thread the needle of experimental weirdness while still keeping this engaging and effective. A fun varied listen. 2.75 stars
Listening to this album, I can confirm that Kate Bush's songs are not made for me. I really can't appreciate it as it looks like it deserves. However, I must say that this specific album is pretty intense, with a lot of personality, experimentalism, and audacity, which catch my attention for some songs.
This records leans into the weird in a way I really like, but last any hooks that make me want to return to it. I hate to be the person who only likes Running up the hill, but that was weird and haunting AND had the hook. This album just needed that something extra.
Not my cup of tea.
p495. 1982. 3 stars. Mad as a sack of frogs. This is Kate in her most screechy and oddest phase, with one of her worst songs (There Goes A Tenner) and the entire album switches from genre to genre like a hyperactive child with attention deficit disorder. And yet, and yet... strangely accessible. Bit like Kate :)
Well that turned the theatericality up to 11. Can't say it wasn't unique.
It was alright
No es el mejor disco de Kate Bush. La producción excesiva de los 80.
unexpectedly hard rock at some points? definitely unexpected, definitely well executed, but its just not my fav. 4/7
Nice vocals, but I found it a bit monotonous.
Big Boi, part of the greatest rap duo of all time, Outkast, named this his favorite album ever. Not terrible but her next album is better.
It has its moments. Sounds like music made for Winona Ryder.
Very avant garde
Not accessible to get above a 3, but too cool to fall below a 3. It is really cool, but just not something I'd come back to.
Some songs were so so good and some were very not for me so I think that makes it okay overall.
I think that Kate Bush is soo underrated 'cause she has a very unique and iconic voices with just one note that she sings. I don't exactly know what to think about this album cause i'm actually not a fan of this particular music, even tho i think that is weird but is not bad at all. I think that the experimental stuff was sometimes great, sometimes not.
Mwah
01) Sat In Your Lap - 7,5 02) There Goes A Tenner - 7,0 03) Pull Out The Pin - 7,0 04) Suspended In Gaffa - 8,0 05) Leave It Open - 7,0 06) The Dreaming - 6,5 07) Night Of The Swallow - 7,0 08) All The Love - 6,5 09) Houdini - 6,0 10) Get Out Of My House - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,85 (69/100)
Interesting but also very werid.
Seriously, another fourth studio album? Is this when people peak? I guess it must be. Note to self: only buy and listen to fourth studio albums. Sorry No Doubt, I gotta skip Tragic Kingdom and go straight to Return of Saturn.... and just where is No Doubt on this list.
decent album, i cant get enough of stuck in gaffa
Incredible to think that this was one of the biggest British pop stars of the 80s - even if this didn't sell like her other albums, it's existence speaks to a much higher public demand/tolerance for wierdness and a level of artistic risk taking and experimentation at the top of the charts that no longer exists. The thing about experiments though is that they don't always turn out. This one finds Kate Bush leaning way into some of the most annoying aspects of her sound: the alternatingly fluterring operatic and chimpmonky vocals, the challenging melodic phrasing defined by huge leaps into the high range, and the extremely slow arhythmic compositions, and overuse of cheesy strings. The ornate baroque arrangements are pretty cool, lots of random instruments, synth tones, shimmering effects and textures. Favorites: Leave it Open
Liked the vibe but no songs stood out to me
Ok, I 'got it', but I have to keep it in the framework of a concept piece. Oddly entertaining but certainly not something I will reach out for.
I remember Kate Bush, the first time around in the 80's and never found her music interesting and her voice irritated me and made it a difficult listen. I know at the time she was hugely popular, maybe more so in England than North America, but it didn't appeal to me, though there is some good material on The Dreaming. There's been a sudden revival of her music thanks to "that song" featured in the TV show, Stranger Things and a whole new generation and their mothers are chomping at the bit to hear more. This album or Hounds of Love are a good place to start, probably her best albums, at least for me, the most listenable K. Bush records.
Not her best, still an icon.
Strange and unique. Great vocals. Love her style though it’s not my usual taste in music.
Delightfully weird 3/5
Eccentric, yes, but also original and - occasionally - entertaining. Is this the Kate Bush album I’d curate here? No way. But, ultimately, it’s a Kate Bush album and I love Kate Bush.
Once again no one was doing it like Kate bush in the 80s and once again it isn’t clicking with me. I definitely appreciate her music more than I like it because it really is unique and fun but it’s not something I want to listen to more than once. I liked hounds of love a lot more but this was still alright.
