With Kate Bush being such a singular artist, it’s always difficult to recommend albums with a similar style. At least without resorting to Björk comparisons. But while Bush has long been considered a hard act to match vocally, plenty of albums might interest even the most devoted Kate Bush fans.
‘The Walking’ by Jane Siberry
When Jane Siberry released her fourth album, The Walking, in 1987, it was poorly received in her home country of Canada. Radio stations that had previously championed her quirky new wave work refused to play anything from this album. It was a total deviation from her previous three albums, and both fans and critics balked at the sudden change. But in the U.S., where she wasn’t as widely known, The Walking received a much warmer reception.
Siberry’s vocals have a peculiar shapeshifting quality similar to Kate Bush’s. One moment airy and brittle, the next solid and steadfast. She moves deftly through complex melodies, weaving detailed yet surrealist images and narratives throughout the album. There’s only one song on The Walking under five minutes, but there’s not one moment wasted on this album. Even though it was initially panned, The Walking has earned acclaim after several decades.
‘To ki me ki’ by Akiko Yano
Akiko Yano has long been known in Japan for her prolific solo music career spanning more than 30 albums since 1977. Her third album, To Ki Me Ki, released in 1978, didn’t get much attention in the U.S. despite being recorded in New York City. Additionally, the blend of Japanese city pop and American jazz captured a sound both out of time and distinctly late-70s New York.
This album is surprising and unconventional, but it’s also built on a solid foundation. It’s unpredictable in a way that’s easy to miss, making it a total contradiction. To Ki Me Ki is an easy listen, but that doesn’t mean it’s dull. Much of Kate Bush’s work is similar in that it’s easy to get lost in. However, her albums also require repeat listens to truly absorb everything.
‘Ys’ by Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom has a similar vocal style to Kate Bush, just cranked up to 11. Where Bush keeps her expressive vocals contained within a song structure, Newsom lets her voice go wild with abandon. She allows it to crack and break, squeak, yodel, and warble. And it works because her songwriting also has an almost free verse style.
Ys, released in 2006, is Joanna Newsom’s free verse at its height. A short tracklist, but songs that regularly break 10 minutes as Newsom travels through the unpredictable landscapes of her own songs. Each one is like its own map, and she skips and twirls through them easily. Kate Bush writes with more formal structure than Joanna Newsom, but with similar poetry, making Ys and Hounds of Love good companion albums.
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