THE DREAMING

For several years I thought this might be the greatest album ever created/recorded. As time has passed, it's freshness and innovations have staled a bit, but upon donning my headphones and re-immersing myself into The Dreaming, I can recall my lust and enthusiasm for this music as I heard it first in 1982. While I never cared much for "Sat in Your Lap" or "Suspended in Gaffa," I always find the rest of the album spell-binding. The ironic humour and quirkiness of "The Dreaming" (10/10), the raw power of one of my favorite songs of all-time, "Get Out of My House" (10/10), the eerie/sexy mysteriousness of "Houdini" (9/10), "The Night of The Swallow" (9/10), "All The Love" (9/10), "Pull Out the Pin" (8/10), and even the teenie-popper, "There Goes a Tenner" (7/10), the raw power and inventiveness of the vocals on "Leave It Open" (8/10), the awesome drumming of Stuart Elliott, the Fairlight CMI, the wonderful incorporation of traditional Irish/Celtic instruments, the intricate storytelling, the incredible vocals--it all makes for one heck of a ride! This is by far the most highly rated 1980s album I've ever critiqued--even outshining the Heads, Crimson, Gabriel, Sylvian, U2, The Cocteau Twins and The Cure. This is, in my opinion, Kate's most breathtaking, refreshing, innovative album--a masterpiece. Simply astounding lyrics/storytelling and vocal acrobatics.