Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Felt like the sex pistols album, is this what "post-punk" or "punk" was? Maybe I'm just a pop punk fan? I dunno, I can see it if I were at a concert and in a pit, but otherwise.....pass?
This cacophony of noise sounds like some neighborhood kids received instruments for Christmas. The dads confiscated them on Dec 26th because they were too loud. Those same dads started playing the confiscated instruments and recorded this album on Jan 1!
No. 80/1001 Blast Off 2/5 She's Hit 3/5 Dead Joe 1/5 The Dim Locator 1/5 Hamlet 1/5 Several Sins 2/5 Big Jesus Trash Can 1/5 Kiss Me Black 1/5 6'' Gold Blade 1/5 Kewpie Doll 2/5 Junkyard 1/5 Dead Joe - 2nd Version 1/5 Release the Bat 1/5 Average: 1,38 Uff, this one I didn't like at all. Most songs just felt like someone screaming over repetitve guitar riffs and drumming. This is now my worst rated album so far. Taking over from Kilimanjaro - The Teardrop Explodes (1,88)
Did some record label owe someone's parents a favor? Get it off the list. Forever. Get it off the Internet. Erase it from my memory. Give me back my precious minutes wasted on trying to listen to whatever this was.
Like, what the hell is this album doing here. I would be happy dead if i never listen to this.
God awful. I actually find it offensive that this is taking up a spot on this list while most hip hop artists do not have a single album on here and others only have 1. Horrendous.
Jesus, it is unlistenable.
Sometimes I wonder how these albums got picked and if this is just a random album generator... Fewer than 4M stream total for this 1982 album and it's easy to understand why. Turning it off. Unlistenable. Horrible. This is supposed to be music?
God, what a chore to get through. These guys don't give a damn about anything, even their music, and why should I? I'll admit that the end of Hamlet (Pow Pow Pow), which repeats the same line about fifty times, achieved a sort of kaleidoscopic beauty in its repetition... but that's all I got. Mike Patton does this schtick 20x better. I was going to write that this sounds uncannily like Nick Cave without any skill whatsoever, and then I looked it up... That's EXACTLY what it is! Good thing he got better with age and practice.
Why? I don’t understand this as something musical.
This just sucks. I don't even really need to go into more detail than that. Everything about it is like nails on a chalkboard for me.
Couldn't make it past track 4
This is the first time this has felt like a challenge. This is like if primus actually sucked.
Kai tätäkin paskaa sit joku kuuntelee... minä en.
## Overview Released in July 1982, *Junkyard* stands as the third and final full-length studio album by Australian post-punk band The Birthday Party . Recorded between Melbourne's A.A.V. Studios and London's Matrix Studios, the album represents the band's creative peak before their dissolution in 1983 . Produced by Tony Cohen, Richard Mazda, and Nick Launay, *Junkyard* is widely regarded as a "scuzzy masterpiece" that pushed the boundaries of post-punk, blues, and noise rock into previously uncharted, confrontational territory . ## Lyrical Analysis ### Themes and Imagery The lyrics on *Junkyard* draw heavily from **American Southern Gothic imagery**, dealing with extreme subjects including violence, perversion, religious iconoclasm, and psychological decay . Nick Cave, the band's frontman and primary lyricist, delivers what many consider his most poetic and unhinged work—before his later turn toward balladry . **Violence and Murder Ballads**: "6" Gold Blade" prefigures the murder ballad tradition Cave would later perfect with The Bad Seeds, juxtaposing confessions of violence ("stuck a six-inch gold blade in the head of a girl") with possessed, almost ecstatic vocal interjections . **Religious Perversion**: "Big-Jesus-Trash-Can" reimagines Jesus as a grotesque fusion of rock star and corporate icon, with Cave snarling, "Wears a suit of gold (Got greasy hair) / But God gave me sex appeal" . This irreverent treatment of religious imagery became a hallmark of Cave's early work. **Literary Allusions**: "Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow)" reimagines Shakespeare's Danish prince as a gun-toting, crucifix-wearing figure of terror, suggesting the character's madness manifesting through modern violence . **Power and Decay (Title Track)**: The album's closing title track explores themes of dominance, desire, and self-destruction. The repeated declaration "I am the king" suggests a desperate assertion of control in the face of chaos, while "There's junk in honey's sack again" implies recurring cycles of deceit, corruption, and disappointment . **Parody and Gothic Subversion**: "Release The Bats"—later appended to CD reissues—was actually intended as a parody of gothic rock. The band found the song preposterous and laughed during recording, yet it inadvertently became one of the most influential goth tracks of the era . Lines like "She says damn that horror bat, sex! Vampire! Cool machine" embody this self-aware absurdity . Cave's lyric writing here has been described as putting "Elvis and Shakespeare in bed together to produce bastard offspring"—a fusion of lowbrow rock mythology and high literary reference . ## Musical Analysis ### Instrumentation and Sonic Texture The music on *Junkyard* represents a deliberate departure from the cleaner production of previous work. According to producer Tony Cohen, Cave and Harvey approached him wanting the album to "sound like trash. A scratchy, trebly sound" . **Guitars**: Rowland S. Howard's guitar work is pushed to the forefront with extreme treble and distortion, creating what one critic calls "a soundscape teeming with gargoyles and bubbling with putrescence" . The guitars on tracks like "She's Hit" and "Hamlet" function less as melodic instruments and more as textural weapons—abrasive, clanging, and relentlessly confrontational. **Rhythm Section**: Tracy Pew's bass playing receives particular praise, with listeners highlighting "some of the most fun and engaging basslines" of the era . The rhythm section blends punk aggression with swung, almost rockabilly feels—most notably on "Several Sins," which has been compared to a "mangled photo-negative" of Peggy Lee's "Fever" . **Drums and Production Experimentation**: Mick Harvey played drums on several tracks (anticipating Phil Calvert's departure), introducing what Cohen called "animal drumming"—jungle tom-tom rhythms that rejected conventional rock patterning . The original mastering compressed songs with minimal gaps between tracks and added excessive treble, a deliberate "messing with people's heads" according to Harvey . ### Blues and Rockabilly Foundations Despite its chaotic exterior, *Junkyard* is deeply rooted in American roots music. The band absorbed rockabilly from Link Wray and Melbourne's pub scene, with Cave deeply into early Elvis . "Release The Bats" was described by drummer Phil Calvert as "almost a comic poke at that sort of vibe, with a lot of attitude" . This blues foundation distinguishes The Birthday Party from their post-punk peers—they weren't deconstructing rock so much as exposing its feral, primal core. ## Production Analysis The album's production history is unusually complicated and revealing. **Recording Sessions**: Initial tracking occurred in Melbourne (December 1981-January 1982) with Tony Cohen, followed by additional London sessions with Richard Mazda (March 1982) . **The "Treble Controversy"**: The band deliberately sought an abrasive, treble-heavy sound, rejecting the "slick and pleasant" production of previous work. However, the original mastering proved divisive. Mick Harvey later admitted he "never really liked" the cover art and noted that the compressed, trebly master was deliberately provocative . **Bassist Complications**: Due to Tracy Pew's imprisonment on drunk driving charges (serving 2.5 months in Pentridge Prison), Magazine's Barry Adamson played bass on several tracks, including "Kiss Me Black" . This personnel shift adds another layer to the album's fractured identity. **Subsequent Remasters**: Henry Rollins oversaw a 2000 remaster that increased gaps between tracks and normalized the sound, which Harvey felt made the album "more normal and probably more powerful" . The 2012 4AD reissue included a bonus 7-inch single and CD . ## Themes and Conceptual Framework *Junkyard* is unified by several interlocking thematic concerns: **American Gothic**: The band explicitly cited influences including Morticia Addams, *Night of the Hunter*, Johnny Cash, and Flannery O'Connor . This Southern Gothic sensibility—decay, violence, grotesque characters, and moral ambiguity—pervades the album. **The Grotesque Body**: Songs repeatedly reference physical degradation, violence, and bodily fluids. The cover art (painted by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, a lowbrow icon known for hot rod art) features a monstrous, grinning ghoul—perfect visual accompaniment to the music's celebration of ugliness . **Power and Impotence**: The repeated assertion of kingship ("I am the king" in the title track) suggests a desperate, potentially delusional claim to authority. This tension between