Never for Ever

by Kate Bush

Overview

Never for Ever has Kate Bush sounding vocally stable and more confident, taking what she had put into her debut single "Wuthering Heights" from 1978 and administering those facets into most of the album's content. Never for Ever went to number one in the U.K., on the strength of three singles that made her country's Top 20. Both "Breathing" and "Army Dreamers" went to number 16, while "Babooshka" was her first Top Five single since "Wuthering Heights." Bush's dramatics and theatrical approach to singing begin to solidify on Never for Ever, and her style brandishes avid seriousness without sounding flighty or absurd. "Breathing," about the repercussions of nuclear war, conveys enough passion and vocal curvatures to make her concern sound convincing, while "Army Dreamers" bounces her voice up and down without getting out of hand. "Babooshka"'s motherly charm and flexible chorus make it one of her best tracks, proving that she can make the simplest of lyrics work for her through her tailored vocal acrobatics. 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. She bettered this formula for 1985's Hounds of Love, making that album's "Running Up That Hill" her only Top 40 single in the U.S., peaking at number 30. ~ Mike DeGagne

Product Details

Release Date:	11/20/2023
Label:	Fish People
UPC:	5057998268627
Rank:	31392

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kate Bush   Primary Artist,CS-80,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocal Harmony
Paddy Bush   Primary Artist,Koto,Lute,Mando,Sitar,Vocals,Banshee,Mandolin,Psaltery,Balalaika,Harmonica,Musical Saw,Bass (Vocal),Vocals (Background)
Kevin Burke   Violin
Larry Fast   Keyboards,Prophet 5,Synthesizer,Prophet Synthesizer
John Giblin   Bass,Fretless Bass,Bass (Electric)
Del Palmer   Bass,Vocals,Fretless Bass,Bass (Electric)
Roy Harper   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Max Middleton   Strings,Keyboards,Mini Moog,Fender Rhodes,Moog Synthesizer
Martyn Ford   Orchestra
Mike Moran   Keyboards,Prophet 5,Synthesizer
Alan Murphy   Guitar,Soloist,Guitar (Bass),Bass (Acoustic),Bass (Electric),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Stuart Elliot   Drums,Bodhran
Stuart Elliott   Drums,Bodhran
Preston Hayman   Drums,Percussion
Ian Bairnson   Guitar,Vocals,Bass (Vocal)
Duncan Mackay   Fairlight,Keyboards,Synthesizer
Morris Pert   Timpani,Percussion
Duncan Murphy   Synthesizer
Gary Hurst   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Preston Heyman   Drums,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Adam Skeaping   Viol,Viola,Strings
Andrew Bryant   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Roland   Percussion
Jo Sceaping   Lyra,Lironi,Strings
Joseph Skeaping   Lironi
Brian Bath   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Adam Sceaping   Viol
Martyn Ford Orchestra   Strings

Technical Credits

Bernie Grundman   Digital Remastering
James Guthrie   Digital Remastering
Jon Kelly   Engineer,Producer
Max Middleton   String Arrangements
Jon Jacobs   Assistant Engineer
Kate Bush   Harmony,Arranger,Composer,Producer,Art Direction
Carolyn Bennett   Lettering
John Carder Bush   Back Cover,Photography,Cover Art Concept
Joel Plante   Digital Remastering
Jo Sceaping   String Arrangements
Nick Price   Artwork,Cover Art
Adam Sceaping   String Arrangements
John Barrett   Assistant Engineer