THE KICK INSIDE

Kate Bush's debut album established her as an art rock auteur on a par with the likes of David Bowie - a star who from the very beginning exerted a powerful control over the sound and musical direction and course of her career. The top track is, of course, Wuthering Heights, a bizarre little song which gets even creepier if you've read the book (in that Kate is most likely singing from the point of view of a ghost), but much of the rest of the material also combines fine vocal performances with competently performed, engaging and idiosyncratic poppy art- rock. An excellent start to a fantastic career.