grandiose self-assertion and actual chaos mirrors the band's own trajectory. **Authenticity vs. Performance**: "Release The Bats" deliberately parodies the gothic conventions the band was being associated with. The Birthday Party rejected the "goth" label, and the song's ridiculous premise (bats deployed up a woman's skirt, sex vampire robots) was their way of laughing at the genre they inadvertently helped create . ## Influence and Legacy *Junkyard* casts an extraordinarily long shadow across alternative music. **Gothic Rock**: Despite the band's ambivalence, "Release The Bats" became foundational to gothic rock. The NME noted that "The Party have been indirectly held responsible for the rise of a visceral new hardcore, ranging from the Sex Gang Children, through Danse Macabre to March Violets" . **Noise Rock and Pigfuck**: The album is frequently cited as a precursor to the "pigfuck" noise rock scene of the late '80s and early '90s, influencing bands like Big Black, Swans, and The Jesus Lizard . **Direct Influences**: Artists citing The Birthday Party as an influence include My Bloody Valentine, Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys), LCD Soundsystem, and the entire Three One G roster (Daughters, Melt-Banana, Cattle Decapitation) . **Nick Cave's Trajectory**: *Junkyard* captures Cave at his most unhinged, before his turn toward balladry and literary songwriting. As one critic notes, "Cave was at his most poetic in my view, because he hadn't succumbed to the ballad form" . Yet the album also contains seeds of later work—"6" Gold Blade" prefigures the murder ballads of *Murder Ballads* (1996), while the Southern Gothic sensibility would fully flower on albums like *Let Love In*. **Recognition**: In 2010, *Junkyard* was listed at No. 17 in the book *100 Best Australian Albums* and was also included in *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* . The Quietus' Julian Marszalek wrote that "*Junkyard* still sounds as if it's waiting for rock music to catch up with it" . ## Pros and Cons ### Pros | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Sonic Innovation** | Pushed post-punk into genuinely new territory, anticipating noise rock, grunge, and pigfuck by years. Still sounds ahead of its time . | | **Nick Cave's Vocal Performance** | Captures Cave at his most demonic, unhinged, and physically committed. Producer Nick Launay recalled Cave "completely out of breath and almost collapsing" while bandmates laughed and demanded another take . | | **Rowland S. Howard's Guitar** | Created a uniquely abrasive, textural guitar vocabulary that remains influential. | | **Lyrical Ambition** | Successfully fuses high literary reference (Shakespeare, Southern Gothic) with lowbrow rock mythology (Elvis, horror films) . | | **Rhythm Section** | Tracy Pew and Mick Harvey deliver inventive, swinging basslines and unconventional "animal drumming" . | | **Cohesive Vision** | Despite chaotic production and personnel issues, the album achieves a unified aesthetic—ugly, confrontational, and perversely compelling. | | **Influence** | Massively influential across gothic rock, noise rock, and alternative rock. | ### Cons | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Abrasive Production** | The deliberately trebly, compressed master can be exhausting and physically uncomfortable. Harvey admitted the original mastering was "messing with people's heads" . | | **Nick Cave's Vocal Extremity** | Some listeners find Cave's asylum-inmate shrieking irritating rather than compelling. One reviewer noted "it just doesn't sound fun and after a while it can get irritating" . | | **Inconsistent Track Quality** | While the highs are extraordinary, some tracks feel like filler. One user noted "not as many good songs as 'Prayers on Fire'" . | | **Accessibility Barrier** | The album is deliberately hostile to casual listeners. Multiple reviews describe it as "disgusting," "awful," or requiring "the right mood" . | | **Controversial Cover Art** | Even Mick Harvey admitted he "never really liked" the Ed Roth cover, feeling it didn't represent the album well . | | **Remaster Controversies** | Different versions (original treble-heavy master vs. Rollins remaster with longer gaps) divide fans. | | **Dated Elements** | Some of the no-wave affectations and shock-value lyrics may feel less transgressive to modern ears. | ## Conclusion *Junkyard* is not an easy listen, nor does it aspire to be. It is an album that actively repels casual engagement, demanding instead a willingness to be assaulted, challenged, and possibly alienated. Yet for listeners who can meet it on its own terms, it offers a singular vision: rock music stripped of pretense and hygiene, reduced to its feral, primal components. The Birthday Party achieved something paradoxical with *Junkyard*: an album of calculated chaos, deliberate ugliness, and sincere artistic ambition. It is simultaneously a parody of gothic excess and a genuine masterpiece of the form; a joke that became deadly serious; an ending that laid groundwork for decades of subsequent music. As one listener put it, this is where "possibilities arise from chaos and by pulling together remote and ugly influences" . *Junkyard* remains a landmark—a junkyard king ruling over a domain of beautiful, terrifying wreckage. **Rating**: Essential for fans of post-punk, noise rock, and Nick Cave's early career. Recommended for adventurous listeners only.
y'all tripping, this is the best.
Great fucking record. A perfect blend of garage rock The Cramps and post punk with Nick Caves screaming, howling and wailing actually creating a cohesiveness that orients the listener for the entire record. Release The Bats is a timeless song. Nick Cave is not for everyone but this record can’t be ignored. Live this was even better. Instantly and forever memorable. 5/5
Saw a documentary about these goons and they were nuts. 5 STARS F the h8ers
05/04/2026 *1. blast off - loooove the bass and the guitar!!!! tracy pew.... rowland s howard..... mick harvey...... <3 <3 <3 drums are great!!!!! play this loud!!! *2. she's hit - already loooooooove this one! very atmospheric.... 3. dead joe - love the energy immediately! this one reeallly reminds me of suicide. fantastic ending!!! *4. the dim locator - the bass in this album is phenomenal! looove the chorus!! very fun <3 jesus christ playing this at the volume i usually play music at is going to blow my fucking ears out!!! can feel the vibrations... *5. hamlet (pow pow pow) - tracey pew... beautiful <3 *6. several sins - oooo like the start... great!! nice palette cleanser lol *7. big jesus trash can - already love one! 8. kiss me black - what is he even saying in this one??? bass is completely incredible again!!! *9. 6" gold blade - fantastic start! having to turn it down now because i can hear my tinnitus getting worse lol. *10. kewpie doll - vaguely know this one already! turning it back up again.... cannot resist... fantastic!!! <3 *11. junkyard - never heard this version, but have heard a live version of it which i love <3 12. release the bats - already like this one :) always assumed hee-haw was better than junkyard because i enjoyed the songs i've heard from there over the few from here but this was absolutely phenomenal!!!!!! one of my favourite albums now!! the bass reeaaaaally makes it. tracey pew and rowland s howard my beloved <3
A furious, messy, sprawling, clattering din, a raw listen, and a delicious contrast to the heavily-processed selections that make up the bulk of this list. 5 stars , partly for being it's own thing
This record rules. I first heard it at my old record store job and it always had me. Jangly. Rough. And melodic and fun as it gets!!!!!!! 5 stars forever
Wicked
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Unrivaled frenetic artistry in this band. Wasn’t quite as familiar with this record as the others but it didn’t disappoint. Wish the album cover weren’t so garish.
Fun and unexpected.
Not a pleasant experience, but in a good way.
Nick cave and a brilliant crew being deranged.
Damn don't judge an album by it's absolutely ridiculous cover! I thought this album was awesome in its raw, dirty, growling insanity. Dead Joe what a song yell it at me!!
I really enjoyed this. It felt timeless. It wasn't until about halfway through that I realized it was Nick Cave.
I wish more punk music sounded like this.
Long time Nick Cave fan, but never delved into the Birthday Party. I loved this, it's raw energy and thrash is fantastic. More of this!
total chaos, I like it
My kind of chaos
I'm 6 tracks in and I already know I'm going to rate this 5*. I've never even heard of this band, but right off the rip, all I can hear is Mr. Bungle. Except that no one from Mr. Bungle was ever in this band, and this album came out nearly 10 years prior to the first Mr. Bungle studio release. I'm also surprised to learn that one of its founding members is Nick Cave—whom I'm not even very fond of to begin with.
Batshit crazy. Love it.
Absolute mayhem! I love this record so much.
I can't believe how low the rating is. It's such a unique album. Awful cover art apart, you're hit with one of the best meshes between goth punk and punk rock in the 80s. Great discovery.
