Kate Bush: The Dreaming (Rock Classics)

You could consider Kate Bush's The Dreaming to be her finest moment, depending on whether you value the rejection of compromise and see that as a sign of authenticity. Or, you may see her Hounds of Love - equal-parts artful and accessible - as the benchmark for artistic integrity meeting commercial success: a slippery and completely unpredictable schizoid beast at the best of times. **xA0; **xA0;**xA0; As much as The Dreaming seems to be viewed as Bush's most difficult record to consume, it's easy to forget that it was a top 20 album in multiple countries. In reality, it has a beautiful simplicity, if only for its intention to exist for its own sake - as they say, 'It is what it is', and the rest is up to the listener. And what it is, is perhaps one of rock's most pure examples of a musician doing their thing, simultaneously (and conveniently) operating at the top of their game, and not sweating the resulting views of others. That recipe transcends genre, and even field itself. **xA0; **xA0;**xA0; Ultimately, The Dreaming is just art - music, yes, but I suggest it crosses the line into sculpture. You can walk around it, try to decipher it, and still be stumped. Isn't that how art is supposed to be.