Difficult second albums

In 1974, Mike Oldfield defied the critics and hit the top of the UK charts with Hergest Ridge, the ambitious follow-up to his unexpectedly successful debut Tubular Bells . To coincide with the release of the 50th-anniversary edition, the musician, his siblings and collaborators recount the story of an album created by an overwhelmed 21-year-old taking refuge near the Welsh borders.

The idea that a collection of songs should be listened to collectively rather than individually has certainly divided music lovers and critics over the years, and the concept album is seen by many as

SEPTEMBER 2025 TAKE 342

Forty years ago this September, Kate Bush released Hounds Of Love . Her fifth studio record reinstated her position as one of the most innovative and creative artists of all time and yielded the (future) chart-topper Running Up That Hill . But its creation wasn’t always smooth. Here’s the story behind one of Bush’s best-loved albums.

“Words don’t make sense/Words won’t make it right” ...

SPINAL TAP’S SEMINAL 1984 DOCUMENTARY WAS A HEAVY-METAL MASTERPIECE. NOW, AS THE HAPLESS TRIO RETURN WITH SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES , WE MEET THEM TO DISCUSS THEIR COMBUSTIBLE CHEMISTRY