Junkyard

Meh

Had a tough time getting in to this. It's got it's own vibe for sure, and I'm sure more listens would bring more appreciation to it. Scuzzy is a great word to describe it.

The classic Nick Cave's DNA, but with even more edge.

Really liked a few songs and really disliked other. Min/max for me.

Interesting sounds and Nick Cave’s voice makes this album standout. 3/5

Seeing the album cover and the low average score I expected to hate this. I didn’t found it interesting and atmospheric but very angry. Will I listen again probably not, but I’m glad I gave it a chance and I do believe there is a place for albums like this on the list.

I feel like this is one album I should not like as much as I do. I think I just like this kind of punk. Production wasn’t really that good. But there were some catchy songs. Really enjoyed “She’s Hit.”

Interesting little album, I really enjoyed the first song because it was fast-paced and energetic, but every song afterwards was quite more thoughtful while still keeping the grungy-ness. I can't say it made much of an impression on me but I feel like this might be one of those albums that grows on me the more I listen to it.

Hahaha, s ovim albumom smo, ili koji je već bio...drugi treći? Krenuli sa ocjenjivanjem. Prije ove aplikacije, Sven, Ivan i ja. Sjećam ga se kad sam ga slušao u SPS, na poslu. Čudno je sve to bilo, kasnije mi se više svidio, pogotovo uživo izvedba, 3.5/5 bi dao, ali naravno ovdje nema takvo šta.

flakka milli þriggja og fjögurra. Spennandi en samt varla nógu melódískt fyrir minn smekk

Crap cover but not bad album.

Talking Heads on crack. Nothing spectacular, but it is not like I did not enjoy the ride.

Prettty wild. Melvins-esque.

This cover is ugly. And not because of the Ed Roth troll driving a hot rod. That part is cool. It's because it looks like it started out as a good t-shirt decal and then someone airbrushed purple and pink over it for no reason? Oh man. It's bad. The music is better, though it didn't sink in. There's something to it that kept trying to drag me back in and I'll probably give it a closer listen some other time - though if I'm saying that now, it's also very possible that won't happen. It's a little like other Nick Cave stuff - it either grabs me at the top and holds on or I feel like I can't get in. With this, I can't get in.

In the plus column: raw, vital, wild, Nick Cave sounds positively demented, a good reminder of the gonzo potential of rock 'n' roll. Negatives: eh, you can't really dance to it, can you? And isn't it just that little bit too wilfully ugly? Good clean fun, all told. I'm glad there's space for this kind of unpasteurised music to exist.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: She’s hit

Damn, this shit was gritty and nasty! Reminded me of a band called The Horrors that I used to listen to in high school. Sure enough, they list The Birthday Party as one of their influences. This record felt a little drawn out but there was such a wealth of textures and sounds that I didn't mind it too much. Will definitely check out more from this band.

I'm not sure what to make of this - but I don't know that I'll bother listening to it again to find out.

It was good, but I wasnt that impress..

It is a cool, angry and edgy album, the singer is very nice, a kind of pissed-off Jim Morrison... but it lacks the "engaging" factor for me. I appreciated it, but I don't remember it and do not want to listen to it again. Glad to know it exists, tho.

It was more punk than expected but was good. Had never heard them or of them before this.

It’s been well covered here that the Nick Cave thing doesn’t really work for me. I think I liked this less than prior examples. I think they’re doing exactly what they set out to do with this and there is an audaciousness to it but I have no use for it.

It's like a demented Tom Waits but for all the tracks with a punk-noise backing band. I kind of dig it but not enough to be a "fan", but respect. WELCOME TO THE CAR SMAAAASH

Rat Fink music

Não me pegou muito, mas foi interessante conhecer.

Enjoyed it, but i doubt i'd listen again

It’s a mood.

Definite 3.5, will listen again

Chaotic and noisy. Quite likeable

This is my first listen to this album. I'm a little confused how this particular album seems to be so widely reviled, when there are way worse albums on here. It's fine, people. It's a little ramshackle and noisy, but it's also creative and weirdly fun. Musically, it has a gothic/post-punk/rockabilly sensibility, like Bauhaus and Cramps had a demon baby. I'll take this kind of snarling, high energy fun over Kid Rock any old day. Fave Songs: Dead Joe, Several Sins, The Dim Locator, Kewpie Doll, Junkyard

I'm not usually a Nick Cave fan, but I quite liked this.

Interesting but not my thing...some solid music but this would not be replayed by me anyday soon. But this is exactly the kind of album/education I expected to receive as I go through this list. Nick Cave is much older than I realized and his early efforts are completely unknown to me.

Nyt on bändillä osuva nimi, kunnon kaatismenoa. Melkein vois olla 4/5 multa, mut loppupuoli ei yhtä vahva ku alku ja Hamletin lopun hokeminen vähän rasautti (tarkoituksella? kenties.) Annetaan nyt 3/5.

I like this more than I thought. It was entertaining but not a must-play for me.

It's really interesting for 1982?! I would have guessed it was contemporary! But not real easy listening.

Sounds a lot like Nick Cave... oh. Cool!

I knew this was Nick Cave's old band but didn't expect it sound like this. A lot like The Fall which is a good thing to me

Rob zombie precursor

Не. Ну, не

So weird, couldn't stop listening becausenit was too weird

Love me some Birthday Party but I prefer "Hee Haw" to this one. The drugs had caught up to them by this point, and I think you can hear it

Nick Cave howls like a MADMAN, dawg. 5/10

Not bad, but probably wouldn't re-listen.

Listen later

I kinda dig it!

2.5 stars

Dark and damp, noisy as hell, rather well organized chaos. Standout Tracks: She’s Hit, The Dim Locater, Big Jesus Trash Can, 6” Gold Blade, Release The Bats

No standouts

I often enjoy some of the lowest rated albums on this list - the ones that eschew the conventional and therefore alienate the majority of listeners. This was just garbage. I think I liked one track and spent the rest of the time wishing it would finish. I am only giving to two to prevent the risk of this being lower than Kid Rock.

Far too sloppy. I’m not sure if intentional or not but the lack of timing was just too jarring for the music being played. I get that it may be going for a more DIY, punk aesthetic but at the very minimum keep a consistent tempo and try and hit more or less on the beat. Mixing was all over the shop (listen to ‘the dim locator’ and tell me why you can barely make out the vocals, and basically just hear the bass, the treble of the guitar and hi-hat/crash cymbals and very little else). Compared to Cave’s work with the bad seeds and beyond, this doesn’t touch the sides.

