Reviews (page 3 of 16)
Me ha enfadado que en The Big Sky esté terminando la canción 2 minutos y aún así tengan que meter un fade out larguíiiisimo. Menos mal que justo después está Mother Stands For Comfort. Me ha gustado más de lo que esperaba.
나쁘지 않았다. 뭔가 새로운 느낌이 나는 느낌의 음악이었다. It wasn't bad. It was music that felt somewhat new.
Great album, took me down a Kate Bush rabbit hole for hours that I thoroughly enjoyed ☺
favs: cloudbusting, waking the witch, jig of life
041121 16:18 4
I feel like theatre kids love this. There's some melodramatic through line for this album that I'm not quite understanding, something about werewolves? Spooky stuff. Not as well produced as a Madonna record, Kate is a bit back in the mix which is tough. It's just weird enough to get a 3.
Favorite songs: Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God), Hounds of Love, And Dream of Sheep, Under Ice, Watching You Without Me, Hello Earth, The Morning Fog
Parecido al otro, “Cloudbusting” muy buena, pero el disco en general se me hizo muy largo. Igual por los dos álbumes de kate bush que vamos en la losta ya puedo decir que banco, quizá no es mi tipo de música, pero no está nada mal.
I wish I was listening to this in a forest. Most whimsical, magical piece of music ever made.
Pretty interesting record definitely more deserving of fame than just running up that hill
brilliant album!! i love kate bush
Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) - A classic, yes it's become repopularised by Stranger Things which is how I remembered this song existed, but always a bop Hounds of Love - Also love this tune, scratches a very specific part of my brain, same as Paris Paloma's Good Boy, even though the message is quite different Mother Stands for Comfort - I have feelings about this song that have nothing to do with the song itself, but otherwise very calm and soothing which is what she wanted to capture I think, like a lullaby almost Waking the Witch - Big fan of random Latin chanting, the demonic voice wasn't the best but overall fun song, love songs that tell a story. Watching You Without Me - Jig of Life - Another awesome renfair style song, would love to frolic in a field to this
A hugely evocative and dreamlike album, with tinges of Hammer horror/sci-fi throughout. Side one is entirely bangers (especially Cloudbusting), side two is one long extended dream. Fantastic all round.
☆☆☆☆ 4/5 So Perfect!
Gets real interesting towards the end. Not all for me, but pretty cool overall.
Obviously, I really like "Running Up That Hill", and "Cloudbursting" is solid too, but I haven't been able to get into the conceptual second half of this album, despite many years of trying. I guess Kate Bush just isn't for me, despite liking a lot of artists that often get compared to her.
Running up that Hill is obviously an awesome track, it was a great pull for Stranger Things to bring into the show. This album has a magical quality. Kate has a really dynamic voice that feels both deep/dark and light/sweet. She feels like a powerful Fae creature. This album is a really unique creation and executes really well against it's own quirky point of view. I think I will come back to it for another listen and that is high praise.
I wrote in my notebook but man. She really gets it. Everyone has taken some inspiration from her and especially this record. 4/5 stars.
I really like cloudbusting and watching you without me
stranger things did this album no justice, worth a full listen any day
not really my style 6/10 couldnt finish it
Album #250 is Hounds of Love by Kate Bush, perhaps England's greatest redhead of all time. This is her biggest commercial success and it really shows as one of the better pop albums of the 80s. My biggest highlight about this album is how Kate Bush uses the Fairlight and CS80 and wields the synths like a pro. For that, we stan. More than those Stranger Things people that got on to her.
I heavily underrated this one
Different from the albums that came before, and yet a wonderful thing. I haven't given this album the attention it deserves, but it is transporting when you listen in full. Almost a concept album, but not quite. The first side is the one you'll remember most. Of course "Running up that Hill" is there with it's recent revival, but Cloudbusting was always my favourite. Wish I'd seen her live. Perhaps one more show like "Before the Dawn" please. It's hard to say this is her best album, there are contenders like "The Kick Inside" and "Lionheart" , but def a 5.
Feels like pop music but so delightfully weird.
P good
An odd album, really. Bush's unique voicing dominates every song--a good thing and a bad thing. When she first broke onto the scene that distinctiveness grabbed listeners. Now it can feel like the point, which takes away from the actual subject of the song. So, odd. It can grab me and put me off.
1986. I remember so clearly walking into a record store in a mall, home on summer break after my first year at college. At that time, music discovery was a combination of radio, peer influences, digging into the catalog of artists I liked, and blind experimentation. So it was with Hounds of Love. I had a vague notion that I had heard of Kate Bush, but I don't believe I had ever heard any of her music. There was something about the vinyl LP cover that stopped me in my tracks (CDs were just about to be the mainstay media, but not yet). The album was on an endcap, I bought it on a whim. Thank god I did. Immediately, it grabbed hold. There's not a moment on this record that slips—from the slow fade of Running Up That Hill to the title track, loved the heavy drum rhythms and the totally '80s but never dated production. The production, and Bush's strange, fearless, totally individual approach to songwriting and arrangement — all of it captivated me. Then the endlessly propulsive Big Sky into Mother Stands for Comfort, which veers into eclectic Bush territory (fretless bass and bizarre whistle synth melody). I was all in. Eerie, moody, totally sets up the suite of songs on side 2 (vinyl, remember?). But we can't skip Cloudbusting, which at the time seemed like an impossible feat. A recurring string bed that got more interesting and changed shape and gained momentum as the song played. I went out and bought every Kate Bush album, and found The Dreaming to be every bit as good as this record. I mean, second by a hair, but brilliant as well. And then I discovered Pat Benetar's "Wuthering Heights" was really Kate Bush's — I love both versions. And side 2... The Jig of Life, Waking The Witch, Watching You Without Me, Hello Earth, Under Ice. Damn. On my very short list of flawless records. This album opened a door for me, to Kate Bush and a freestyle approach to writing and arrangement I had never experienced. 60 stars — 5 for every song on the record.
Man, when it's good, it's as good as anything. I do think it peters out a bit towards the end.
Classiest of classics
Very nice, Kate Bush has a very unique voice, started to get a bit repetitive but the end convinced me.
a really impressive album. on the vein of artists that make incredible debuts while being in their 20s. it's interesting to me how underrated/ not that known is this before the appearence of Running Up that Hill on Stranger Things. And more so, how little of the other songs have been used on media. while listening i got this strange relation with the debut album of SOPHIE and how i feel that Hounds of Love feels like the Oil of Every Pearl's Un-insides of that era. Maybe is the similar pastel tones on the covers, that both artists are women, the song about drowning/cold/strong emotional poweful feelings, but more so how, Hounds of Love is more experimental and creative that i expected. Obviously is not electronic and so avant-garde as SOPHIE's album, but i think that for that moment, is a really risk-taking pop album. Songs like Jig of Life are something i would never expect from an album and artist like Kate Bush. And that makes it so appealing and surprising for me. That said, i must say that the second part of Waking the Witch is an atrocity and fails due to using that horrid 80s sounds that i detest. That makes me doubt if this album is a 5 stars one, but the rest is pretty good
nice album
Listened to this a while back; loved it. It's lush, it's dense, but it flows perfectly and is a whirlwind of a record.