Fiery sonic madness captured on tape; raw, visceral and real. 10/10 Best Tracks: "She's Hit" "Dead Joe" "The Dim Locator" "Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow)" "Several Sins" "Big-Jesus-Trash-Can" "Kiss Me Black" "6" Gold Blade" "Junkyard"
Justice for Junkyard! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
RELEASE THE BATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Crazy to hear. The quality of the recording tries to overshadow the overall insanity of Nick Cave’s early punk rock/gothic effort. Every song speaks with a middle finger.
The Birthday Party sit with The Gang Of Four and The Pop Group as one of the best post-punk bands ever. I know a lot of people just "don't get it", but that's their problem, not mine
Entirely enjoyable in rawness and its candor
As a big Nick Cave fan it's nice to finally hear some context for where he started. I know from interviews and stuff that he was a huge fan of british post-punk weirdos 'The Pop Group' around the time he made this, and oh boy this album sounds just like them half the time, especially when Nick gets all yelp-y on a song. Now this is fine for me because 'Y' by The Pop Group is one of my favourite albums. It's nice to finally have another album to put alongside that one as post-punk that gets as wild and unhinged as possible. Wish I'd checked it out sooner, this is mental.
Not one happy birthday song on it. Great album to get a haircut to.
meh
Holy Post Punk Junkman. Nick Cave as a manic trashman with hypnotic drums, feedback, percussive macho bass lines... Dirty, steamy, swamp fever. This album is one psychotic madness, but a genius one. It sound like Bauhaus who had a mental breakdown. People who have read The Ass Saw The Angel will also recognize elements of Cave's Faulknerian novel characters in this album. This came off the back of yesterdays Dark Side Of The Moon and the contrast almost couldn't be higher. The album version ends with the hallucinatory Junkyard, in which Cave really gives *everything*, his voice almost to pieces, and just about to At the end you hear him coughing his lungs out during the fade-out after that effort. Sublime.
Excelente
This album has The Birthday Party as they lift their game substantially. I've been playing this since release and it's a favourite album.
10!
Maybe this just happened to synch perfectly with my inner aggression, but I had a blast listening to this. It’s probably not one I’ll have in the regular rotation, but it’s honest energy that I can get behind!
I went into this album cold and holy hell was it a treat. Made sense when I learned it was Nick Caves first band. Do I think it's for everyone? No. But this kind of sloppy, we know the rules of music but refuse to use them kind of music is my jam. She's Hit was the highlight track for me but I'm looking forward to listening through this one a few more times. Loved it.
This album is a wild mess. really chaotic but musically fascinating. Rough and frightening and beautiful.
it’s a problem: in terms of raw energy and pure creativity the birthday party were one of the greatest bands of all time; they were also full-time denizens of Hell; so do you want to pay a visit to Hell? well, punk, do ya?
This slams; deliriously noisy and strangely funky. Giving it the full 5 to counteract the philistine 1*s
Damn that horror bat sex horror sex vampire. It's silly but brilliant fun. The sort of stupid album you need to be deceptively clever to make. Does it get a little bit repetitive as it goes on? Yea. Does it sound like nothing else.on this list and brings the fun? Also yes.
Distilled chaos dipped in blood and poetry
Cannot find another way to describe what raw energy and unleashed creativity… well, maybe The Stooges. This album is a gem. It demands your entire attention and will not leave you free until it finishes. Even then, the silence will be distressing.
Birthday Party on parasta Cavea ja lisäksi parasta Rowland S. Howardia, jota muuten fanitan ISOSTI.
Rhythm on Kiss Me Black is crazy
I FUCKING LOVE NICK CAGE FJWMILOPDHAGQJVB Every album I heard from him is a god dang banger while I did like Prayers on Fire a little more than this one, this is still simply amazing - 10/10
Pretty good I love it.
Que maluquice, achei uma delícia quase todas as músicas!!!
4 beautiful stars for this, one of my favourite albums. Lovely to give it another listen first thing this morning, thank you RGP. Tom.
More interesting than good. Gets my approval.
Favorite track(s): She's Hit, Dead Joe, Hamlet (Pow Pow Pow), 6" Gold Blade, Junkyard
this is what mad max always should have felt like
Dig this a lot. Noisy, grungy, dingy, no fucks given. Very punk-inspired music and vocals, with some influence of other 80s artists in this era. I love the chaotic nature of the record, though it all is sequenced so well. This record is a nice find.
The Nick Cave origin story. Interesting. Sounds kind of like raving lunatics who broke into a warehouse with instruments and just started wailing. In a good way! I like a little unhinged noise rock every now and again, and this was a good listen. Nick Cave lends a truly staggering performance to the backdrop of clangs, bangs, and occasionally disjointed grooves. It's not a casual listen, but when someone is howling Hamlet lines over a tune that sounds like it's being ripped through a decommissioned stump grinder, you kinda gotta pay attention. I can't claim to be a Nick Cave know it all, but I've enjoyed what I've heard in the past, and this adds some bedrock to his layers. 4/5.
This album really grew on me over time. The loud crashing started to sound really fun around the six song mark, and I liked how there was still a rhythm/flow to it rather than completely falling apart. There were also some interesting lyrics which I need to dig into more.
Utterly chaotic. I vastly prefer deranged, anarchic Nick Cave to sad, contemplative Nick Cave and it’s pretty remarkable to listen to this and discover just how many artists were clearly taking direct influence.
gefällt mir sehr gut. wüsst nicht was mir nicht gfallt daran also vllt sogar 5/5? sehr einf drauf-hau
B/c I consider Sonic Youth & Pavement to be the chief exponents of noise, it's hard to characterize the Birthday Party along the same lines, so diff are these aesthetics from those. This is commotion, horror & commotion, &'s got a momentum that even the best of Pavement doesn't posses: nothing is alright here, it's all speeding to disaster & depravity. 'She's hit she's hit she's hit she's hit'; 'Junk-junk-jun-jun-un-un-un'; 'He wears a crucifix, he wears a crucifix / Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow.' The obvious comps are Tom Waits & Beefheart, but The VU, Suicide, & Joy Division are there as well. & I basically dig it. My beef is not that it's crazy or fucked up, but that it's not funny enuf, that it takes itself too seriously, & that metal is a creeping axis.
This album really shines when Nick Cave is working/singing with the noisemakers. I think his dark visions need the "musical" support. When it's just him barking/yelling/talking with minimal backing, I like it much less.
444/1089 - This is kinda like if Trout Mask Replica made sense. I sorta liked it. I'm giving album 444 4 stars.
Chaotic, relentless, uncompromising- love it!
sex horror sex vampire horror sex bat
Nick Cave before The Bad Seeds. Wild and frantic but recognisably Cave. The Birthday Party were a force of nature. This probably isn’t their best work and certainly not Cave’s best from the 80’s but I glad to see punk Cave represented on the list.
I love and hate the album at the same time. The chaos feels comforting in a weird way and the discomfort is weirdly cozy
This is art. Beautiful to some, not so much to others, but I do appreciate the work.
Liked this album.
I love The Birthday Party, but don't feel that they ever managed to capture the raw energy of their live shows on record, save perhaps for the last two EPs. The sound here is still quite arresting, but it all sounds a little too clean. There are some great songs, but some of the lyrics (6" Gold Blade, for example) rankle even more now than they did at the time. I was obsessed with bass player Tracy Pew for a long time, and that is still the part that draws me in most here. A unique sound and style. Great in places, but not consistently.
I really like this. It’s unhinged but in a great way. Must be my slightly deranged gothic tendencies.
I enjoyed the DIY aesthetic, and the youthfulness. It reminds me that the emotional quality of music is so important.
I like the Bad Seeds better but this was still weird and fun. Fave tracks: Dead Joe, Several Sins
The cover matches the music very well, I can imagine these guys being the goofy minions in a dark alley in a cartoon or something. Music-wise it was a little difficult to get into at the beginning but honestly once it’s settled in it’s actually pretty great. It’s definitely abrasive and too much so at times but that’s kind of the point and it does it well more than not. The guitars are really cool and unique, the drumming is so all over the place (in a good way that fits the music), the bass pretty much follows suit but us a little hard to hear to be honest. Nick Cave goes crazy, I wouldn’t be surprised if his more speech-driven vocals in his later stuff was caused by him going all out here, it was pretty weird to hear from him as I’ so used to his later stuff. His lyrics were still consistent to his style though but with a lot more random noises thrown in. The mix was a bit weird however because sometimes it’s too quiet to hear certain parts but suddenly blasts out of nowhere at points. I can see how this may have been influential though and it’s a fun listen. Favourites: Dead Joe, The Dim Locator, Several Sins, Big Jesus Trash Can and Junkyard. Overall, 7/10.
you guys are dramatic as fuck, its not even that bad don't enjoy the vocal delivery definitely the funniest album so far did I need to hear this before I die? no. but was it fun? sometimes
I mean, this is the kinda unhinged goth shit I can appreciate tbh. Not spectacular, but definitely not boring lol. I think a 4 is fair for it, I could come back to it at some point (probably going to give it a while though lol).
