Balloon Man (album)

Balloon Man is a studio album by British singer-songwriter Kate Bush, released in 1987. The album marked a shift in Bush's musical style, incorporating more synthesized sounds and exploring themes of childhood innocence, loss, and the passage of time. It features the singles "Balloons" and "The Empty Fairground", both of which achieved moderate chart success. While not as commercially successful as some of her earlier work, Balloon Man is considered by many critics to be a significant entry in Bush's discography, noted for its introspective lyrics and experimental soundscapes. The album cover depicts a stylized image of a child holding a cluster of brightly colored balloons, a visual representation of the themes contained within. The album was generally well-received by critics upon its release, although some reviewers noted a departure from the more traditional instrumentation of her previous albums.