I have nothing to say - this is a top 10 album of all time for me. I remember the first time I listened to it in full, I was on a ferry to Ireland. That just seems so right. This is a 5/5 if ever there was one. I will not elaborate.
I had never heard of Kate Bush until Stranger Things and really liked Running Up That Hill, but still never listened to anything beyond that. I should have. What a great album.
A very good album overall - side 1 is superb, I've always found side 2 a bit harder to love.
Couple of really strong tracks
Another one where I'm very familiar with the singles bit not the album. Enjoyed this a lot and would revisit.
Not an album I’d heard previously and I liked it, two stars. Tom.
What a fascinating, almost haunting voice.
Already listened and i adore it huge part of my stranger things phase
Really soft and acute pop that i dont like
Banger of a first song but then the rest didn’t ever reach those heights again, also got a bit weird in the second half with some of the noises
What can anyone say about this masterpiece! The ethereal Kate Bush in 1985 created an album that left its mark the following decades .. The first song of the album “running up that hill” is a masterpiece with an awarded video which in 1985 and in 2022 due to a well-known television series was in the top 10 of the annual hits of various .countries. The power of “hounds of love” and “the big sky” stands out... the serenity of the music and the exquisite voice of the creator in “little earth” and “and dream of ship”... I adore also the jig of life (with strong traditional elements..)...A theatrical, deeply imaginative blend of brilliant 80s pop and dark, progressive storytelling!
Is it bad that my only experience with Kaye Bush is Neil Cicieriga's brilliant Cloudbursts mashup with California Girls? Anyway this album is gorgeous.
It's less of an album and more of a masterpiece of sprawling literary fiction, conjuring vivid images and palpable scenes. Kate Bush is one of those once-in-a-lifetime talents whose work stands out from the rest, never conforming to the styles of the times that she's composing within. Though it was Stranger Things which brought her back into the limelight, I've had the pleasure of listening to this one way before thanks to my parents being fans of her work, and I shall continue to savour this masterwork. Excellent! Favourite track: Waking The Witch Least favourite track: Running Up That Hill (Still great, but it's overplayed at this point)
I'm half convinced that Kate Bush is some kind of fey creature. That aside, she's an excellent songwriter with an incredible sense of theatricality, and this album epitomizes that for good and ill. The opener "Running Up That Hill" is a classic, and worthy of five stars on its own. The rest of the Hounds of Love portion of the album isn't quite as good, though "The Big Sky" and "Cloudbusting" are also good. However, the latter half of the album, "The Ninth Wave" suite about a woman possibly drowning in the ocean is variable enough in quality to knock a star off the total.
Besides the massive hit, I struggled with this one. Very ethereal, which is usually my jam but something about this sat wrong with me. 2/5
Surprisingly very good. This one was quite unexpected and I really like it. It was edgier, darker and harder than I would have thought.
2nd appearance of Kate Bush technically after learning that she appeared on Peter Gabriel's "Melt", this album is more than just the album with that song from "Stranger Things"
Just incredible, innovative sampling, powerful, and fun to listen to.
Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album I only know Running Up That Hill How do I feel about this artist? Indifferent Pre-Listen Thoughts: A lot of people really like this album, maybe I’ll love it Favorite track(s): Running Up That Hill, Hello Earth Post-Listen Thoughts: I wanted to like it more than I did. Some parts of it were really good, and other parts were a little annoying. Maybe her other albums are better? Or maybe she’s just not for me.
Not really for me.
Yes, Kate Bush is one of my favourite artists. This album is not only for the hits an extraordinary album. The second part is just stunning 5/5
Not for me, good voice but it's such a weird one that I never find myself enjoying the music.
This album is like a unique version of generic 80s music. If that makes sense. It’s really good. Sometimes I’m in the mood for a super artsy album and this album rules for that purpose. Maybe it’s not a 5 but I’m feeling it right now.
Not my typical music taste however i do like her music
Well produced now classic album
Angelic ahh
Some classics that have resurfaced in the age of TikTok. Pretty fun 80's vibes. I didn't notice anything exceptional.
I've loved this album since my college roommate introduced me to it in 1985. Phenomenal.
I’ve always liked this album, cloudbusting and hounds of love had been my favs. But bc of clout ig i never rlly listened to running up that hill until now. And now that ive heard the full album all i have to say is holy peak. What a goat kate bush holy SHIT waking the witch was genuinely a terrifying listen. Jig of life is folky and cool.
I enjoyed this. I know it's really influential and important....but somehow Kate Bush has never really grabbed me. I'll have to dive back into this sometime and see if I can finally "get it" fully
Outstanding, she can’t put a foot wrong. Haven’t heard this in years and it still sounds as fresh now. It’s timeless! She’s a national treasure
Goddess
My favourite Kate Bush, although The Dreaming came up early on through this site, and that might be up there too. Running up that Hill is an incredible opener, good on Kate for having such a bump in popularity through Stranger Things, but the sheer overexposure of it has diluted it just a bit for me. The whole first side is perfect, Cloudbusting, Big Sky and Hounds of Love are all huge sounding, dramatic and emotional, massive pop songs without any reliance on 80s pop cliche. To be honest I do kind of lean heavier on the first side than the second, which is proggier, weirder and lighter on hooks. But it's still beautifully written and produced, and taken as a whole there's no doubt in my mind this is 5 star worthy.
Great little album. Back end is very weird.
Wow, what an album to get on my Birthday! Super excited for this one! "Running Up That Hill" is a hell of a way to start an album, and I sincerely hope it doesn't run out of steam from here. The drums and synths right from the start, Bush's gorgeous voice and epic lyrics. It all comes together into something truly special. Unlike her other album on this list, The Dreaming, I found that after the opening track, I had real difficulty trying to put into words what I loved with each track, so the best thing to do right now is to highlight my favourites (I always return to my reviews just for this, when I want to revisit each album). [I want to ear-mark this album, for some deeper reflection on it later]. Faves: "Running Up That Hill", "Mother Stands for Comfort", "Cloudbusting", "Watching You Without Me", "Hello Earth" and "The Morning Fog".
Generally speaking I don’t mind Kate Bush’s more popular songs. However, this album gave me a headache and it was not my cup of tea whatsoever. Don’t think i’ll be listening again.
Kate Bush is my undisputed queen of maximalism, and this is probably her masterpiece.
I mean, yeah. It's good, but not exactly my thing. I like Running Up That Hill and Waking the Witch. Hello Earth is fascinating 6.5/10
Absolute love and respect for Kate Fav song: Jig of Life
good i like
Lots of "Yay Yo" vocal fills on these songs. Once it caught my ear I was done.