About as harsh as post punk gets. Everything about this album is so well crafted, it all describes itself and promotes what it’s supposed to be and what it’s about. Which begs the question - what is it about? I dunno. Nick Cave’s got one of the best voices around and is simply a very very very cool guy. 4.0/5.0 Best Song: Big Jesus Trash Can
I typically struggle quite a bit with Nick Cave but I actually liked this quite a bit. I was nervous after hearing the first track but the rest of the record clicked. It felt weird and psych and very influential on the post punk scene and I loved Nick Cave’s Tom Waits vocals.
This is rad. Kind of all over the place. Really fun eccentric post punk. Something is definitely in the water down in Australia.
Interesting to hear Nick Cave before his Bad Seeds era. This is completely different. Super noisy, manic and raw. His vocals aren't as clear as later on, but that adds to the chaos of this whole thing very nicely. The playing is completely wild and super fascinating. It feels very claustrophobic, on a bunch of songs even scary. I like that, but I can see why it wouldn't appeal to a lot of people.
Abrasive, noisy, beautiful - I love it!
Solid
not verrryyy
Chaos of the most beautiful kind!
What an incredibly bizarre album. This record sounds filthy, aggressive and super macabre. If I have to compare the sound of this record to another bands, I would say that 'Big Black' and 'Swans' are very similar groups, and it makes sense because some of the labels given to this project are 'Pig Fuck' and 'No Wave'. The guitars of this album are as bright and distorted as in 'Songs about Fucking' by Big Black, and some songs do also feature the same raw energy so characteristic of that project. The best example would be the song 'Dead Joe', which features a very furious and fast drums. But the songs can also be very slow and heavy. The introduction to the album, "She's Hit", and the ending 'Junkyard' feel as dense as some of the material in 'Filth' by Swans, an incredibly hard and disturbing 'No Wave' record, which came a year after this project. However, the most remarkable aspect of the album is that the singer is none other than Nick Cave. Discovering this fact was very surprising, as I would never associate this man to this type of music. But he did a great job. His voice is still as distinguishable as ever, doing the same operatic singing he does in his future works. Nevertheless, this might be the instance in which he sounds the most like a mad man. The performances he does in this album are truly insane, and by that I mean crazy and demented. He screams, growls, do weird things with his voice... anything than can make him sing as absurd as possible. Overall, I was very surprised by this album. I don't love it, but I am very invested in the insanity and the bizarre sound of all the tracks.
Love the noisy and brash style, if a bit tiring by the end
I both understand and weirdly don't understand why this album is hated so much. It is pretty abrasive, but honestly I was somehow expecting it to be even more abrasive and experimental, closer to noise. It mostly sounds like if you took the most abrasive Nirvana songs and made them goth rock/post-punk. And there are some less abrasive, more traditional type stuff on it like Several Sins. Honestly quite enjoying this. Stuff like Dim Locator and Several Sins are great. Not the best Nick Cave project I've listened to (Murder Ballads and Tender Prey rank higher for me), but this is some good stuff.
Sneaky way to get even more Nick Cave in here, I guess. Joke's on you though, I actually kinda liked this more than just about any of his solo albums that I've heard. Bottom 20 of all time here, and I can understand why, but this was a super cool album just for how wild it is. 3.5/5
This was interesting!
This is trash, i am into it. It scratches the itch of Tom Waits, a little Squirrel Nut Zippers, and like an evil Elvis Costello. Utterly bizarre.
Fascinating. I don’t know if I would listen again, but this is a type of weird I can get down with. At first I thought I could not possibly continue on, but then I was suddenly lured into an underground vampiric one-man show with knife demonstrations that freak you out, but you remind yourself IT’S JUST A SHOW AND THEY’RE NOT GUNNA KILL ME DOWN HERE LOL! And yeah, it was kinda hot. And yeah, Big Jesus Trash Can might be my new favorite song. Sex bat horror vampire sex cool machine!
A good run
I get it and I get that most people don't
Interesting. Better than expected. But got a bit bored with it towards the end. R liked it; H did not.
I was not expecting to like this as much as I did, but it was dynamic, gritty and short. Reminded me more of pure punk or grunge than post polunk which is probably why I like it a bit better. 4/5
My initial reaction here was that it was very trebly and I looked it up and that was very intentional, so immediately it is an artistic choice that I didn't like, but got the reaction they wanted I think. The songs are ok, I really like Nick's vocals when he is in full baritone mode, I'm not so keen on his screaming. The music is often good, except again, I really disliked the first track. I think as it went on I like it more and more. The track kiss me black was a highlight, I do wonder if that is because I felt it was more like his later work with the bad seeds. Maybe that's unfair. I dunno. I think with more bass and less treble I'd like it more. Apparently the album before this they felt it was overproduced so I'm tempted to dig that out and see if I like that more. But again as this went on I grew into it. Not as much as I like some bad seeds stuff, but enough to be tempted to give it a low 4, but maybe that is a bias as I like nick cave as an artist rather than cos I liked this album. I am torn. I think let's be generous. Low 4.
The Birthday Party is not for the faint of heart "I like everything" types. Abrasive, weird, and noisy. I prefer Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, but this is an interesting listen. 3.5/5 #177
Really liked, need to check out more
Demonic fury, disintegrating blues rock, and a darkness falling over everything. (pow, pow, pow, pow).
Це клас, ранній Нік Кейв, крейзі енергетика.
Pretty good
Jeg fik både svunget støvsugeren, og fjernet kanin lort. Så det går ikke stille for sig. Det er ret mørkt til tider, andre gange direkte gøglet.
Det er mørkt, råt og skramlet. Det hænger meget godt sammen med de tidlige Bad Seeds skiver
You might expect an album by a band called The Birthday Party to be mainly songs about jelly, cake and balloons, but hello, who’s this shambling into the studio? That’s right kiddies, it’s our old friend Nick Cave fronting this post punk band and sounding like Tom Waits, if he’d decided to focus on heroin instead of booze. This is reliably good stuff from Cave though, and clearly shows where he would be heading later with the Bad Seeds and his solo work. One track of note is ‘Release the Bats’ which was an early proto-goth song, featuring the memorable line "sex horror sex bat sex sex horror sex vampire sex bat horror vampire sex." Goth-tastic!
Post-punk much more off-putting than most of its counterparts. Lots of discordance, very jangly, purposefuly playing on your nerves, but I tend to like this kind of atmospheres. The way Cave is singing is also interesting, alternating between his disctinctive voice and grunts. Not the best album ever, but way more interesting that all the dad rock and other nonsense this list is full of.
Bravo Nick, awfully brilliant
BARULHEIRA E GRITARIA CAÓTICA E DISSONANTE FINALMENTE PORRAAAAA. bem gótico/post-punk, dá pra ver que influenciou uma galera boa e que foi influenciado por uma galera boa tbm. achei bacana como algumas músicas parecem só uma super parede de som com uns berro do nick cave. ótima maneira de quebrar os 1000 albuns pau mole da lista. escutarei mais vezes!
This album took a couple of listens, but it grew on me and I ended up quite liking it.
Brilliantly nuts, I sort of love Post Punk in some moods
I’m glad Rat Fink could show up. I like this. Not ironically I actually legitimately like this. It’s messy and chaotic but it’s still clearly done with musicality. Like Dead Joe, that song rules, it also has the most Nick Cave ass section where he starts talking about Christmas halfway through.
Early Nick Cave noise rock? I'm in!
Nick Cave makes so much more sense as the lead singer of a psychobilly noise rock band. I assume he still dresses the same cos his style is bang on for this music which is why it's so jarring for everything else. As an album it was a touch too loose but there were some great songs on here. Really reminded me of mclusky with big bass lines keeping the song together and the guitars doing mad stuff. Kiss me black the best of this sort I think, really enjoyed several sins too. Turns out I'm a nick cave fan after all!
