Kate Bush - Hounds of Love | Group Reaction & Discussion

[@wimclynhens7020]

You can't really view The Ninth Wave as separate songs: it is the story of a woman lost at sea on the brink of drowning. Put very simple, the story goes like this: - And Dream of Sheep: she is floating in the ocean in her life jacket (little light shining), trying to stay awake but the sinks in a succession of dreams, nightmares and hallucinations - Under Ice: the woman dreams she is skating, but sees herself drowning under the ice - Waking the Witch: she hallucinates being a witch, thrown in the water to drown while the Inquisitor (the growling voice) judges her - is she worthy to live or not. - Watching You Without Me: she dreams her ghost visits her family, how their life would be without her. - Jig of Live: the woman is visited by her old self, begging her to live or her old self will never be. - Hello Earth: on the brink of dying, the woman has an out-of-body experience as she sees Earth, and the life she's leaving, from space. She has accepted her death, only... - The Morning Fog:.. for the 'little light' to draw her back as she is saved and reunited with her loved ones.

[@janewright2800]

Perfectly described X remember the first time I heard it in 1985 on headphones in candle lit room on my own. Blew me away🙏🎶💚

[@PeterBuwen]

Please don't be angry when I say that the album is way better than your reaction was. But you are quite young and have a lot time to experience more music. ;-)

[@bduhe219]

I think they missed the conceptual aspect, and looked at it only as a collection of songs. It is a river, not a line of separated puddles. It must be listened to as that, or you lose its essence.

[@gaffawebber]

Kate also produced this whole album. She writes all of her own stuff. Fun fact: David Gilmour from Pink Floyd discovered Kate when she was 16...due to a demo that Kate's brother passed to him. The record company felt so strongly about her an an artist that they gave her like 3 years to develop before they went forward with her first album. This album was 100% done on the Fairlight. She actually was the first artist to use it to do an entire album.

[@ap8eioul1]

Idk why I'm crying am I.. Love it

[@carmensandiego7749]

She is half Irish. Her older brother Paddy Bush played all the world music instruments on her records like bagpipes and didgeridoos.

[@Judymoe]

One of the great musical storytellers.

[@Zeugnimodms]

I lived in the UK between 2019-2021 to get my masters, and I was blown away with how popular her music still is in her native country, as opposed to the more "Music Nerd" status she has in the States. Thanks for showing this record some love!

[@han5234]

Okay this explains the comments I've been seeing from Americans about how Stranger Things has made her popular, how she's been a nobody since the 80s, how she was a one hit wonder etc. Here in the UK she's a legend. She announced a concert residency in 2014 and all 22 dates sold out in 15 minutes.

[@hillbillyhottie6660]

Kate's mother is Irish, so that makes Kate half Irish herself. She grew up dancing and playing Irish and English traditional music with her brothers. Hello Earth is my favorite from the album, I love that Georgian traditional music. In Kate's next album she gets into some traditional Bulgarian singing, its fantastic. I like the length of Kate's songs, the longer they are the better. Great review gentleman.

[@terhitormanen]

Sorry to say this guys but your sooooooooo young and it shows. You should really educate yourselves a bit more about history of pop and rock music but kudos to you for listening to this. The Ninth Way is a concept album and has a story in it. Kate Bush is a unique artist and a real trail blazer and a pioneer in so many ways.

[@paddynoble]

Kate Bush is nowhere near Cyndi Lauper. It is the total opposite. Kate Bush was different to pop and on another level.

[@pinkbeatle2012]

kb is way better than cyndi lauper.

[@carmensandiego7749]

Not similar vocally at all. One is Brooklyn, one is English. One is more nasally than the other.

[@comingaliveagain]

From And Dream of Sheep onwards - The Ninth Wave has to be listened to as one complete suite of songs. All about a person lost at sea from a shipwreck and trying to stay alive and awake in the water - so very visual and nightmare stuff. Jig of Life is her future self coming back pleading with her to live - saying to her look you can have kids and so much life ahead.