80s pop rock circus clown music. Fun when it leans into the silly stuff. The more generic poppy tracks did not wow me.
What a weirdo album in a not bad way. I feel like this is Kate Bush at some of her most unhinged. The opening track is just a weird amalgam of creative instrument choices with such a weird groove and this jaunty/bar like piano. interesting vocal parts/harmonies. Still some catchiness but definitely really odd overall.
That was a supremely weird album. I liked it.
Tried really hard to 'get' this, it didn't happen. Great sounding album but KB's voice did get a bit whiney. I can see some of the attraction but not all of it.
Incredibly weird but inspired work. Influences fade into the background leaving only a unique work
I love Kate Bush, such a unique singer who creates some well produced music. I've read rave reviews about this album being a masterpiece of her work, but for me I just don't get it, I really struggled with this album, and I wouldn't rate it as her best work. She was a wonderful voice and talent, but you shouldn't need to concentrate and disect each part of the songs to come out with a doctorate on how wonderful it is. She made much better music than this.
Not bad, not great. I've learned from this project that if you want a broad music exposure, you probably don't need 1,001 albums. Half (or less) would suffice. But I do think that being exposed to Kate Bush is worthwhile.
Weird stuff, but a good break from the typical 80s music.
Bat-sh*t crazy. Very strange composition
I liked this album, though I think I liked Hounds of Love much better. The wild vocal affectations on this album were sometimes cool, other times just not hitting for me.
meh 3*
Really liked the lyrics but could tell this album was very experimental. Did like some of the songs though - There Goes a Tenner, Night of the Swallow, and The Dreaming
I like Kate Bush but eh yeah I don't know what I think about this one. I enjoyed the listen for the sheer invention but I prefer a bit more focus. Singing with a mock cockney or Australian accent can never be a good idea
Weird lol
Good
Very nice voice, but most of it is either uninteresting to me or feels quiet exhausting to listen to. I like the song All The Love, which is pretty slow and easy to listen to.
музыкально довольно интересно, но вокал её не для меня
Really interesting, but not particularly enjoyable. Pull out the Pin, Night of the Swallow, and Houdini stood out the most, but I don't think the rest of the album justifies a higher rating.
What a weird album. I still don’t really know how I’m supposed to feel about it, and it could probably use another listen that I’m not willing to commit to. There’s something there though. I think… I liked it. Best song: Suspended in Gaffa?
Genres: Art rock, avant-pop, progressive pop, progressive rock Formed: 1978 Run time: 10 songs, 43 min, 21 sec The fourth studio album by the English art rock singer. Overall the songs are well written, often complex and layered. Spotify: Least popular song: 1.5M Most popular song: >9.5M plays "Sat In Your Lap" is open to interpretation. I feel the line “I see the people working” means their relationships are working. Others think more literally, that Kate is singing about actual work. She then talks about knowledge, but that could equally apply either way. “There Goes A Tenner” tells the story of a bank heist. It seem like a strange topic. Is it perhaps meant to be taken metaphorically? “Pull Out The Pin” is about war, and the struggle to maintain one's humanity. This internal conflict is best described by the line "With my silver Buddha and my silver bullet". 'Suspended in Gaffa '' is about life's struggles and wanting to achieve something (spiritual), but feeling like you’re being held back by Gaffa (tape). “Leave It Open” starts by talking about being closed as a means of self-protection. There is then a change, to open up to allow others in and thus experience life, despite the risks. “The Dreaming” is a commentary on the appalling treatment of the indigenous peoples of Australia. It talks about the British trying to erase their way of life, so the land can be plundered for minerals. “Night of the Swallow” is another song open to interpretation. It starts by talking about telling the police to prevent someone from doing something. It then goes on to talk about helping someone escape the country. I don;t know what wrong was being prevented or who was being helped. "All the Love" is about dying (really or metaphorically). It is only at that point does their friend express their love and true feelings. The next time (they die) they first dedicate their work to their friends. This causes fear in the friends and they hide their feelings. Overall the song suggests we share our feelings before it is too late. “Houdini” is about a medium trying (and failing) to contact Houdini at a Séance. "Get Out of My House" is about the singer's need for privacy and solitude. She is determined to keep her home and herself cut off from the outside world. We know Kate is a private person, so I guess the song is about her. I sometimes find Kate Bush’s voice a little shrill but that was not the case on this album. I particularly liked how she provided her own backing on some songs, using a muted, almost ethereal voice. She is a fantastic song writer and the subject matter is always varied and often eclectic. Listen Again?: No but I will listen to a “Best Of” album. My Rating: ***
I love Kate Bush’s dedication to making music that sounds like I should be cooking up a big old cauldron in a mushroom forest to. It’s whimsical and it ignores a lot of conventional instruments and vocal arrangements, it stands out.
