Kate Bush - The Dreaming (CD 1987)

This album is definately one for Kate fans who like Pink Floyd. The influence of Dave Gilmore and Floyd enabled Kate to experiment and produce a rich tapestry of sound unlike anything heard before. Mixing harmonies and arrangement styles drawn from the classic Floyd album 'The Wall' with her own ethereal vocals she has created a masterpiece of imagination. Dark, unearthly and at times unerving. When this album was first produced many music critics were unfavourable in their reviews because the music was so strange and new that they didn't have anything to compare it to. The singles from the album (e.g. There Goes a Tenner' and 'The Dreaming') continue the 'pop' style of Kates earlier music and the Irish influence is seen in 'Night of the Swallow' but the real gems are the story telling tracks. 'All the Love' draws us into a world of despair with it's exquisite fretless bass line and smooth melody, 'Pull Out the Pin' is both sensitive and sinister as it explores the dilemas of warfare, 'Houdini' sweet and pensive but includes some very abrasive vocal techniques, however the finest track on the album is the haunting 'Get Out of My House' in which a Floyd style guitar is accompanied by an almost manic vocal line, mixing rhythm and space together in time honoured Floyd style. Altogether an exquisite feast for those who like to step outside pretty pop and experience something different.