Kate Bush is one the greatest geniuses of British music, probably any popular music. These are actually two songs that go to together, as Kraftwerk’s Trans-Europe Express/Metal on Metal or Bowie’s Candidate/Sweet Thing/Candidate do.
She’s fascinating, Kate. Doctor’s daughter, middle-class, slightly bohemian but definitely for a long time regarded as uncool, insanely talented from a young age, very pretty in a way that meant she wasn’t taken seriously and was exploited by her record company etc. Has a number 1 with her first release, a song that’s seen as a bit of novelty hit, in the same way as Autobahn or O Superman, (Or Da Da Da or Shaddupa Ya Face). She then makes several albums that contain more than a few brilliant songs among the more commercial stuff she’s pushed towards. Then… Hounds of Love. One of the very greatest albums of my lifetime. Result is no-one sane is in any doubt about the depth and breadth of her talent. Kenny Everett/Pamela Stephenson piss-takes are an increasingly long way behind her.
Nocturn + Aerial are from her other transcendent album, Aerial. The first is quite Balearic, absolutely lovely, Kate swimming in the ocean as dawn breaks on Midsummer’s Day, the second is euphoric, Kate off her head, laughing, “up on the roof”.
15 mins across the two songs so be warned. But they're fantastic