Reviews (page 3 of 14)
The greatest ever songwriter in the English language at the height of her powers, this is such a big album, i feel like so much modern music owes a lot to Kate Bush and specifically this album. I could write 10,000 words on how much this album means to me but no one cares. Hard to pick a favourite song, but its between Cloudbusting and The Big Sky. 2000/5
This is hands down the BEST album ever created!
Brilliant
Masterpiece
Kate Bush and my mother single handedly raised me
stranger things running up that hill
An ethereal listening experience. Beautiful album with amazing compositions, arrangements, lyrics and production. Kate Bush was a trailblazer for the female artist (I remember after first listening to this album thinking Tori Amos owes Kate Bush for her sound). Love how this album basically plays as two separate musical suites, with Side A as the mesmerizing Hounds of Love and Side B as the haunting The Ninth Wave. Fantastic artistry and a truly great album.
Opens with the iconic Running Up That Hill, and I'll admit I was that this would be another case where the single was the best part of the album. Happy to be proved wrong! The rest of this is weird and open in a way I'm completely in the bag for, love it from start to finish
A really bold album of two distinct halves. The first a much poppier, radio friendly selection of songs that contains some of Kate Bush's biggest songs, whilst the second half is a more conceptual song cycle that draws in experimental and folk styles. Somehow it works tremendously well and arguably set the template for artists like Bjork and many more to play in a more artsy, experimental pop space.
ШИКАРНО
“Let’s exchange the experience.” This is boundless, life-affirming pop music. Her vocal performance is stunning, of course, but the percussion really got me too. I expected each song to be a step down or something (especially after the all-timer opener “Running Up that Hill”), but it just continued to be fucking great. There’s a pulse and deep sense of movement across the whole thing. I don’t know of another singer who composes and constructs their melodies quite like this. “Cloudbusting” in particular is astonishing. The conceptual side two about drowning kicks ass.
Perfect album flawless in every way
Favorite Track: Jig of Life
Jamais déçu de Kate Bush, on adore sa voix et ses instru, et puis Running up that hill c'est en boucle en intraveineuse tous les jours on s'en lasse pas
Album banger, artiste qui a été aux oubliettes pendant un moment (merci Stranger Things looool). Première artiste féminine solo ! Un beau 4,7/5 !
Album incroyable. Un mélange de bizarre, de mystique, d'expérimental avec la voix de Kate Bush. Pas ma première ni ma dernière écoute. 5/5
I had never heard anything off this album other than Running Up That Hill and I'm actually really into it
50/1089 one of my all-time faves. instant 5 stars It just exemplifies everything i love about music, the pop-y Hounds of Love Side A with some massive hits and the conceptual Ninth Wave Side B with the more experimental sound and narrative woven through. it’s extremely well paced and produced and fully took advantage of it’s format. I will always remember hearing Running Up That Hill for the first time watching the London Olympics closing ceremony but i will also always remember how it felt to hear this album in full years later, especially my favourites. faves: Cloudbusting - what a stunning song, i still get goosebumps, the progression with the strings and her vocals will always get me Jig Of Life - The most unexpected sound on the album but it’s perfect, the intensity, the ebb and flow just a gorgeous work of musicianship which brings the Ninth Wave storyline to a climax incredibly Running Up That Hill - a classic, timeless, need I say more… 5 stars or 100/100
This album is amazing, it perfectly balances pop and art side of Kate Bush.
kate bush i love you
Weird, beautiful and varied. This album starts hot and keeps it up the entire way though. I can't wait to listen to more of her albums.
Although the "one side conventional, one side artsy" sort of blueprint doesn't hit that much with me as a layout, there's seldom a string of tracks to grace the earth as special as the five songs on the first half, Running Up that Hill, Hounds of Love, and Cloudbusting are basically three individual lightning strikes There's not much that conveys and *feels* so immersively like love sensations as much as the title track, it tastes like exhilaration and emotion in such a strong way I don't get from that much else out there The second side is still a pretty and pleasant listen with some sparks of magic, when the album closer The Morning Fog kicks in, it feels like warmth and sunlight flooding in all at once, it's a lovely way to finish THRRRRROOOWWWWW THEMINTHELAAAAAAKEEEE
I haven't heard this album all the way through since the 1980s. I appreciate it much more now than then and the final tracks totally took me on a trip and brought me back with a boom as I was doing the ironing. Wow! I'll bet you that Kate Bush had listened to our two famous albums in our list here - by Throbbing Gristle and Einstürzende Neubauten - and was able to harness and tame some of the themes that they created, as we can hear some of that in this album. It's great. I like Kate Bush's music.
Day 19 Bit embarrassed to realise that this was my first time ever listening to a Kate Bush album. The first half of Hounds of Love is pretty much pop perfection, sounds way ahead of its time. ‘Ninth Wave’, the more conceptual second half of the album, isn’t far off. A 10/10 for me Highlights Running Up That Hill Hounds of Live Cloudbusting
I LOVE KATE BUSH & I LOVE THIS ALBUM!
5/5 BANGER AFTER BANGER AFTER BANGER. MAX IN STRANGER THINGS WAS RIGHT TO HAVE THIS AS A COMFORT ALBUM. IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND CREEPY. LOVE IT!!!
The experiments don't always hit, but you've got to appreciate something that's experimental and highly listenable.
this goes so hard
Love her!
Original and captivating! I could listen to Kate's voice all day! This album is textured and atmospheric that takes you away!! A great rainy day album! I would say one of the best made! The title track is my favorite!
It was so validating to have "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" become a massive hit several decades later. She's a generational talent. I like "The Kick Inside" more, but it's close.
BEST SONGS: - Running Up That Hill - Jig Of Life
At last - a Kate Bush record makes the list! For me, this was always going to be an automatic five stars. She isn’t just another artist I admire; she’s the artist, my all-time favourite - so much so that I carry a tattoo in her honour. Hounds of Love stands as her most accessible and inviting work, the perfect gateway for anyone curious about diving into her world. I usually recommend it to friends as the ideal starting point. Picking favourite tracks feels impossible here - the album is a seamless masterpiece from start to finish. I first experienced it digitally, so I didn’t immediately grasp the power of The Ninth Wave as a distinct narrative arc. Listening now, side one bursts with timeless hits, while side two unfolds into something more daring and conceptual. Together, they create a body of work that’s endlessly captivating, both playful and profound. Simply put: this album isn’t just wonderful - it’s transcendent. Kate Bush is a special creative force that should be cherished forever more.
I love Hounds of Love. A few duds on the rest of the album - but more than out weighed by the classic singles and few other gems.
The ultimate 80s art pop album. Creative, interesting, and polished. 5.0/5.0: Iconic
Beautiful
Hounds of Love is one of the reasons why the female voice is my absolute favorite instrument in music. Such a gorgeous voice, angel I have heard you on high, cloudbusting, wow... A perfect album that sounds like no one else and the greatest pop/rock voice after Karen Carpentar.
Lol
"Hounds of Love" is the fifth studio album by English musician Kate Bush. Art pop, progressive pop, new wave, art rock, progressive rock and sophisti-pop are the Wiki-listed genres. Covering all bases are they. The album is split between the first and second sides with the first side having three top 40 songs in the UK and the second side a suite about a woman drifting alone in the sea at night. Besides lead vocals, Kate also plays the synthesizers, piano and keyboards. She self-produced this album and used over 20 additional musicians. The album had wide-spread critical acclaim. Commercially, it reached #1 in the UK and, upon it release in 1985, reached #30 in the US. Due to the popularity of "Running Up That Hill" in the Netflix show "Stranger Things," the album made it up to #12 in the US in 2022. The synth melody riff and a driving drum beat open the album and the first-released single "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)." Kate on lead and backing vocals with a sense urgency. A song that steadies the pace and builds with her voice in spots. Kate imagining making a deal with God where a man and woman would exchange bodies to better understand each other. Just wonderful. Kate vocals come in forcefully in "Hounds of Love." Pounding beats and charging guitars and strings. A song of imagery, as she uses being chased by a pack of hounds as a metaphor for ger aversion to love. Dramatic! Side one closes with "Cloudbusting." Strings and a drumbeat which get louder as the song progresses. A song that describes the relationship between famous philosopher Wilhelm Reich and his son, Peter, told from Peter's point of view. The second side is no less compelling as Kate progresses through a sleepy, dreamy state and eventually back to reality. She imagines herself burning in "Waking the Witch." Piano. There's people yelling at her to wake up, a demon voice and her voice in broken up bits. A gun shot ends the song. She dreamily wanders through visiting her lover, doing an Irish jig before the song "Hello Earth." Piano, louder strings. A choir is performing. Her voice is getting clearer. The journey happily ends in "The Morning Fog" where her dreamy state meets up with her real self. Kate on lead and backing vocals answering each other. An uplifting song with piano, strings, a fretless bass and a idiosyncratic drum beat. She's going to tell everyone that she loves them. This is a superb album. Side one is the side of the hit singles. Complex , intricate arrangements and layered vocals and instruments. Her storytelling, her vocals. Great stuff. I thought only one song sounded a little dated, otherwise timeless music. She doesn't hold back her experimental, artistic tendencies on the second side as she (and us as well) are along for a dreamy, trippy ride of death and rebirth with a wonderful closing song for the finale. A remarkable album and an extremely high recommendation. One of the best albums of the 1980's for sure.
Brilliant album. Love the themed second side and four good tracks on the A side.
thoughts: delightfully weird and crazy talented, as this album is every time i hear it. the big hits are the big hits for a reason, but even songs like “and dream of sheep” and “hello earth” allow her the space to show her range in more ballad-y, sweeping manners. i’ll always love this one songs: “running up that hill (a deal with god)”, “the big sky”, “cloudbusting” rating: 9.5/10
omg i like kate bush I hope this is good. i knew most of the songs, and i really liked the ones that I didnt know. Easy 5/5
Wow! I knew this would be good, but I didn’t imagine it would be this good. Such an innovative album, especially for a pop album, progressive pop is such a rare thing in mainstream music so it’s really cool to see it done so well. The first half (“hounds of love”) was more singular song focussed with each song being it’s own thing, i did prefer the songs on this side by themselves but the second side (“the ninth wave”) was a really unexpected flow of songs to make up a whole story, with some really unique techniques especially in songs like wake the witch and jig of life (the latter being super random but was really good), the instrumentation, especially with the reversed vocals in wake the witch and watching you without me, were done so well also, it just felt super unique and definitely feels like it inspired people like Bjork showing how ahead of this time this album was. Also, it’s really cool to see how appreciated this album was when it came out, despite how experimental it was compared to other pop albums Favourites: all. overall, 9/10.