[@sillywhale]

One of the best albums of all time, especially once you get to know the story behind The Ninth Wave.

[@drees71]

You must seek out the lyrics because you are only getting a very limited appreciation of Kate's songs, I know a first listen it's hard to take in, but the themes of her songs are always fascinating, she rarely writes from the first person, Running Up That Hill is about a wish to swap places with her partner so they can see things from the other's perspective and better understand each other, Hounds of Love is about running from love, being frightened of it but knowing the inevitable will happen and she will fall. She wrote and produced this, the pipes aren't bagpipes, the are Uilleann pipes, Irish pipes, her mother was Irish, her brother a multi-instrumentalist in traditional instruments and so she uses a lot of unusual instruments in her work. Side 2 The Ninth Wave is a suite about a woman cast adrift at sea and lapsing in and out of consciousness. Kate is such a unique talent, a genius!

[@henriknilsson1565]

Great that you got through the whole album! The Ninth Wave is a masterpiece and just doing a thematic side about a person drowning is quite typical of Kate Bush. She performed it live in 2014 in London and it was quite unforgettable.

[@leslieturner8276]

Yes, I was one of the lucky ones to get a ticket, for every performance the tickets were sold out in 15 minutes.

[@Cloudbuster.]

Recommend ‘The Dreaming’ by Kate next! Its VERY experimental, theres a lot going on, best production work I’ve ever heard (which she does herself) and an Irish Jig for Babby ;-)

[@veronicabock9114]

Yes, The Dreaming is Kate's experimentation on the Fairlight, leading up to the Masterpiece that is this album 👌 ❤

[@nellies]

This album is such a masterpiece. I agree, the first songs have all the 80s elements but she makes it so unique and interesting. Then The Ninth Wave has basically no 80s sound at all which is so fascinating, it's so experimental, and she produced it all! She also wrote all lyrics, I wish you would've talked more about the lyrics but maybe you didn't listen... TNW is a conceptual suite so it's not really separate songs, it's almost like one long song. Sit back and listen to it with your eyes closed and let it take you on a journey... I was confused on my first listen too since I didn't know what was going on, but then I found out and it blew my mind and I appreciated it much more. Listen to her album The Dreaming, nothing in the world can ever prepare you for that one.

[@mvellis3863]

Kate intend the two sides of the record (think vinyl) to be completely different albums. Side A (entitled "Hounds of Love") consisted of stand alone songs that had relationship themes (4 of the 5 songs were hit singles). Side B (entitled "The Ninth Wave") is a concept piece that is a continuous suite of 7 songs. It is a MASTERPIECE of conceptual prog music. The entire suite tells the story of a woman who is lost at sea at night and struggling to survive. Each song describes either her dealing with the reality of her life and death situation, or hallucinations/nightmares as she drifts off into unconsciousness from hypothermia. It is a stunning piece of work.

[@brauliofernandesjunior3952]

Try The Dreaming next time. It's more on the spooky zone.

[@ppzav]

and such a great album...it aged sooooo well

[@dekariussmall6832]

spooky ooky ooooky tbh lol

[@markjohnson4217]

The Ninth Wave is one piece of 7 parts and is best experienced as a descent into the depths and a return to life and light at the end. This is a beautiful expression of the mythical journey into the collective unconscious.

[@charlesswitzer8378]

It's a classic. But "The Dreaming" is probably the most unique album ever recorded---and I am not being hyperbolic lol

[@keanspivey9803]

Her music is definitely an acquired taste, and I can’t get into all her music, but I fell in love with this album the more I listened and learned about what the songs were about. Some of the tracks are so ahead of their time, especially “waking the witch”.

[@indra3748]

You guys really should react to her other albums such as The Dreaming. Each of her albums are so different and unique in their own ways.

[@leslieturner8276]

Of all of her albums "The Dreaming " is the one that I play the most and let's face if she never produced "The Dreaming" there would never have been a Hounds Of Love.

