I was seven years old when I saw Kate Bush perform 'Wuthering Heights' on Top Of The Pops and it scared me. I didn't understand it, she looked strange and quite frankly, for someone used to the soothing tones of ABBA, the vocal performance was the equivalent of finger nails being dragged down a blackboard. It seemed to be No.1 for an eternity even though it was only there for four weeks. What on earth did the music buying public heat in it? I really hated it. As the years passed and her singles were played on the radio and TV my resolve softened and I became more inquisitive. 'Hounds Of Love' was to be her and my tipping point; either I or mainstream music had matured enough to accept her unique style.
This truly is a classic album and, although recorded between 1983 and 1985 it has not dated at all. This shows just how original, well written and produced it is - other 'classic' albums from that era have not faired as well.
It is impossible to pick out a favourite track but I can pick favourite moments; the way when she sings 'everytime it rains' in 'Cloudbusting' the reverb on her voice makes the sentence dissolve into the silence, the choir interludes on 'Hello Earth', the broken and chopped voice on 'Waking The Witch'. I could go on....
It is over 25 years since I first heard the album and I am still totally hooked.......just please don't ask me to listen to 'Wuthering Heights'
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