An incredible listen. Running up the hill on it’s own is a 5/5. I would recommend this to everybody! 10/10.
Damn ovo je još jedan certified banger, ni jedna pjesma s albuma nije miss. Maxine je znala šta kuha u stranger things. Jako mi se sviđa glas of Kate i kako u ovom albumu eksperimentira s folk elementima. Truly a great album. Najbolje pjesme ( iako je teško odabrati samo par) su “Jig of Life”, "Cloudbusting", "Mother stands for comfort" i ofc "Running up that hill".
I enjoyed this album much more than I anticipated. The second half is stronger than the first. definitely weird, and cohesive. (and another weird voiced singer)
Top 2 pop album of all time. Beautiful singing, great production, the first half is full of a ll my favourite songs and the second half is a nice mix of experimental stuff.
a really cool procession into emotion. with a ton of really cool sounds and tones to guide you through. need another read of it lyrically but Cloudbusting connected the most.
Man what a weird album, but this is definitely one of the best weirdo-pop albums ever.
Perhaps Kate Bush’s finest work
Cualquier cosa que diga sobre este disco no le va a hacer justicia. Para mí es de los mejores álbumes de pop de la historia. No le sobra ni un segundo tanto a la parte más comercial como a la experimental. 5/5
Brilliant album forgot how much I loved her music.
Genius.
Great production and performance, an all around classic
Banger
Kate Bush's eclectic style is on full display in this wonderful album. Her lyrics and compositions combine to create a mysterious, engaging musical force. Favorite tracks: "Running Up That Hill," "Cloudbusting," "Under Ice"
Wonderful album!
If there is one artist for whom my appreciation has been markedly elevated as a result of this list so far, it is Kate Bush. This is pop music as uncompromising art, but is no less accessible because of it. I'm not sure this is my favorite Kate Bush album, but its in the running. And that distinction puts it on par with the best records on this list.
One of the greatest album of all time. Completely unique, nothing else sounds like it. It won't show in the ranking here, but just how I like to add a .5 to some albums, a select few will brake the scale and receive a 6. This is the first one. There aren't many perfect songs, but Cloudbusting is one of them. A true masterpiece, might be the best album of the eighties.
Running Up That Hill is so good, and it's not even the best song on the album (I'm partial to The Big Sky). I really like side 2 as well; Kate Bush really is one of a kind
Great production and really interesting vocals. Fantastic album
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 3/1001 I'm increasingly impressed by albums whose most popular songs is just a glimmer into the album it lives in. Hounds of Love is certainly no different with 'Running Up That Hill' being an unforgettable song that introduces you to beautiful lyrics and masterful synth. It's deep and soulful, and just like I did numerous times throughout the album, I got goosebumps when hearing it. The instrumentation of this album is so fascinating to me. It uses an eclectic mix of instruments from around the world. Some songs are quite literally dubbed jigs, but it's the synthesizer that stands out which is interwoven and beautifully done throughout. Hounds of Love is engaging and captivating, and each song a little different than the last even as they all fit the cohesive theme. I enjoy the first half of the album more sonically, but the conceptual suite in the back half is nothing but fascinating. At times, the album feels simple but is anything but. It's quite weird in places (I'm looking at you 'Waking the Witch' or) but that weirdness serves a purpose that amplifies rather than detracts from the album overall. This album is proof of what occurs when you let a true artist free to explore the bounds of their talent. Experimentation is a gamble, but for Kate Bush, she hit the lottery. The music delivery is a journey, and the feelings provoked match the music playing as the music playing matches the feeling provoked. I've enjoyed each listen of this album a bit more than the last and continue to be amazed by the talent that led to this production. Podium (extended): 1. Hello Earth 2. Hounds Of Love 3. Under the Ice 4. Running Up That Hill 5. Cloudbusting Honorable Mention: Jig of Life --- The only thing that stopped me from putting this song on my podium was that it felt most out place stylistically. That's not to say it didn't match the rest of the album or flow meaningfully, but the sound is Celtic and strikes a medieval renaissance vibe. I love that style of music, I love it here. Overall this album stood out for it's lyrical prose, memorable melodies, a captivating conceptual suite, bold use of synth, and general creativity. I would recommend this album to anyone as something special. The album is technically two masterclasses, and anyone could find enjoyment somewhere in here. I give Hounds of Love by Kate Bush a 5/5 for these reasons.
not her best but still an imaginative album
running up the hill alone deserves 5 stars.
One of the best examples of its era’s sounds.
This is Kate Bush at her best, this art pop/progressive pop album is brilliantly written, produced and performed all by Kate herself. I absolutely love her quirkiness and the blend of hits (Running Up that Hill, The Big Sky, Cloudbusting) and the more experimental songs. This is actually one of my favorite albums from the 80s. She set the bar very high and she inspired so many female artists with this album. Without a doubt a 5 star album.
Top
Großartig
Overall: 9/10 I got really obsessed with the song Wuthering Heights a few months ago and for some reason I never dived that deep into Kate's discography. Of course, I ended up loving this album. She had such a unique sound and her vocals are otherwordly. I already knew Running Up That Hill but pretty much every track here slaps. Easily the coolest pop artist of all time. Fav Song: Cloudbusting Least Fav Song: Waking the Witch
The two sides are both engaging for different reasons. The singles in the first half have a unique sound to the contemporary songs I've heard but are still great pop songs. The second half explored different sounds and was more experimental. Particular favourites were Waking the Witch and Jig of Life.
I had forgotten how good the non single tracks on this are. It works so well as an album and is more experimental than I remember. Put simply, it’s brilliant
Just wonderful.
Ich hab das Album eher so nebenher gehört, deswegen hab ich nicht so sehr auf die einzelnen Lieder geachtet, aber ich mag Kate Bush total gerne und das Album hat mir sehr gefallen! Mochte den Sound und ihre Stimme Lieblingslieder: Running Up That Hill, Cloudbusting, Watching You Without Me
I liked it a lot. Quite a variety and experimental
This album sounds like it could have been made yesterday. So good.
Slays as always
definitely a good entry point, 'hounds of love' is one of the more accessible kate bush records, in my opinion. but even with a more poppier approach, this album isn't any less brilliant. there is some truly excellent stuff on here, and all uniquely her. nothing sounds like her music, and nothing ever will. of course, 'running up that hill (a deal with god)' is fantastic, but i also adore the title track and 'cloudbusting' as well. but really, there's nothing bad here. it's all excellent.
I put these 5 stars right here.
-was just listening to Kate when i generated this one… another phenomenal work of art and the album that first got me hugely into her music two years ago -i absolutely love the story it tells, the atmosphere, the transition between songs… solid 5 stars for this one too. there’s a reason i had a poster of it hanging on my walls for two years -Favorites are Running Up That Hill, Mother Stands For Comfort, Cloudbusting, Under Ice, and Jig Of Life
Awesome
What a pleasure to listen to this again. Late in the evening, on headphones, no distractions, straight through, 47 minutes alone in Kate's world. Side A is brilliant and contains three of my favourite singles of the era, 'Cloudbusting' is magnificent and gets me from the very opening 'I still dream...'. Her voice, the feeling in it all. Side B takes a deeper, more creative, sometimes experimental, sometimes darker, ambitious, diverse, beautiful, brave and passionate turn. A journey through a night of dreams and nightmares until morning. Listened to properly in one take it's so rewarding. On this form she was peerless. Up there with Bowie for originality and creativity. In some ways this reminds me of 'Low', but for me it's even better. She's amazing, and this is her best album.
Ved ikke hvor meget jeg behøves gå i dybden. Noget af det bedste pop jeg har hørt, specielt B-siden hvor det bliver mere pop-art, cinematic, grand og bare pisse fedt med det irske/skotiske folk inspireret. Det er seriøst bare 10/10 album for mig, der er ikke rigtig nogle skips.
Undeniably belongs on this list. One of the best compositions of the 80s.
I love this, easily her greatest work
Fuckin' rules.
I love this record, far more so than anything else I’ve heard by her (admittedly, not that much). She’s definitely a rare unique ‘star’ like Bowie or Bjork, who are all elevated above most. BBB (Bush Bowie Bjork) would be a great supergroup, like CSNY. Or they may want to take ‘the three b’s’. Up to them really if this is an option. Anyway, this is a proper 80s record. It’s dripping in 80s. Soaked in the stuff. And is a perfect example of that whole synth pop / art rock style which always seems to age incredibly well. Her songwriting is second to none, despite being riddled with anxiety. Or at least it gives me that feeling! Great record, solid 5.
I don't have a lot to add. Running Up That Hill is amazing, the opening synth is absolutely wild, the driving, simple and punchy drum track. Loads of tension built. Hounds of Love is great too - although I've heard The Futureheads' version much more. I agree that the second half of the album loses momentum (apparently this part is more of a concept piece). It really is front-loaded - Cloudbursting also stands out. Great stuff. Funny how much more interesting this album is than The Sensual World.
This album gives me nostalgia for a period of time I never actually experienced. Genuinely surprised how experimental some of this is for an 80s pop album. I really wish all pop music was this good! Favourite tracks: Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God), Cloudbusting, Waking the Witch, Jig of Life
Absolute banger, end to end
Helt fantastisk!
Got two fantastic 1985 albums back to back: Songs from the Big Chair and Hounds of Love. I hoovered between given Tears for Fears a 4 or a 5 and eventually opted for the former, feeling I should leave a bit of room for truly extraordinary albums, like this one. Decision vindicated, the singles on here are brilliant but so too is the more experimental suite that makes up the second half of the record.
Heard it before. What can I say about it that hasn't been said before. I guess Under Ice and Jig Of Life being my favourites from the album is quite unusual 5/5
Cookin
A treat to listen to every time.