[@colincharters5701]

Kate Bush 1 of the ultimate legends in music an original innovative musical genius . HOL is 1 of the greatest production jobs of all time which of course she produced herself stunning album especially side2 the Ninthwave which is one of music’s MASTERPIECES personally speaking a might even prefer her other masterpiece the Dreaming album

[@jayburdification]

Cloudbusting was actually used as the closing song to a wild episode of Handmaid’s Tale. Epic movie ending confirmed.

[@flemmingnielsen6351]

And by the way..Kate Bush is actually half Irish.

[@jayburdification]

You like the songs with the bagpipes because they’re not bagpipes. These are Uillean pipes, the considerably less shrill and more pleasant sounding Irish cousin to bagpipes.

[@eduardoalegriarampante639]

Kate is Sssooooo much about the lirics. But still, interesting to see you young guys reacting.

[@eduardoalegriarampante639]

Problem is that in not considering lirics you kinda missed WHY its such an iconic classic album.

[@azriemohamed4789]

I could see both of them want more on The Big Sky. Sadly for the reissues Hounds Of Love, they decided to add the single mix which the duration is shorter than the original LP version. The original lp version of The Big Sky is much more better and clearer and you could enjoy the screaming part towards the end without being faded too early. The original version of The Big Sky could only be find on the original pressing of Hounds Of Love album under EMI records which originally available on Vinyl, CD & tapes.

[@andrewgarrett3555]

One of you has a more poetic soul than the other. As an aside, there is nothing tame about this album.

[@raycornford283]

The 'bagpipes' are Uillean pipes and are Irish.

[@ToIlluminateTheSun]

New subscriber here! Interesting discussion between you two! :3 I think most people share your first listening experience when it comes to Kate Bush. If I may offer a suggestion? You guys seem quite intelligent and tapped in more into the production style side of music by the way you observe songs which is totally great! 🙌🏽 When it comes to reacting to Kate Bush your perspective on certain songs may change when you understand the context of them by going along reading the lyrics as you listen. The musical intent will unravel and make sense why they were produced, structured, and written the way they are even when it sounds off or incoherent. I commend you guys for letting your curiosity win over your evolving judgement before completely writing off certain tracks. That's what music is about- being open to new sounds that haven't been done before. Example, Jig Of Life, which isn't my fav either but still sooo fun to listen too. One can appreciate what she tried to do with there. Kate does come from a Celtic background as her mother is Irish. 👌🏽 This is a identical experience many others have when they first listen to her then seek out further and get completely enamored with her, respectfully. 🙏🏽 For the spookiness, as others have recommended, you must listen to "The Dreaming"! 💫 It is quite unhinged but high quality production and story telling (which is why it's vital to read along to experience it fully) that will leave you pleasantly shocked and surprised. I assure your curiosity will be rewarded with diverse blends of rare instrumentation, weirdness, & at times horror with the very last track of the album "Get Out Of My House". 💞

[@strangerthings88]

Absolutely obsessed with this album it never gets old.

[@carmensandiego7749]

Or her first album The Kick Inside

[@robertotorres5898]

One of the best album in music 👌👌

[@bernardoflores1819]

I love this album. I listened to The Ninth Wave while having a fever and it was such an experience hahaha Btw I know you have a lot but if you enjoy David Bowie I would like to suggest Zeros by Declan Mckenna. It was released in 2020 and it has similar vibes to Bowie's music being indie rock and having some space sounds and ideas

[@ijustneedmyself]

Hah omg! That must have been something else. I had a chuckle-worthy experience with a song from the album. I was riding the train home and was listening to this album. I tended to try to have a little nap on the ride home every day. So I'm sleeping and all of a sudden I hear, "Wake up!" It scared the shit out of me 🤣 It took me a few seconds to get my heart rate down lol

[@cl4irv0yanc3]

can you guys add ARCA Kicki? I would've said Kickii which is my favorite but I think you'll need to start listening from the beginning

[@willynilly2545]

Hounds of Love should be taken as two parts. Side one is HOUNDS OF LOVE and side two is THE NINTH WAVE. One if more poppy and two is much darker and more experimental and tells a story. It's appropriate that you likened it to THE WALL since Pink Floyd is one of her biggest influences and I can hear PF all over this album actually, particularly THE WALL. This album is in one of my top five of all time. it's a classic that holds up still today.