Junk indeed

I'm never quite sure if Nick Cave's thing is authentic or he's really just an over the top try hard. At this point I suppose it is who he is. No matter what I find it kind of tiresome after a while. Good playing and everything on the album but it all just sounds the same.

too much for me.... i get freaging grouchy just listening

Yeahhhh... not very great.. Didn't like it personally 2/5

I took one look at the album cover and knew I was not going to enjoy my experience. I have never been a fan of noisy music and this continued to prove my point.

No fav song

What a way to end the list it was absolutely bizarre from start to finish!

Better than I remember it.

Not really that enjoyable

A little all over the place. Sometimes good, sometimes I wanted to stop listening.

2/5

I should have believed the title a little more. Maybe a little more junk and a little less yard.

Even though I'm a Nick Cave fan, this didn't really do it for me.

This is not good. Not so much to give it a 1. Nick Cave does it again, why is there so much of him.

Not really vibing with this one

I think it's easy to slate albums like these for being weird and different to most of what's on this list. I respect the bizarre experimental post punk going on here, and I enjoy being challenged by what I'm listening to sometimes. That being said this is bad

Junk Yard reminds me of Supersuckers and Gas Huffer. I don't like Supersuckers and I don't like Gas Huffer.

Muss mer chalt checke zum fühle. Es checkt nur leider niemert drum isch 2.15 Schnitt. Ha so null ufpasst, dass i keis 1 drucke cha :(

High school me would’ve been all over this half-baked garage band. But now I’m like, meh. Not much to shake a stick at. Fine background music.

Wild and ugly: my least favorite version of NC. Album title and cover make sense.

1,5

I like Nick Cave, but this collection of noises ain't it.

Not my cup of tea.

Like many here like Nick Cave a lot, but this younger self thing just don’t do it. Post punk, the grimmer side of the British scene while sort of trying to channel Tom Waits quite badly. Though It’s not as bad as all that to be fair, hints at some of the great stuff he would later do, the discord is the point im guessing as is the shit cover, which is something else but some like that sort of thing. Was it any worth my time, about as much as the 53rd Elvis Costello album I have had to listen to on here, so hell no but at least unlike said 53rd album at least it was something different- 2Star

Plus one for the Rat Fink artwork of Big Daddy Roth, but the music is decidedly unworthy of the album art. In fact it’s god awful.

I may love messy music if constructed right, this is unfortunately a sloppy build with too many rough edges and no real content. However the album title Junkyard is absolutely suiting.

Noise art without the charm of Stump. You get the feeling that they take themselves very seriously indeed.

Half shite, punky madness - crazy album cover though fair play

Not my style.

Maybe if I had heard this in 1982, when it was fresh, it would have blown my mind but I’m not hearing it in 1982, I’m hearing it in 2026. To me it sounds like a load of unfinished ideas, some of which were finished by other bands, Pixies being one that springs to mind. I love Nick Cave’s solo work but I suppose we all do things in our youth that make us cringe when we think about them later.

Overall Rating - 2.25/5 (4.50/10). An overall unpleasant album. Not a fan.

2.3

decline the invitation to this celebration. jk i don't have anything actual to say about it except that it's been a week and I've forgotten about it completely.

Aussie punk.

Réttnefni á plötu.

A poor pulpy punky mess

SpongeBob is silly but this looks like something they would do. 2/5

This immediately reminded me of a bad Gang of Four knockoff. Normally, I like weird, but this just didn't resonate with me. I did like 6" Gold Blade and She's Hit.

Somewhat harsh, chaotic, rambly punk

Noisy, chaotic, interesting and not my thing.

didnt like it

no es lo mío ! 2/5.

A punk / post-punk album with some proto-grunge elements- it actually feels like this album was a stepping stone on the path to grunge. I could see how it was probably influential to later grunge and pop punk musicians, but didn't really do anything for me. Overall- not bad, but not for me. 2.5/5

Back to back stinkers. 2

Pretty aggressive but not necessarily bad or good.

This is pretty bad. The guy is annoying DNF.

I did not enjoy this. It was like the Talking Heads but with meth

Klinkt precies zoals de album cover er uit ziet haha

I usually like Nick, but this is taking the Mick.

Not sure how I got through all of this.

I found this quite annoying in the most part with the occasional bit I really liked. Weird.

Entiendo la importancia del disco y respeto su fiereza y carácter abrasivo, el hecho de que sea un asalto sonoro a manos de Cave, que tiene una de las voces más distintivas del panorama musical en general. Pero ha sido un horror escuchar esto, por lo que incluso si era la intención, no puedo calificarlo de otra manera

3/10

Hard to be mad at something whose cover delivers exactly what it promises, but it's even harder not to rage when this list is already overrun by mediocre white dude bands.

This album is as deranged and wild as its cover, but I wouldn't say it sounds like the cover. This doesn't barrel at you like a monster in a speeding car. Instead, it lurks and stirs menacingly, roaring the whole time. It's full of manic vocals, thumping bass, and grating guitars, but something prevents it from feeling like an all-out assault. Maybe it's the somewhat tinny production? Or the relatively sparse songwriting? There are few verses or choruses to find here, just the ravings of early career Nick Cave, and that mostly prevents the songs from gaining any kind of momentum. There are things happening, but they never fall into place and pummel you. For some that chaos is probably the draw. For me, it leaves me unable to find anything to grasp onto.

I do like a huge chunk of Nick Cave's work, he's a unique man, absolutely fascinating who produces many of the best songs around. I've dabbled with his early incarnation before, why wouldn't I? I'm search of more NC gems. I've come to the same conclusion as before, angry young man finding his way. It's a raw sound for sure, and it seems to be an important stepping stone to his later greatness. It's a stepping stone I'll leap over in the future.

Just no

A bit annoying after a while

aight

Maso

I did not care for this at all.

This was a high 2. I can respect that this was a new type of sound and that Nick Cave has an insane legacy, but I just didn't enjoy listening to it. And that's that!

Yikes, that was just nothing very good

Man, I respect him, but I just do not “get” Nick Cave.