This was really good. I've been struggling recently with a lot of 80s music but not with this. The first half sounds like a greatest hits and the second was very interesting with how strange and experimental it was. I definitely think this deserves it's praise very strong
Every time I listen to this album I just rediscover it, I find so many new reasons to appreciate what Kate does and what her music is in this album. I don't think many people managed to sew together two albums into one in such a way that it doesn't feel like one side betrays the other, it's almost like a Trojan horse with how it introduces itself with Running Up That Hill, which is already a very strong impression, only to keep hitting with back to back bangers: the title track? The Big Sky? Mother Stands for Comfort? CLOUDBUSTING????????? And then just hurls you into a whole concept album of a B side that while is not nearly as immediate it compensates for showing Kate flex her creative and artsy muscles in a way that I can't help but love, going from the tense Under Ice to the manic Walking the Witch and Walking Without Me to the wonderful Jig of Life, Hello Earth and The Morning Fog This album isn't a favorite album of all time because I don't have the kind of close emotional bond with it I do with other albums but I don't have a doubt in my mind it's basically perfect. One of the best albums ever
Kate Bush – Hounds of Love ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5) If you love '80s alternative music, Hounds of Love is a must-have. Kate Bush's voice is beautiful and full of emotion—it gives you chills in the best way. The songs are creative and touching, with lyrics that really stick with you. The whole album is strong from beginning to end. “Don’t Give Up,” her duet with Peter Gabriel, is especially powerful and still feels just as meaningful today. This is one record every vinyl lover should add to their collection. Don’t miss it!
Gefällt mir
Way before Stranger Things -this was a solid LP. She has always been creative and fresh.
I love this album, thank you for reminding me that I still need to listen to it this week. Hounds of Love deserves every accolade it's been given over the 40 years since it's release. Whimsical and uplifting, heavy and melancholic, dark and brooding. This album has it all! Favorite songs: the whole fucking thing! like really for extra credit, check out The Futureheads' cover "Hounds Of Love", both Placebo's and First Aid Kit's covers of "Running Up That Hill" (Loveless does a pretty solid hard rock version if that's your thing), and Matthew Good's cover of "Cloudbursting"
Kate Bush, the prog-pop goddess. Hounds of Love, her magnum opus. As colorful in its aesthetics as it is concentrated in its approach, Hounds of Love is one of the greatest albums of all time. 10/10
such a unique sound
Very theatrical and vibrant but also moody. Very good
So many great bangingly great songs, and some fun 80s art pop experiments too. "It's in the trees, it's coming!"
Iconic
She's unique
Pretty flawless tbh, and I'm not even the biggest Kate Bush fan. In Hounds Of Love, Cloudbusting and RUTH you have three of the best songs of the 80s, and despite a few 'of its time' moments with pitchshifted vocals and orchestral samples, ever track holds up.
At long, long last, it's time for the Kate Bush album of Kate Bush albums: HOUNDS OF LOVE. Y'know, the one with the STRANGER THINGS song and a bunch of other tracks. But, no, I kid; I knew about this album long before "Running Up That Hill" started running up the charts in 2022. Hell, I've hardly engaged with STRANGER THINGS beyond MAD's parody. But anyway, Kate Bush. I've honestly been really excited to get this one, not just because I've long accepted it as one of **the** seminal pop albums of the 80's. Lately I've come to understand and appreciate Kate Bush a lot more than I used to, thanks in particular to THE DREAMING. Now knowing about her sense and potential for theatricality, well, I figure I'm bound to like this whole package a lot more than I have before. 'Coz, y'know, I actually wanna clarify something: I think I mistyped something back in my THE DREAMING review/ramble. In it, I said that I wasn't too fond of the first side the first time I heard it, and, well, that's bull and baloney. I love the first side; it's great. Not only does it have the big hits like "Running Up That Hill" and "Cloudbursting", but "Mother Stands For Comfort" is nicely eerie; "The Big Sky" might just be my pick for side 1 deep cut for, well, how big it is; and the while the title track might pale a little compared to the rest, it's still first-rate. Like, if this album was just side one, absolutely, it'd deserve its reputation and then some, all by itself. But one-side records aren't really a thing — at least as far as I know. So we hafta move on to side two, which is the side I **actually** had a problem with. Side 2 is a conceptual suite, complete with its own name: "The Ninth Wave." It's about a woman floating in the open sea and the dreams she has, likely her dying ones. And, like, here's the thing off the bat: when I first heard this album, that didn't matter to me. If you thought I had trouble paying attention to lyrics within the last year... Goodness, back when I had this on for the first time, they may as well have been nonexistent. And the thing about this side is that it is a **lot** more ethereal and existential than the flip, so without lyrics to guide me through the soundscapes and vibes... Well, jeez, I was just bored out of my damn skull. Like, over the years since I've occasionally played Side 1 of the record, but until now I'd **never** revisited Side 2 because I just did not remember having a good time with it. But I'm way different now than I was back then. My musical experience has broadened vastly, both in general and in specific regards to Kate Bush's own work (once again I thank THE DREAMING). Not only that, but I'm way better at focusing on and actually understanding lyrics than I was. As such, this time around... OK, so, let's be 100: I still like Side 1 better. For my own tastes in music, that'll always be the side I gravitate towards way more. I mean, come on — it had "The Big Sky". Can you blame me? But, like, there's a member in my group who said in their review that "The Ninth Wave" is where the album truly shines... And I'm pretty well inclined to agree with them? Like, Side 1 of the album is great, but "The Ninth Wave" is something else entirely. Just a fascinating and evocate set of songs, where, legit, I **did** spend a little time afterwards figuring out what my interpretation of it was. Like, is "The Morning Fog" a happy ending where she hits land and finds her life renewed? Or is it just another delusion out in the water? And don't get me started on how I envisioned the last minute or so of "Hello Earth", goodness. And, y'know, you take it all together: the pop mastery of Side 1, and the intriguing conceptuality of Side 2... And, yeah, no, what I said was right. This **is** one of the seminal pop albums of the 1980's, up there with the big boys like THRILLER and PURPLE RAIN. It's just masterfully composed and put together that, like... Goodness, do I even have the words to really express how good it is? I mean, keeping myself level, I would still probably reach for THRILLER and PURPLE RAIN first; I'm not gonna kid myself. But believe me, yeah, HOUNDS OF LOVE deserves every bit of praise it's gotten and then some. And as what's apparently the last Kate Bush album on the list... Couldn't've been a better way to bow out of her work, I don't think. Eleven has some damn good taste, I tell yah.
A masterclass of 80's pop, through and through. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 5. It’s weird – I never knew this was sort of a two-sided album, even with how incredibly prevalent “Running Up That Hill” became a few years back. Past that song, I truly knew nothing else here, but once again, Kate Bush has really come through. This isn’t the best album we’ve gotten from her; that still goes to “The Sensual World”, but this album’s highs are pretty damn close to that one’s. I do feel like the first 5 tracks here get overshadowed by the story/concept side of the last 7 tracks, but they’ve all got something going for them. “Running Up That Hill” is the all-timer here for the synth work & imagery it provokes, especially in terms of pleading to God himself. It went viral for a reason, and it’s just a great track. “Hounds of Love” simplifies that imagery a bit but adds a nice sense of panic; while it might be my weakest track here, I think it’s a great listen. “The Big Sky” does something really ethereal with the percussion work that just brought me into a total zen state. “Mother Stands for Comfort” is eerie as hell, and sort of reminds me of a Peter Gabriel 3 type of track, with even her vocals matching the cold, killer instincts of this murderer. “Cloudbusting” is a great listen, but it has a lot of historical context that I just need to dive deeper into to really “get” the track, I think. Regardless, I liked all 5 of them. It is the second half of the album that really shines here though – while “The Sensual World” took a look into the human need for desire, relevancy & comfort, all of “The Ninth Wave” focuses heavily on hope, insecurity, & survival, showcasing the dreams & delusions of a woman drowning in the middle of the ocean, presumably from a shipwreck or something. It really is an excellent set of tracks, with a heavy emphasis on sound design to compliment the instrumentation & her stellar vocals. It definitely leaves some of the onus on the listener to piece it all together, because it is just a mish-mash of soundscapes and styles otherwise, but I think it’s all incredibly well written and performed. I really want to focus on “Hello Earth” in particular, because something about the use of the choir in that song really, really clicked for me – it’s so disconnected from the main soundscape of the rest of the track that it almost feels like angels observing our protagonist, both within her dreams/delusions & in the outside world, watching her drowning body. It’s the sort of thing that’s really open to interpretation though, which is the hallmark of a great moment in a concept album to me. In the same way that books can be interpreted in multiple ways, having a moment like this where any listener can have an entirely different vision is just incredibly cool to me. Once again, I do think “The Sensual World” is a better top to bottom album, but that’s entirely subjective, and it shouldn’t be used as a way to diminish this one. This is a great album in its own right, and I loved it all the same. Since this is the last Kate Bush album on the list, the onus is on me to go through the rest of her discography. With that said, going 15/15 means you did pretty fucking good, Kate. Just a remarkable stretch of albums, all deserving to be on the list. As far as this one goes, it’s an incredibly easy 5.
I get why this album isn’t for everybody but this is one of my favorites. Hounds of love, running up that hill, and cloud bursting are incredibly catchy, and then it dives (no pun intended) into a story of life and death. In these songs Kate Bush’s main intent is telling the story, prioritizing effective imagery over sounding pretty and of course this is where the controversy lies. If you (understandably)want music to sound nice and pretty, you will probably not like this album. If you like weird stuff and and enjoy how different sounds and samples are used to paint a picture, you’ll love it.
Drums go crazy and vocals is so powerful
Kate Bush has so many bangers! Cloudbusting! Bangs! That’s two for two on the list for Kate Bush.
The Drama! The Power! The Lights! The Rain! My Goodness!
Art. Jig of Life and Waking the Witch were standouts in addition to the lead track.
Some absolutely classics with particularly strong vocal harmonies. Also has a few odd ones
It's brilliant. I like all the songs but some are harder to love than others, but the first half and Jig of Life and others are brilliant. Heard the Levellers cover it the other day.
