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Kate Bush: The Kick Inside (Capitol ST 11761)

Kris DiLorenzo, Crawdaddy!, June 1978

MARY HOPKIN meets Emily Bronte, Laura Nyro discovers reggae, Joan Armatrading masquerades as Joni Mitchell — comparisons with other vocalists are inevitable, but Kate Bush won't be stuck with them for long. Bush is an original; she bends oblique imagery into harmony with frank questions, skitters in and out of character roles, and often pairs a munchkin falsetto with charmingly shameless lyrics. The chorus of 'Feel It' is more erotic than any of Rod Stewart's crude suggestions or Donna Summers' pathetic panting; the mounting tension and banshee vocal on 'Wuthering Heights' is more effective than all those freaky teenage death-love songs of the '60s combined.

Total word count of piece: 281

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