Nick Cave strikes again

Пост панк но не оч

Well, I guess i’m not a big fan of post punk

Petit côté the résidents Parfois c’est comme mal produit on entend rien J’aime bien l’ambiance de 6’´ gold blade Pareil pour Junkyard Je trouve ça pas nul non plus 5/10

Initially, I was surprised I hadn't heard of this band, considering it's from my homeland. I quickly realised it's because they're shit.

This makes me think less of all of the Nick Cave albums I haven't gotten yet. Sorry but this album stinks like yesterday's diapers.

For however abrasive and noisy that it gets it does feel like a unique and interesting listen. Will not come back to it often though. 7/10 [KEEP]

You know, many of these last few items I may have been too gracious with; as I've forgotten them almost immediately after listening.

One good song. The rest was okay.

DNF'ed

this album was just not my dig but they did do a beatles tribute with blackbird which i thought was nice. the lead singer just needs to clear his throat and his vocals might pass

IT’S YOU!!! AND SO SOON!!! I actually have listened to very little of Nick Cave’s earlier works (generally a wild god/boatman’s call guy) so it’s nice to finally have a chance to hear his earlier more intense rock phase that he had with Birthday Party. His voice has always been so intense and expressive but it’s usually not pushed very far in his newer albums which are more typically more somber and reflective. With that said, I really wanted to give this a 5 based on my immense admiration for Cave, his life and his career, but there’s a reason The Birthday Party wasn’t a hit for its brief run. It just isn’t great. Nick Cave has better works so I don’t know why this made the list. It’s an intense, expressive, violent album (which was Birthday Party’s whole M.O.) so it did feel like a worthwhile listen, but that doesn’t mean I loved it. The instrumentals are so discordant and the sound mixing is so off-putting (TF was that “Dead Joe” thing) that I’m driven by subconscious forces to beg myself to stop listening. Somehow, I enjoyed it a decent amount all the same. A connecting thread for my 1 ratings is that they come from albums that are just plain boring. I’ve thought about moving Ramones down with Blonde on Blonde (which I think is my least favorite album so far) because it fits that mold of “doing what you’re okay at as safely as possible” that frustrated me so much. Junkyard does not bore me, and I did find myself glad that I listened to it, even if it may have been some masochistic amusement. This is bad, and though it probably was meant to be bad it doesn’t mean it should be rewarded for being bad. A few good/great tracks kept this from being a 1 though (love you “Blast Off”!) I want this album cover on a shirt ASAP.

I almost could see how this was cool in the early 80s. Almost. But not quite.

This genre is usually right up my alley, which honestly made this more disappointing. Nothing here really impressed me. It mostly just sounded like run of the mill post punk without much to separate it from a bunch of other albums doing similar things. That’s probably the biggest problem with it. It’s not awful, it’s just there. The mood, the sound, the attitude, none of it felt distinct enough to make me care much. For something that should’ve been an easy win for me, this one was pretty forgettable.

Cacophonous and brash. I enjoyed "Release The bats" from this era, but didn't enjoy this mess of an album.

I love Nick Cave but this is horrible!

“She’s Hit” is a pleasant surprise. The other highlight, “Release the Bats,” wasn’t on the original release. Nick Cave is an artist that I’ll be getting to know better over the next 2 1/2 years. 5/10.

<sigh> This list and its capacity to surprise me after over 2 years and 850 albums. I mean, what the fuck is that? The music matches the cover art perfectly. It's utterly horrible. Apparently this was Nick Cave's band, but unless you have a particular interest in his specific backstory, you can safely die without subjecting yourself to this messy, screechy post-punk dirge.

eigentlich mag ich metal oder was das sein soll... ich würde sagen junkyard beschreibt es ganz gut... hab erst die hälfte aber kann schon sagen dass es mid ist

This must be the worst album cover on this list! I don't usually like Nick Cave, but his singing was actually tolerable here. Interesting punk, that I didn't mind it so much.

Bloody miserable way to spend three quarters of an hour. Like a less-accessible, deliberately-obtuse, antipodean Tom Waits having a mad one. The band obviously know what they're doing but it's still a fackin' ghoulish, atonal, speed-bender of a racket. Not for me, thanks.

This album went nowhere. It was trash.

Like a rockabilly mix of Bahaus and PIL without the ideas or talents of either. Other than a couple of decent tracks sounded like a ramshackle band playing for the first time

Listening session: april 26th, while getting ready in the morning and while going for a walk Listened to before: no Thoughts: this was just too noisy for me to enjoy. Only after listening I discovered that Nick Cave was in this band, but that was nog enough to improve my score Favourite track: Hamlet (Pow Pow Pow)

I don’t get Nick Cave, I never have and I don’t get this

Another Album that I would like to like because I like the later works of Nick Cave a lot. But it just does not work for me, starting with that awful cover image. The music has relevance, I guess, but it's going nowhere.

Hard to listen to

Like listening to a garage rehearsal through a tin can on a strong. I like it well enough but doubt I’ll listen again.

What the hell is this? The cover is kind of annoying as well. It's ahead of its time though, as this is a cover I could see on a shitty early 90's metal album. This is partly correct, as this is just not my kind of music. I wonder if the mere presence of Nick Cave has bumped this album up a few notches in the mind of many critics. I don't know if I mind the noise rock aspect of this album, but I did not find The Birthday Party's version of post-punk to be very enjoyable. I'm sure I could talk myself into liking this after so many listens, but it would take effort. If I have to try, then the music is not good. The Birthday Party is best served as a footnote to Nick Cave's career and not an indication of his true talent level. Except on a few tracks, it never felt like all of the musicians were playing the same song.

Heavy

Some interesting guitar and the anger is there but was hard to find anything enjoyable about the listening experience

Zany but not in the good way

fine. kinda obnoxious. cool album art tho

again fine but i didn’t care about any of the songs at all

The kind of noise you would expect at a junkyard birthday party!

I love Nick Cave but…::

I read once that Nick Cave finds it hard to write music. In what might be a coincidence, I found it really hard to listen to this. But the 'Neil Young' rule is being extended to Nick and it gets an extra star for being the work of a genius whose music does eventually reveal itself to be a thing of wonder. 2*

It honestly sounds like the dude on the album cover is singing. I broke the rules, I judged this book by its cover, and I was honestly kinda right on the nose with how I thought it would play out. The album cover looks like how this sounds, kinda gross, messy, and crazy. But like a touch of whimsy in there too somehow... (like a weird fucked up whimsy) Not really my thing, kinda struggled to get through it all. I feel like this music is made for a certain type of person, a very niche audience, and a specific setting (thats not sitting at your desk doing work). So honestly, if I was at a dirty grunge bar in the outback of Australia, this would kinda hit...

