1001 Albums Summary

Hard Again marked something of a return to form for Muddy Waters. A new lease of life had been provided by Chess Records- for who Waters had been signed to for 27 years- being bought up and the label moving away from releasing original recording by artists which left the iconic bluesman looking for a new label and a renewed sense of direction. There is nothing particularly unconventional on Hard Again in terms of the genre of blues rock, but that doesn’t mean it lacks punch or purpose. Indeed, most of the songs are standard Muddy Waters fare and some are even reinterpretation of old favourites, among these Water’s blues standard ‘Mannish Boy’ (which he had introduced 22 years earlier) stand out. It’s the production of long-term Water’s fan Johnny Winters that makes the album stand out. The songs are allowed to breathe, and the performers are encouraged to express themselves fully, even Winters himself indulges in a number of encouraging howls and handclaps. The sound verges on the chaotic, but it is held together in a brash and dirty rhythm. This is the blues after all. 3/5

By 1986 Kate Bush was eight years into a highly successful career which had seen her rise to be the preeminent British female pop musician of the age which an international reputation. The Hounds of Love was her fifth studio album, all her previous collections had seen remarkable changes in style. Hounds of Love continued in that vein. It benefits the listener to approach Hounds of Love as two separate collection of songs (the two sides as originally released) bound together by similar themes. Side one represents a more traditional approach to song writing with some very strong and compelling pop songs (Running Up That Hill and Cloudbusting stand out). Side two- often referred to as The Ninth Wave- represents a rich journey through musical experimentation and the lyrical exploration of life, death, and rebirth. Deliberately bold, the tracks have both a dramatic and dream like feel. Despite all of its experimentation, the female challenges to the idea of ‘progressive’ rock and the standout song writing, Hounds of Love is a reflection of some very traditional themes: love, loss and the challenges and comforts of childhood memory. It’s impossible to overstate its musical and lyrical pull. It stands at the head of the pantheon of what can be prosaically described as rock or pop music. Score: 5/5