Damn that Nick Cave sure is a wife stealer (me. I'm the wife)
Henry's Dream is the seventh album released by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, in April 1992. Nick Cave himself was unhappy with the production by David Briggs. Briggs preferred a "live-in-the-studio" method he had used with Neil Young. This led to Cave and Mick Harvey re-mixing the album, and ultimately to the Live Seeds recordings, as Cave wanted the songs "done justice". It was the first album to feature long-standing members Martyn P. Casey (bass) and Conway Savage (piano, organ, backing vocals), both Australian. Savage also performs a duet with Cave in the chorus of 'When I First Came to Town'. The album title is a reference to The Dream Songs, a long poem by John Berryman.
Damn that Nick Cave sure is a wife stealer (me. I'm the wife)
That’s enough Nick Cave, okay?
This is the third Nick Cave album on the list, and second I've had in 3 days. I'm still traumatized from Murder Ballads a couple of days ago so please be understanding of the brevity of this review as I struggle to recover. I liked it, and feel a little dirty about that.
Interesting - kind of a mix of Warren zevon meets rocky horror picture show. Solo drive to Worcester for rogers surprise party
18th September 2023 Catching up, I’m a week behind due to having Stu and Laura staying with us.
4/10. There's a reason they aren't called the good seeds
This one was a slog for me. I know so many people who absolutely love Nick Cave, and I trust their musical tastes, but I've never been able to get into him. This is maudlin, overblown and just so overwrought that I can't help but dislike it. The lyrics are weaker than I expected, and the songs themselves all sound like something out of a Sweeney Todd-esque Broadway show. Not for me at all.
This so called "must listen" list is filled with TOO MUCH old white male GARBAGE. If these boring tracks only made it here because they're beloved by middle-aged American guys, why not swap them for more Taylor Swift? At least her music is vivid, and even in her worst music she's enough genuine. As for this album itself, it's better than Oasis, but that's about it.
I love Nick Cave. His lyrics are some of the best and most inspiring I have ever heard and belong on one level with Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and David Bowie. Although this isn't his strongest album by any means (mostly because of a couple of songs on the second half) the songs that DO stand out are some of his best. The mix of Punk Blues and Folk Rock work very well. favourites: Papa Won't Leave You Henry, I Had a Dream Joe, Straight To You, Brother My Cup is Empty, John Finn's Wife, Jack the Ripper least fav.: When I First Came to Town (if I HAD to pick) Rating: light 9
Maybe occasionally let the music breathe and stop inserting your Nick Cave-ness into everything. Nice album otherwise, but by the end, it's too much. Best track: John Finn's Wife
This is third Nick Cave album I’ve gotten from the generator and I’ve deeply hated all of them. I was in a bad mood when I turned this on, which was when I had just left 80 hours of social interaction (and I’m an introvert), including work and family. I thought this would make my bad mood worse but actually, knowing I already hate Nick Cave and therefore feeling no pressure to enjoy it, I felt free to let the irritation of everything wash over me, and it actually kind of made my bad mood dissipate. I’d give it one star but I’ll give them credit for making me feel better, and also because the band being called The Bad Seeds is so good.
That was just….I don’t really care for Nick Cave and I’m over listening to his albums on this list. Speaking of this list, the more average or bad albums I hear, the more I wonder why the fuck I’m following along.
i’m not going to nitpick this is a stone masterpiece
This is a great album. I'm finding it hard to pinpoint a favourite track so I guess I'll have to listen to it again... and again.
This dude is dark
I hadn't heard this album before but it's fascinating and friendly on the ear. I came late to Nick Cave. I found The Birthday Party "difficult" so kind of overlooked his following career. This is a great example of his work - an artist and a musician and a really interesting voice but what stands out is his way with words. One of the great lyricists of this era and able to tell a story in music.
Great background while scrolling Breaking Bad Reddit
I can’t dislike Nick Cave, he’s clearly talented and never seems to rest on his laurels - his albums are always ambitious, thematic and purposeful. I also can’t love him the way so many others do. His music, by and large, just doesn’t quite hit the right spot for me.