A legend
Lovely, weird, beautiful, haunting. Musics not bad either. Maybe a bit too self indulgent in places, but an almost great album.
7/10 ME ENCANTA LA PRIMERA CANCIÓN, es preciosisima. pero me choca una banda la forma en que transiciona a la segunda. igualmente me parece un álbum increíble, la voz de kate es única y es algo que volvería a escuchar definitivamente.
The first half is great, but the second half always loses me. P.S. Running Up the Hill is obviously Great, but the real best song here is Mother Stands for Comfort. Talk about magic…
This finally clicked with me forever while listening this time. Amazing record.
understand the hype
I knew thr first song but enjoyed the rest of the album
kate bush is THE queen of whimsy. such a masterpiece, this album
3.75 - haven't ever really listened to her, but this had some songs I definitely want to hear again! It'll be a relisten at some point for sure.
bow wow wow i find something about this incredibly grating
Proper 5 srar
Not bad... But kind of droned on and on by the end... I wonder if she ever crested that hill? Stranger things have happened, they say...
I love you Kate Bush
1. Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) (★★★★⯨) 2. Hounds of Love (★★★☆☆) 3. The Big Sky (★★★☆☆) 4. Mother Stands For Comfort (★★☆☆☆) 5. Cloudbusting (★★⯨☆☆) 6. And Dream Of Sheep (★★⯨☆☆) 7. Under Ice (★★★⯨☆) 8. Walking The Witch (★⯨☆☆☆) 9. Watching You Without Me (★★⯨☆☆) 10. Jig Of Life (★★★☆☆) 11. Hello Earth (★★★☆☆) 12. The Morning Fog (★★★☆☆) TOTAL = ★★★⯨☆ (2,8) -Bueno, al final el álbum me resultó "vacío", como que no me llegó como otros que exploran o persiguen hacer algo similar... Ninguna canción o letra me convenció o interpeló lo suficiente como para ponerle 5 estrellas por ejemplo...
I love kate bush but every song feels like 20 minutes. big sky is the best song
Of course the first thing that comes to my mind is stranger things series. Sounds too much like the 80s, combining also classic instruments between the synths and drums. I dont like so much Kate’s voice though.
as a stranger things fan i just liked the running up that hill... the remaining playlist was average
Įdomu, kaip visad Kate.
What makes a great album? Great lyrics help but you also have the voice of Kate Bush things to keep things from becoming stale. It's groundbreaking and still sounds fresh no matter what year you listen to it.
Bonne expérimentation, part très fort avec un hit mais un gros creux entre The Big Sky et And Dream of Sheep. La deuxième partie est meilleur mais ce ne sera sûrement pas un album sur lequel je vais revenir au complet. A écouter une fois dans sa vie.
Fantastic. Ethereal
Obviously she's brilliant, just not what I enjoy listening to regularly
Yea, I dunno, fine. Not much stood out. I liked her other album on here better
tava querendo ouvir kate bush ent foi mt preciso essa recomendação!!
This starts off with "Running Up That Hill"... one of my favorite songs of all time. I had heard maybe 2 of her other tunes, and kind of dismissed her as "too weird" for my tastes. I was wrong. I think she is still kind of weird, but in a great way. I really enjoyed Hounds of Love. It's not quite a 5* album, but a strong 4.
I basically have no notes, this album absolutely rules - some of the catchiest synth-pop in the first half, to lushly-produced experimental music in the second half, which never ceases to grab your attention
Not the easiest album to listen to, especially after its opening glory, but I surprisingly enjoyed Under Ice, which I had slept on all this time. Also, Tori Amos owes a lot to Kate Bush, that's all.
Pas mon délire. Ça devient un peu chiant à la longue même s'il y a quelques idées sympa
Unique, interesting, great voice, some hits, some duds. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.
Did not enjoy
Torn on whether this album is weirdly good or just weird.
Banger
Boy these synths are dated as hell now. Sometimes that can be cool but every track seems to rely on them. I'm also not a huge fan of Bush's voice. Hounds is a good but not great record to me.
Muito bom no geral, tem várias músicas bem diferentes em questão de estilo.
GOOD!
mid, soms cva soms meh
oprecht tof en uniek, klinkt wel veel Ierser dan ik in dacht
Хорошее, мне нравится
Other the first song which is a classic, others are forgettable. A concept album is one which I didn't understand
One of my absolute favorite albums of all time and my number one of the 58 I’ve received here so far. From some of the greatest pop songs ever written in the first half to the dark, dreamt concept piece of the second half, this record has everything that I love about music. Brings me to another plane!
I loveee
Amazing to think this is 40 years old - still sounds so modern. An absolutely incredible album
Genius and way ahead of her time when making this album. So full of emotion you cannot skip any of the songs
Arty, whimsical and has interesting use of instruments. Definitely sounds 80s with the synths but spans a few genres. Enjoyed the music but her voice does tend to grate. 4/5
An album I recently upgraded to a 5 on RYM as I realised how patriarchal my old ratings were and how blinkered my previous rating had been to the perfection of this album. No interest in whether these are songs or not (in other reviews on here) but the album is a work of art, moving, fun, inspirational, thought provoking and contains some killer pop songs like "Running Up That Hill", "Cloudbusting", & "Hounds of Love". She was also incredibly important with the development of music videos in this era (& previously).
Classic slice of true 80s
music is supposed to tell a story. to the guy who wrote the one star review that didn't want to finish the quote, the full quote is "These are not songs, they’re stories, and her lyrics tell the inner lives of her characters". Just say you don't like storytelling through music then. This was completely original, and while the sounds were definitely unorthodox, there's no one that made music quite like Kate Bush.
Such an ethereal and unique voice. She came out of the gate like a theatrical bull and never let up. Love Kate and this is a great album. You can really tell the success (commercial or not) of an artist by those who point out how influential they were. So many female artists point to Kate as a trailblazer for them.
I already know this one word for word. LOVE!
You gorgeous fae witch queen, you. A wild, gorgeous, difficult pop record that has me confounded and mesmerized at the same time. In fact the only reason it's not on my masterpiece list is because I need about 17 more listens to steep in this one and I'm just out of time.
Running up that hill (a deal with god) - 4 Hounds of love - 3 The big sky - 3 Mother stands for comfort - 3 Cloudbusting - 3 And dream of sheep - 3 Under ice - 3 Waking the witch - 2 Watching you without me - 2 Jig of life - 4 Hello earth - 2 The morning fog - 3
there are some really good original songs on this album, most a little slow for me, but a couple that really catch
I know the opener from Stranger Things and it's a banger. Oh apparently it's split in half, where the second half is a prog album. Overall, I liked it. It didn't draw me in on my second listen like I expected it to. The double bass really stood out on my second listen. That's a crazy choice for an 80s pop artist. There are a few of those on here. This is a cool album for sure.