Nick Cave, innit?
Nick Cave. Yep! Yep yep yep
Junkyard doesn't sit as high up there as Door Door or Prayers on Fire for me but it is still excellent. Guitar work is fantastic, vocals guttural and spat at you. This one meanders at times, and I think the poet we know and love in Cave came later in the Bad Seeds, where he honed expertly weaving the macabre, angst and romance together. Here we only get two of the three.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit, a very unique album. I am a big fan of noise rock and post punk, so I was excited that there is an album here that combines them. I do however think that there is room for improvement here. This album reminds me a lot of Atomizer by Big Black. Low 4.
this is good but also i can see why a bunch of people here hate it lmao
I have a good friend who likes Nick Cave. Other than listening to some Grinderman, I have never found the right entry point to a fairly extensive catalog, although, having recently started to watch Peaky Blinders, in which Cave's music features, I have been thinking of exploring further. Then this turns up. I have heard the name, The Birthday Party, but knew nothing about them, not even that Nick Cave and other Bad Seeds started out here. Musically, it reminds me of PIL, angular, spiky post-punk; some of the guitar playing puts me in mind of Television; but it is feral and unhinged. Cave wails and howls, the band lurches and zigzags - sometimes it sounds rockabilly, sometimes almost metal, sometimes like a murder set to music. Whatever it is, I like it.
This sounds like Nick Cave is trying to mix the gritty experimental post punk of Public Image Ltd with the gritty blues rock of Tom Waits. If every part of that sentence makes you cringe, be prepared to loathe this album! For the minority of us though, it's a pretty wild ride. Nick Cave certainly refined his style and learned to calm down for the Bad Seeds albums. These humble beginnings are filled with a lot more angst, energy and subversion though, which is either grating or refreshing, depending on your outlook. 4 stars because I think it deserves better than to be one of the worst ranked albums on the list.
This was good.
Uncompromising!
Weird, fun, raw
Alay
3.5⭐️/5 [11.26.2024] 01.06.2026
I forgot to tell you about several sins 😂💘
exciting, dark, and a little insane, it lives up aesthetically to its title
I’m always happy to say the sentence, “I’ve never heard anything like this before.” Nick Cave growls and snarls and screams through a wild set of dark and brooding post-punk songs. On some songs, he sounds like Tom Waits with more of a demonic touch. On other songs he sings like a demented lounge singer. The band shifts too. Sometimes they lurch through heavy, brutal riffs, and sometimes they actually swing! Wild, brilliant and totally unique.
It did grow on me! The first few tracks are quite jarring but it settles down! Some really good tracks toward the end of the album, more of the Nick Cave-esque stuff we find later on! 3.5 stars really...
Definitely not for everyone but personally I liked this much more than I thought. Am I going to listen to it often? No, but this is some good chaos and makes me want to take a deep dive into Cave's discography.
Rat Fink is definitely a vibe.
Interesting punk
Had to track this down on YouTube. You can see what Nick Cave would become. Absolutely wonderful noise.
First and foremost, the Ed Roth cover is sick. When I pulled this I thought I had never heard of The Birthday Party, and then I played the first track and was like OH! Nick Cave's punk band! As much as I love the Bad Seeds' discography I'd never listened to a TBP album. Glad I finally did! This is a messy, noisy post-punk album. Even falls into the no wave category at times, sounding similar to an early Swans record. Which is a good thing in my book! Nick Cave's vocal are manic. He sounds like Elvis on acid. Scroll down 100 entries on this page and you'll see a brief review of Ghosteen (recorded nearly 40 years after this) where I mention it making me cry. Talk about some range. Nick Cave rules. This album is sick.
Nick Cave's first band. This sounds like Nick's reimagining of Tom Waits. It's like noise rock meets blues punk or some shit. It's really abrasive, but really interesting. Nick fuckin belts out lyrics and it is full of blood curdling screams. Everyone abuses the living fuck out of their instruments. It's super dark, and super noisy, but super interesting. If it was anyone else I would probably hate it, but Nick Cave has a way of structuring stuff that is just great. There is structure amid the absolute chaos. Favourite songs: Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow), 6" Gold Blade, The Dim Locator, Release the Bats, Blast Off, Dead Joe, Several Sins Least favourite songs: She's Hit 4/5
i like this more than prayers on fire but 81-82 is so amazing that this album feels obsolete. this is obviously still really cool but i dont listen to it half as much as i do 81-82. 7/10
þetta hlustaði ég á og (þóttist?) fíla. veit ekki alveg með þetta. en fær fjögur vegna fortíðar.
I get why this is globally rated low as it’s unpolished and abrasive, but I really enjoyed this. It got my adrenaline pumping and has a crazy vibe to it. It’s the musical equivalent of getting punched in the face, tasting blood, and feeling your anger ignite you as your endorphins kick in and numb you. The bass absolutely rips, the guitar shreds, and Nick Cave is on one here, sounding like David Byrne going through a manic episode. This’ll put some hair on your chest!
A really shrill album. I haven't heard anything from Nick Cave's first band yet. But you recognize him immediately. I would describe the music as caustic in places. Nevertheless, I find it so interesting that I'm going to listen to the album again. 4/5
Schön zu sehen, wo die Wurzel von Nick Cave liegen. Heute gefällt er mir besser, aber die Lieder haben ihren Charme.
The seeds of genius were sown here.
I’m really glad I made it past the first few tracks. She’s Hit is a long, boring slog that felt like if The Misfits had all the codeine before going into record. The album really picks up after the first version of Dead Joe though. I respect Nick Cave, but generally don’t enjoy his music. This rawer, less “ooh I’m making some sort of spooky murder mystery dinner theater” shtick version works for me.
In 1993, I won a three-day trip to the US when I was 16. The prize was the opportunity to be there for an interview of Nirvana, in Seattle. That's how I spent one afternoon with Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl. It's not that I wanna boast about that particular experience here, yet I feel the need to mention the latter because there's a connection in my mind between that three-day trip and this Birthday Party album. A journalist was with me, of course. His name was Youri. Some time before the interview took place, we went to an independent record store. Youri bought some CDs there. Beastie Boys' *Check Your Head* was among them. And more crucially for the purpose of this review, so was The Birthday Party's *Junkyard*. I remember Youri telling me I should listen to those two records. Being as much an Indie-rock buff as I was a hip hop fan at the time, I followed his advice for the Beastie Boys CD, and this as soon as I got back to France. But I didn't for The Birthday Party (an admittedly harder CD to find, even in those years). And now here I am, more than thirty years later, finally listening to *Junkyard*. It's quite moving, to be honest. Of course, since 1993 I have already caught up on many stylistic aspects pivotal to the understanding of this uncompromising work of art. I have a decent collection of post-punk "classics", going from Wire to IDLES. And I love most of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds albums. In a sense, I am more "prepared" to listen to this record than I would have been at the age of 16. And indeed, *Junkyard* feels very much like a laboratory given to Cave to test out ideas he would later refine and polish with The Bad Seeds. Of course, it's the laboratory of a mad scientist--raucous, noisy and unsettling in a manner presenting The Birthday Party as the love child of Bauhaus and The Jesus Lizard (forgive me for the anachronism here, yet "Big Jesus Trash Can" sounds *a lot* like David Yow's outfit). Roland S. Howard was also an amazing guitar player, by the way, not to mention a brilliant writer of bluesy lines and memorable hooks (as the more restrained and yet ominous "Several Sins" can prove). It's very sad that he passed away so soon. What I'm gonna add is a bit commonplace for quote-unquote "difficult" and "abrasive" records, but repeated listens do enhance the experience of this collection of scorchers. The most "animated" tracks (a-hem) usually stand out, between Cave's howlings and the hectic rhythm patterns played by that insane drummer, whoever he was. Check this out in the opener "Blast Off" (inexplicably left off in the original vinyl release). Or in "Dead Joe", "The Dim Locator" and the single-only "Release The Bats" (also found on CD versions). And some moodier cuts do stand out as well, especially the terrific title-track. So, not for the faint of heart, obviously. Yet truly rewarding for anyone interested in the umbrella genre of "post-punk" and goth/no wave shenanigans. There you go, Youri. I have finally listened to this album. I hope you're still enjoying it these days, wherever you are, man. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential" albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5+3.5). Number of albums left to review: 179 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 357 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 206 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 260
Surprisingly listenable. Can't go wrong with Rat Fink.