[@youngbloodk]

I would look into Kate Bush's 2005 album Aerial. Like Hounds of Love, Aerial is split into two parts, the first (Sea of Honey) is a series of stand-alone songs, and the second (Sky of Honey) is a suite of songs to be listened to as a single piece. The difference being, that instead of each part being a side of an LP, each is a full CD. I think Sky of Honey (disc two of Aerial) may now be at the top of my Kate Bush album ranking.

[@carmensandiego7749]

You guys were ahead of the pack here.!! Try her album The Dreaming and look for a track called Experiment IV, there's a video here on KZbin for it, it wasn't on an album except the compilation The Whole Story.

[@cynthianavarro4316]

I have the limited pressing of this album. It looks like marble! And now for, The Dreaming.....

[@marceltroia9750]

Prog at it's finest.. Great reaction guys, cheers

[@nenadadamov2182]

Thank you guys, this was favorite album in my youth, I enjoy in your discussion.

[@ebenhopwil1886]

Oh man, keep Jerry away from 50 Words for Snow. I think he'd pass out at a 15 minute song about having sex with a snowman. (Though it's a fantastic song)

[@mikeacerbo]

You should have listened to side 2 as a whole. It was meant to be heard as a concept. Pausing between the songs takes away from the full musical experience. She is absolutely brilliant.

[@gillescoin2374]

......... AND the Ninth wave, goddamnit ! ;)

[@strangerthings88]

You guys kept calling it an Irish jig, but did you hear the medieval music driving it?

[@DavidMichaelCommer]

Do Tori Amos's Boys for Pele, From the Choirgirl Hotel, Night of Hunters, Scarlet's Walk and Under the Pink. :)

[@allanj6967]

apparently you're supposed. to smoke. a. big 'doink' and listen to the Ninth Wave all in one go

[@adamfromm]

If you want an Irish trad-based rock album, I strongly, strongly recommend "World of Monsters" by the Drovers, a Chicago band of the '90s that never got their due. To this day, they're the best live band I've ever seen, and the album captures a lot of that. Give it a shot.

[@gerrardmyboygerrard3726]

New to the channel and loving what I am seeing, as trip hop didn't really hit America perhaps Bristols finest Massive Attack and the album Mezzanine would be an interesting listen for you

[@ijustneedmyself]

Lol. At some point, songs like The Safety Dance were my only exposure to 80s music. Trust me there are many amazing albums from that era, including this one. Hopefully it's grown on you guys a bit more by now. Having said that, I skip Big Sky. It's the only one I don't care for on this album. Jig of Life happens to be one of my faves.

[@davidsouth9979]

You should get into the band Talk Talk if you like Art Rock

[@BoyTimeChannel]

I actually just listened to Spirit of Eden this week and loved it. Gonna be diving into Laughing Stock next. - Babby

[@stevenmcilroy3935]

The second half from Dream of Sheep is a concept masterpiece of the second side of the vinyl.

[@lewismaddox4132]

The rationalizations you're using for dismissing some of these songs are a bit off-putting. "Hello Earth" is talking about an astronaut looking out a porthole and simply blotting out the earth, and then imagining seeing herself or himself sparkling across the sky after pulling their car over and looking up. Then seeing a massive storm approaching land and feeling horrible and helpless, wracked with guilt because they know that people will be sent to early graves and there's nothing he or she can do about it. Dismissing this level of empathy not expressed since Virginia Wolfe and Ursula LeGuinn is a bit callous. Try examining the work a little more closely before knee-jerking responses. Try to remember that the work you're criticizing influenced thousands of very successful artists and truly changed our perspective on what could be accomplished in music.