I don’t think I’d want to listen to any of these songs as a standalone single, but as an album it works.
This album is brilliant and beautiful and yes, I would agree, it is an album everyone should listen to before they pop their clogs. Is it perfect though, I don’t think so….
I listened to this album 3 days ago funny enough. Great atmosphere, very surprising this was made in the 80s but definitely was artistic enough that I know I'll find myself listening again soon.
Very good but I can’t get into the second half for some reason
was fine, running up hill is great, as well as #5 was enjoyable
Creative, ambitious, strong start but second half was all over the place. Last one pulled it back and with the weird bonus it gets a 4
A real mix of great, good and downright weird. Want to give it 3.5 so will be generous and round up…
I love this album. It’s strange and theatrical and hypnotic.
Extrêmement whimsical
classic, but i wish it hadnt had that resurgance
It's larger than life. It's experimental (but the good kind of experimental). The traditional songs are absolutely flawless. The only problem I have with this album is that every time I listen to Kate Bush too much someone I know dies. But this album is so good that I still take my chances.
I will take any opportunity to listen to this album. My favourite tracks have to be the title track and Cloudbusting
Listen. Good, but after halfway throughbi couldnt listen anymore
Running Up That Hill is great. Nothing else does much for me.
I don't think I would have liked Running Up That Hill were it not for its repetition and dramatic use in Stranger Things, where I first heard it. By the finale, I got goosebumps every time it was featured in the show. Kate Bush was never in my wheelhouse at all. Having been primed by the show, I think I was finally ready to listen to this album. This was unique, but not in the all-too-common "Look! I don't have to follow the rules and I can fart in a can" Frank Zappa kind of way. This was unique in a "hey, what if we made guitars louder with electricity?" kind of way. It's still a guitar, the skills required are the same, but it sounds different and has different capabilities. I was somewhat trepidatious about listening to everything after the first track, but every last one of them earned their play and my attention. I think I'll add this to my collection and hang out with my new friend Hounds of Love soon ⭐⭐⭐⭐
No sé qué pensar del álbum. No había escuchado ningún álbum completo de Bush, solo conocía unas canciones, que por cierto mi favorita es Cloudbusting y resulta que viene en este disco. Sin embargo, no sé si el no estar tan familiarizado con la música hizo que el primer álbum completo que escuché fuera el mejor para empezar. Empieza muy bien pero poco a poco las canciones me perecieron demasiado.
perfect
Never heard of album or singer. Top 100 on album though so pretty high expectations. Production is so good on running up that hill. This song is a banger. Catchy chorus too. Classic 80s pop. Really well written too. Really good production again on hounds of love. Not as catchy/well written tho. Good writing again on the big sky. Another classic 80s sound. This song is a good mix of emotional and fun. Love the electric guitar that comes In around a minute and a half. This is just a song you want to sing along to. Piano and bass on mother work so well together. Rest of it is good not great. Production is so good on cloudbusting as well. And dream of sheep is pretty forgettable. Nothing too special about this one. I love under ice. Awesome strings/production as a whole. The lyrics work so well. Good production again on watching you without me. Last minute vocals are kinda bs. Jig of life is fine. I like the lyrics and vocals I just don’t like the swashbuckler production. I will say, it’s impressive the range this song shows. Hello earth is very interesting. It’s like multiple songs in one. really cool sounds. The opera like ending is really cool. Massive change of pace Into the morning fog. More great production. Good singing/songwriting on this one too. Great way to close out this really fun album. This is definitely one of my favorites for albums where I had never heard a song of it it prior. If I had, it probably is in the mid 4s. Lack of commercial success brings it to a 3.7/5 stars.
I don't actually know if I've heard any other Kate Bush songs... Love the Irish Jig section of Jig of Life.
Absolutely stellar. A dream marriage of Bush's fantastic pop chops and her more experimental side, there is nothing else quite like this album.
Simply beautiful. No notes on this one.
What a great variance, some of it ahead of its time.
I appreciate her for trying to have her own style away from her contemporaries, but I’m just not a fan. I find her way of singing a little cringey and I can’t really explain why
Wasn't sure where the album could go after that beginning. Really liked Big Sky but it could have done without a layer or three of random sounds. The rest of side one doesn't do much for me. And Dream of Sheep was nice and then I'm napping again. Jig of Life vacillates between beer commercial and Hornswoggle entrance music and neither do it for me. It's a 25% hit rate which is not great even if the good songs are pretty-to-really good.
v strong start with running up the hill (my fave). second half of the album felt like on stage musical numbers. very theatrical, fun storytelling. jig of life was also a banger
more like can i see kate's bush yknow what im sayin 😏 a bit hit or miss for me but i do like running up that hill, even if stranger things kinda ruined it, but excluding that my fave was the big sky
Running Up the Hill is a perfect song
Waking the Witch suuuuuuuucked. So did Watching You Without Me. Dumb glitchy crap. The weird spoken word stuff in "Hello Earth"? Awful! I like the dogs on the cover. The first half of the album was fine, then it really lost me.
Loveee Kate bush I think i need to really listen to this again but running up that hill is a classic and i also like hounds of love from what i remember
High highs and boring lows. It really dragged towards the end after a great start. Running up that hill still awesome. Weird just but in the way I like.
it's good but idk not fully my cup of tea?
#554
Truly one of the best albums.
Well, Running Up That Hill is a great song and thanks to Stranger Things for reminding us. This record is very unique other than that song. Not my taste but Kate Bush has endured for many years for some reason. This album won’t be added to my playlist, but she’s a legend.
Running up that hill is a banger. Thanks Stranger Things. Was it this popular before the show? Waking the Witch is kinda psycho but I like it. Jigg of Life +2. It felt like I was listening to a play or production and I kinda came around on it. Enjoyed the listen even if I didn’t love all the songs
The lady can sing and I could see myself enjoying it when in the right headspace, but this time around it just became background noise.
3/5. I enjoyed the first 2/3 or so, but felt like it droned on
there was so many cool experimental lines woven in, especially in the second half
What was she smoking while making this album, this album got it all!!
I have previously said that Patti Smith is my Spirit Animal. I would like to amend that and say it is actually a hybrid of Patti Smith and Kate Bush. Maybe the only good thing that came from Strangers Things was when they used Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) that made people either discover or rediscover Kate Bush. I wonder how many people were disappointed when they thought that everything was going to be like 'Running Up That Hill' and then walked into something like 'Waking The Witch' and were like "what the fuck it this".
Wish I had heard this earlier in my life. So ahead of its time
Running up that hill is an unquestionably great song. The rest of the album didn’t really move the needle for me though
Great sound - if a bit dated and repetitive
Not bad other than waking the witch, but not something i’ll come back to. It was nice that the viral song (running up that hill) wasn’t a standout, but again, i never got that bandwagon so 2 stars for me
I enjoyed it, especially Running Up That Hill, Cloudbusting, and Jig of Life.