9/10 Up there with Sign o the Times at the top of the 80s albums for me. Absolutely fantastic production. Wildly inventive and strange, just on the right side of being goofy. Sounds 80s but not cheesily so. Loved the drums in particular. Second half is basically prog? Best: Running up that hill
Love love love
Masterpiece
one of the greats
Similar to Purple Rain for me - I knew the big songs but hadn't listened through it before, it also has one half that's absurdly strong and pushes it to a 5
One of my favourite albums, love it
Lovely and ethereal, got a little Scottish at one point
Es buenisimo.
Kate bush is iconic her vocals and atmosphere in this album are immaculate can’t recommend enough to anyone who hasn’t heard this album
I feel like her songwriting is lost on a layman like me but her talent as a writer is still evident and the lyrical style feels very unconventional. The actual instrumentation/melody sound fresh and unique at some times, while other times still sounding quintessentially 80’s at others. Great album, surprised I’d never heard of her
Intimate lyrics, circus of electronic sound, couldn’t stop listening. Kate Bush 🐐
I loved this album. The A side (through Cloudbusting) has some really great moments of orchestration and vocal prowess from Kate, and I love the different synth sounds throughout the album. Her choice of eerie, otherworldly synth contrasted by piano for the dark subject matter on Mother Stands For Comfort makes it my favorite track on Hounds of Love. The B side really impressed me, though, more than the hits on the A side like Running Up That Hill (which I still love). Kate's ethereal voice is perfect for sending the listener through the variety of dreamlike scenes in her suite The Ninth Wave. Under Ice has such simple instrumentation, but her chanting voice accompaniment really adds to the imagery expressed in the lyrics. I really have no complaints about this album. Kate's performance and songwriting are fantastic, and I love how cohesive the sound of this album is.
That's one of the best listening experiences you can have. One side of hits and the next side is a dreamy pop journey. Amazing
Ethereal brilliance being chased by so many new artists
GIRL YES 😍😍❤️💋ate and left no crumbs la sua visione artistica non ha pari e non è neanche il suo album migliore...
Still awesome after all these years
I was a fan before the resurgence due to the use of "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" in the Netflix series "Stranger Things". In addition tothe aformentioned "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)", this album is notable for the title track "Hounds of Love", and one of my favourite Kate Bush songs "Cloudbusting".
1089/1089, and wot an album to end on Amidst the heightened interest of Kate Bush’s music in 2022/23, I ended up listening to this one summer night while watching the stars. What began as a tranquil moment, with songs like the title track and "Cloudbusting", became more eerie when "Waking the Witch" and "Hello Earth" came on. I briskly packed up my lawnchair and returned inside. I guess what I'm trying to say is, who needs drugs when Hounds of Love is right here. Though it isn’t exactly relaxing material, the “Ninth Wave” is incredibly dreamlike, tapdancing on the border between 80s pop and avant-garde electronic. Oh and who could forget those beautiful pipes 🇮🇪 Highlights: “Cloudbusting”, “Running Up That Hill”, “Jig of Life”, 80s synthpop, 60s psychedelia, Cuban jazz, Senegalese mbalax, the shoegaze scene, millennial folk rock, the Soulquarians, east coast hiphop, west coast hiphop, thirty random bands from the early 2000s, all twelve Beatles albums, all the bottom 20 ranked albums on this website (even the ones I hated), all the Canadian albums on this list, all the Irish albums, theatre kids, two-hour long live albums Not as crazy about: only being able to experience this for the first time once January 2021 to March 26, 2025
Gear: ZMF Bokeh Artwork: 🐶👩🦱🐶 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🏃♀️➡️⤴️🏔️ Rating: 🐕🐕🐕🐕(🐕)/5
There’s a reason Running Up That Hill managed to be a hit again in the 2010s, it sounds so good. Kate Bush has such a crazy good voice.
Wonderful!!!
Kate Bush’s 1985 album *Hounds of Love* is widely regarded as one of the most groundbreaking and influential records in music history. It combines avant-garde experimentation with accessible pop sensibilities, resulting in an album that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Below is an in-depth review focusing on its lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, along with a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## **Overview** *Hounds of Love* is structured into two distinct halves: the first side features five standalone tracks, while the second side, titled *The Ninth Wave*, is a conceptual suite of seven interconnected songs. This duality reflects Bush's ability to balance commercial appeal with artistic ambition. The album was recorded in her home studio using cutting-edge technology of the time, including the Fairlight CMI synthesizer, which allowed for intricate soundscapes and innovative production techniques. --- ## **Lyrics** The lyrics on *Hounds of Love* are poetic, enigmatic, and emotionally charged. Bush explores themes such as fear, love, survival, and self-discovery through vivid imagery and metaphors. - **"Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)"**: This opening track uses a metaphorical "deal with God" to express a yearning for mutual understanding in relationships. Its universal theme of empathy resonates deeply with listeners[1][3]. - **"Hounds of Love"**: The title track compares falling in love to being hunted by a pack of hounds, capturing the fear and vulnerability that accompany emotional surrender[7]. - **The Ninth Wave Suite**: This conceptual sequence delves into the psyche of a drowning protagonist. Tracks like "And Dream of Sheep" and "Waking the Witch" explore themes of isolation, mortality, and redemption through surreal and fragmented narratives[7][8]. Bush’s lyrics often feel cinematic, drawing from mythology, literature, and personal experience. However, their cryptic nature may alienate listeners who prefer straightforward storytelling. --- ## **Music** Musically, *Hounds of Love* is a masterclass in blending genres. Bush incorporates elements of art-pop, progressive rock, classical music, Celtic folk, and even proto-electronica. - The album opens with the iconic "Running Up That Hill," driven by a pulsating drum machine and haunting synth melody[1]. This track epitomizes mid-'80s pop while remaining timeless. - Songs like "Cloudbusting" feature lush string arrangements and unconventional rhythms that evoke both grandeur and intimacy[2]. - *The Ninth Wave* showcases Bush’s experimental side. For instance: - "Waking the Witch" combines industrial-strength percussion with eerie vocal samples to create an unsettling atmosphere. - "Jig of Life" incorporates Celtic influences with a driving rhythm that feels celebratory yet urgent[8]. Bush’s vocal performances are another standout aspect. Her voice shifts effortlessly between ethereal falsettos and guttural cries, acting as an instrument in its own right[3]. --- ## **Production** Kate Bush produced *Hounds of Love* herself in her 48-track home studio. Her meticulous approach to layering sounds results in an album that feels rich yet never overproduced. - The use of the Fairlight CMI synthesizer allowed Bush to integrate unconventional sounds like breaking glass, film dialogue snippets, and Georgian folk music seamlessly into her compositions[1][7]. - Tracks like "Watching You Without Me" employ minimalist arrangements to create an otherworldly ambiance[3]. - Despite its complexity, the production maintains a sense of clarity and balance. For example, after intense moments like "Waking the Witch," Bush transitions to softer tracks such as "Watching You Without Me," providing emotional relief[1]. While groundbreaking for its time, some critics have noted that certain production choices—such as overly loud vocals on earlier albums—were refined significantly here[8]. --- ## **Themes** Thematically, *Hounds of Love* is rich and multifaceted: 1. **Fear vs. Love**: The first half explores how fear can inhibit love and connection. Tracks like "Hounds of Love" examine this tension through visceral metaphors. 2. **Survival and Redemption**: The Ninth Wave suite delves into existential questions about survival and self-worth. It portrays a journey from despair ("Under Ice") to hope ("Hello Earth") and eventual salvation ("The Morning Fog")[7]. 3. **Empathy and Perspective**: Songs like "Running Up That Hill" emphasize the importance of understanding others’ experiences. Bush’s ability to weave these themes into both standalone tracks and a cohesive narrative suite demonstrates her skill as a conceptual artist. --- ## **Influence** *Hounds of Love* has left an indelible mark on music: - It inspired countless artists across genres, including Björk, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Joanna Newsom, and Florence Welch[1][6]. - Its innovative use of technology paved the way for future experimentation in pop music. - The album’s blend of accessibility and avant-garde elements has been cited as a blueprint for art-pop records. - Tracks like "Running Up That Hill" have enjoyed enduring popularity; its resurgence via TV shows like *Stranger Things* introduced it to new generations[6]. --- ## **Pros** 1. **Innovative Production**: Bush’s use of cutting-edge technology creates a soundscape that feels both futuristic and organic. 2. **Emotional Depth**: The lyrics tackle universal themes with poetic nuance. 3. **Diverse Musical Styles**: From pop anthems to experimental suites, the album offers something for every listener. 4. **Cohesive Narrative**: The Ninth Wave elevates the album from a collection of songs to a unified artistic statement. 5. **Timeless Appeal**: Decades later, it remains relevant both musically and thematically. --- ## **Cons** 1. **Cryptic Lyrics**: While poetic, some lyrics may feel inaccessible to casual listeners. 2. **Dense Arrangements**: The layered production can feel overwhelming on first listen. 3. **Conceptual Demands**: The Ninth Wave requires active engagement from listeners to fully appreciate its narrative arc. 4. **Pacing Issues**: Some critics have noted that transitions between intense tracks (e.g., "Waking the Witch") can disrupt the album’s flow for some listeners[4]. --- ## **Conclusion** *Hounds of Love* is not just an album; it is an artistic milestone that balances innovation with emotional resonance. Its influence continues to ripple through modern music, cementing Kate Bush’s legacy as one of pop’s most visionary artists. While its complexity may not appeal to everyone immediately, those willing to immerse themselves in its world will find it deeply rewarding—a testament to Bush's genius as a songwriter, producer, and performer.
Eh davvero troppo brava
“Dad why is my sister named Rose?” “Because your mom loves roses” “Thanks Dad” “You’re welcome Jig of Life”
Absolutely corker of an album. Ethereal.
With the death of Elizabeth II, I hereby proclaim Queen Catherine as the rightful successor to the British throne.
Already have this album. How can you not love it?
Absolutely perfect. Every second of it. This is one of my favorite first listens ever, every track took me by surprise in some way. This album will stay with me and I think I’ll be replaying it for a long time. Easy 5 star.
I was completely unfamiliar with the second side. Sublime! Really captures the essence of growing up in Kent...