Sounds like this was made in a Junkyard as a mash up of punk, blues and psychedielia which can be a bit jarring at times. Cave's vocal style is pretty frenetic throughout so don't think I missed too much never hearing this one before.

So that's why radio presenters say things like, "Nick Cave, former singer with The Birthday Party" without ever playing any. It's fair to say that it was not the best day to have got an album full of cacophonous noises but we are where we are. The upside is that I never have to listen to it again.

Мабуть, це 2,5. Дві пісні з альбому мені впринципі сподобалися

3/10

idk if it was good but it was certainly unique

Not as fucking mental as all the reviews would have you think. Way more tolerable than the alto-sax jazz and Jesus and Mary chain distortion-fest I had this week.

Just not for me. Even my kids who like harder music didn’t really get into it.

Junkyard has a very distinctive and unsettling atmosphere. I only heard a few tracks, so it feels unfair to judge it fully, but while I didn’t dislike its raw intensity, it didn’t make me want to return to it.

no ei hyvää eikä huonoa, makee kansi! Sähkökitaraa, rautalankaa melkein, mutta vähän tylsää, onkohan huumoria sitten.

Raucous, grungy, and crusty. Nick Cave is just not my jam, but I can appreciate the punk energy here

Didn't do much for me, despite loving Release The Bats.

3/10

almost as hard to listen as PiL, Several Sins is fine

Det gnisslar på och det gör varken från eller till egentligen. Ett par tre låtar sticker ut lite, där Dim locator är bäst. Annars är det ganska jämnspretigt om ni missförstår mig rätt. Nick själv är i fin form, jag kan sakna den brålande väsande Nick nuförtiden

well, it's certainly creative! from an art perspective, this is an admirable attempt. nothing to listen for fun.

I’m a big fan of Nick Cave’s solo work, but this isn’t for me. Some of it sound like it’s the soundtrack to torture porn.

Mierdón de campeonato, aunque supongo que será bueno para el que escuche este tipo de música

Can hear the motivations that came from this but definitely not for me

2.5 second half is a lot more palatable

I had no idea how much Nick Cave had reined it in over the years...

I really hope no one ever asks me to describe what this album sounds, because I have no idea what the heck I just listened to.

great album cover

The first Nick Cave album I've heard that isn't overly boring, but instead overly shitty! The only saving grace: it is aptly titled.

No thank you.

I was about aa far as “Big Jesus Trash Can” when I asked myself, “Is that Nick Cave?” Turns out it was! So I learned something new, which is that I love Cave’s solo career. I didn’t like this noise when I was fourteen, and I twice as don’t like it now.

Crazy sound and wild album. Reminded me of "Ace of Spades" style rockabilly and was an intense listen. Musical & creative but not the music for me.

To my untrained ears, this feels shocking and uncohesive. Apparently it has critical acclaim.

I walked through the back door of a new hospital and snuck up the back steps. At the top was my oldest daughter's bedroom. She was there alone and excited to see me. I told her to be quiet and snuck down the steps which was now part office part her house. Her mom was there with her new husband. He was a different step-dad. More arrogant and hates me. I get the sense that he's not crazy about my daughter but being good to heras a way to get under my skin. They don't see me. I go back upstairs to play with her. I miss her. She didn't seem like a happy baby but was very excited to see me. Her mom and her husband catch me and I tell them I want to eat dinner and she wants to eat pancakes. Her mom gives me that I hate you look but agrees. I start to look for frozen mini pancakes but not in the fridge. I'm looking through her dresser. I find various shirts and pills. Her mom sees me and says I'm not going to find food in her medicine drawer. I feel embarrassed. Then she dresses me down about how they had plans for dinner

Nah, not convinced.

Older Nick Cave somewhat better than earlier Cave. This should not be on the list. The vocals were bad, the lyrics were bad, and I can’t believe people paid good money for this album.

Why, why, why. This was utterly stupid

The only reason this isn't a 1 is because it's fronted by Nick Cave and he does a good job doing whatever the heck this is. I hate post-punk, it's dumb and tries way too hard to be artsy and avant-garde. Seriously Nick Cave has so much better why must this taint his name on this list?

um...no. why is this on here???? seriously

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: The Dim Locator I recognize that this is in the bottom 20 for worst albums on the List. Here's how I am approaching this: I choose to believe this music exists within the universe of Mad Max. Hear me out: This is an Australian band who produced post-punk (apocalypse) album a few years after the first Max Max dropped. The album has the production quality of something straight out of the Max Max universe. This is the kind of shit you hear from The Doof Warrior (the guy literally suspended from hooks and chains on a moving vehicle) as you ride into battle against your enemies. The album cover features both a Mad Max hot-rod style car AND Immortan Joe (holding a birthday cake, naturally). I can't really comment on the rat shooting at the cat. Maybe its a metaphor for failed capitalism. This is exactly the music I'm going to be listening to in the burnt-out, gasoline-scarce, apocalyptic hellscape that is the middle of the Australian continent in Mad Max. When evaluated in that context, this is basically the only music that exists now, so naturally it gets top marks. Outside of the Max Max universe however, this is extremely grating, save for maybe one or two songs, and exceptionally difficult to listen to (I had to listen to nearly 3 albums worth of Thievery Corporation afterwards to get the stink out). I still think its miles better than yesterday's Einsturzende Neubaten's Kollaps, but it definitely deserves a spot in the bottom 20. 2 Stars

Bio says they are 'dark and challenging', and I'd say that's about right. Not as bad as some others have mentioned in their reviews, but not one I'll be returning to in a hurry.

I didn’t hate it. She’s Hit is actually really good. There weren’t any other standout songs for me. The noise and loudness started to blur together at some point.

That was hard going at times but there was enough in there musically to make it finish-able. Not as inclined to seek out Nick Cave music as I was previously.

Punishing

Only two days ago I gloated about how great Nick Cave was based on Abattoir Blues / The Lyre Of Orpheus. Now after hearing Junkyard I recall why I was never a fan of Cave before this project, because I always associated him with this obnoxious post-punk stuff. It’s really not for me.