Yeah… this is one of those albums I have always felt like I should like. I have not, historically, liked it. I tried to run up that hill. Really I did. Let’s see if time has changed me. It’s the drum machine. It’s the orchestration. I find it incredibly hard to listen to. I LIKE dissonance. But I NEED bass. I actually love her voice. But I find her vocals just… well almost grating the way they’re placed in the mix. I think I might hate this album. Mother Stands for Comfort might save this from a 2. Yeah. That song gives her voice room and puts it forward, where it belongs. And the run until the demonic voice in Waking the Witch is… good? I dive right in Under the ice. That right there is my song. But Satan has to ruin everything. And if it ended with Hello Earth, it would have ended strong. The mood is thoroughly ruined with The Morning Fog. I am down with art and experimentation. Kate undeniably has talent, her voice is amazing in fact and she’s quite a pianist. But… I continue to not like this album. It does not grow on me. I just become more aware of why I don’t like it. So… 3? I guess that’s fair. I gave Taylor Swift a 3. I mean really. Boolean: yes, yes powers that be, I guess I will admit that this is a good album to have heard now multiple times before I die. But hopefully never again.
Running Up That Hill had a resurgence a couple of years ago because of Stranger Thins and I really like that song. I'd never listened to the entire album before though and was surprised by how experimental it is. Very cool
Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - 5/5 Hounds Of Love - 4.5/5 The Big Sky - 4/5 Mother Stands For Comfort - 4/5 Cloudbusting - 5/5 And Dream Of Sheep - 4/5 Under Ice - 4/5 Waking The Witch - 3.5/5 Watching You Without Me - 3.5/5 Jig Of Life - 4.5/5 Hello Earth - 4/5 The Morning Fog - 3.5/5
Especially Basset Hounds!
Unique sound, very interesting album
Este disco es una cosa rarísima, con cosas como Jig of Life o Waking The Witch Qué rabia que Stranger Things tirase con la primera canción y fuera
Better than expected. Sounds like proto video game music at points. Very atmospheric. Made me want to feel like what it would have been to have been born in the 80's
Fenomenal. Scape your sound, and then some. Synths, computers, samplers abound (also a lot of acoustic and electric instruments), still deeply moving. That's how it is done.
8/10
I feel like these records all kind of sound the same but there are some standouts that I really like
9/10 No skips detected
Dear Album Generator Gods, thank you for this meal. Amen. So I've been listening to Kate Bush for the past 4 or 5 years, I know this album inside and out. This is like a super easy rating for me, which I appreciate, but also this means I just get to listen to Kate Bush! She's honestly become one of my favorite artists these past few years, which I was not expecting. This *probably* is her best album. The 4 more pop leaning singles at the start, then the rest of the songs all being interconnected through story is just so fucking good. I've had a moment of nearly every song on this album being a favorite. Lately, I've been really into the title track "Hounds of Love". It's just been connecting with me lyrically lol. My other faves have been "Running Up That Hill", obviously. "Jig of Life", "Morning Fog" OH MY GOD I LOVE "Morning Fog" so so so much!!! "Dream of Sheep" starting off the Ninth Wave is also such an iconic song. I'm just kinda rambling at this point, but I hope my love for Kate Bush never ceases to exist.
Better with every listen.
*1985. *Very artsy album - haunting and ethereal, but also creepy and brooding. *Starts off with the total banger that is Running Up That Hill, which was personal favorite until it started coming back in the last few years and was tragically overplayed. *I'm going to have to revisit this one because there's a lot to unpack, it was an experience. RATING - 7.5/10
Mother Stands For Comfort!!!!
metallic sound, not so many good songs
Pretty much perfect to be honest with you
Comfy cozy
5!!!!!
Symphonic synth pop? I like this album a lot more than I thought I would. The hit tracks are big and boisterous and poppy. A lot of the deeper tracks are super interesting. Her voice is obviously amazing. Jig of Life is a truly a traditional jig and it is lovely. 7.5/10
Love, love, love Running Up That Hill, always have found most of her other music doesn't grab me. Have never gone deep into her catalog. I bought Hounds of love on lp in order to have a copy of Running UTH, always stopped listening to it pretty quickly because I found the rest of the album not compelling. I'm liking it better this time. I think the clean, digital copy (and 2018 remaster?) help -- the sonic tapestry effect is more available. Lots of these songs are interesting, but ... y'know. Under Ice is quite good. I really like Watching You Without Me. I remain baffled that this album made the Apple Music 100 Greatest Albums List of 2024, though that list was such a train wreck I don't know if this is a significant question. (According to wikipedia, many fans criticized the list for placing Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's version) above Pet Sounds and Hounds of Love. I don't particularly like any of those three albums. Maybe I'm the problem here. Maybe lists an reviewing are the problem. Maybe nothing means anything.) Cloudbusting ... came to this by way of an album called Sing Me To Sleep: Indie Lullabies in which Smiths, Violent Femmes, etc., songs are given gentle acoustic-y reworkings. Heard "Have You Forgotten" by Jenny Owen Youngs on Pandora, loved it, checked out the album, found Cloudbusting by Neil Halstead, whom I really like, read about the subject matter on Wikipedia (you must read about this song and about Wilhelm Reich! you don't really must, but you will be glad you did), liked Halstead's version, liked it better than Bush's ... but hearing it here, in context ... very cool, and also good. But I still like Halstead's better. Glad I was directed to listen to this in its entirety. I have modified but not fundamentally changed my opinion of it. And this reminded me that I started a playlist months ago built around this song, of electro-art-pop songs. This has reminded me to go add several more songs to the list. (Win!)
Forgot how much I love Kate Bush. I shall put her in my regular rotation from now on. Oddly, this album is from a very sad point in my life but I don't find it brings me back to that, just the opposite.
This was a delightful experience. I can't say that I would listen to the back half of this album many more times, but it was really enjoyable to hear a "concept" album after all these years. What a pleasure to hear a serious artist put together a whole linked set of songs with such seriousness and talent. Nonetheless, the first side was my favorite. After being caught up in the reprise of "Running Up That Hill" along with everyone else watching Stranger Things, I realized I had forgotten how amazing "Hounds of Love" is.
First listen- one of the songs is still known to this day, shows how good stuff is never forgotten. Second listen- remastered version makes all the songs have the same vibe, love it.
Wasn’t really a fan of any of the tracks, but could see why some people love this album.
Not my thing
Look, the 80s just aren’t for me. I’ve tried to enjoy her songs before given their cultural importance but it’s just not for me.
I adored this album. Yeah, its weird, she's out there, but her song structures, use of percussion and ear for hooks made for a very enjoyable listen.