Nick Cave’s original punk bad. My first attempts at getting into it years ago failed - but now I can see through its pleasures. Enjoyed it.
There's something fucked up about Australia & this band built that into a guitar sound template. I think knowing about Nick Cave's career of many silly & bland murder ballads holds me back from appreciating his contributions more here. When I want to hear this vibe I go for the Drones or Rowland S Howard solo instead. They do the rumble & screech thing real good and I am grateful for this sound template. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
Thirty seconds in I was rollin my eyes like, “Alright, Nick Cave…” Then each passing song made me feel more insane and by the end I loved it. Honest to god a second listen might bring this to a 5. Lots of people in the reviews hate this one. “Wah wah wah,” I say.
3,5 the more I hear it the better it gets. Standout: She’s Hit
Love me some Nick Cave
Such abraisive noise! I mean that as a compliment.
It's loud and abrasive and weird. I quite like it.
What an explosive start! Loved this, and a band I've never heard of before. Not quite lifechanging enough for a five however.
Let this lurch and slither into your ears if you're feeling like getting unwell for a minute.
4.2 - never heard of them before, pretty interesting and musically very cool. Would like to re listen to get more appreciation
epic album, fuck the 2/5 global review. On the real this thing is ridiculous and awful, but I get such a kick out of abrasive music and vocals that somehow comes together to create something listenable, I really do enjoy this album and there are awesome moments littered thoughout it. Epic album cover also Fav Track: Several Sins 3.5/5
Raucous and manic, with Nicky boy in murder mode. LOVED the drums on this one, cracking in like gunshots and puttering in and out, only occasionally settling in on a groove. It can be shrill and punishing, definitely a sometimes food, but a treat! Fave track: She's Hit
This album is ugly -- in a good way. The raw production and unhinged vocals from Nick Cave carry an energy that reminds me of modern acts like Tropical Fuck Storm. POW POW POW POW POW! Fav Tracks: She's Hit, Dead Joe (both versions), The Dim Locator, Several Sins, Big-Jesus-Trash-Can, Junkyard Least Fav Track: Kiss Me Black 7/10
Reminds me of reverend Payton’s voice sung like Marylin Manson over a noisy version of Pixies guitar and splash of the Cramps. My kind of noise
Getting used to it.
i didn’t really understand what the hell i was listening to but i dug it. then i saw that this was Nick Cave’s band and it all made sense. hell yeah.
Brilliant
I imagine bands like the Jesus Lizard, Nomeansno, Drive Like Jehu, even the Pixies listened to this. My favorite bands' favorite band. Favorite song: kiss me black
Pretty wacky not many redeeming parts
this really grew on me as I kept listening
Only heard Hee Haw before and liked that. Huge fan of NC (some stuff anyway). I dug this one, more consistent that Hee Haw.
Pré Bad Seeds, post Boys Next Door; the guitars from RS Howard are great.
So incredibly rough around the edges, but you can feel Cave's whole shtick coming through. The musical equivalent of Max Max 1.
Totalt meget mig! Kæft noget kaotisk larm. Tit egentlig ret langsomt. Det er den Birthday Party plade der lyder mest som The Bad Seeds.
My kind of terrible
I love Birthday Party 4.25/5
Nick Cave never really went as weird or heavy on his solo/Bad Seeds material as he did with his old band and it’s kind of a shame, I like this sound. Still, I’m grateful to live in a world with Murder Ballads and Skeleton Tree, so I’m not too sad that he changed course. B
Nick Cave doing his thing, over noisy fast punk noise. This is a good thing! Not quite he "all time classic" I would give 5 stars, but not all that far short. A wonderful insight into one of the great artists as he was figuring it al out.
Well, this is true alternative. Most of the time, I have no idea what's going on. For all the weirdness, the songs are just incredibly aesthetically pleasing, though. And pretty hilarious.
This one’s interesting. Kind of a gateway from punk to metal.
Meh, I guess this is cool if you enjoy listening to Nick Cave moaning and screaming like the devil over a layer of dissonance. Or Now That's What I Call Post-Punk Vol. 2
Nick Cave has two modes: wildly erratic or deeply emotional. With the Birthday Party he does a bit of both … But mainly he screams and roars as if possessed. What a treat! Also; find me a better song title than “Big Jesus Trash Can”. I dare you.
Nick Cave and his band of merry post punks bring the house down with this. It’s loud, brash and shows that Australia can BRING IT. What an aggressive and sexy piece.
Nick Cave's first band made a punk record that was basically punk when it was already dead. It's a corpse of punk. Dark stories straight out of horror films or weird fiction instead of political protest songs. "She's hit" is one of those masterpieces. Still, I prefer the Bad Seeds. Nick evolved to be a great songwriter and lyricist with the help of those talented musicians. If he and Mick Harvey would've continued with this band they might have not become the talented chaps they were now. The music just sounds too similar in the end.
Inspired early Cave. The rawness adds a chaotic energy that is refined in The Bad Seeds LPs that followed, but there is something in the nascent finding and striving in this LP that makes it stand up in its own right rather than seeming like Cave juvenalia.
Chaos. There's something fascinating about it.
There is a lot to take in here. This music is kind of confrontational, but it’s always interesting. One thing I noticed was that Nick Cave’s later Grinderman albums seem to harken back to this frenetic and aggressive style.
This is a very odd album. Junkyard very much in that post punk lane, but it has a unique combination of two different sub-genres, no wave and goth punk. This album in my opinion is very noisy. The best example of this is Blast Off, a song that is almost entirely no wave. The next song though, She’s Hit, cements the album in its gothic roots. It’s very dark and heavy but also containing that punk flair we know punk to be. This gothic no wave continues through most of the album and it’s pretty enjoyable. No tracks particularly stand out other than the first two, so take that as you will. This was an enjoyable little post punk record though. I’d give it a 7/10.
It was better than 3 stars but I would need more time with it to figure that out, so 4 stars it is.
Great violent post-punk, often bordering on noise rock. As much as this album appeals to me though, there are a few clear failings that keep it from true greatness: Firstly, I think the album should lean even harder into the angular, noisy angle than it already does. Secondly, the lo-fi production does the sound a disservice. I don’t mean that in a audiophile purist sense, but the muddy sound of all the instruments really take away from their attack and makes for a much less striking experience overall. Still, it’s a very worthwhile album. I also really like the album cover
Pretty good. The sound is a bit too dirty for my tastes, but very solid stuff.
A fucked piece of shit. A consensual curb stomping. More proof that the "Lowest Rated Albums" on this site are generally more exciting and fun than the "Highest Rated Albums". This was awesome. Haters will be turned into molten slag in the molten slag machine that comes free with every junkyard.
The guy on the album cover reminds me of this record store that used to be maybe half an hour from me. It closed about two years ago but the style is really similar. I did have to keep the lyrics up while listening to the songs because it was super hard to tell what was being said. At least I really liked the instrumental!
Love the wildness o this...nick at his most unhinged and chaotic.
Deranged and awesome
It's my party and I'll angrily scream about dark oblivion if I want to.
I really like Nick Cave, but this was the first time I’ve listened to The Birthday Party. It was pretty fun, but had a few weak spots.
Peak Birthday Party!
A fave from my youth. marvellous
I'm glad Nick Cave made this music so he could chill later in his career. Music described as challenging is always a bit hit and miss. I think I'd need a few more listens to fully decide on this one. It does make me think my high school science teacher was a punk as fuck though.
This album sounds like what I would have expected the Doors to sound like if they had been a post punk band. Nick Caves delivery and prominence reminded me of the charisma of Jim Morrison, and the lyrics highlighting darker aspects of life. The music is takes most of its influence from punk, but channels it into something more powerful and arresting.
I mean, it's Nick Cave and it's nasty post-punk/punk blues played in the noisiest style, so of course it's good. Not to mention that it largely paved the way to so many bands in Australia so there's no denying that this and Prayers on Fire are essentials. It's not the biggest classic for me but I have a lot of respect for it and when I need dirty post-punk this certainly gets the job done.
This album is ranked #1001/1001 on this site and I honestly can't figure out why. It's just a Nick Cave album. It's like all his albums. Abattoir Blues has a global average of 3.35 and Junkyard here has a global average of 2.08. This album is interesting and spooky and you're all just big babies.
A glorious racket.