Album #1,016 Generally unpleasant to the ears. Shrill guitar sounds, screaming, bad production quality. Oh, this is Nick Cave. I haven't really liked his other four albums on this list either.

not my bag

I love the rat fink album cover. It’s the best part of the album. I understand it’s supposed to be abrasive to listen to but there’s never a groove or something to latch onto. I’m sure the lofi heavy reverb doesn’t help but I prefer my punkish music to have a bit more melody or groove.

bon abuse aussi toi

Cover de salopard ! Comme Napalm Death mais en moins pire

Horrible vocals, musically okay 2/5

Poor songs, growling incoherent vocals. It sounds, aptly, like it was recorded in a cave. Worse than I expected.

It's not that I actively dislike it, I just don't really find anything in the album. And because of that I found it a bit boring and it became quite a drag to listen to. It's probably just not for me, I'm sure other people can find something in it. Favourites would probably be Several Sins and Release the Bats

This was not a great album. I had it in the background while doing stuff, but it was pretty meh. There were just a bunch of sounds and someone was saying stuff, but it was just not really enjoyable. It may have been alright when it was released, but now it's a bit meh.

Just because an album is groundbreaking doesn't mean it's good. Sometimes they're digging into ground that isn't good for planting anything.

Sucked! Listened to a cut and a half. Got angry, turned it off.

Meh

sounds like it was recorded on a walkman.

On the list because of what Nick Cave went on to do. Experimental and there is talent but this isn't great. Also whatever style of art that cover is, I've always found it weird and lame.

Albums like this should exist. The youth trying something and putting it out there. But this is not required listening.

Kinda shit

I did feel a kind of perverse pleasure listening to one or two of the tracks on this album. That aside, though, it's not one I'd wish to revisit. Sometimes I wonder if the joke is on the listener when it comes to artists like Nick Cave. He's capable of some really good, creative music, but too often he throws together albums like this, with "songs" that probably take mere minutes to write, and is laughing all the way to the bank.

#790. May not have been the worse shit I've ever heard, but it damn sure wasn't the best. 2/5: nah

Very Dark, Very weird, and Very disturbing…I am getting a headache…

Not off to a great start with "Blast Off" which sounds like it was recording in a bathroom, but they totally shifted gears and caught me off guard with the hauntingly compelling "She's Hit". Let's see where this goes. Nevermind it went right back to being ass. Favorites: She's Hit, Release the Bats Terrible: Hamlet (Pow Pow)

Recuerden soy abuela. No se apreciar este ruido

Nick Cave grunting and screaming about stuff with disjointed guitars. It works in the chaos, but it's chaos nonetheless

It sounds like a load of 13 year olds making music at home.

Meh

I had high hopes for this but it was an absolute mess from start to finish.

I get it... but didn't particularly like it

This album was recorded at a time when the musical world was seeking a new direction and releasing its failures. This is crap.

Hard to listen to, which I suppose is the point. There's no question that this music is doing exactly what it's intended to do, but it's liberating to be old enough that I don't have to pretend to dig it.

sometimes noisy (derogatory) sometimes noisy (respectful)

Random thoughts: * I guess this is where Nick Cave got his start and why it is included on 1001. * Nick Cave must be an acquired taste that I have yet to acquire. * Messy and rough. Not quite punk but not quite anything else really. * I didn't hate this but I won't be playing this again.

I almost rated this a bit higher because I would notice my foot tapping to the music before it totally lost the plot. Nice to see the evolution of Nick Cave though

Australia has all sorts of things that try to kill you. This is the most painful of those things.

This is an album by someone who misunderstood punk, but does eventually get better

Sounds exactly like what the cover looks like.

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds showed me what can happen with "Ghosteen", and now I've heard the rookie version of Nick Cave. If nothing else, the man is versatile. Other than one catchy track, and some other rad sounds, this album belongs in the junkyard. Favorite Track: "Hamlet(Pow, Pow, Pow)".

I dont think I like this but it interesting

God this was horrible. Not the worst I've seen in this list, but horrible.

I love the cover art. I absolutely understand the album's influence on goth culture. I like many projects Nick Cave has been involved in. And also, this album was a bit of a slog to listen to for me. Went with "Big-Jesus-Trash-Can" and "6" Gold Glade" for the playlist.

hard to believe Nick Cave put this junk out

I could hear better music at my local diy scene than this.

I’ve had enough of Nick Cave

Door de reviews ging ik hier meer geharnast in dan nodig was. Ja, dit is een vunzige plaat en de term noise is natuurlijk op z'n plaats. Echter vind ik het nog aardig te pruimen. Dat komt volgens mij enerzijds door de zang. Die is in tegenstelling tot hedendaagse noisebands geen lange schreeuwsessie maar meer een zang die wat aan Ian Curtis doet denken. Zeker in bijvoorbeeld Kiss Me Black. Zeker het middenstuk van de plaat vind ik nog best aardig en daar zitten dan ook de nummertjes die op zichzelf ook nog wel oké denk ik. Al vraag ik me af ik ze kan pruimen als ze individueel in een playlist langs zouden komen. Blij dat ik hier toch positiever uit kom dan ik in ben gegaan, maar of er ooit nog een tweede luistersessie in zit betwijfel ik. 5,5/10 Highlights Several Sins Big Jesus Trash Can

When I pressed "play" and heard the music I knew exactly how they would ruin it. Weird skill, but now I have it You know hwat, I actually like it. The singer went full retard in the second song and now I don't mind him Nah nvm too shitty still

hm no

noisy!

Not a great listen, but definitely an interesting one. 2/5

Woah. I need more re-listens, weird and heavy and chaotic. What did this sound like in the early 80s? Just might not be for me.

certainly different, but not for me

Not for me. MCR without any catchiness.

Ég var algjörlega hugfanginn af teikningunni hans Ed Roth á plötuumslaginu. Þetta er eins nálægt því að verða hot roddari og ég komst. Ég fílaði alltaf þessar teikningar og langaði að geta teiknað svona. Verst hvað platan er ömurleg. Mér fannst þetta minna mig á Nick Cave í lélegri rokkabillýpönksveit. Svo komst ég að því að þetta er Nick Cave í rokkabillýpönksveit þegar ég las um hljómsveitina á Spotify. Það hjálpar samt ekki.