[@MalarikFilms]

Ya getting that good music 😮‍💨 Kaye bush? 🙏🏼💖 Mitski? 😤💯 Fabulous

[@emdiar6588]

Ninth wave is a single piece and can only really be judged as such. Way to destroy the flow guys.

[@willynilly2545]

80's pop is the only pop I like, LOL.

[@danebrennand]

The 2nd half of the album is the only side I listen to.

[@isobeljames1328]

Jerry go play in the traffic

[@BoyTimeChannel]

Go on a walk in the minefield isobel

[@isobeljames1328]

You first and don't forget to close your eyes

[@stever7732]

Great though this album is to listen to, the single tracks on side one are only half as good as they when joyed with the accompanying official video. Kate Bush was a storyteller who used video to reinforce the tale.

[@rainerzufall42]

@Babby: I bet, you've heard "This Woman's Work" before. Check that out, from what I've heard on both and that "The Dreaming" video, I'm almost 100% sure...

[@christinebentley1971]

Enjoyed this

[@pinkbeatle2012]

watching me without you is a ghost story

[@stevenmcilroy3935]

And they’re not bagpipes they’re Uilleann pipes there’s a difference

[@alik5895]

Not appropriation. Her mum's Irish. Try L'eau Rouge, The Young Gods

[@victoriaparker2705]

80s music. No. This is unique. ❤

[@phillawrence]

Hey this album and particularly the b side (or concept piece) is a stoner album. 😊

[@overtonwindowshopper]

Wow Jerry so confident with your shit takes!😊

[@aldoushuxley8239]

Sounds like Taylor Swift is more your gig.

[@isobeljames1328]

gives him"Cindy Lauper vibes" = pure blasphemy

[@LightSearch]

You should not depart this life without going through the experience of listening to Nina Hagen's "Nunsexmonkrock" (Kate Bush's evil sister). It's also from the 80's but it aged much better. It's quite a ride.

[@luanhylario5882]

Aged much batter than Kate Bush? Theres no artists uniqueness like Kate.

[@LightSearch]

@@luanhylario5882 Anyone can easily see that The Dreaming and Hounds of Love are products of the 80's. Not so easy with Nunsexmonkrock.

[@luanhylario5882]

@@LightSearch "anyone" you say the biggest academic music critics where they always put hounds of love among the best albums of all time, not to mention its relevance to the music and indie artists that came to appear in the 90's like Bjork being inspired by the dreaming songs. If you can at least mention the relevance of Nina in terms of musicality, composition, melody, performance, works, I will believe that two albums produced with arrangements that had been in the decade and very well built and used, by the way, I I will give credit to what you say.

[@LightSearch]

@@luanhylario5882 I didn't say Nina's music is "better" than Kate's, I pointed out that Nunsexmonkrock doesn't immediately sound like an album from the 80's. On the other hand, it's easy to see that The Dreaming and Hounds of love were produced in the 80's. If you see kids reacting to Running up that hill, almost all of them point out that it sounds like 80's music. The Roling Stone magazine said that Nunsexmonkrock is the most unlistneable album ever recorded. That's a huge compliment 😀

[@luanhylario5882]

@@LightSearch So you should reconsider what is meant by "music from the 80's", and you should immediately listen to the two albums again because neither of them sound like something 80's, coming from someone who practically knows half of the artists of that time, it is noted that it was the greatest period for music in its artistic essence, since it is the most relevant and most notorious and influential decade, so if you intend to delegitimize the production for having synth, I'm sorry, but you don't understand practically anything about music or arrangements and a lot less production. Even more considering a sucked punk post from Nina, get on with that.

[@sebastianrivas6750]

omg why so joyless guys ? no fun at all