How the Kate Bush album ‘Hounds of Love’ inspired a Britpop classic
1985 was an excellent year for music. Talking Heads proved they had more hits to share with Little Creatures, Grace Jones delivered her iconic concept piece Slave To The Rhythm, The Smiths dropped their only number one album, Meat Is Murder, and The Cure gifted the world their iconic nightmarish work The Head On The Door. Arguably, the most important of all of these, however, was Kate Bush and the legendary Hounds of Love, which did so much more than provide a handful of era-defining hits.
After the considerably low sales of her previous 1982 album, The Dreaming, Hounds of Love marked a major cultural comeback for the star, whose songs would experience multiple resurgences throughout the eras and become some of the most significant pop-rock contributions of all time. One of which is, of course, the album’s lead single, ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’, which not only made a significant splash at the time but has since become one of the most defining songs of the 21st Century thanks to Stranger Things.
In the album, Bush beautifully navigates through her dynamic newfound landscape with the authority of a seasoned professional, not merely yielding to emerging technologies but shaping them to reflect her vision. Utilising cutting-edge studio technology, including synths, drum machines, and the Fairlight CMI sampler, she crafted a distinctive sound that was way ahead of its time in 1985.
For many, this album served as a musical wake-up call, and one that showed others the way when it came to the highest form of excellence. For Bush, it was her own epiphany, too. Despite having crafted captivating music for several years, including her groundbreaking achievement as the first female artist to top the charts with a self-penned track in ‘Wuthering Heights’, this album marked the moment when Bush broke free from pop conventions and forged something truly extraordinary.
For Suede frontman Brett Anderson, Hounds of Love was the blueprint that ignited the path to Suede’s second album, Dog Man Star, mostly due to its ability to take the listener on a guided, albeit unpredictable, journey. “I love how this album leads you along, like you’re this willing victim, one of the rats following the Pied Piper,” Anderson told The Guardian.
“Dog Man Star wouldn’t have been the same album without Hounds of Love – it was totally inspired by it,” he added. “Records that show that you can take a listener on a journey, create a real sense of space and a sound that is completely their own: those are the ones people love.”
Although Dog Man Star was also inspired by other albums like Lou Reed’s Berlin and Joy Division’s Closer, Bush’s masterpiece largely informed the project’s direction, its crucial elements of art rock, progressive rock, pop, and experimental music becoming the ideal template for Suede’s project. A closer look reveals the stark similarities; just like Hounds of Love, Dog Man Star explores themes of love, loss, and alienation, with Anderson’s poetic lyrics delving into introspective and sometimes dark subject matter.