Our fourth and final Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album sent me on a reflective journey through our group’s experience with the Caveman. (Do his fans call him that? They totally should.) I really didn’t care for “Murder Ballads” or “The Boatman’s Call.” I definitely listened to “Abattoir Blues” 650 albums ago, but never reviewed it. Our group as a whole though clearly didn’t care for Nick Cave, especially his vocals. But perhaps one of us understood: pretentiousass on Nick Cave’s “The Boatman’s Call” - “Nick Cave seems like he lives in a dirty dive bar and chain smokes Winstons with his band. He is stressed and oppressed by the world above him. Down here, he owns his domain. He's thoughtful and means every word he breathes. The first listen was joyless and settled me down in a chair of disappointment... Nick, go outside and spend some time in the sun, buddy, that bar is killing you.” Spoken like a true Caveman. But I get it now. Sort of. Maybe the vocals on “Henry’s Dream” are better than “Murder Ballads” or “The Boatman’s Call?” The instrumentation, which hellyeah has some appreciation for, isn’t drowned out by the chain-smoking moans the way I remember from those other two albums. But I’m not willing to go back to them to see if my judgment and memory was clouded by the dirty dive bar. I was willing to go back to “Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus.” The vocals were also not as terrible as I’d feared. I remember disliking the album, but we were only 60 albums in, and I hadn’t been subjected to as many awful entries as I have now. Maybe my perspective has shifted. The arrangements and back-up singing on “Abattoir Blues” made me imagine some kind of weird musical set in the aforementioned dive bar. Ultimately, only the biggest Cavemen would think Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds deserve four albums on the list. But I think I’d be ok with “Henry’s Dream” and “Abattoir Blues” remaining.
The first Nick Cave album I ever heard, back when it came out. Didn't get what the fuss was about, 30 years later it still sounds like a 2nd tier album. Hopefully we get much better ones later in this list (Let Love In in particular) as he's pretty great when on form. Makes a decent cuppa too
Score-wise, this one's pretty easy: Yet another Nick Cave album; Accept the plank-lump to the head and move forward in music. That said, Henry's Dream does something constructive to the discography, goes past reinforcement of Bad Seeds tropes. The album emphasizes the polarity which drives the band through time. Papa Won't Leave You, Henry is a disintegrating, polluting, motorized contraption that all but cries to be built upon, but it isn't (in noise at least) til the record is about to end. Quieter songs, less typical of the band but also somehow its zenith, sit between. The analysis is, then, that Henry's Dream sketches the outline of a rich universe of sound. But that analysis fails by starting too big: The record itself is more of a growing thing, and its life's arrow points in both or all time-directions.
This album starts off rough, and I really wasn't in the mood for it. But as the album progresses, it's actually quite good. On a good day Nick Cave can be challenging, and this album is in line with what you might expect in a good Cave album. The songs are raw and dense, frequently unsettling and grim, but with surprising moments of haunting loveliness. Fave Songs: Straight to You; When I First Came to Town; I Had a Dream, Joe; Loom of the Land; Jack the Ripper
actually I'd have been quite okay dying not having heard nick cave's entire discography
I have never heard of Nick Cave before, but apparently he’s pretty popular and has been around forever. Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry is the opener and it’s a trip, but for some reason it gave me strong “the bones are their money” vibes (and picturing Tim Robinson singing the song is hard to come back from). “Straight to You” sounded like generic Bruce Springsteen to me. “Christina the Astonishing” had some Father John Misty vibes. “John Finn’s Wife” was mediocre but I kind of liked the end, so that’s something. It seems like his discography is all over the board, so I’m a bit curious to listen to more of his stuff. This one is not really doing it for me though. It just feels like someone doing a country western bit, I’m struggling to take it seriously. I’m hearing some similarities in the vibe with Tom Waits (who I also discovered through this, have only listened to one album, and did not like). Willing to give them both more of a chance though, maybe I’ll come around. Favorite song: Loom of the Land Other: Papa Won’t Leave You Henry, Christina the Astonishing, John Finn’s Wife
Theatrical, thrilling, thought-provoking.