Буш, сраный ковбой, твоих солдат здесь разорвут на части
So many original ideas and risks taken with the production. Such a lush imagery with an amazing soundscape to support them. An absolute masterpiece that inspired cool albums that pushed the boundaries even further. My favorite Kate Bush album. Favorites: "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)", "The Big Sky", "Cloudbusting", "Under Ice", "Jig of Life" and "Hello Earth"
In my top 10 albums of all time. A classic that I will return to forever.
Only knew Running Up That Hill (of course). The rest of the album really grew on me after a few listens
I'm working on my standup routine for the imaginary Prog Rock Comedy Festival and I'm closing with a bit about Kate Bush running up Solsbury Hill for Peter Gabriel. Still working on the punchline, but it involves the portion of the "Easy Lover" video where the Phils Collins and Bailey are running up the stairs to their rockstar helicopter. Believe me, I didn't want to like this album. However, I'm absolutely blown away by the artistry here. She has the kind of rich, singular creative vision that reeks of a lonely childhood in the country. I would love to see if I'm right. Anyway, the musicianship on display here is serious, too. The performances, yes, but also the unusual songs and instrumentation. And her vocal style isn't always my cup of tea but her virtuosity is undeniable. I guess that makes her the Mariah Carey of prog rock. Or rather, Mariah Carey is the Kate Bush of American Top 40. And you can tell she had complete control over everything we're hearing, and that she's an unusual person concerned with very different things than most pop singer-songwriters. I love the samples and voices and sounds. An ambitiously weird production like this takes balls, especially when you're on a major label and you're producing an album that sounds like it cost the label a lot of money. If I were to single out one tune it would be Watching You Without Me. You can't tell me you have ever heard a song like that before. And her crazy voice effect at the end? An unexpectedly chilling turn. Cinematic is the word that comes to mind when I think about this tune, because of the way it tells a story without bashing you over the head. I don't love all of this but I respect it. Mainly I'm just impressed and it makes me feel good to know that there have always been weirdos out there slipping their shit into the mainstream without compromise or dilution, and that sometimes, sometimes, the dogs will eat it.
I've lost count of how many Kate Bush albums there are in this collection, but it's far too many; now that I look back, though, I realize that this is only the third of three, so I guess it's a testament to how painful I find her baby-voice brand of music. Ironically, though, this is probably the best of the lot, and really the only one we needed to get, although I'm not really sure what to make of the side two "Ninth Wave" suite. The album overall isn't as ridiculously over the top (and simply *bad*) as "The Dreaming", and she hadn't fallen as deeply into the horrible world-music-colonialism trap of "The Sensual World", so it's about as Goldilocks as we'll likely get for Kate Bush. This isn't saying all that much, I know, and there's no escape from her melodramatic performance-art videos (and *very* odd to see Donald Sutherland in "Cloudbusting"), but I suspect most of the die-hard Kate Bush fans just hoisted an ever-larger glass of Chardonnay as they danced along to the likes of "Running up the that hill" or "The big sky" or other anthemic pieces, and then settled into the impenetrable operatic Ninth Wave mini-concept-album (that would make for an incredible retro VR game soundtrack, I'll admit). I so wish this project didn't fixate on a small number of singer-songwriters, so we could get more variety (and less Kate Bush), but that's clearly not our fate.
By far the best of the 3 Kate Bush albums here--I listened 3 times and though I can't say I'm a big fan, this is an intriguing listen: some of the songs actually sound good and the entire album works conceptually.
Kate Bush has such a cool and unique quality to her voice and her songs mirror that perfectly. The first half of this album hit immediately for me. The songs are fun and kind of weird and the synths sound incredible but I’ll need more time with the more conceptual, complex second half. One time through isn’t enough to appreciate what’s going on there. But it’s genuinely intriguing so I’ll definitely add it to my library.
It's in the trees!
A really interesting atmosphere on this album that I'm still wrestling with whether I like it or not. Regardless, I feel like this album had influence over artists like Bjork and others in the avant-garde pop space, so I can appreciate it for that.
Muchos sentimientos descubiertos por este álbum, l voz y el aura de algunas canciones me produjo melancolía
Cmon now
Álbum muito legal de pop com sintetizadores e clima cinematográfico. Celest Phoenixcall.
very cool
Skaver ibland men det finns nåt gött i varje låt
The first half is magnificent- my particular favourite is “Mother Stands for Comfort” which makes fantastic use of a fretless bass (not something that is said very often). The second half isn’t as strong but that is only because of the virtuosity of the half.
Some of the best songs of the 80s on show here, ‘Cloudbusting’ being the particular highlight for me. Some lovely uses of timbre and texture unlike much of the music at the time. The album doesn’t quite hold up the quality to the very end for me but it there are still stellar songs dotted throughout.
If every song was Running up that hill and Hounds of Love level this would be the greatest album of all time. Instead it’s one of the most min/maxed of all time. Such a strong start that ends in Irish music. I didn’t hate it but there was just a lack of cohesion.
Not bad, actually
Favourite track(s): Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God); Hounds Of Love; Mother Stands For Comfort; Jig Of Life Honest (there is quite a bit of barking or howling), experimental (percussion on Mother Stands For Comfort, Waking The Witch in its entirety) - and yet also very polished (instrumentals in general and in particular the use of strings). Often very driving and energetic through incorporation of choirs and marching drums. Also, there seem to be a lot of references to either literature or film (why else would Kate Bush say something in German at the close of Hello Earth). Overall a very diverse and thus enjoyable album. But I would understand if some find the album to lack focus or are not that fond of the vocals, which can be drawn-out in parts. Also, The Morning Fog is either a very weak closing track or the perfect choice after all that intensity.
First listen
Started off strong (and super recognizable, thanks stranger things!), got a little weird with the waking of a witch. Overall kind of a funky, cool, pop-forward album, would purchase
this really needs to define a genre.
Gostei bastante da sonoridade
This was slightly better than I was expecting it to be, but that’s not saying much because I expected it to be terrible.
I was trying to figure out if this is rock or pop or pop rock. I think I landed on alt pop. I don't know if that's a thing or not. I really like Hounds of Love. I too was someone who didn't know Kate Bush until Stranger Things, but I'm glad it's getting the exposure it deserves now. I think there's some really smart, clever things in this album. I also think there are some things that don't land for me. I can't be more specific.
Highlights: Cloudbusting, Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God), Big Sky. In a nutshell: "I'm tearin' you asunder" Anyone in the 80s who thought that this album was too ambitious, too out there and that Kate was incapable of producing her own album deserved to be slapped in the face. If that was you, have you changed your mind? Even after the oversaturation of Running Up The Hill (A Deal With God)" from Stranger Things and in social media, it still holds up. Out of the three Kate Bush album on here, this was my favourite. The right balance of the familiar and a new adventure. Overall: 7/10
There's something about 80's pop that I absolutely despise - I just don't enjoy it for what it is. Therefore I don't enjoy Kate Bush either; but. But even I cannot deny the strengths of her songwriting and ideas and even I found some of her songs compelling.
Not too bad.