I really like Nick Cave usually but this is a bit much

I've said it before: I find I have a weird relationship with most experimental music. On the one hand, I get exactly what it's doing, and I have a lot of respect for it. In a world of slickly produced records that're maybe a bit **too** perfect, it's nice to have people out there making weird shit. And not just weird shit, but **ugly** shit. Mean shit. Shit that'll shank you in the back alley, steal your wallet and then piss on your shoes just for kicks. You gotta admire that sometimes, huh? But on the other hand, I get exactly what it's doing, and I'm bored as hell by it. Like, yeah, you're loud, you're noisy, you've got a real mean mug... And? Like, am I supposed to **enjoy** listening to this? Or am I just supposed to shake your hand and give you a medal for purposefully making unappealing music? I get that there's a need and an audience for it, but that doesn't mean I **have** to be impressed. That's sort of where I find myself with this album, the second and final from Nick Cave's pre-Bad Seeds project. Really, if there's anything this album makes me feel, it's just gratitude for the fact that I discovered him through 'Shrek 2'. Could you imagine if "Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow)" was the first song of his I'd heard and not "People Ain't No Good"? I'm sure it would've made the other albums of his on this little an **incredibly** pleasant surprise — but I don't think I'd wanna put myself through that just to get there. If I can be 100, I kind of wish it was more abrasive? I'd never **want** to re-listen to John Zorn's 'Spy vs. Spy', but there was at least something there to **react to**. I wrote 1.2k words about that album, for goodness' sake! Meanwhile, this album's production is so lo-fi and muffly. I guess that's another part of the thing's "unappeal," but it just makes everything sound like amateur hour. You're telling me this was rated one of the heaviest albums of all time? Heavy next to **what** — helium? I just can't imagine being the kind of person who'd listen to stuff like this exclusively. I mean, I don't think I'd do it just because I'm an asshole looking for "cool points" for listening to "non-mainstream music..." But would I really wanna throw away records like 'Purple Rain' or 'The Joshua Tree' just to subsist on albums like this? There is a part of me that wonders if it's just because I'm "basic" or whatever, but I feel like someone with "basic" music taste would be horrified and offended by this album — and it would have succeeded in one of its goals. Me, I'm just horribly bored by it — and thus, the album **fails**. Jus', I'unno. Somehow my ears have managed to jump over the uncanny valley where music like this would appeal to me. And as much as I can respect what it's going for, I gotta be honest and admit it's not something I particularly enjoy. I mean, it's like... Y'know, it's honestly like Captain Beefheart's 'Trout Mask Replica' to me. I get it — I get all the little bits and bobs that go into **why** it's so revered by some people. But in the end, all I can hear is just some sort of off-kilter blues and I'd rather go back to the polish of mainstream music. Heck, I'd go back to any other Nick Cave album. I'll tip my hat to the intent, but other than that, if that thing on the cover represents the music, then I wouldn't give it a second look.

I’m at a 2.5 that I’ll bump down to a 2, though I do genuinely think that with the right framing & a bit more immersion, it could bump up to a 3, and possibly higher, somehow. This album is an exercise in megalomania, egotism, paranoia, & fear, with a bit of a sadistic lean, touching on things like religion, murder, & sins, mixing itself in with totally incomprehensible concepts along the way. It is musically incoherent, yet intentionally designed that way to evoke a natural abrasiveness, and it’s one that’s openly invited by the album, constantly pushing the boundaries of what it’s allowed to “musically” do, forcing you to accept it for what it is, even if you actively don’t like it. This album, in some fashion, is the audible equivalent of failed gaslighting combined with Stockholm Syndrome, and once that makes itself apparent, parts of this album make more sense. That’s a big fucking word salad to basically say “inner machinations of a psychiatric inmate-core”. Nick Cave’s vocals fluctuate between that one homeless guy next to your local pharmacy who’s on so many drugs that you actively fear him, and shades of what would eventually come with his work with The Bad Seeds, some of whom are members of The Birthday Party. As far as the instrumentation goes, the guitar plays its role as the loudest & most distracting thing here, acting as a sort of barrier to the vague, echoing morally corrupt consciousness that Nick Cave portrays. This is contrasting against the percussion, which generally tends to find a decent rhythm on a lot of these tracks, save for the moments where it feels like they’re smashing it with such ferocity that it feels like The Hulk destroying a music store. The bass is the singular consistent instrument here, and I suppose it represents one vague thread of normality left in the minds of the protagonists of all these tracks. This is all in combination with the lyrics, which are normally either drowned out or screamed out, save for an occasionally calmer moment. The lyrics feel incomprehensible at times, and I still think they’re written from the perspective of a total madman who’s lost all grip on reality. That is the mindset & immersion that feels like it can crack, unlock, & truly open up this album. I made it a point for the final track, “Junkyard”, to go the extra mile & sit in a room with total darkness, just to feel the track as I was listening to it. That’s an extreme measure, mind you, but I just couldn’t get that sort of “psychiatric inmate” frame out of my mind, and I just wanted to see what would happen. It felt claustrophobic. Genuinely, as his vocals grew more intense, and as the soundscape continued to swirl up with a sort of manic passion, I found myself wanting to turn the lights on, get up, and get out. In a way, it kind of felt awesome because of just how effective it was. I’m sure that’s not the intent of the album, but I just found it so fascinating that I could feel the potential that might come with a second listen. If I came back to this album another day, I think I might be able to appreciate it as an audible journey through genuine madness. As it currently stands now, I think the album itself just has too many musically driven flaws in terms of song length, some genuinely ear-piercing mixing at times, & a few moments where the performance / facade breaks for long enough to just feel far less engaging at some points than others. The ceiling for this album, to my mind, is a 4. I’m at a 2.5 that I’ve nearly talked myself into bumping up to a 3 on account of potential alone, but given that the first half of the album bounced off of me in a way that badly set the tone (seriously, “She’s Hit” might still be the worst track on the album given the absolutely glacial pacing), I just don’t think I could do it in good faith. I do, however, genuinely recommend this as an album one you should listen to before you die just for the aural hell of it, and I admire the vision / scope of the album & the authenticity at which they just fucking went for it, without a single care for perception or commercial appeal. It’s a 2.5 that will go down to a 2 for now, but I can see it going up should I ever come back to this.

