Hounds Of Love
by Kate Bush

From DeusExMackia TOP 100 COMMENTER 11/18/2016 19:16 | #178668 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Eccentric, sensual, a true feast for the ears; Bush does music narrative like no one else, all the while pushing the boundaries of the genre she's built for herself.

The idea shouldn't make sense: two smaller albums in one normal length album. And yet its pulled off with brilliant tenacity.

The opening side, "Hounds Of Love", is Bush's chance to explore pop in its most conventional form. Hints of previous albums can be found here, but it is most certainly new. From its superb opener to the emotion-packed vocals of its title track and on to the mesmerising, fantastic "Cloudbusting", it never loses pace once and builds you up for that mini-finale so, so well.

The second half, "The Ninth Wave", demands your fullest attention; "And Dream of Sheep" lulls you into its aura of sound, and hooks you into its story. From there, Bush experiments with conveying feelings and narrative through sound, such as with the sharp, jabbing sounds of "Under Ice" to the distant loneliness of the vocals in "Hello Earth". It's a truly magical experience.

The most amazing accomplishment of "Hounds of Love" is just how much is crammed into its 47 minute run time. Yet it is flawless in its delivery and composition, and you cannot help but feeling utterly compelled by its sound and story.

Unique in its outset, incredible in its sound and brilliant all-round; I cannot recommend it enough. (Edited)

This album is amazing, it perfectly balances pop and art side of Kate Bush. First side is filled with excellently produced, emotionally sung beutiful pop song, obviously Running Up That Hill which is probably top 20 songs of all time, Hounds Of Love, Cloudbusting and also often overlooked The Big Sky. Side two sounds more like The Dreaming and I really like experiments that she's doing it, I especially liked reversed vocals on Watching You Without Me, irish folk sounding Jig Of Life, monumental Hello Earth and it ends really nice with The Morning Fog. (Edited)

This album is a spectacle. Kate Bush is the latest on my list of 'geniuses' because this album all came from the mind of her. All the intense musical arrangements, The Ninth Wave and the beautiful lyrical poetry- all came from her mind. I am awestruck. (Edited)

From Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 11/09/2013 19:00 | #91480 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I remember hearing this for the first time. I was so impressed and happy. I was also surprised that somehow I had gone 23 years without ever having heard of this album or Kate Bush at all.

First thing that really hits me is her voice. In general it is strong as hell and very passionate. On this album in particular she is so great with her vocals expressing a great range of emotion - anger and love and joy and hope.

The next thing is the production is, although dated, very epic and dramatic. The tracks for "Cloudbusting" and "Running Up That Hill" and basically the entirety of the second half is marvelous. And the hazy and disquieting song "Mother Stands for Comfort" is really beautiful.

Anyway, the power of this record is hard to put in words. Somehow though whenever I hear it I feel better. And it is also such a daring and original pop record. I don't know what to call this, Prog-Pop maybe? Anyway, it's a gem and highly recommended to all.

"It breaks the cage and fear escapes and takes possession
just like a crowd rioting inside."

had this at an 85 after 6 listens (I thought it was very good!), and came back to it after maybe 6 months and something about this 7th listen just power washed my colon, i feel so elevated & cleeeeeeaaann