I have been a casual Kate Bush fan for a while, and with her re-release out now, it has inspired me to start buying her back cataoluge. I was going to purchase the Director's Cut album, but wasn't sure whether that's a good place to start for someone who hasn't listened to any of her albums before. Should I just buy her debut album and start from there, or is there a specific album I should listen to first? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edited May 18, 201114 yr by Daniel II

Hounds Of Love is the most obvious starting point and showcases both her commercial side on the first half and her more experimental tendencies on the second. The Dreaming is it's predecessor and is a good halfway point between Hounds Of Love and her earlier work as it contains obvious elements of both, it's probably my favourite of hers.

Hounds Of Love is the most obvious starting point and showcases both her commercial side on the first half and her more experimental tendencies on the second. The Dreaming is it's predecessor and is a good halfway point between Hounds Of Love and her earlier work as it contains obvious elements of both, it's probably my favourite of hers.

Thanks Dandy, Hounds of Love it is then.

In all honesty, I'd avoid Director's Cut like the plague - it's an album for the die-hards only - I'd consider myself one of them, but even I don't like it one bit.....

 

Definitely Hounds of Love for starters - on headphones, preferably...and get the re-issued CD version which includes the extra tracks (a fiver online)..... and look out for Under The Ivy and Be Kind To My Mistakes... two tracks that show the quality of work this lady was producing at this time that she could consign these classics to b-side status.

 

In order, for a newcomer, I'd go for these.....

 

Hounds Of Love

The Sensual World

Aerial

Never For Ever

The Kick Inside

Lionheart

The Dreaming (incredible album - but a tough one to get into)

Red Shoes

Director's Cut

the dreaming was my first and still my favorite. go for that one. then hounds of love.

OP I'm a casual fan too. I'm surprised no-one's asked if you have her GH, The Whole Story! If not then you should get that first. I only had that then bought The Kick Inside and Hounds Of Love recently and like them both.

Edited May 19, 201114 yr by Common Sense

the dreaming was my first and still my favorite. go for that one. then hounds of love.

 

Probably my overall favourite, too - however, for a casual newcomer, it's pretty inpenetrable. And it's only relatively recently that the genius of The Dreaming was recognised.... upon release, it was loathed by critics and fans alike.

OP I'm a casual fan too. I'm surprised no-one's asked if you have her GH, The Whole Story! If not then you should get that first. I only had that then bought The Kick Inside and Hounds Of Love recently and like them both.

 

Nah, I'd never recommend a Greatest Hits album to someone who wants to find out more about an artist.... a bit of a cop out, a singles album, don't you think?

Nah, I'd never recommend a Greatest Hits album to someone who wants to find out more about an artist.... a bit of a cop out, a singles album, don't you think?

 

 

What does a cop out mean in this context?

 

 

I would recommend The Whole Story too. It has enough variety to showcase her range.

 

I would nearly always recommend a compilation to someone. Some best ofs are rubbish and don't give a good representation - the Manics GH for example - but The Whole Story does.

Probably my overall favourite, too - however, for a casual newcomer, it's pretty inpenetrable. And it's only relatively recently that the genius of The Dreaming was recognised.... upon release, it was loathed by critics and fans alike.

 

Eh, I was 12 when I first heard it and I was completely in love. I think in today's context it's a whole lot more accesible (and to be honest it's still a pop album at its core with some quirks). I always recommend it first.

The Dreaming is a baptism of fire - some will love it, some will run away screaming. It all depends on the usual listening habits of the person in question. There's people I would not recommend The Dreaming to and then there's people I would.

It's high time we got a new updated GH as TWS came out in 1986 and wasn't even The Whole Story then! Several singles were missing. We need a comprehesive up-to-date hits collection or best-of.

Eh, I was 12 when I first heard it and I was completely in love. I think in today's context it's a whole lot more accesible (and to be honest it's still a pop album at its core with some quirks). I always recommend it first.

I agree that it's reasonably instant, I loved it from first listen too (admittedly I was much older than 12 though!) - I can imagine it was quite difficult when it was released but music has moved on so much since then and she's proved so influential that the quirkiness of it seems relatively mainstream nowadays.

 

I'd still say Hounds Of Love is the safer option for first listen but I wouldn't rank The Dreaming that far behind.

Kate's the only artist I've followed from Day One.... where I've bought every single album on the day of release... on this reckoning.... I was 10 when I bought The Kick Inside... I remember asking my Mum what some of the lyrics meant.... and her saying...hmm...I'm not really sure you should be listeniong to that at your age :D

 

God knows what she thought when I was singing Kashka from Baghdad or The Infant Kiss around the house..... the lyrics to Infant Kiss, even now, still seem shocking..... and it remains one of my favourite Bush moments.

When I went to my local HMV their Kate Bush section was empty (they had the Director's Cut front of shop though), which I found quite surprising, so I've ordered Hounds of Love from Amazon. 5 days and nadda. I went in today to see if any more stock had come in, and they had one copy of The Dreaming, I was tempted to buy it but I need the money for a night out tomorrow. Wish I had waited now, because from the way people are describing it, TD seems exactly my type of thing. The more quirky the better.

 

russt68 thanks for all the info btw.

Edited May 28, 201114 yr by Daniel II

Not too familiar with her albums, all I know is that the Man With The Child In His Eyes is a brilliant song.

Not too familiar with her albums, all I know is that the Man With The Child In His Eyes is a brilliant song.

Probably my favourite Kate Bush song along with Experiment IV :wub:

I just realised I've lost The Whole Story cd. :(

I just realised I've lost The Whole Story cd. :(

 

:( You'll have to buy another then!

I wonder how Daniel got along with his Kate purchases...?

 

I played Directors Cut again last night - and yes, it's every bit as awful as it sounded a few weeks ago... a definite 'what the hell was she thinking?' moment..... :(