No thanks. Talented players trying too hard to be weird and edgy. I can hear the influence they had on a certain kind of thrash metal (?). But it’s not music I’m at all interested in. 1 because I don’t want to hear this again, but 2 because of the talent and originality.

I've never listened to this album (25). I love Nick Cave but this was a rough listen, especially on Youtube since this album is unavailable on Spotify (Canada).

bof

Rock, 1982 -> 2

It's kinda good and kinda annoying

Meh.

I like Nick Cave but the background cacophony takes away from what I want to hear - his creepy voice.

Oh, Mad Max. I get it. I prefer the movie.

Was not a fan.

The early Bad Seeds albums sound mannered in comparison to the genuine violence and chaos of The Birthday Party. I much prefer the latter. I prefer that to his 90s and 00s Hammer Horror Liberace mode as well. And only his more recent works, exploring the deaths of his sons, is so sincere as the self-loathing adolescent that sang Nick The Stripper. Nick The Stripper isn't on this album and I have no idea why Junkyard was selected over the superior Prayers on Fire or Hee Haw or the Peel Sessions or Drunk on the Pope's Blood. Still, these clattering drums, these needling guitars, and Cave's flagellating awfulness don't deserve to be in the twenty lowest albums on this list. Even if it's not great, it's not boring. 2.5 A funny thing happened to me on the way to the giving this 1 star. First I remembered, on my second listen to Junkyard, that I gave 1 star to Murder Ballads. Now I loathed Murder Ballads and begrudged my second listen to it. To be fair, the only reason I was giving Junkyard a second listen was because it occurred to me that, instead of dismissive contempt, sober deliberation would have a nice irony to it here. Yet I softened to Junkyard on that second listen as I thought of the later Nick Cave album, and not just because Junkyard is 20 minutes shorter. Should I have given Murder Ballads less? Probably, but the recollection as it turned out skewed positively for Junkyard rather than negatively for Murder Ballads. I don’t like Nick Cave, as you know, and I think the core of my dislike of him is the combination of his intellectual self-regard and his being, obviously, an idiot. The prevailing persona Cave has emphasised through most of his career as I have understood it, in my admittedly limited experience of his music, is of a Cohenalike poet struggles to make with God, cursed with good hair, who is obliged to take out his frustrations at being mistaken for a mere pop star by fantasising about murdering women. I find Cave’s melodies laborious. I find the oft-cited idea that he compares to Cohen as a lyricist ridiculous. The Good News about Junkyard, then, is that very little of this criticism applies. There is no pretence to musical depth here. No one, even if they happen to love this record, can pretend that there is anything like a Beefheartish deliberation here. This is the sound of drunk kids breaking into the practice room at night. Look at me lads I’m a drummer, bash bash bash bash lol. Look at me lads, I’m Elvis but also bark like a dog. “Pow pow pow pow pow pow” (Hamlet Pow Pow Pow) “Ho ho ho ho ho ho” (Dead Joe) “Hey hey hey hey hey” (Kiss Me Black) “Shake shake shake shake shake” (6 inch Gold Blade) Lyrically there is still some look at me lads (and girls) I’m a poet who kills women. But it seems to me to be in correct proportion here - there is only 1 part Hamlet to 3 parts Pow. This musical and lyrical reduction of Cave shows him in his sleekest and, for me, most sympathetic form; as an attention-seeking missile. And a day after k d lang I am anyone’s for their making a dirty lot of noise. 2/5

5/10

Meh. All I can say is meh.

The performances and song-writing are impressive. It's noisy and chaotic. I didn't enjoy it.

I hated this album. 2 stars because there is definitely some musical skill here but all it did was give me a headache and wish for it to be over just 4 songs in. And apparently there are 6 more nick cave albums to go? Not looking forward to those.

Typical example of music that is fantastic in a live setting. Chaotic energy to lose yourself in. This needs a room of people ready to let loose. And the album obviously tries to capture that live feeling. But in album form this post punk burst of madness is unwelcoming and harsh. Would love to see them live in 82’ but I have zero interest in listening to this record.

So so .

1.5 Extremely not for me. Overlong, every song sounded exactly the same and it was a song I didn’t like from the beginning. Again, the album rocked, one of the best, but this isn’t 1001 Album Covers you must see before you die.

Weird songs. I didn't like the album.

Probably my least favorite album I’ve been assigned so far. Through this project I have discovered that I am not a fan of early punk. While I appreciate it, it is just not a genre that I would seek out on my own. Australian punk? No thank you

Not many, if any, redeeming features to this one.

On the whole this is a painful listen, with a few promising moments poking through.

There is way too much Nick Cave on this list.

Not a fan. Too chaotic. The second I saw Nick Cave was involved I wasn't surprised I didn't enjoy it.

Honestly, it’s not very good... highly repetitive and, for 1982, lacking in originality. It's crappy version of the Cramps.

There were parts of this that wants to work but never got there. Probably would have been a good live experience at some basement space but as a record not so great.

hahaha whaaat okeee die erste 10 sekunde töned öppe wie s cover usgseht she's hit osch ja mal insane nervig, hii und daa hetmer d gitarre no gfalle aber mmhh NERVIG aso I guess schono funny AHA NICK CAVE FUNNYYYYY pow pow pow INSANE ARSCH several sins ischs glaub s erste lied woni echt na cool find, na e cooli atmosphäre SCHREI SCHREI SCHREIIII hahaha sini schrei sind ja insane teilwiis öppe di 2. hälfti vo junkyard het schochli mini metalinstinkt kratzt hahah ich hett nöd cheggt, dassi dead joe schomal inere ähnliche form glost han release the bat hani de rhythmus na cool gfundr aber puuuu 1 oder 2, han nöd würkli spass gha aber es het öppis gha mengisch? und d bedütig vom album/vode band chammer glaub nöd abspreche. mal luege

Not enjoyable at all

Thoughts before listening: Nick Cave's first band I think. Dirty, punky rock n roll is what I believe this will sound like. Nothing I've ever felt like I needed to hear before. Review: While I want to celebrate weirdo 80s post-punk like this, I just can't do it with this one. This is a little too out there for me to enjoy, with discordant dirges and psycho freakouts dominating the tracklist. Like many of its contemporaries, this album also suffers from crappy production and sloppy performance. I'm sure purists would complain, but all of these 80s albums would really benefit from a re-recording using modern technology. This doesn't quite fall to 1-star territory (it's interesting if nothing else), but I also don't really like it. 2-stars

eh

this was something!