Magical. Loved every note.
Nästan alla hans skivor skulle platsa på den här listan. Denna är inte favoriten men det finns inte en enda dålig låt på den.
I was initially surprised to see this particular album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on the list instead of some others. For some reason, I had overlooked this album for a long time. However, I now realize that I was completely wrong to do so. This album showcases Cave & The Bad Seeds at their best. It takes you deep inside the world of characters that Cave has created. It's sometimes haunting, sometimes boisterous, and sometimes just plain intense. Standout tracks include the opener "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry," the apocalyptic ballad "Straight To You," and "John Finn's Wife," which might have just become my favorite Bad Seeds song. A thundering and menacing story, both in terms of music and text. The setting of a wedding in Australia in the late 19th century. The bride's entry onto the dance floor: "And in she came with legs like scissors and butcher's knives, a tattooed breast and flaming eyes and a crimson carnation in her teeth, carving her way through the dance floor." It sets the tone with that incredible violin throughout. This will probably remain my favourite Cave song for a long time! Superb album.
I admire how Nick doesn't give a fuck about what anyone wants. He manages to do his own thing every swing out, and it's always gripping. Love the music or hate it, you have to admire how Bad Seeds albums take you to another world; a noir western world with a seedy underbelly.
What's not to love? This is brilliant.
Nick Cave is an artist that I've slowly started getting into over the past 5 years or so. I first listened to Skeleton Tree after it came out to great acclaim, and I've listened to his newest albums as they've come out and to old albums here and there. I like his new albums quite a lot, but as they are very heavy in subject matter (sadly, lots of death and tragedy in Cave's life recently) it's been hard to go back to them a lot. His earliest records with the Bad Seeds in the 80's haven't been my favorite, and probably require some more listening. As far as I can remember, I don't think I've listened to his albums from the 90's until this one. Boy, I've been missing out. Henry's Dream is easily my favorite Bad Seeds record: it's outstanding. From the moment things pick up in opener Papa Won't Leave You Henry its apparent that this is going to be a wild ride. What a tremendous opener that song is. These are dark, violent stories. They're told as only Nick Cave can, and his delivery is the best that I've heard on this album. Straight to You is a fantastic love song, and a highlight on the front half along with the opener. The back half, specifically the last three songs, is where things go from great to sublime. John Finn's Wife is possibly my favorite Nick Cave song now (along with Papa Won't Leave You Henry), what a tale it is of danger, lust/adultery, and violence. It's a masterpiece in itself that could be the basis of a good movie. Loom of the Land is also fantastic, and the closer Jack the Ripper is an audacious romper of a song about a suboptimal partner. So this is the Nick Cave I've been looking for. I'm looking forward to exploring his other 90's outputs as soon as possible.
Pues muy chulo. Un 5 por las Ăşltimas canciones.
Tyler Mahan Coe once said that Nick Cave is "gospel music for everyone who's mad". It's pithy but true for a lot of Nick Cave's music, and it might be most apparent on this album which manages to somehow be condensed and grandiose at the same time. It plays out like any good church service, doesn't it? Songs like "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" and "John Finn's Wife" leave me feeling sweaty, somehow, while songs like "Straight to You" leave me reaching my hands out to heaven. If only every preacher was as good as Nick Cave.
Good, irreverent like a fiery preacher from hell, Nick Cave tears through this record with gusto. It’s some of his most entertaining of the records on this list so far - and I could not find any fault with it. Lovely.
A work of genius, with every song showing a new side of the band. I am fully converted to the cult of Cave, and look forward to hearing more from them - either on the list or once I am finished
Pues muy chulo. Un 5 por las Ăşltimas canciones.
One of my favorite Nick Cave albums, and I love all of them.
Amazing Album, unique, raw, sensitive, punchy, profound, stupid music that makes no apologies and hits every mark
Brutal
Made up my mind that I didn’t like it but found this album fantastic. Why? I don’t know.
God damn Nick Cave does it every time, keep thinking "he's ok but not really my thing" and then the album blows me away every time.