Running Up That Hill is transcendent, unfortunately don't like Hounds Of Love itself, do like The Big Sky, love how eerie ad mournful Mother Stands For Comfort is, musically. 'And Dream of Sheep' is heartbreaking. Didn't think much of Under Ice; I could see it was trying to be spooky but it wasn't effective the way Mother Stands For Comfort is. Cloudbusting is pretty good. I like the violins and the choir element at the end. JUMPSCARE at the start of Waking The Witch! LOVE the atmospheric and experimental start; wish that had continued throughout. Watching You Without Me is SO mournful and so good. Not a fan of Jig of Life but did like the Irish trad element. Hello Earth is ok. The Morning Fog is ok too, but quite an anticlimactic end to the album; I would have had Cloudbusting here as a hopeful ending.
Starts with a couple of hits and then evolves into something else entirely. Really interesting listen.
ya había escuchado este disco mil veces pero lo voy a escuchar de nuevo, te amo kate
good stuff
Kate Bush siempre es bien.
There can't be many better album starts. Her voice is haunting and full of love and passion. The energy throughout is brimming. A wonderful creation
Beautiful, avant garde, definitely interesting enough to hold my focus. Another delightful experience. For the other listeners on the same journey of discovery: if you don't like Waking the Witch, never hand me the aux. I'm in my happy place here.
Bara rösten är en femma! Ovanpå det, det nyskapande och banbrytande i hennes artisteri. Och så klart, låtarna.
kate bush has such a gorgeous haunting voice, and this album tells a story in her experimental and dramatic style
She’s the coolest.
The came out when I was at university and it was a must listen. Side 2 ( yes it was on vinyl!) was a revelation and I remember listening to the various soundscaoes that Kate Bush made. I still regularly listen to this album and the layers still surprise me. I love to sit back and put my noise canceling headphones and lose myself in this wonderful album
This isn’t even my favourite Kate Bush album but its beauty, intensity and originality place it far above many of the albums on this list.
Despite being familiar enough with Kate Bush to know I generally liked her music, knowing that a lot of people with similar music taste to me are huge fans, knowing that other bands/artists I really like were/are great friends and admirers of hers, hearing many comparisons between Kate Bush and artists I love... I had never actually listened to a full Kate Bush album. Kinda embarrassing but I am glad to have finally addressed this oversight. This is a really strange and beautiful album and it took me a couple listens to start to feel like I had my hands around it. I still don't feel like I've fully grasped it. A lot of the albums on this list I don't feel warrant a second listen - very few require a second listen to feel I understand it - an exceptionally small number I feel the need to listen to 3+ times. But I very much enjoy listening and trying to understand more of it each time.
Running Up That Hill is a 5/5. The rest was also nice.
Was a major dork in high school for liking Kate Bush, but they can all get stuffed! Absolute banger of an album and Cloudbusting is one of my favourite songs of all time.
This is probably my favorite "new" and 2nd favorite album so far on this challenge. Kid A is still #1
For individual tracks, there's not much better in terms of an emotional impact than "Cloudbusting" (one of the great videos as well - a true 6 minute movie). This album takes me somewhere else, which is a high mark for art - the highest maybe? It's a pretty demanding album (although aren't all Kate Bush albums?) and I get why some people are turned off but these kinds of albums that aren't uniform in arrangement, tempo, mood are exactly those for me that are worth returning to again and again. On that note, this album does require multiple listens for me at least even now - even though I know it, if I haven't listened in a while there's still a certain barrier for entry. Not a big fan of "Jig of Life" if I'm nitpicking, but I'll overlook it - it's not like Genesis' "Who Dunnit?" or anything. I don't know if my giving it a 5 is truly consistent with my other 5s - I won't always be in the mood for this and sometimes am actively not - but for something this grandiose, intelligent, melodic, haunting, etc etc. anything less feels completely wrong. A work of genius. 9/10 5 stars.
Undrabarni og magnaður listamaður. Fyrri hlutinn frábær lög þar sem hún dáleiðir mann með sinnit ótrúlegu rödd. B hliðin, The ninth wave, er svo bara algjört listaverk. Hlustaði nokkrum sinnum á hana. Ótrúlega hugrakkt að hafa svona tilraunakennt concept verk á helmingi plötunnar, en sýnir hveru mikill listamaður hún er.
Bold, weird and confident
That was a quick 45 minutes of great music! :)
its hard to imagine at this point me being associated more strongly with any record more than this, my favorite ever for years and years, and even after it having technically being dethroned it still makes up some ineffable part of both my brain and my social imprint. honestly was a bit of a strange listen, the same way any listen is when ur navigating dozens and dozens of acquired impressions both listening to and thinking about the record. ultimately i might tentatively come to the conclusion that i, in fact, love this more than ever,,,or at the very least, my already wide appreciation has become deeper. the gigantic 80s drum sound that towers over side a of this record becomes the heartbeat of the universe, all the synths become the vapor and crystals of strange shape and material that will themselves into existence around it, and kate's voice (which almost certainly Is something that i love more than ever before) throws itself into the role of a human-sized perception of these massive physical and emotional mountain ranges. but the main attraction ofc is and has always been the ninth wave, which hit me so hard im still not sure ive entirely returned to my body...like any good Dream Art it playfully runs the line between literal and figurative imagery, and keeps it in flux so sometimes u turn ur head and then look back and its slightly different. it concerns itself with observing the outside world from an ephemeral distance, some transparent barrier between u and it, and tbh its just kind of difficult to imagine something that resonates with me more...the image fills me with both comfort and fear for a variety of personal reasons, ive identified it in many many things but scarcely is it fully evoked with such intentionality and a breadth of emotional reaction that matches my own. wherever this places in my revamped canon (not even discounting the possibility that the dreaming May overtake it tbh, the first time ive felt that possibility), there is something here that i cant replace with Anything, and i thank it for all its done for me
Love her
This record is great. There’s something magical and transporting about Kate’s sound. Yes it’s an 80s record, but feels fresh today.
Excellent
Mother. This is desert island album material for me. Kate Bush walked so countless dramatic quirky-girl musicians could run. I listened to this afresh for this project, but I have heard this album many times before. And while probably most albums could benefit from multiple listenings, it really took me a while to fully come to an appreciation of this album. I first encountered Kate Bush through “Running Up That Hill” which was on an 80s compilation CD I had when I was a teenager. I loved that song and sought out the album. There were several other songs that I instantly liked from that album, from the first half. The second half of that album was so challenging to me, and it took a while for me to come around to it. But when I did, I was rewarded. During that time I'm sure I had read about Kate Bush and what she was trying to achieve with the album. I read about the concept of it, and that helped a lot with me putting it into context and appreciating it. This album tells a fictional story about a lady who crashes into the ocean and finds herself clinging to a life preserver waiting for help to come rescue her, her fighting to stay alive and her drifting thoughts and hallucinations as the hours go by. Not exactly something most people want to listen to on the drive into work. But nonetheless, I respect Kate Bush a lot as an artist and love her weirdness and flair for storytelling through pop music.
stunning. so glad this generator had me revisit this. hard to choose favorite songs but highlights include: "Running Up That Hill" "Hounds of Love" "Mother Stands For Comfort" "Cloudbusting" "Jig of Life"
When we talk about the brilliance of artists like Gabriel or Bowie, Kate Bush should be part of that conversation. Amazing.
What an album! Hauntingly eerie at times. I really liked the different instruments present throughout. Great vocal work too! 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)' is such a fun track!
YUPPPPP NUMVER ONE ALBUM
A continuously magical eruption of creativity.
Always gotta give Kate Bush 5 stars. Can't match the beautiful blend of artistry and bonkerstry.
Upea levy! Sopivassa suhteessa popimpaa ja artsympaa kamaa. Todella hieno! 5/5
Paljon saanut viime vuosina soittoa, mutta onhan tämä sekä upea pop-levy ja samaan aikaan monella tapaa konventiosta poikkeava. Nelosen ja vitosen välillä pallottelen, mutta kyllä tälle nyt femman sit antaa.
OVERALL: Consistently good production and vocals (with the exception of Waking The Witch and some weird vocal effects). Almost every single song on this album is absolutely incredible, especially Hello Earth. After looking it up, the first 5 songs and the last 7 songs are split into separate discs, which makes so much sense. Kate Bush almost dies in the second disc and has a pretty nice time with most of the first disc. Very fun and ethereal. Waking The Witch and maybe Jig Of Life bring this down, but I can deal with both of them and Jig Of Life is just okay. SONG AVG: 8.125/10 PERSONAL RATING: 9.25/10 Running Up That Hill: Everybody knows this song, especially that one part. Incredible production, and the vocals are pretty good. It is a bit annoying because of how much I've heard it, but I still like it. 9.25/10 Hounds of Love: I like the vocals during the chorus, outro, and pre-chorus, but other than that, Kate Bush's voice is kinda annoying. Pretty solid production. 7.5/10 The Big Sky: Very good production, sounds absolutely incredible. The vocals are also pretty good for the most part, but the weird yodel-like yeahs bring this down a bit. 8/10 Mother Stands For Comfort: Great, surreal production. I guess the glass breaking is a bit weird, but it works. Very good vocal performance. I can't really understand what she's saying, but the lyrics on genius are pretty interesting and have a pretty dark meaning. The moaning noises are kinda weird though. 9/10 Cloudbusting: Pretty solid overall. The production and vocals are pretty good, but nothing too memorable. Just a pretty nice song. Kinda drags on a bit. Also apparently this is based on a book? 7/10 And Dream Of Sheep: Pretty beautiful. Very good production, and the vocals are absolutely outstanding. Pretty short, unfortunately. 9.5/10 Under Ice: The production sounds like a panic attack, but in a good way. The vocals seem very frantic, but are kinda corny for a good portion of the song. Clearly I missed something from the last song, because why is Kate Bush drowning? 9.25/10 Waking The Witch: I have no idea what is happening here. The singular note transition into this song and the people saying wake up are kinda funny. The production is very good, but the demon(?) voice is very jarring. That's probably the point, but it doesn't make it any better. Also, there are lots of weird details that I don't really want to type out, so I'm not going to. Just know that it sounds bad but is probably supposed to. 3/10 Watching You Without Me: Is Kate Bush officially dead now? Anyways, fantastic production and some of the best vocals on this album. Absolutely incredible song in almost every aspect. The double reversed bridge and the lagging chorus make it much worse, but it's still very good. 8.5/10 Jig Of Life: SCOTTISH??????????????????? Anyways, NOW Kate Bush has to be dead or at least hallucinating. I've never been much of a fan of Irish-Gaelic type songs, but this isn't as bad. I still don't like it, but the production accomplishes it's job pretty well, and the vocals are pretty solid. 6/10 Hello Earth: This is one of the greatest songs ever made. Perfect production, incredible vocals, pretty good lyrics, just insanely good. It even has heavenly choir parts in between the absolutely fantastic choruses. This song does probably mean that she gets found, but I STILL THINK SHE'S DEAD. 11/10 The Morning Fog: Shit, she's alive. (Or reincarnated) Anyways, pretty big tone shift from basically the rest of the songs since, like, And Dream Of Sheep. Very good production and backing vocals, as well as fantastic lyrics and vocal performance. Works pretty good as an epilogue, but not as well as an outro after Kate Bush almost dying. Still really good. 9.5/10
Very good production.
Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love One of the best pop albums out there. In a time where everyone was trying to follow the same trend that, while it did sound fresh and good, it started to become repetitive overtime, Kate was one of those few artists that not only experimented into what pop can become, but was able to become popular doing so. It's unfortunate it never got too popular outside of Europe back then, but thanks to the internet, now i know about her music and it's really great! If you like to listen to pop, give yourself a favor and listen to this album. It's a magical first listen, and you'll enjoy it for sure! Overall, this is amazing. 1.- Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) = 10/10 2.- Hounds Of Love = 10/10 3.- The Big Sky = 10/10 4.- Mother Stands for Comfort = 8/10 5.- Cloudbusting = 10/10 6.- And Dream of Sheep = 9/10 7.- Under Ice = 8/10 8.- Waking the Witch = 8/10 9.- Watching You Without Me = 8/10 10.- Jig of Life = 9/10 11.- Hello Earth = 10/10 12.- The Morning Fog = 9/10 FINAL SCORE: 9.1/10
5 stars. No notes.
Wonderfully weird and weirdly wonderful.
A revelation. Having never really listened to her work, just based upon a whole host of things, I would have thought it would have been kind of…twee…? But I was really engrossed by her voice and her artistic VOICE. Despite my attempts to dismiss this album as pretentious and posturing, I just kept getting, I guess…charmed by it. By the earnestness of the whole thing. And you can hear so much of the good part of the future 80s in this music (digital instrumentation applied smartly and with heart, instead of cold and icy). The Morning Fog was an amazing first-time listen. A classic. Brava!
Goose Cover's running up that hill!
Honestly I don’t need to explain why it’s a 5/5
Incredible instrumentation range. One the truly all-time greatest albums.
# Album Name: Hounds of Love # Artist: Kate Bush # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Kate's vocals on this album are absolutely fantastic. Top drawer! The albums opens with the fantastic running up at hill and hounds of love. Both are great tracks. Thats a big test for the rest of the album to stand up too. The bass, vocals and guitar are wicked in Big sky. The use of strings dotted around the album are rather empowering and give the album a dark undertone in certain areas. I like it. The second half of the album takes a dark turn. Starting with under ice. Waking the witch is a bit of a mind fuck. I could imagine it backing a horror scene. I have to say for a first listen this album was POWERFUL. i really enjoyed the sounds, vocal and overall music. Great album. It kicks you in the balls. Nice finish with morning fog. # Top Tunes: Running up that hill / HOL / Big Sky / Cloudbusting / Jig of life / waking the witch / morning fog # Would I listen to it again? I will definitely come back to this one.
Witchy and weird. I loved it.
What a cool fucking album!
I was just cloudbursting while running up that hill ❤️
Just a phenomenal album. Opening with one of the best songs of all time and there's tests and turns galore after that. Adore
This album was so ahead of its time. An influence on many of my favorite artists. We had actually listened to this on the turntable just a few days ago - in regular rotation at our house. Great album.
stranger things will never be able to ruin running up that hill for me (although the best song on the album is actually cloudbusting)
Schwer zu beschreiben, laut Wikipedia post-progressive Rock. Klingt powervoll flehend? Teils everybody wants to rule, teils mittelalterlich, teils Stranger Things Exorzismus. Alles andere als langweilig. Die Art zu singen ist nicht so meins, etwas überdramatisch-Helene-Fischer-esk. Gutes Album! 4,5/5
this is my jam
It remains utterly wild to me that any of what is objectively some very weird music here made any impact on the charts, but I'll take it, this whole album rules so hard
It has mainstream tracks and weird tracks, but it doesn’t have bad tracks. I can’t remember the last time I listened to this as an album, so thanks for suggesting this whole project Jae!
Ummmmm I didn’t know they fucked this hard in the 80’s??? Wow this album was a roller coaster for me. Staring off strong with RUTH, I of course know and love due to Stranger Things. However, idk if it was because I was distracted or what but the next few songs didn’t really stand out. I was starting to think this album may be a one hit wonder. Then the B side!! Omg. I was stopped in my tracks. Pulled into a story that I didn’t quite understand but i didn’t care because it sounded so cool. I can’t wait to go back and listen again, with lyrics pulled up!! Overall 5/5 album. Some big hits and weird mind fuckery. Perfect.
very good, yes
As a mid 20's person, my instinct on seeing this, was of course, thinking about how Running Up That Hill absolutely blew back up in 2022, to the point where you couldn't be on any sort of social media without hearing the song within 10 minutes. (Not that it's a bad thing, just making a point) This didn't give me a negative or positive bias going in, as I don't know much about her besides that, just I knew to expect a heavy hitter. I was pleasantly surprised as a fan of prog rock, and as someone who sometimes needs 2nd listens to certain pop (Heaven or Las Vegas comes to mind) to truly understand it, how well both these elements shined, on the first listen. The aforementioned track deserves it's flowers as the most infamous song, because it stands out from the rest. That doesn't mean the rest of the album disappoints. Kate seems to have been experimenting (especially in the backhalf) in ways that feels 20+ years ahead of her time. Things you see modern artists try to do with their albums. Through 3 of her albums generated, she is the one of the original pop blueprints for maximizing sound to instantly punch through and grant you a vision beyond the lush, purple cover, on what the album is supposed to sound and feel like. I can understand this album not hitting for others, since I've had a few albums similar to this (including one her other albums) that I just couldn't get right away, but you can't deny the artistic talent, and influence to come from it afterwards.
Kate Bush is great. The album gets a bit weird and very 80s in the middle, but I'm here for it.
She had my attention all those years ago. Beautiful voice with original songs. Inspiration to many. Mucho talent.
Ah! I love Hounds of Love! It's one I already own on vinyl, and I'm excited to revisit it today. I rarely actually listen to Side B, so that was nice!
Felt a huge rush of excitement hearing the opening synth whoosh of "Running Up That Hill", an excitement that never relents at any point afterwards. The drums sound so big and propulsive, Kate wails for her life on this album, and the songwriting remains as unique as ever. It's more than a little ridiculous that I don't listen to this all the time.
listening to this gave me an appreciation for the back half of this album that i didnt have before. 'waking the witch', 'watching you without me' - bangers. I obvs already knew about the first half which is pretty flawless, but glad to have a new appreciation for the rest of it. Cloudbusting is one of the best songs of all time.
just good Running Up That Hill часто в эдитах встречается
Awesome album. Unique pop that stands from it's peers from the era. Running Up That Hill is a monster of a song that deserves all of the recent revitalization it has received. I like several songs from here, I think the one I'll add to my list is Jig of Life. It's a nice Irish jig with Kates dominating voice still present.
This was wonderful. So much cool music and great singing and writing from Kate Bush. So good I listened to it twice. Five stars.
Easily one of the most creative and interesting pop album ever made. Kate Bush was never afraid to push boundaries and always challenge what popular music should sound like, and this right her is her masterpiece. Side A while still fantastic definitely is the more "radio friendly" half of the album, and side B is full of uniqueness and innovation.
9/10 Kocham Tori Amos. Kocham Bjork. Więc to oczywiste, że kocham też Kate Bush. Eksperymentalny pop. Jednostka wybitna i skrajnie oryginalna. Śpiewa to co chce i tak jak chce. Zostawiam kawałek mojej duszy przy tej płycie
Indispensable.
Love it!
This I often do not do. Generally I hold very tightly to my ratings and find it important overall not to be haphazard and just throw out random ratings. yet at the same time this is NOT a random rating. The more I hear Kate Bush, of which I have always been a fan (being a child of the 80's and all), the more she grows on me as a songwriter and a storyteller. This album is not homogenized and overproduced and predictable. It is still as fresh as it was the day it was released and is brave and open and emotional. Really what else is there for music to be?
How can one woman write and produce all of this? Kate Bush created an album that feels completely timeless. it’s honestly hard to believe this masterpiece came out nearly 40 years ago. The sound is still so fresh, never once feeling dated. The tracklist is stacked with great songs, balancing experimental ambition with pure pop brilliance. Kate’s writing and production are flawless, and her singing… oh my god. She delivers emotion, drama, and beauty like no one else could. Hounds of Love is an album that never bores you, no matter how many times you revisit it. It’s one of the greatest pop albums ever made, and a perfect showcase of Kate Bush’s genius.
I'd be amazed if there's another record as weird as this one on the list, and I really appreciate how singular and unique it is. A true one off.
The sudden success of "Running Up That Hill" reminded us that Kate Bush is a truly great artist and reminded us how timeless "Hounds Of Love" sounds regardless of the era with its ethereal sound yet so powerful in its emotional charge. It was good to revisit this album because it reminds us that Kate Bush is a legend and will always be in our hearts.
