10 Most Frontloaded Albums In Rock History

It’s arguably the defining work of one of Britain’s greatest ever artists, and to that end it feels sacrilegious to critique Kate Bush’s 1985 opus. As great as Hounds Of Love is, though, there are some structural decisions that can’t help raising an eyebrow.

Namely, that first side, whose pile up of bangers could be straight off a greatest hits compilation. The variety on display impresses, too, from the spooky synth pop of “Running Up That Hill” to the anthemic roar of the title track and the blissful “Big Sky”. Indeed all four of the album’s singles are stacked up on that first half.

So the second side isn’t disappointing - this is a great album all the way through - but jarringly different on first listen. Bush expands her sound with the likes of "Hello Earth" and "Jig of Life", and the progressive elements certainly help to elevate the record after the sheer pop perfection of side one.

There’s no need for an album to maintain a steady tone throughout - it’s just a little tricky to find your bearings when Bush takes such a sharp turn as this.