Jeg har svært ved helt at sætte fingeren på hvad det er jeg elsker ved Nick Cave (og The Bad Seeds). Måske er det den eksperimenterende, legende tilgang til musikken. Intet er helligt her. Det kan også være at det er det dystre univers musikken fremmaner, og de fantastiske historier Cave fortæller i lyrikken. Det er nok begge dele, men at det hele præsenteres af en mand, som er så cool som ingen andre, på en måde som kun han kan være cool på.
I haven't listened to this in a long time but this might be my favorite from Nick Cave. Wouldn't skip a song.
Espetacular sentir o encantamento da criação musical.
The man does not miss. Henry's Dream strikes a perfect balance between the manic start and the more atmospheric tracks towards the end of the album. Cave's vocals have never been better.
I probably say this each time I listen to an album from their discography, but this is an absolute highlight. Cave’s vocals are mesmerizing and filled with emotions, the songwriting is brilliant throughout and the balance between The Bad Seeds being maniacs and the more calm, atmospheric songs taking over is perfect.
Loved it. Every song tells a story and they are catchy as well.
Dark, dancy and fancy.
I am afraid now.
Hearing this again sent me into a week long Bad Seeds binge and when I resurfaced my project at 1001 Albums Generator has been paused due to low activity. This is a very strange and haunting but wonderful take on accepting fatherhood and getting used to a life without addiction. That is how I saw it anyway. So much regret mixed with hope.
One of the best albums of NC & BS - non-stop classic Nick Cave songs.
It took two listens, but I can confirm this is still a great album.
This contains everything that is great about a Nick Cave record. Dark themes, raw emotion, dense story telling, and instantly striking, engaging and brilliant songs. This record is the most 'Nick Cave doing the standard Nick Cave thing' album that I've come across. Fortunately, the standard Nick Cave thing is really compelling. Rating: 5/5 Playlist track: Papa Won't Leave You, Henry Date listened: 31/01/24
10/10 at this point I’m convinced Nick Cave is incapable of making a bad album
It's been Cave month. Yesterday was The Boatman's Call while Murder Ballads was only a couple of weeks ago. This one definitely fits with Murder Ballads as he tells dark stories to a noisy, yet musical backing. The only relation to Boatman's Call is his voice and his incredible poetry. Generally the nastier the song, the more poetic the lyrics. He is a true genius.
The best I have listened to for a long time
I feel like this album especially, you can hear how much he loves Elvis and Gospel music. Especially at the beginning of the album, he seems to just switch back and forth between Elvis-y songs and a Gospel-y songs
This is our fourth Nick Cave album, so the phrasing in the first song sounded familiar, but since this LP was released before the others, I can’t say his sound or his “scab-picking” lyrics are getting stale. The song-writing is stronger than the “The Boatman’s Call” and “Murder Ballads”, though on the latter, there were many standards. “Henry’s Dream”, on the other is full of originals that sound like they could be standards, the first three tracks especially. Cave is one of the great poets of this generation, and like Dylan and Neil Young before him, a lot of the gritty characters in the songs sound like they're right out of the old west, or in Nick's case case, the outback. Michael
Another Nick Cave album on the list and of course I love it. One might wonder why it is Henry's Dream of all the albums because Nick and the band often talked about some dissatisfaction with the production as well as the musical direction. Originally, Nick wanted it all to sound like Brazilian raw street music, raw and estatic use of acoustic guitars etc. What came out of it was a bit different but still one can see the ideas behind it. Dark energy, American gothic landscapes and obscure characters. Never has Nick Cave more been the dark preacher character than here. My favourite song is one of the quietest though: "Christina the Astonishing" with its medieval vibes tells the story of a saintly woman that hates sin. But let's face it, every track is great on its own and "Straight To You" one of Nick's best love songs.
LOVE
82m Papa wont leave !, i had a dream Joe, straight to you, brother my cup !,
So Nick Cave has been pretty inconsistent for me, having said that and looking back at my scores, I've liked more than I havent. Fortunately this falls into the liked category. It starts off by kicking you in the face with Papa won't you leave and just keeps momentum the entire way. It doesn't out stay its welcome, it a 5 from me
Nick Cave has gotta be one of the most consistent songwriters around. 5 decades of music and not a single bad album. I don’t QUITE think this one surpasses murder ballads or let love in for me but still, damn.
the
Loved it.