An absolute classic. So many textures and musical ideas but so truly reflected in the concept. A truly original sound and a truly original artist.
phenomenal. Thanks Kate for everything
incredible
ну хел е конечно классика тут все заметчально почти каждый трек хит, ну база база
it's weird how this album ends with cloud busting 100 times in a row
Like many people, I first heard of Kate Bush when her single "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" saw a resurgence in popularity after being used in the soundtrack for the show Stranger Things. I genuinely enjoyed that track and was amazed to hear it on modern-day pop radio, what with its percussive gallop, the accompanying synthesizer made to sound like a cello, and Kate's profound lyrics about having man and woman "swap places" to understand one another better and bridge the gender divide. It was extraordinary to experience, and after listening to Hounds of Love, I can say that specialness extends to the rest of this album. Starting on side one, Hounds of Love is front-loaded with the pop bangers Kate crafted and self-produced. Each of these tracks is accompanied by pounding drum beats, light synthesizer motifs, Kate's soprano vocal delivery that's as comforting as a pillow, and some commanding distinct elements. Whether it's Kate's crooning dog barks on the title track, the full band accompaniment on "The Big Sky", the somber piano and theremin on "Mother Stands for Comfort", or the string arrangement on "Cloudbusting", these songs offer a unique perspective into the eloquent soundscape created. If this album were just side one, it would have been a standout in my book. But, the addition of side two takes it to the next level. Kate has spoken about how side two, The Ninth Wave, is comparable to a film, wherein the tracks tell a larger narrative about a person lost in the water and the arduous journey of getting back to land. Without giving the full story away, this is some of the most ambitious work I've heard in a pop record, as Kate took full command of this narrative in evoking her nightmares and invigorated spirit in the lyrical imagery. Accenting the story are various musical elements that help paint the scene, including the tense string accompaniment to signify the coldness of the water in "Under Ice", the vocal effects to represent the character's subconscious in "Waking the Witch", and the Irish folk swell of "Jig of Life" for the character's increased adrenaline. It is a narrative that captures the sense of one's survival in a turbulent situation and what goes on in their mind, executed rather beautifully. Hounds of Love is an outstanding album, and I'm glad Kate Bush has seen renewed popularity in recent years. This record stands among the greatest of them all.
Weird, unique, and all along surreal. There's a reason Kate Bush has such a strong cult following, and this album shows it better than any other I've heard from her so far.
This is pure genius. Running Up That Hill, Hounds of Love and Cloudbusting are three of the most perfect songs ever composed. And that’s just in the first half of this record. Kate Bush is a goddess.
It's in the trees! It's coming! Iconic, a genius with a fairlight synthesizer remains an unbeatable genre of album for me.
Me: "Why has no one told me this is this good?????" Ron Howard narration: "They had." Better late than never. This was excellent from start to finish.
Siendo uno de los LPs más revolucionarios de la historia de la música, "Hounds Of Love" se posiciona orgullosamente en esta lista y con justa razón. El sonido que Kate Bush logra en este trabajo, no solo como compositora, sino también como productora, está por lo menos 20 años adelantado al panorama musical en el que se lanzó. "Hounds of Love" es uno de los pilares fundamentales de la música alternativa, y a pesar de que "Running up that hill" se volvió tremendamente popular gracias a "Stranger Things" (serie que solo ha ganado detractores con el tiempo), este LP no ha perdido ninguna pizca de relevancia o prestigio. Escúchelo, pocos discos son tan buenos como este.
I'm pleasantly surprised! Unfortunately, the name Bush here in the USA isn't associated with such greatness. Some of the most soul-soothing, energetic, and pop-tacular songs are on this album. Favorite Song: "Running Up That Hill(A Deal With God)"
5/5 - I just didnt think there were any flops on this album tbh and thought it was going to be full of fillers. I just love that she's so unique
I thought this would be an easy 5 for me, but I think it does have its imperfections. As a cohesive piece of art it’s pretty great, but some of the tracks at the start of the second half don’t have much standalone value for me. Still there are so many groundbreaking tracks and ideas here, that are so uniquely Kate Bush, I think it would be a disservice to give it anything less than 5. Fave Tracks: Running Up That Hill, Hounds of Love, The Big Sky, Cloudbusting, Watching You Without Me, The Morning Fog 4.6/5
Kate Bush is weird, quirky, artsy - in other words wonderful. With Hounds of Love she added inventive, forward thinking, and popular. One of the first popular albums to make extensive use of a Fairlight system, Hound of Love is a tour de force of 80s progressive pop. The title song, Running Up That Hill - an MTV and college radio hit - and Cloudbusting are the highlights but the whole album is amazing. If you can only have one Kate Bush album, this is it. If you have a "ten albums on a dessert island" list, this belongs on it. You won't be disappointed.
What an amazing bush
Imagine how good stranger things would be if that girls favorite song was cloudbusting
Classic, great synth.
Not as magical this time around probably cause I own it on record and listening to it in my shitty earbuds doesn't compare. Also one of my most relistened albums. Sounds crazy but arguably has 3 of the greatest tracks of all time. Running up that hill, waking the Witch jig of life. And yes I mean all time greatest tracks not just Bush greats or pop greats. Music greats. You could even further the argument and extend it to cloud busting as well. It's a Masterpiece, no ifs or buts. The first time I heard this I was delivering pizzas and I thought I had crashed my car and fucking died and was simply hallucinating finishing the delivery meanwhile my soul stood before St peter. That's how this album makes me feel. 10/10
holy moly peak
Kate's Best. Perhaps equal to the quirkier 'The Dreaming'
Bush’s voice throughout Hounds of Love is mesmerizing, ranging from tender and delicate to powerful and theatrical. Her ability to merge genres, from pop and rock to folk and avant-garde, makes this album feel timeless.
A definite banger. Some of her most accessible work but still has her style.
Great
Kathryn notes: First of all, so weird. I literally chatted to charlotte about 5/5 albums and i said this would be one of mine. Will add the girls notes. I’m p sure they also rated 5/5
This sounded like an instant classic when it first came out in 1985. Today, it sounds like a timeless classic. Bush is amazing! I can't think of any artist more deserving of the renaissance she got a couple of years ago.
Ughhh absolutely ethereal!! Does it make me wanna die a little bit? Yeah, and come back as a depressed fairy
So beautiful and sentimental. from the instrumentals to her singing and the lyrics, everything. also love that I can recognize this served as inspiration for a whole generation of artists.
OH MY GOD YESS YES YES YES I LOVE THIS ALBUM SO SO MUCH KATE BUSH MY ANGEL 10/10 CHRIST ITS SO PERFECT This album literally changed the face of pop music. Big and boisterous but also very tender and intimate, Kate Bush manages to create an album that gets better on every listen. It incorporates so many different styles and subgenres, and the production is so clean and well done. Not even to mention Kate’s voice, which is just entrancing and compliments the sound of this album beautifully. And her vocal arrangements are just incredible, I love how she truly utilizes her voice as an instrument. The lyricism is so captivating (especially on the second side, the concept-ness of it is incredible and worth really actively listening to the lyrics). Will always have more to say but just know I will forever put this album on repeat. 💜
love love love love Favourite songs: - running up that hill - the big sky - cloudbusting - jig of life the intro to waking the witch almost made me cry as well. maybe I'm the witch
Kate Bush has been running with the wolves and sharing her singular vision with them. Powerful and sublime, often deeply odd, never less than a masterpiece. Take off my shoes and throw them in the lake!
god she's so weird what's happening here. 10/10 no notes. favourite tracks: cloudbusting (of course) the weeewwoooo noises and faint AWOO in mother stands for comfort watching you without me jig of life (or i might hate it, not sure)
This album was such an odd, magical experience, and nothing else I've heard sounds quite like it. I almost gave it a 4, mostly because I caught my attention drifting during some of the slower tracks. I'm also not a fan of the 80s production gloss that obscures some truly brilliant material. But eventually my mind was changed. The vocalising here is distinctively Kate Bush, and the real highlight of the album - along with the strings, which are generally excellent (Under Ice, Cloudbusting, the title track). The album keeps throwing surprises, twists, and turns at you, whether it be reversed octave-harmonised singing in Watching You Without Me, the exciting medieval battle-esque fiddles in Jig Of Life, or the beautiful overlapping piano and acoustic guitar in And Dream Of Sheep. Kate Bush is honestly one of the most badass artists of the 80s. She pulls off this powerful aura with her voice, songwriting, and experimentation, inspiring the likes of Bjork and other atmosphere-experimental female artists of the 90s and early 00s. 5/5 Key tracks: Running Up That Hill, Hounds Of Love, And Dream Of Sheep, Jig Of Life, Cloudbusting
Love this album. Saw her concert a few years ago that she pretty much played this album. At that point I realised The second half was a concept album - I had a tape that was a copy
Love / Admiration / Overwhelming / still exploring new things on every listen / out of this world / a million stars album
Wow this came out of nowhere. Started off like 80s pop but with a soul voice, and I enjoyed it. But then it continued to get more experimental, throwing in Celtic music and old hymnal style singing. I enjoyed it a lot.
one of my favorite albums ever. cloudbusting one of my favorite songs ever. I think it's universally considered as a masterpiece, what's more to say?
Undeniable masterpiece! Half the album has some of the most perfectly written pop songs of all time, the other half is a highly conceptual song cycle that keeps throwing new ideas and influences at the listener without every losing its focus or becoming cluttered. Truly remarkable in every possible way. Key tracks: Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) Hounds of Love The Big Sky Cloudbusting And Dream of Sheep Jig of Life
amazing album!
Sublime. One of my all time favourites. Kate Bush has always been fearless and this album is a bit bonkers but it just works
Волшебный голос, волшебные песни, очень крутой альбом!