Difficult listen but I got into it a bit from Kiss Me Black on...kind of a rockabilly Beefheart

Well, this was thoroughly unenjoyable ⭐⭐ On a positive note, because I disliked this so much, I had some time to work on finishing The Who - Tommy from yesterday

2.3 2x listened on youtube (not available on Spotify)

I hear shades of Joy Division, Tom Waits, and Jim Morrison in this, all 3 who I've grown to love throughout this project. Problem is, Nick Cave is currently on the opposite side of the spectrum of that. I genuinely didn't mind it compared to some of the other lower rated albums on the list. I think if you Cave's vocals out for over half the songs, it's pretty decent musicianship. I also don't think we needed to reaffirm that Joe is dead, with a 2nd version but it never hurts I suppose.

Not quite 1 level but close

2,1/5

2 out of 5. This was a hard listen and it should be a 1 but it barely made it.

I have got like Nick Cave over the last few years which is surprising because I remember hearing his early stuff on TV music shows and been far from impressed. This album is an example of that early music which bears no resemblance whatsoever to his last half dozen albums. I cannot think of another example of one artist been so at odds between their early and later work. There is no indication or clue within this album to suggest that small seeds had been sown which would develop into the magnitude of an album such as Ghosteen. 2/5 13/7/25

I am guessing this album made the list because Nick Cave is in it. Much like Tom Waits, I have not explored much of Nick Cave's career, and I feel he is another one of those acquired tastes. This album is pretty much just noise, and some of these tracks seem a bit long winded for punk. Is this album revolutionary? Maybe if you discovered it when it came out, and I can see where it probably had a big cult following back in the day. But I think discovering it 40 years after it's release, does not have the same effect.

Was interesting...mostly because every song sounded the same, and that was Nice Cave yelling. 2/5

How did they sneak another Nick Cave album in here? The people who make this list are obsessed with him, I've heard more Nick Cave than Beatles. I find it hard to believe that if I had to listen to 1001 albums before I did, this many of them would be by Nick. I didn't dislike "Blast Off", but it also didn't have a lot to offer for me. "She's Hit" was a very boring noisescape. "Dead Joe" has me wishing we could go back to the boring noisescape. I'm definitely not enjoying the vocals. The music seems to be trying to make noise for the sake of it. "The Dim Locator" is the most tolerable song yet. It's got some fun riffs and cool vocal sections in it. It still had plenty of annoying things greatly outnumbering the enjoyable, but it had the most good moments of any song so far. "Several Sins" was alright. I like the slower pace and the chorus was cool. I got tired of describing the specific reasons I didn't like the songs, so I stopped writing thoughts on individual songs. This was truly an album I had to get through. It can get worse than this, but it wasn't good. The songs were most frequently a mix of unpleasant and boring, and infrequently just OK. This album's vocals feel like the ambient noise that plays in a haunted house to put me on edge. It had a lot of abrasive elements, but not super abrasive, so that was OK, but it didn't balance them out with anything nice to listen to. 3/10

2.5*, but it's kinda hard to decide which way to round. Some of the elements were good, but the singing mostly wears on me. In the end, I was glad the album was over, so rounding down.

I was not previously familiar with the artist or album, however I am familiar with Nick Cave as some albums have come up earlier in the 1001 albums exercise. Once I realized that Nick Cave was involved in this and after I looked at the album cover, the music of this album pretty much exactly matches what I expected. I'm really not a fan of his style, and this album has an unpalatable dark and dissonant sound on top of that. I suppose maybe this album has some historical importance, at least within the context of Nick Cave's career, but I do not care for it and would not listen again.

Couldn’t figure this one out. Not a huge Nick Cave fan though either.

I began to appreciate Nick Cave well after The Birthday Party and prefer his more gothic work to the psycho rave-up that I heard here. If you're a fan of Dallas' Reverend Heat, you may want to jump in the pool.

A very strange album, and one I probably like more on a second true listen, but it was instructive as to what I personally like in my songs. Pure non-melodic expressive vocals can be a nice listen, but when they feel off time I can't say I'm a huge fan. Ghosts of Perdition has non-melodic vocals I love, and the Idles have lyrics that can be out of sync with the rest of the group that I enjoy, but not here. The drums are so free form and the guitar is practically riff-less, so I just couldn't groove into the songs as well as I wanted. It's very open and chaotic, but I'm still at a point where one of these would be fine, all of them is too much.

I don't mind noisy, shouty, weird vocals, but I need some sort of melody to cling to. This rarely had that and made it very difficult to listen to. It's crazy. I have to admit, by the time the second version of "dead Joe" came around I was more on board with it, but still cant say I would be back. I'm going to say 2 as there are glimmers of coherence and it has that kinda industrial sounding thing going on that you hear in joy division, but it's far too lost in the madness. Wow, I just read that it's Nick Cave! Glad I didn't know that before listening, it's still way too mad

Messy. Very messy. Probably needed to ease off the creme-de-methe just a touch. Simultaneously gives equal parts "trailblazing" and "incoherent nonsense" vibes. I didn't exactly hate it, but will it ever appear on rotation again............ no. No it won't.

I applaud the rock'n roll attitude but it's barely listenable. Somehow, even though Nick Cave is shouting all the time the sound seems to lack of presence. Neither the bass nor the guitar really gives an harmonic and even less a melodic colour. Is that production?

Nick Cave like I never imagined him : wild, punk, and chaotic. Super interesting, and honestly, pretty listenable as long as you’re not allergic to garage rock. It’s not exactly groundbreaking (it’s basically Joy Division mixed with Killing Joke), but definitely surprising and fun! I see it’s in the top 10 of the lowest-rated albums here. That’s not really fair, even if it’s not something I’d play every day, it is still better than some other post-punk stuff we’ve faced till now.

1,5

it was too loud for me, I feel like an old woman

I didn’t like this.

So far the music and the lyrics are faux complex. You have succeeded in your attempt to totally turn me off.

I am an avowed Nick Cave fan, but this holds no interest to me.

I dig their energy, but I'm not quite sure it all gels together into a cohesive whole. I'm not sure I would have seen Nick Cave as someone with lasting star power.