Product Description

In the-mid '70s a friend of Kate Bush's brother brought hertalents to the attention of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. He arranged some demos for her and she was soon signed to EMI Records. Though Bush was only a teenager at the time,EMI decided to give her an advance and sent her off to write songs, and take dance and mime lessons. When she was 16, her handlers decided the time was right, and Bush's first single, "Wuthering Heights", was released. The song was a smashhit (it went to Number One on the UK charts), not only because of her less-than-innocent appearance on the back of London buses, and unlike anything the British market had ever heard.
Forced by her sudden success to release an album, THE KICK INSIDE was recorded and released, featuring songs shehad written over the previous few years. THE KICK INSIDE isa remarkable debut. Though it's obvious that Kate was a teenager at the time, there is a frightening amount of talent packed into these 13 songs and evidence of a knowing well beyond the singer's years.

Track Listing

1. Moving
2. Saxophone Song
3. Strange Phenomena
4. Kite
5. Man With The Child In His Eyes
6. Wuthering Heights
7. James And The Cold Gun
8. Feel It
9. Oh To Be In Love
10. L'amour Looks Something Like You
11. Them Heavy People
12. Room For The Life
13. Kick Inside

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1792 in Music
• Released on: 1994-09-12
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Kicking things off with a whimper, not a bang, Kate Bush quietly released her 1978 debut, The Kick Inside and that disc still to this day affects an incredible number people, Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan among them. There are so many elements that make this disc unique--Kate's soaring soprano, her warm piano playing--but the one thing that perhaps sticks out most is how different her sounds were from anything else circulating at that time. Ten years before "alternative" hit the forefront, this music was neither easy nor palatable, truly an alternative from the other styles out there. Among the more legendary tracks, search out "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" and her timeless classic "Wuthering Heights". --Denise Sheppard

Customer Reviews

One of the truely great albums of our time
This album does not have one bad track on it! It is refreshing, original, haunting and absolutely fabulous. It stands the test of time and continues to provide entertainment at the highest value. This is Kate Bush at her best.

Oh, to be in love....and never get out again....
Rating: 9/10

Best tracks: "Oh to Be in Love", "Moving", "Wuthering Heights", "The Kick Inside"

A debut album of startlingly beautiful power, The Kick Inside immediately established Kate Bush as a singer, songwriter and composer of immense wonder and talent. Compared to her later, massively ambitious and experimental work, this is a relatively simple and purely melodic album, and easily Bush's most accessible work. The plaudits may go to 1985's Hounds of Love, but for those new to Bush's music, I'd say this is definitely the best place to start. The rhythms only very occasionally venture into soft-rock territory in places, but it's saved from anonymity by countless inventive musical embellishments and of course, Bush's amazing voice. On this and follow-up album Lionheart her voice was at is most luscious and purely beautiful; she had yet to open up to the kind of unconventional expression and vocal play that would make the best of albums three to five so extraordinary. So if you're not ready for mule-impersonations, screaming, shrieking, role-play and all manner of things fearless just yet (The Dreaming may be her best album in my opinion, but as introductions to Bush go, it's for the bravest only) then it's best to go with this.

The lush, delightful "Moving" has a graceful, slinky atmosphere that boasts at least one truly wonderful moment when the lily of Bush's soul is crushed; from that moment onwards we know we're in special territory indeed. The sweet, delicately orchestrated "The Saxophone Song" ironically only grates when the saxophone itself comes into play near the start, but otherwise it's a real beauty of a tune. "Strange Phenomena" is indeed about menstruation and is quite the gem, with a skipping, delightful chorus and swirling, strange moments. The kooky "Kite" is a bouncy joy and a cute interlude before the stunning double-whammy of "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" and "Wuthering Heights", which were both released as singles and were so strikingly gorgeous and sensual that it everyone couldn't help but notice this new, wonderful singer. The former, amazingly written when she was only 14 (!), is an understated, magical ode to someone special that plays out like some kind of romantic classical fiction; sweet strings, gentle piano, sweeter lyrics and a quietly swelling chorus makes for quite an anomaly in the time of punk and it was just as irresistible. Even better was the mighty "Wuthering Heights", which really is one of the best singles EVER and arguably Bush's most iconic moment; it may not be her best song, but it's way, way up there, especially during that second verse when it sweeps and rolls with such melodic grace that you're hopelessly caught up in the giddying wonder of it all. Oh and of course, the chorus is, and always will be a stunner!

As it's only her debut album, we can all forgive her for "James and the Cold Gun", which as "Don't Push Your Foot on the Heartbreak" and to a lesser extent "Violin" on the next two albums proved, Bush can do many things, but straight-up rock isn't one of them. A so-so, average soft-rock stomp, this was, unbelievably, EMI's choice for the lead-off single. Saying that, it's not that surprising, I suppose, as it's the most normal thing here and standard radio-friendly fare and least risky gamble for a record label to attach a new, unknown artist to. The song is entirely free of what makes Bush unique and wonderful. It's just another average rock song, a bit like Pink Floyd on a slumming-it day. Luckily, "Wuthering Heights" ended up being the single, thank goodness! Anyway, things get right back on track with the sweetly seductive "Feel It" and the absolutely fantastic "Oh to Be in Love", which is my personal favourite song here. The latter sparkles and glitters exceptionally, the singing is utterly wonderful, the chorus is pure magic, the rhythms are delicious and the fluttering solo midway is really something quite special! "L'Amour Looks Something Like You" is very nice indeed, not to mention quite sensual, with especially with its references to "sticky love inside"... the whimsical, jaunty "Them Heavy People" keeps things going along nicely, while "Room for the Life" is pure sunshine. Closing song "The Kick Inside" ends a great debut on a chilling, darker note, and remains one of Bush's most haunting, powerful songs, with some of her most heartbreaking vocals and delicate piano work.

One of the best debuts ever, The Kick Inside makes for a wonderful introduction to the work of a brave, unique musical explorer. She'd become even better than on this, but the power of this album still shines on through.

Brilliant, beguiling, beautiful and bonkers,
Many Kate fans rate 'The Hounds of Love' as her best album, but for me, 'The Kick Inside' has the edge. I would definitely place it in my top three albums of all time. Some of the tracks, particularly 'Strange Phenomenon' and 'Room For The Life', probably 'mean' more if (like me) you happen to be female, but I have it on good authority that this doesn't exclude those who aren't from loving these songs just the same. There really isn't one weak track. I love the 'experience' of listening to the whole album - honestly, you'll come away feeling like a better person! But if you put this on your ipod you'll get as much pleasure from listening to the songs as individual tracks. Just perfect.