I've decided to stray from the usual rants and raves that have made me so wildly popular to shed light and educate via a record review based on the work of someone who has never gotten nearly enough exposure. Read on , and enjoy.
Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love
Kate's most classic piece to date is probably the most underrated album of all time. She's daring, gutsy, and she's not swayed by societal standards.
Kate Bush is another great artist who has never really had much success in the
Hounds Of Love [The subtitle given to the first 5 tracks of this record]:
"Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" - Kate takes an unorthodox look at feminism with many of the words of this song. The chorus has been translated as her desire to be able to achieve erection and masturbate as a man, with "running up that road" indicating a flaccid phallus, "running up that hill" illustrating a member on its way to full length, and "running up that building" showing a fully erect penis. Given that before this sequence of lines she talks about swapping places [and in the video, an imaginative "switching" of her and her male dance partner takes place], this explanation is actually quite sensible. Less sexually and more simply, however, that series of lines has been as translated the roads, hills, and buildings as obstacles that women faced in the mid 1980's. The mood of the entire song deals with wanting a man to feel as she does, and her smooth voice accomplishes this message in a way that's not in-your-face or bitter. The music fits very well with her lyrics and the blend is phenomenal. The background cacaphony during the last chorus lends an air of frustration, but again not in a tasteless manner.
"Hounds Of Love" - Kate deals with many insecurities, perhaps her own, stemming from the idea of being trapped in a relationship. The hounds are an image of love - the line "I found a fox...caught by dogs" indicates that she may be fox who has been captured by hounds that have a deeper meaning - perhaps love or the responsibility that comes with maintaining it. However, these lyrics are very effective because they can really deal with hounds on many different levels, love or otherwise. She presents these lyrics very creatively so that the listener can draw their own conclusion. Her soft voice avoids a chaotic edge, and the music is upbeat yet lends an air of seriousness.
"The Big Sky" - This is a feel-good song with "boppy" quality. Its rock and roll edge adds to the imagery she is trying to accomplish. The sky and clouds take on a literal meaning in that so much creativity can be achieved if looking at them for long enough. In this way, much like "Hounds Of Love," the listener is implored to draw their own conclusions.
"Mother Stands For Comfort" - The glass breaking in the background and some of the background screams may suggest a tumultuous relationship between her and her mother, but the lyrics advocate otherwise. "But she won't mind me lying" proposes that her mother will accept her for who she is and what she does, no matter what the circumstances. "Mother...hides the madman" suggests that Kate has knowledge about her mother that is trusted with only her. Whether the "madman" is an actual criminal of sorts, or some other inner inhibition, the relationship seems very much based on trust with intense secrets. Her singing style becomes a little more intense, and the music indicates a certain coolness found in a lot of the music that's on the second half of this album.
"Cloudbusting" - This was originally supposed to be the first single from "Hounds..." but it followed up "Running..." This is another song that has taken on many meanings...toward the end, some have hinted that there may be an incestuous relationship transpiring - a look at the lyrics goes as such: in the last chorus, Kate sings "like the sun's coming out...like your son's coming out...I just know that something good is gonna happen." There are also several references to a "Daddy," so if she's addressing the line "your son's coming out" to her "Daddy," that "son" becomes her brother. There is nothing blatantly sexual in the song to suggest this is actually the case, but parts of her biography have hinted at mental issues and incestuous relationships, and some have made this connection. The video features Donald Sutherland and the tone is exactly what the song title suggests - Cloudbusting - the ability to "make it rain" with some sort of device. But no matter the interpretation, this is another one of her timeless, essential songs that feels good to listen to. The music is upbeat and fun, with some railroad-esque accompaniments.
The Ninth Wave [The title given to tracks 6-12 of this record]:
"And Dream Of Sheep" - Kate takes us to a dream world complete with caring people and other dream sequence goings on. This slow song and its lyrics sets the perfect stage of a dream without being overly drowsy or boring. There is, however, some inaudible voices in the background, perhaps either the stuff from dreams that cannot be remembered upon awaking, or the strange things that happen only in dreams.
"Under Ice" - This song takes us to another fantasy land, breaking free of responsibility by "speeding...past dreams" yet ends tragically as she gets caught under the ice. The ice, like the hounds and the sky and clouds previously mentioned, can represent a variety of obstacles. Unlike the other songs, however, Kate takes on a haunting "double-role," as both the person trapped under the ice, and someone above ground trying to summon a rescue team. The music and lyrics team up in a ghostly commingling to give the feel of a lingering winter's day.
"Waking The Witch" - This song comes across as a conversation piece with several people talking about several things. Some of the lyrics are inaudible, making it difficult to follow what's going on. Forceful music and vocal manipulation, whilst devices that add to the effectiveness of the song, may frustrate listeners.
"Watching You Without Me" - A lot of the lyrics are quite repetitive and overstates the point of someone being there but not understanding or listening. The lyrics offer an interesting take on the above that only Kate can bring to the table, but the listener will get the point far before the song is over. Like "Waking The Witch," the music is more aggressive in sections, making it hard to comprehend everything that's going on at once.
"Jig Of Life" - This is another forceful song with "oomf!" that WORKS! The lyrics "I'll be sitting in your mirror" suggests that she is taking a look at a past self, a younger self, and reminiscing of times of old. The words come across as Kate as a third-person observer, witnessing a conversation between her older and younger self and reporting the goings on. After an intense jig after the second chorus, Kate places "moments" in order, maybe either in order of time or relevance. The tempo is very strong and energetic throughout the song, and the listener is taken through this "jig of life" that in many ways can indeed resemble Kate's own life.
"Hello Earth" - The song opens with a conversation that may indicate seamen talking through CB radios. The song's lyrics and music strongly suggests an interruption of calm, whether she's talking about something traveling fast through the sky, or a brewing storm. What sounds like a 12th Century European men's choir gives poignant and evocative interludes - however, the second interlude that ends the song is nearly three minutes long, which may bore the listener and make them anxious for the next track.
"The Morning Fog" - This is a very fitting last track to this album. Notably, The Ninth Wave starts with "And Dream Of Sheep," giving the air of sleep's beginnings, and ends with "The Morning Fog," the end of a sleep cycle when being fully awake has not set in yet. This song itself is a very up-tempo, upbeat ditty in which Kate appreciates those she loves most.
As a supplement, "The Whole Story" [a video collection chronicling singles up to and including the "Hounds Of Love" releases] contains videos for "Running Up That Hill," "Hounds Of Love," "The Big Sky," and "Cloudbusting." This is a very rare find, however, regular retail musical outlets will most likely not carry this. It's a wonderful collection that sees Kate playing out these songs and placing herself in these roles that has made her the enduring, timeless artist that she's always been.
As for the record, it clearly transcends time and space, and never gets tired to listen to. Each listen of this record gets the listener to realize something new and exciting that may have been missed the previous time around. Since Kate is the enigmatic figure that she is, her words offer new meaning and light every time they're heard.
The overall quality is unmatched, Kate's voice, music, and lyrics retain interest throughout the entire set, and her style is so unique that other artists couldn't touch her even if they tried very hard.
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