NIGHT OF THE SWALLOW

No music videos for either of these songs, which is... not overly surprising, but going into this, I'll say this much: Interesting that either of these songs, while both excellent, would be selected for a single at all. Then again, we are talking The Dreaming. And we are talking Kate Bush. "Night of the Swallow" was that album's fifth and final single, backed with "Houdini".

Our A-side is the perfect, perfectly chilling track. In some ways glancing back only slightly at her piano balladry of her early career in the late-70s. But this is very characteristic of the eerie, Fusion-adjacent vibe of the time, starting with Never For Ever (songs we can look to there include "Blow Away", and "Egypt" with a fantastic Minimoog solo from Max Middleton). The thing that sets this song apart from most (though it has somewhat of a sister in the brighter "Jig of Life"), as it dips out of the dark ambience of the verses, it steps firmly into its Highlands-inspired chorus. The track that its verses bring to mind, though only somewhat, is that next track after "Jig of Life" on Hounds of Love, "Hello Earth".

"Houdini", our B-side, honestly feels fitting given her overall history with singles. And yet, in its immediate quietness, the track flows in and out of incredible pop-adjacent intensity. A track moreso of haunting (a form of dreaming), I think it's a great match. Beautiful Art Pop number with frisson-inducing orchestration and warm Soft Rock instrumentation. At times, Kate's vocals, in these most intense sections, are shredded, emotive, but also apparently heavily distorted; another chilling effect. Great single (off my favorite album by one of my all-time favorite artists).

True Rate: 4.75/5.00