Oh boy, hold me down, I’m about to gush. It’s just over ten years since Kate Bush returned to the stage for her first shows in 35 years: the record-breaking, resoundingly successful “Before the Dawn” shows. With almost no photos or videos available, they’ve already passed into rock mythology, but they featured almost every song on “Hounds of Love”, including a theatrical rendering of its second side (“The Ninth Wave”) in its entirety. So where was I: enraptured in the audience? Desperately begging for tickets outside the venue? Nope- I was on holiday in a quiet cottage countryside retreat, much like the farmhouse studio where “Hounds of Love” was born, slowly discovering one of my favourite artists of all time. That holiday is inseparable from Kate Bush’s music: I uncovered “The Kick Inside” by the fireside, I danced to “Cloudbusting” on bright summer mornings, I was terrified by “Waking the Witch” at 3am in an old draughty room. The very next month, I left home, became known in university halls as “the one with a crush on Kate Bush”, and enjoyed this beautiful album over and over through those crucial years. It was with me when I laid in the dew-soaked fields after my first deflating night out; took a witchy wander through foggy streets before dawn; attended a concert performance by a premier Bush tribute act. I’m now ten years older, but moments all across this album still hit me like the first time. The way she sings “Hold me down” near the end of the title track. The handclaps and screams in the coda of “The Big Sky”. The chanting prayer in “Waking the Witch”. The haunting Georgian choir in “Hello Earth”. There’s not a single note or step taken out of place. Take the first side: call it overplayed all you like, but “Running Up That Hill” still surges with sensual urgency. “Hounds of Love”- my favourite track on the first side- is still primal and vital. “The Big Sky” expresses the wonder and joy of being alive more than almost any song I can name, and it’s not even the most transcendent song on the album… that goes to the incomparable “Cloudbusting”. And as for “The Ninth Wave”, I don’t have the words. Flawless. While much of Bush’s earlier work- “Babooshka”, “Army Dreamers”, “Wow”, even “Wuthering Heights”- feels a little self-conscious and kitsch after so many years, to my ears none of “Hounds of Love” has aged a day. It’s a masterclass in musical maturation: an artist taking in all she’s learned and unleashing a behemoth, once-in-a-lifetime crystallisation of unassailable talent, perfectly packaged. I’ll love it forever.
I have this record un vynil. Its great!
Finally, I've already landed on The Dreaming and The Sensual World prior to this and its the big payoff. Hounds OF Love is a certifiable masterpiece, its got the monster hit in "Running Up That Hill" but it's also got "Cloudbursting", "The Big Sky", and "Jig Of Life", its got production for days, like that gated reverb drums on the title track. Kate deserved to be a pop star, shame she released this 20 or 30 years before its time.
Incredible album, one of my favourites.
5 out of 5. The second half turning into a musical fever dream with avant garde sounds surprised me in how much I ended up liking it, plus Running Up That Hill is a banger.
Such an iconic opening, 'Running Up That Hill'.
I may give this 4.5 stars, but that's only because there are some times it drags, and the spoken word parts aren't as rewarding on repeat listens. However, the album is pure genius from front to back. Obviously, the hit song is great on all levels, but the rest of the album is also just beautiful and revolutionary. I also hear so much in this album that influenced so many other artists I listen to today.
Top album lots of memories
Leave a review
Another perfect album from my favorite musical artist ❤️
This was unexpectedly really good to me. Insane production style for the 80s. She kind of reminds me of Florence and the Machine or that style of like indie pop. This honestly sounds way ahead of its time. I feel like there are a handful of really popular alt-pop or progressive pop artists now that sound a lot like this.
Running Up That Hill is a great song it's just that Stranger Things forever ruined it for me. Favourite Songs: Hounds of Love, The Big Sky, Mother Stands for Comfort, Jig of Life, Hello Earth. Least Favourite Songs: And Dream of Sheep.
Amazing weird unique creative album. The witch song is almost a step too far but overall there is nothing like this.
Awesomeness. So glad I finally listened to this entire album.
the best they ever did it. 100/5
Have owned and loved this album ever since it came out. Kate Bush is one of my absolute favorite artist.
First wireless mic!
An incredible album. Groundbreaking, even. It showcases her wonderful vocal range and experimental songwriting, blending elements of Pop, Rock, and Art-Rock. I love it, and recommend it highly.
My toxic trait is pointing out that I listened to this album before Stranger Things caused "Running Up That Hill" to have a (admittedly cool and deserved resurgence). I reviewed Kate's The Dreaming a few months ago, and did not care for it at all, which has only made me look forward to reviewing this album even more. Let's dig into this pop masterpiece from my favorite decade of music. "Running Up That Hill" is a fantastic lead-off track for this album. It perfectly establishes the dream-like feel that's going to permeate the rest of the album, and even though it's not structured like a traditional pop song, it's still incredibly accessible, due to the atmosphere it creates to tell the story of a woman who wants to trade places with her lover so she can better understand his point of view. As great as "Running Up That Hill" is though, nothing tops the title track. Musically, this song is about as good as it gets. The booming drums help bolster the narrative of the lyrics, while the synthesizers keep the album's dreamlike feel. The cello parts during the chorus are perfection, especially as a compliment to Kate's wailing "throoooowwww themmmmm in the lake" vocals. "The Big Sky" is perfect too, with its bright piano melody and deep guitar tones. I know I've already rambled on about the first three songs on this album, but "Cloudbursting" is fantastic too. I love the string arrangements, and the dreamy sound is the perfect backdrop for the lyrics' storytelling. It's a perfect closing for the first side of the album. The second side of the album is just as great as the first, although for slightly different reasons. The Ninth Wave story bridges the entire length of the second side of the album, and further showcases Kate's abilities as a poet and a songwriter. Just like the first side of the album, The Ninth Wave is beautiful from start to finish, and feels very much in line with the sound and atmosphere of the first side of the album. I think this album is absolute perfection from start to finish, and it's always a joy to revisit it. As it shakes out, I'll get to review all of Kate Bush's albums in chronological order, and I'm excited for when that third album of hers pops up for me.
These are my notes as I was listening: Her voice drives me crazy and the whole album sounds like experimental student work. But … I don’t hate it. 🤷♂️ Honestly, if four guys made this album it would be called Led Zeppelin IV. I actually immediately listened to another Kate Bush album when I finished. Lesson: Stick with it, it grows on you.
kate bush is another musical artist that writes songs like poetry, her whimsical and ethereal tracks are a treat to the ears. the titular track, "running up that hill" got a resurgence a few years back, introducing her artistic works to a more widespread audience. her operatic voice paired with creative synth and sample techniques weave a marvelous collection of songs that will absolutely captivate both young and old. a brilliant anomaly of an album, this is.
My mum would play this on long car journeys, I must have heard this dozens of times!! Weird and good!
she's just a fun time. no idea what was going on in the concept half at the end. why was there a witch? no clue. but 10/10 on vibes alone.
9/10. Great vocals, great music, and great songs. It has a really nice, and enchanting vibe to it. :)
This is simply a statement of artistic grandeur. It is decidedly Pop, but idiosyncratic as it can be. Great songs, great performances, meticulously executed to the smallest detail without any sterile perfectionism. For me, one of the greatest main stream statements ever. Running up that hill never ages for me and I never ever got fed up with it. Thank you, Kate Bush, for this gift.
I mean...its Hounds of Love. One of the very greatest pop albums of all time. Infinitely replayable, it's crazy how much more I love this album with each listen. It has many of the best songs in her catalogue, and some super artsy experimental stuff near the back half that leaves you feeling a little dazed after listening. It's a truly awe-inspiring album, and I'm definitely far from the first to say this. Although, in my humble opinion, The Dreaming is her very best album, I totally get why this one gets all the praise, it totally deserves it. Was incredibly glad to have the opportunity to hear this again. also....wtf why does this only have a 3.5 here.....
Stranger Things up in here. This album is wonderfully weird, and I thoroughly dig it. Truly not a bad song on here. One of my new favorite albums. Highlights: Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) Hounds of Love The Big Sky Waking the Witch Watching You Without Me Jig Of Life
One of the all time banger albums.
This whole album is banger after banger. An iconic voice and great 80s synth stuff.
One of those albums where the chills just don't stop
What a lovely album on many levels
Certainly my favourite Kate album. Great songs and storytelling
It's beautiful. The synth tone is beautiful. Classic of classic.
Кейт Буш своим примером такая: дети, если вы пишете авант-поп музыку сегодня, сорок лет спустя всё это может звучать достаточно комфортно для широкой аудитории, чтоб набирать миллиард+ прослушиваний на спотифай. Интересно, насколько популярной была Кейт Буш в восьмидесятые. Воспринимали ли её как такую артистичную и претенциозную, но в своей стихии? Как вот позднюю Бьорк сейчас, например? Мне очень нравится Кейт Буш, но это такая вот любовь из уважения очень часто. Ее песни всегда заходят, но редко пробираются куда-то глубоко, чтоб сказать "воа, Любимая музыка!" Но это великий альбом. Лучшая песня - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God).
5 fucking stars. Kate Bush's artistry is unmatched. Her vocals, her production, her concepts, the execution of it all. She is one of my favorite artists of all time, and though I go back and forth on which of her albums is my favorite, HoL is either #1 or #2. I got to play my vinyl for this one, which has the original mix of The Big Sky. I love the way the drums come right out of the gate, and I can hear so many of the details in the backing vocals so much more clearly. Often times I like to just listen to The Ninth Wave tracks. On one such occasion, I was out walking during sunset on a crisp fall evening. I was looking up at the sky, which was a gorgeous pink/purple, and The Jig of Life was playing. Suddenly a red tailed hawk flew toward me and swooped low directly over my head - I could have touched them if I'd jumped - and then flew off high into the sky behind me. I don't know, maybe they thought my hair bun was a mouse and it was a close call, but it felt like a movie moment. I had chills, and I won't ever forget it.
What an exceptionally good album. Challenging in places, always innovative. I've mentioned before how Bjork and Tori Amos would not be who they were without Kate Bush, and this album absolutely cements that. The only thing to say is that Something Good by the Utah Saints is just better than the original. And the original is great.
perfection. no notes.
It’s perfect too
How fuckin cool. Not only is it proven to be timeless (see running up that hill) but it’s also so experimental and unique. There’s nothing like talented artists doing their own thing. *chefs kiss*
I wondered yesterday as I gave a 5 star review to that days offering and so made it two in a row, if that was the first time I had done that. But before I had time to check this album comes along to make it, without any doubt whatsoever, my first 3 in a row 5 star album. And there are few albums which deserve this accolade more. Another album I needn’t listen to as it’s hardly off my playlist rotation. I’ve been a Kate Bush fan since she first appeared. I have all her albums on multiple formats and was one of the lucky ones who saw her in Manchester during her first 1979 UK tour. As good as this album is and notwithstanding it contains The Ninth Wave, often cited by her fellow contemporaries as one of the best musical suites ever, it is not quite my favourite Kate Bush album. But that is like trying to pick your favourite child - impossible. They’re all bloody good! 5+/5 6/7/24
Great