Review - top tier Kate Bush album. Classic pop songs, classic experimental pop songs. A bit proggy. Lovely stuff. Score - 8/10 Need to listen? YES
I honestly first heard Kate Bush from stranger things but I think now I might have to go listen to her whole discography
Iconic art rock record that works in essentially every aspect. Hypnotic, beautiful, epic, pastoral alike. The gorgeous ballad "And Dream of Sheep" and march-tempoed "Cloudbusting" are my favorite two tracks.
Running Up That Hill Hounds of Love The Big Sky And Dream of Sheep Cloudbusting
I'll give her this, the pretentious vocal style perfectly matches the pretentious lyrics.
One of my all-time favourite albums and right up there on my most listened to. The first five songs are legendary, and Cloudbusting is probably in my top-5 songs all time, always uplifting. The rest of the album deviates with some changes of pace with some softer tunes, a jig, and the rather odd Waking the Witch - but it all works perfectly together. Kate's vocals throughout the album are exceptional and there's realy not a bad thing to say. 10/10
anabel says good album
love.
This still sounds incredibly fresh. And distinctive. So good. Probably closer to 4.5 than 4.0. (I like the first half a fair bit more than the second half, which features the song cycle about drowning.)
One of my all-time favourite albums. My morning alarm is set to Waking the Witch--this is how much I love this album. Seeing it be rediscovered by a new generation of fans because of Stranger Things was an absolute vindication of this amazing music.
First half of the album has an incredible run of songs. These songs are lovely and progress in such an engaging way. Generally are layered uniquely in a way thats still very beautiful especially in songs that utilize string instruments. The progressive song structures allow songs to take a more artistic approach compared to traditional pop that makes the songs 10 times more interesting. Vocals are stunning on this album but no surprise given that it's Kate Bush. My god the second half is just completly otherwordly and odd and strangely beautiful. Just as incredible (although more abstract) as the first track. Some highlights are Running Up That HIll which is a pop odyssey and a masterpiece. The Big Sky has an addicting chorus. Cloudbusting is out of this world... the strings in this song....
Es muy chill
She ate
Most accessible Kate Bush album, sti sounds so fresh
This made me feel feelings
Loved this! Got a bit ooky spooky towards the end
Lots of iconic 80s sounds. The only song I had previously heard is the one from Stranger Things
I knew the lyrics from techno remixes
Love Kate Bush….fantastic voice…wonderful lyrics..brilliant ethics
When asked why they read, literary critics often have described it a search for the sublime — the transcendence of form. Secular theophany. Music rarely reaches those heights, but it’s reached that here.
Fantastic album. I love all the songs on the first half (especially Cloudbusting) and the second half is so imaginative and eclectic. The very 80s production adds to its charm for me.
It's Kate Bush's biggest song, but I have never really cared for Running Up That Hill. Honestly it probably kept me from listening to more of her music. Other than that song, which I don't dislike as much as I used to, Stranger Things didn't help, this is a great album. Bush has a unique sound and I enjoyed listening to this one. This is a pretty amazing album by a talented artist.
un peu boring j'avoue j'ai pas la foi d'écouter en entier
I'm old enough to remember how original, quirky, and catchy this lady's songs were! And time hasn't taken a bite out of them at all - they're absolute classics <3
fav songs: running up that hill (a deal with god) hounds of love mother stands for comfort and dream of sheep waking the witch watching you without me the morning fog art pop. dynamic, inventive 90/100
7/10
4 yep its good and weird
Not a fan i dont really like her voice icl
I rarely give 5 stars to an album on first listen but there's a first for everything and this album more than deserves it. Gorgeous
Hyvä levy, vähän kuin proggis-poppia. 3,25/5.
The wildly inventive doyenne of airy pop scores w a few iconic bangers on this set, which also suffers from a few wrong turns that make the album just short of a masterpiece
Went in only knowing the opening song and was surprised to find out it's one of the least exciting tracks on the album. I never understood why it's so popular, and after listening to the other great pop tunes on this and the astounding second half's suite, it makes even less sense. I'm two Kate Bush albums done (one to go) and the latter half of this is, so far, the highlight of her career for me. And, given that Kate herself said there's little connecting the two sides of 'Hounds of Love', I'm gonna go ahead and declare that 'The Ninth Wave' is my favorite record of hers.
wonderful, romantic, heartfelt, singular music
Kate Bush is special
interesting and enjoyable. i appreciate her voice too Thank you kate bush 😊 im actually gonna add this album 2 my playlist stand outs: running up that hill, the big sky, mother stands for comfort, waking the witch sounds kind of crazy but i really like it
tiene el bombazo de running up that hill. Empieza potente vamos a ver cómo sigue. Se nota enseguida la producción grande, gracias Dios, tres seguidas con buena música. Cloudbusting me encantaaaa, qué base tan básica y espectacular, pero la verdad es super básico me vale. Le daré 5 estrellas, espectacular d eprincipio a fin, una maravilla de ritmos, voz y nunca aburre. Gracias Dios por la música.
Really loved this, huge wall of sound throughout and an incredible voice, completely unique
#105/1001 🇬🇧 Another artist that divides opinion in our household. I'm most definitely in the Love Kate Bush camp. This is almost certainly her best work (so far - i see more to come). It starts so strongly with Running Up That Hill - a song that 7 year old me fell in love with at the time. Cloudbusting is just magnificent. Side 2 is more experimental and even includes an Irish jig. In this sense it reminds me of Bowie's Berlin period which took a similar format and i'm all for it. Best Tracks: Running Up That Hill, Cloudbusting, And Dream of Sheep,
ne znam kako da se prema ovomu postavim. s jedne strane ne mogu se zamislit da bih ikad ovo na svoju inicijativu slušao. s druge strane, izvrsno je i stalno se mijenjalo, taman kad bih mislio da će možda postati preslično i generično, nešto bi se promijenilo. isuviše me se dojmilo da bih dao manje od itekako zaslužene četvorke. izvolte
I've never been a big Kate Bush fan so this album is hit and miss for me. Some songs are amazing, while others are just too weird. Favorite: Cloudbusting Would I listen to it again: Probably not
Really like all the string incorporation. One song flows really well into the next too.
I enjoyed this much more than the last album of Kate's on here. Still not a voice I enjoy listening to for a full album even though I think she's incredible.
This was an incredibly interesting sound, with a number of songs that feel like they could've been released during the 2000's. It's a shame then that I didn't really care for most of the songs? Maybe I just don't like art pop, but most of the songs didn't really vibe with me.