Did not know this was Nick Cave
Wow, an early Nick Cave band that I wasn't familiar with previously. Noisy, dark, and chaotic. A glimpse inside the brilliant, tortured mind of Nick Cave. 4 stars.
Ah yes, love a bit of Aussie post punk. This album just is great from start to finish. Blast Off really sets the scene, Dead Joe is a screamer and Release the Bats is just wild.
Some of the most depraved, diseased, disorienting pieces of Aussie rock and roll from what would eventually be one of the country's greatest bards of the last forty plus years. And you wonder why they named the band The Birthday Party..... a junkyard indeed. Favorites: Blast Off, She's Hit, Hamlet (Pow Pow Pow), Big Jesus Trash Can, Kiss Me Black, 6" Gold Blade, Kewpie Doll, Junkyard.
Todella vaarallista ja arvaamatonta rockmusiikkia. <3 Cave 4/5
Uh, en tiiä onko Nick Cave -bias, minkä takia tähän keskittyi paremmin, mutta olipas hyvä. Vähän kuten Fugazilla, aggressiiviseen menoon saatu kivasti musakoukkuja ja tunnelmaa. Aika paljon kans samaa mystistä vetovoimaa kuin Caven Bad Seeds -jutuissa, mikä varmaan herran itsensä ansiota. 3.5/5, joka nyt pyöristyy niukasti ylös.
A fun post punk album. It is clear to see where Nick Cave has come from, and I didn't even know this band existed.
Not on Spotify - tracked it down on YouTube. At first I was like .... what the hell is this? But as the album charged on I actually got excited wondering what was coming next. It felt like a live record with the amount of “urgency” in the instrumentation. I can tell they would have been fun to see live. I can definitely see more modern bands like Idles drawing a lot of influence from this. Fav tracks: “Big Jesus Trash Can” “Dead Joe”
I don't fully understand post-punk. But this album had a lot of cool elements to it.
A lot of people hate this album. I agree that it sounds as a dirty mess. Why do you expect something else with this album name? It's a perfect album to listen to after an awful day at work or a fight with a friend or your partner. It's raw, foul and is always on your side. Even if you are unreasonable.
Fantastic album, not Cave’s best but still highly recommended. 8.5/10
very guttural, punk/roch sound. Overall, enjoyed it and might go back to it!
Lovely stuff
It’s ok, not my thing.
(66/100)
Escuchando
This album will be my introduction to Nick Cave. While he has 5 solo albums on the list in addition to this, I have not had any of them. It's also in the bottom 20 albums globally(which adds a layer of intrigue to it). And, listening to it, I have no idea what to make of this. It's completely wild and mentally insane, with pop songwriting and production taking a backseat to the manic energy of Cave's vocals and the band. A lot of it sounds like random noise for the sake of noise, but there are actual musical elements in here. Lyrics are chosen more for shock value than anything else and often sound incoherent. So, yeah, this isn't necessarily a great album. It's not outright bad, but it's certainly difficult to listen to. I don't quite know what the band hoped to achieve when making this(maybe alienating most functionally normal people?). Anyway, I find this album to be more interesting than it is likable. Also, the album cover makes me want to rip out my own eyes every time I look at it for more than a second. This album is the lowest ranked album of 19 1982 albums by global rating. Other 1982 albums rated by me: 1999(2/19)-4 Rio(4/19)-4 Nebraska(6/19)-3 Too Rye Ay(8/19)-2 The Rise and Fall(10/19)-4 The Nightfly(11/19)-3 The Dreaming(12/19)-3 Black Metal(17/19)-2
Huh. That was... an album. I've known about this album's existence for a good while now, mostly for one reason. This album, Junkyard by the Birthday Party, is one of the lowest rated albums on the 1001 Albums website. Now, those albums that are way down there tend to not be great, but I had my doubts about the perceived "horrible nature" of this album when I found out what it was. I mean, Nick Cave is on it! How bad can it really be? Well, in my opinion, it didn't turn out bad! I don't dislike this album. I don't love it, but I certainly wouldn't call it the eighth worst album on the list. What are you all on about? Okay, to be fair, this album is very much so "not for everyone." This album is noisy and abrasive and off-putting. But, I don't know. I'm not going to deny that this album is all of those things, but it does those things in a way that I found kinda interesting. It's harsh, yes, but in a sorta tongue-in-cheek way that causes me to not hate the album experience. It's fairly punk-ish, in a way. Nick Cave's vocals work very well for this style of music. That man really is versatile, isn't he? The writing isn't super complex, but it fits the atmosphere. The album's not too long. I have no intents on listening to this ever again, but I have respect for this album. If nothing else, it's certainly unique. I don't hate this. Low 3/5.
Wasn't able to find this Spotify but thanks to this link I was able to find a lot of the songs: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLglUu7rOaMDtVwnAyTk9BNz80ONuhBxkO Before listening to this album, I noticed this was one of the lowest rated albums. Makes sense why. It's like if blues/post-punk was made with the screechiest, roughest instruments. They do make a dirty/scrapyard sound, except for the singer. He doesn't sound tuff, bro sounds like a zombie tweaking out 🤡. Not sure what made them think a few 4+ minute songs were a good idea. At least it's better than the last album, that had little to no changes in its instrumentation (2.5-3).
Exactly as frantic and primal as the cover suggests. A real patient zero for noisy post-punk and industrial. That being said, the songs are bit flat and don't always have the best writing. As important as this album is, maybe I secretly prefer patients 1-100.
This is Nick Cave without restraints, running around like a headless chicken. It's raw, edgy, chaotic and confrontational noise rock with a psychological intensity. It's exhausting and yet somehow brilliant. Did I like it? No. Did I enjoy it? No. Did I struggle with it? Yes. But does it deserve some credit? Yes, and I think it's worthy of a 3 at least. I won't rush to listen to it again, but there's something about it that deserves more than just a 1 or 2.
good
🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 Much like with Pere Ubu, how could this possibly be one of the lowest ranked albums of THOUSANDS? Sheryl Crow is higher than this?? I don't mean to be one of those dudes, but genuinely, you can't handle a little dissonance?! This was pretty fun, although as usual, I think 47 minutes at this level of noise with little variance is pushing it. That said, every song has its own character and I enjoyed that. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing
Mye rart her, men helt ok totalt sett. Er et eksperiment.
Wow this is low fi! Difficult listen given the familiarity and quality of Nick Cave’s later work. Several Sins is really good but the rest was a bit of an ordeal!
i went into this one wanting to be a contrarian enjoyer bc, as u can see, most people on here dont really like this album. unfortunately i thought it was just kinda fine and lowkey repetitive, also i dont respect nick cave so 🤷♂️
As a fam of Nick Cave, I am ashamed to admit that I had never listened to the Birthday Party. Until today that is. It was fun, it was the Cave we know form From Her to Eternity, but not quite yet. Now I am curious about the earlier Birthday Party work as well.
It does feel like the album is aptly named. ★★★
I liked it. A few years ago I wouldn't have. Since I've been leaning into post punk the vocals, especially Nick Cave a likes that used to bother me, I now appreciate this quite a bit more. You can hear the influence this band has had on post-punk that followed it. In particular, Tropical F*ck Storm. Chaotic and noisy and all over the place. See that cat in the lower left hand corner of the album cover? That's how I felt at the end of hearing this.
thanks website i think we can take a break from the nick cave now
I'd liked on of the songs before! Even though I thought I'd never heard of them. This rips, an antecedent to Viagra Boys.
ka
22/1001 Junkyard - The Birthday Party (1982) When I was a kid I'd often buy a sour sweet called a "Toxic Waste". This album both sounds like some sort of synesthetic approximation of how the sweet would sound, and its album cover would not be out of place on the wrapper of one of these sweets. Starting with 'She's Hit' then going into the three tracks after is quite the bait and switch. The track list consists of a few milestones (opener, 'Several Sins', title track), and a path laden with unfriendly chaotic noise in-between. It's still accessible and listenable, not as sloppy or abrasive as other albums I've heard, but the production and vocals aren't shy about being challenging. Nick Cave's vocals complement this record in whichever way he's going for - e.g. it actually makes things sound better or even more grimy and disgusting. I'm generally not shy about not "getting" albums that it's clear others do, and I don't think I feel the same way about this as the fans, but I didn't hate it; I felt the way I think the group wanted me to feel. It was interesting to hear Nick from before he became the wise elder of rock, and I can definitively say if there one thing the album does well - it's that it captures the feeling of living in England and hating every moment pretty well. ★★★
I didn’t like it, but I thought I would hate it more. Stand-outs - She’s Hit - Several Sins
Day837 - i’m all for punk of any kind. this is especially goofy
oooo creepy
This gets better the further you make it into the record, but I doubt most people will give it the chance. Abrasive post punk, and certainly an interesting chapter in Nick Cave's career. I was unaware that he did something like this, so I do think it merits an inclusion here, but there are better post punk/noise rock albums out there. 2.5, rounded up as there a few tracks here I would come back to
I liked this pretty well despite and because of the intentional ugliness. It kind of sounds like second wave industrial music like Ministry. The bass especially fits that category. My favorite was probably The Dim Locator which sounds like lo-fi Television.
