Album of the Day

With HOUNDS OF LOVE, Americans finally figured out what British listeners had known for years – that Kate Bush was among the most talented and distinctive singer-songwriters around. The 1985 album reached the U.S. Top 40, a first for the performer (it topped the chart in the U.K.), thanks to such tracks as “Cloudbusting,” “The Big Sky” and signature song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).” With Bush on the Fairlight synthesizer leading a legion of instrumental and vocal accompanists, the self-produced set features highly literate lyrics and ambitious arrangements that verge on progressive rock. Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and NME have all cited HOUNDS OF LOVE as one of the best albums of the 1980s – this is Kate Bush at her peak!