She's an odd one. Her music really takes time to get into. Her voice...sometimes so great and other times so annoying. The first track, Sat in Your Lap, is a perfect example of this contrast. Standouts: Night of the Swallow, All of the Love Others: There Goes a Tenner, Suspended in Gaffa, Sat in Your Lap, The Dreaming, Leave it Open, Get Out of My House Rating: 3/5
Sure is weirder than the her other albums. 3
Belle voix. Connaissait peu autre que Running up that hill de Stranger Things. Je pensais avoir plus de frissons en écoutant. Un peu mi-chaud mi-froid, quoique pas mauvais du tout. C'est vraiment un album éclectique, de par son style et sa weirdness.
Volgens de info op interenet wordt dit gezien als haar meest experimentele plaat. Volledig zelf opgenomen en geproduceerd, wat ik wel kan waarderen. En ondanks het minder toegankelijke (lees: minder pop en meer experiment) heb ik hier toch met belangstelling naar geluisterd.
It was alright.
I know very little of Kate Bush. This album smacks as an exploration into experimentalism to me. A lot of interesting decisions a few tracks in. Some of which hit; others which miss wide. Sat In Your Lap is all over the place. Very ambitious with the vocal switches. I can't say I love it, but I don't hate it either. Pull Out The Pin has a cool instrumental throughout. This feels way ahead of its time and a huge influence on some contemporary artists (e.g., Grimes). So far this one is my favorite. Interesting deconstruction through the last minute. I had the album on in the background for the most part after this point. While this isn't something that I would go back for, I largely respected the production and experimental nature. To me this is a soft 3.
Not the best but still better than most other people let’s be honest.
Similar vocally to Madonna, but provides alternative pop in the way Lorde and Billie Eilish do today. Lots of respect, but not quite my style to keep me engaged.
Пипец какие глюки я словил в конце альбома. Просто жесть... оры и крики какие-то)) А начиналось всё довольно прилично; в какой-то момент захотелось сравнить её с The Smiths, но это максимум к 1-2 песням подходит (типа There Goes A Tenner). Короче два последние трека не поняты вообще. Голос у неё очень узнаваемый, естественно. Какой-то такой тембр интересный... как будто, у неё не совсем британское происхождение, или просто орехи во рту, когда поёт.
с бэкграундом становится понятнее, но истории в плейлист не запихнуть
Weird album I have some mixed feelings about. Some early tracks are a bit whiny at times. Then ‘Suspended in Gaffa’ came on and I was like “Ok, now we’re getting somewhere…” and then I got hit with ‘The Dreaming’. Wow. It’s somehow punchy and ethereal, with such strong lyrics. I really appreciate how bold and gutsy this album is, especially since it’s entirely produced by Bush too! It’s definitely not an album that you listen to at a party, or relaxing at home with your friends— it’s when you want to listen to something eccentric and experience new musical sounds. I’d give this a 7.5/10, so let’s round it up :).
Is that a bloody tenner, oi bruv, look at this tenner I’ves just seen
Not really my style but there were flashes that were good. 5/10
Interesting.
Oh that's right, Kate's weird. 3 stars.
An interesting if unconventional album by Kate Bush, I was only mildly disappointed that this album did not contain "Running Up That Hill" or "Wuthering Heights". But it perfectly encapsulates the wild and wacky nature of who and what is Kate Bush. Very experimental and wacky, but without that, it wouldn't be the same. Best: Set In Your Lap Worst: Get Out Of My House 3.5 Stars
I've loved Kate Bush ever since I discovered Wuthering Heights as a teenager. She's wonderfully weird and while I probably won't go back to this album, it was interesting in it's experimentality
Excellent and weird! Solid 3.5
kate bush would thrive in 2023. I think major attributes of her style have kind of circled back multiple times (there goes a tenner is reminding me of marina and the diamonds) the screaming in get out of my house is cool
Just as potty as you would expect leaving kate bush to produce an album
Mad. A totally mad record. Kate Bush is a total legend but this isn’t the album I’ll listen if given a choice.