There are a couple tracks that I Really Like but overall unfortunately it's a bit too much for me :/
Weird, noisy, kinda dark. I wouldn't listen again, but I thought this was pretty interesting and it's wild that this is what Nick Cave was doing in his early career. The album cover is hilarious and tbh I think that's where most of my stars are coming from.
80s punk Nick Cave is a thing
If I'm in the mood, this'd be OK. It's fun to listen to Nick Cave when he was a cheeky scamp.
Hated it to start with but it grew on me by the halfway point
Cool ass album cover
This album is the sonic equivalent of walking home in the dark while its slightly damp out and you are wearing a jacket too light for the wind chill. This album puts you on edge. The more melodic sections can’t be fully enjoyed because of the cacophony that you know is imminent. Great album. Favorites were She’s Hit, Hamlet, Big-Jesus-Trash-Can, and Kiss Me Black.
6/10
this album perfectly captures the essence of buckling up for an adventure
Could not review. Album not available to stream.
I appreciate this album more on day seven hundred eighty something than I would have at the beginning of this, uh, quest.
Interesting
At first I thought, “okay this is what we’re doing I guess.” But later I grew accustomed to this and maybe kind of liked it
that moment when your boogie boarding and get totally rolled
Meh. Didn't really care for this.
Not the easiest listen but could suit the right mood.
Ahh, the sweet sweet balm of raw anger. Ive been waiting for this one. Im a big Nick Cave fan but not a fan if this type of music and was wondering how i'd react. Turns out it was exactly what i expected. I loved Nick's anger and lyric and stomp. There was a lot more tune in the tracks than i expected but im still not a fan. A worthwhile inclusion.
Ett omslag värdigt Svintask. Musikaliskt då? Ja nog är det hårt, skramligt och fullt av energi. Det här att se en tydlig linje till det som skulle komma med From her to eternity ett par år senare. Då med ett mer förfinat sound. Här är Cave mer lovande än den fullfjädrade låtskrivare och artist han skulle komma att bli. Svag trea.
Det är mest energin och Caves röst som fångar mig. Kanske inte fullt av låtar som nockar mig, men ändå tilltalande på något vis. Det rätt snarlikt Caves första soloalbum, men här är det mer attityd än texterna som står i fokus.
Noisy. Another Nick Cave album.
I get why people don’t like this. I definitely wouldn’t say I’m a fan of the production, nor would I spin this on a consistent basis. But overall, I dig the blues-infused noise punk of it all. I especially like “She’s Hit”, “Several Sins”, “Kiss Me Black”, “The Dim Locator”, and “Big-Jesus-Trash-Can”. 3.5/5
Good.
噪音
дефінетлі нот май кап оф ті бат онестлі іт воз кул
The cover is so, so bad. But so far the music is good.
Not my type
Hahaha, this one made me laugh, mixed up instruments, Cave on full throttle, I watched him on UT whilst listening to this one, reminded me of Lux Interior, and Iggy Pop, favourite track “Dead Joe”
This is weird, noisy postbluespunkrock. I enjoyed the vibe and think that these kind of albums need to be on the list (unlike the Zutons) but can’t see this album returning to regulator rotation anytime in the beat nor distant future
Passa de ano mas definitivamente não é meu estilo de musica
Abrasive and chaotic yes, but still pretty good
Fav: She’s Hit Least Fav: Big Jesus Trash Can Can never hate on Nick Cave vocals
If you like nick cave you'll love this. because he's in it.
The music your friend tells you is great during an opium induced haze. Nick Cave definitely showing you his roots.
Chaotic Noisy Raw Punk Surf Rock.....quite enjoyable listening on the way into work this morning.
Day 173 Certainly interesting and there is definitely the odd song where you can hear the future nick cave sound very clearly but not sure I’ll return to it as a whole album Highlights Several Sins Kewpie Doll 6” gold blade
Not as bad as I was expecting based on the other reviews. Rough & rowdy. Sounds like a random drunk band playing in the back of a dive.
Kinda like a deranged version of the doors. Had its moments
There are bits that are ok, but this isn't good.
I like Nick Cave but thought this was gonna be hard work. Actually enjoyed it, considered a 4
I am a little familiar with Nick Cave, but had no clue about The Birthday Party. This is loud, obnoxious, shrill, abrasive, chaotic, sounds like shit, and honestly fun as hell. I don't know how often I'll revisit this album, but I can absolutely see it making into the rotation to match a very specific mood. This also was a fantastic break from a very long streak of 70s dad rock. So that's for that The Birthday Party!
A bit too much for me but an interesting listen
A very dirty album. It sounds like there's a lot to be said, but I'm not quite sure what the overall message is. It's a rambling mess. Tunes are absent. The production is deep and fuzzy. It leaves you feeling as though you need to scrub your nails after listening. Old Nick has mellowed in the years that followed.
A funny album - don't know how to describe it differently. I somehow like the music but I miss the highlights.
An album that has fun being aggressively not fun. Works in its specific time and place but isn’t something that begs repeat visits. I would love to to have an original copy on the shelf but it would rarely receive a spin.
The sensation of being slapped in the face by a freezing cold industrial hose converted to music. I kinda liked it.
Pretty cool. Very edgy. I feel edged...
Wild genre, snappy and neat
Dark, 7/10
I wonder how much I’d appreciate this without having first listened to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds? I think it’s hard to fully appreciate this from one listen but there is enough here to want to return. Some of this feels a bit murky, it’s noisy and uncomfortable but in a good way. Fave track: Several Sins
Early Nick Cave. Wild stuff.
I liked Dead Song.
It’s quite cool, but it sounds like a massive rip off of Pere Ubu to me. I like big Jesus Trash can and Hamlet
I will not include the CD reissue bonus tracks in this review, especially the opening bonus track, "Blast Off." Funny enough, I have been familiar with Nick Cave's first group, The Birthday Party, for a couple of years now. Who would have thought that one of the most prolific singer-songwriters out there would've come from a demented punk-blues hybrid? That said, I only heard a few songs from them before, notably "Release the Bats," which would become a very influential track on the gothic rock movement. I was curious what a full listen of this group's material would be like, especially with Junkyard being their last full-length record before they broke up. So, how did they go out? I'll admit, at first, I was mildly intrigued by the first half of this record. The distorted guitars from Mick Harvey and Rowland S. Howard, the murky bass from Tracy Pew, the pulse-pounding drums from Phill Calvert, and Nick Cave's mangled, borderline caterwauling vocals made for one of the most perverse sonic palettes I've heard in some time, as compositions ranged from lowly dirges like on "She's Hit" and "Several Sins", to full-on speed-driven, near-loss-of-control blazers like on "Dead Joe" and "Hamlet (Pow Pow)". All the while, Nick sang twisted tales of death, assault, and abuse, making liberal use of American Southern Gothic imagery to lean into the underlying violent tendencies and societal trauma. It was certainly enough to grip me at the start. The problem is that there was little throughline to keep me engaged all the way through, as the momentum of the album slowed down in the second half. That's not to say there wasn't some level of enjoyment with Nick's horrifying vignettes, but at some point, the shock value diminishes, and what remains is a hybridization of genres and ideas that blend with little way to connect them all into something meaningful. I still think Junkard was an okay record that showcased the bleak and noisy beginnings of some of the most notable songwriters out there. Nick Cave and Mick Harvey would go on to form the Bad Seeds, and Rowland S. Howard would go on to launch a successful solo career. In that regard, The Birthday Party can be considered a cornerstone for the gothic rock and post-punk acts to come.