Never For Ever

Product Information

My Granny was rather deaf, and so the only lyric she was able to pick up on was Kate singing the 'Out' from the lyrics: 'In - Out', but being deaf, inevitably sounded very much like a pointless 'Ouch' or needless shrieking/squealing to my Grandmother. A section of the original cover art was enlarged, creating two different booklet covers: the outer one modified; and underneath the original. Her gothic and even extreme inspirations are intrinsic to her artistry, proving once again that Bush was the true torchbearer of art-rock and experimentalism, using the macabre to go against what was expected of women artists of the era.

Evoking an intriguing sense of mysticism and surrealism, various animals emerge underneath her dress, including a yellow-eyed owl, a black crow, and a pair of white doves.

The album was favourably received by music critics at the time, save for a curiously critical review in Record Mirror, which appears to criticise the album (and Bush herself), while complimenting a number of tracks. The rest of the album isn't quite as firm as her singles, but they all sport a more appeasing and accustomed sound than some of her past works, and she does manage to keep her identity and characteristics intact.

This means that there isn't an immediate (ahem) 'Wow' factor, but the rewards become evident on repeated plays.

It also contains some interesting Album material; such as 'Violin' in particular and 'Infant Kiss'; the former beginning quietly, and ending up in a kind of 'frenzy' but a great Piece of work and art. The initial two albums had established a distinctive sound that permeated every track, characterised by opulent orchestral arrangements complementing the live band’s presence. The project serves as the quintessential example of using music as a conduit for fantastical storytelling, illustrating the conflicting forces of good and evil that manifest within us and how these entities present themselves to the external world. One such influence was the Renaissance painter Pieter Breughal, whom she once said would be the artist she would most like to embody.