NEVER FOR EVER

Kate's inclusion here on ProgArchives is, to me, questionable and certainly debatable, but her penchant for creating many quirky, unusual, technology-leading "experimental" songs does make her a progressive artist--as are Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, Tears for Fears, Cocteau Twins, David Sylvian, and The Cure. Never For Ever is the first of her masterful, "ground-breaking" albums--though often her quirk and charm is a little over the top for me (I find her videos sometimes embarrassingly cheezy/corny or melodramatic--and often her song topic choices). But, the Fairlight experimentation, the incredible vocal performance on "Blow Away (for Bill)" (10/10) and the rest of the album's unusual, quirky and highly original songs make this one a great one. Though I consider it essential in one's Kate Bush collection, I do not consider this an essential masterpiece of progressive rock music.