2.4 3x seems some weird scottish interlude, but overall it's not bad
Me gustó mucho cv o
I love this album and I always have!! That is my number one girl!
great album with a great start right away
This really isn't my brand of real life or fantasy. It has a lot of hallmarks of 80s music but with her unique twist. I only really resonated with The Big Sky and found some parts of Waking the With very fun but others awful
Already a tremendous fan of Kate Bush, although I’ll admit to not being so familiar with this album. It always felt a little safe or commercial compared to some of her other stuff. Apparently, I hadn’t made it to the second half! After the Stranger Things phenomenon where Running Up This Hill had a resurgence in popularity, I’d been meaning to try the album out on my jog. (Running up this hill, you know, it’s very on the nose). This list provided me with no other option. The first half, I will say, makes for a very dull jog. However, once you get some Kate Bushesque witchery involved, the music wakes up. I hit the good part just as I entered Flushing Meadows park. Then, as I looped around some trees, the song Hello Earth began to play, and the Unisphere was unveiled before me. It was a crazy coincidence that I’ll now forever associate with the sphere.
Obviously this album has become well know in recent years because of the use of "Running up that Hill" in Stranger Things. Having never heard any of the other songs from this album, I feel like this was an excellent choice in general for Strange Things because of its prog rock concept album sort of vibe. Waking the Witch particularly felt like a good choice for a show about kids obsessed with D&D and it kind of freaked me out to be honest.
Second Kate Bush in a row. I liked The Dreaming a bit better.
liked runnig up the hill and hounds of love; did not finish the album and some songs were a bit too off
A standout from every angle, Hounds of Love is the album that synthesized Kate Bush's ethos the best. It's a maximalist exploration of her distinct brand of woodland spirit art pop. That isn't all that apparent in the first half though, as the pastoral feeling is set aside in favour of a dreamlike atmosphere. Look no further than the Voyager record-worthy track that is "Running Up That Hill," an utterly spellbinding and magical reflection on a relationship torn apart. There's not much else to say about it that hasn't been said before; it's perfect in every way, from its buildup, instantly recognizable main riff, and Bush's impassioned performance. The other song that gets the closest to that maximalist, bittersweet euphoria is "The Big Sky," a multipart suite condensed into a single song. From an almost city pop beginning to a thunderous guitar and drum outro. Few artists are ever as willing to let their songs get as busy and dysfunctional as Bush did this one. In the second half, the woodland creature vibe fully emerges in the form of "Waking the Witch," another multipart song with a scattershot and downright icy soundscape. Distorted synths, misplaced church bells all give way to some truly hideous growling mixed with Bush's most extreme vocal performance. I was NOT expecting a song like this on such and album like this, that's for sure! "Jig of Life" is the purest distillation of the second half's approach, and the vast a capella church choir of "Hello Earth" neatly wrap up the fascinating but occasionally terrifying exploration of human emotion and its relation to the cosmos. This is, in short, a stellar, one of a kind album. Key Tracks: Running Up That Hill, The Big Sky, Waking the Witch, Hello Earth
This was great; hard to believe it's from 1985. It really sounds like some of the contemporary female indie pop artists ray and I like, like Magdalena Bay or Caroline Polachek. I'm sure they were inspired by Bush. Like those artists, her vocals are great, but my favorite part is the production. So many satisfying sounds. This sounds like it was a part of the foundation of modern indie auteurs, because its makes the most of both live (plenty of strings which is nice) and production elements. My favorite songs were Big Sky (the percussion/bass is so satisfying and invigorating), Cloudbusting (strings and percussion and percussive strings), and Jig of Life; adapting folk styles with modern harmonic vocabulary? Yes please. This sits somewhere between 4 and 5, but I'm not sure exactly what's keeping me from giving it a five.. I think there were a few tracks that werent quite exciting, but I'd have to listen again to give a more accurate verdict
It's going to be difficult to choose between 4 and 5 for this one, but I'm leaning toward 4; 4.5 I'd probably go for, but I don't think I can *quite* go to 5. I have 3 Kate Bush albums, but not this one, although it's pretty familiar to me - I think maybe I have a tape of it from Rick (?). The biggest obstacle for me is her voice. I'm much more used to it now, and mostly am ok with it (even *kind of* like it), but I think that's the single biggest thing keeping me from giving this a 5. Everything else is excellent! And I think it holds up very well, after 40 years. As you may know, "Running Up That Hill" found a second life with the tv show "Stranger Things." I hadn't realized, until listening to this now, that she also has a fairly strong Irish connection, including several prominent Irish musicians on tracks 6, 10, and 11. I may come to regret not giving this a 5, but I'm gonna stick with a "high" 4. Update, after a 2nd listen: yeah, I'm pretty much used to Kate Bush's singing voice at this point, so it's not really that much of an obstacle. But I still stop at 4.5 (i.e., 4).
I was a little worried in the first half by the more straightforward drum patterns and pop ideas. The unbridled creativity in the second half, however, won me over. This album has a lot to offer I've said it before and I'll say it again, I appreciate an album that takes you on a journey. I might not have loved every moment of it, but I'm glad I went
I recognize that Kate Bush is very talented, but this was not really my thing. A lot of the songs were just too slow for me to get into and a lot of them sounded too similar. Running Up That Hill is a pretty good song, but I work in a grocery store that has overplayed it since Stranger Things. I also liked The Big Sky and Jig of Life. Every other song I was very meh about. I mean my favorite is Jig of Life which is completely different from anything else on the album. I just really dig Celtic music. Overall, not bad, but not going to replaying. Favorite Track - Jig of Life Least Favorite Track - Waking the Witch ⭐️⭐️⭐️
What Kate Bush and this album in particular deserves respect for is the arrangements. The sound of some of the songs is truly remarkable, and to produce an album yourself, record it in the studio you built yourself, is truly impressive. But everything else... I think Hounds of Love appears on various "best of" lists more often than any other album. Can anyone explain why? It's certainly not because of the first side, which is almost entirely danceable new wave. So all the credit goes to the incredibly drawn-out, pseudo-philosophical second side, where ballads mingle with Irish motifs, and piano passages morph into industrial drum machine sounds? No, let the Pitchfork journalists listen to that. I was thinking of adding a third star for "Running Up That Hill," but even that one was better with Placebo.
Favorite/s: Cloudbusting, Running Up That Hill, Hello Earth Least favorite/s: Watching You Without Me
a pelo
Iconic album
First half of the album had me wondering where all the experimental and cutting edge sounds I expect from Kate Bush. And then there they were. I love her voice. Literally and as an artist. Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
Honored for this to be my first album! Cloudbursting…right…righhhhttt
It’s a classic and I do love Kate Bush
Quite good. Kind of what I expected from the tracks I knew
I knew nothing of Kate Bush, and liked this album a whole lot more than I anticipated!
Essential listening for fans. You can hear where they're headed the next few years.
If you're a man and you think this is too weird, then I have to assume you have never had good pussy.
Didn´t like it. Just a few songs.
Sophie - I like a bit of Kate Bush but I don’t think I’d listen to anything on this other than the ones I already knew (Cloudbusting & Running Up That Hill). I find that I like Kate Bush songs rather than albums in general so that checks out. Still enjoyable though! 3/5