Whimsy is an inextricable part of Kate Bush’s DNA, particularly on her romantic early LP trilogy. But where The Kick Inside married those whimsical impulses to inventive song structures and poetry, Lionheart is simply whimsy overload. The progressive edge of Bush’s debut was softened and smoothed, replaced by loads of grand piano and textural atmosphere. Stunning lead single “Wow” demonstrates that Bush hadn’t lost her grip entirely, but Lionheart feels slight compared to the rest of her catalogue: Tracks like “In Search of Peter Pan” and “Kashka from Baghdad” are tiring and monochromatic, lacking the sonic and lyrical focus Bush would master soon enough.