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds never go below a certain level (with very small exception). Henry's Dream is a really good album with a fantastic music and excellent lyrics and vocal, as always. Some great songs, and few at least average, but always pleasant to hear. Nick Cave and the band has a really diverse discography, which one has to admire.
After yesterday's Limp Bizkit encounter I was glad to get some Nick Cave. It's a 5 because Nick is great, but after suffering through Fred Durst almost anything would sound good. This is for real very, very good though.
So fun to listen to. There was so much to love about this album. So creative and interesting!
This was a fun wild romp, this is the Nick Cave I Nick Crave.
Well damn - thought I was familiar with all of The Bad Seeds' discography, but somehow this one slipped through the cracks and I don't think I've ever listened to it before!? It's in a similar vein to "Murder Ballads", so I am extremely well disposed towards it from the jump. Fave tracks - loved the rough edges of "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" and "Brother, My Cup is Empty" - also liked the occult portent of "Christina the Astonishing" and "I Had a Dream, Joe". Well definitely be racking up more listens of this - it's like discovering an easter egg that's a whole new level of a game you love!
3-4
Did Nick Cave try his hand at a pop album?
One of the strangest things I’ve heard here, but it’s pretty good honestly.
there is no substitute for the nick cave vibes, unique and immersively gritty
Some of that good junkie Nick Cave.
Such power and energy. Just wow!
Amazing, Incredible, loved every second
I love that Nick Cave is essentially Gothic Tom Waits.
This has got some bangers on it but not my fave Nick Cave album. But I do really like it. I read a bit about it and apparently Nick Cave was very angry with it because he hated the mixing and thought it presented the album in very much the wrong way. Someone described the producer as getting the best performance possible and then leaving all the faders in the same place.
While my familiarity with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds leans heavily on their work since the turn of the century, I can't help but respect Cave’s dedication to his craft. He is an obvious inclusion on any list of best albums ever. With that in mind, I was surprised to discover a mid-career album which the artist himself suggested didn’t fully achieve his intended vision, especially with over 20 releases under the Bad Seeds banner. This made me a bit hesitant about going into Henry’s Dream, but I found it surprisingly accessible despite David Briggs's lamented raw production style. There’s something deeply unsettling yet contagious about these songs. Cave channels a possessed church pastor, leading his congregation off a perilous cliff. Tracks like "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" and "I Had a Dream, Joe" display organized chaos, reminiscent of a jacket splitting at the seams yet still stylish. The wild frenzy builds like a group of drunkards at a pub lock-in, accidentally hitting all the right notes. Cave also knows when to relent from the full-on assault, offering moments of respite with tracks like "Straight to You," "Christina the Astonishing," and "Brother, My Cup Is Empty." These softer interludes fit seamlessly into the dark aesthetic, their almost improvisational delivery and slightly chaotic nature tying them to the project’s core. You can love or hate Cave's music, but he is nothing if not interesting. Henry’s Dream captures this essence, revealing the chaos and beauty of his songwriting. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Unsure Would this release make my personal list? Never say never Will I be listening to it again? I enjoyed this far more than I expected; the album has a hypnotic quality that kept me coming back.
This was really good and definitely will get a few more listens. 4/5
I always enjoy this guy. Great songwriting and good dark tone
I always wish i was more into nick cave!! he's good
8.5/10. Haunting and melancholic. Really enjoyable. :)
Cave is at his most incisive and convictive here, crafting caustic narratives that linger like half-remembered dreams.
Nick Cave, imagine Tom Waits but good, very good. Henry’s Dream is lyrically very dark, musically a combo of acoustic punk and blues almost. Another album that requires more listens. Straight To You is an incredible song, as is Loom of the Land 8.4/10
More unhinged Nick Cave - delightful. Not quite Murder Ballads but I've got a lot of time for this
Third Nick Cave album. I never listened to him before this project and like what I’ve heard so far but enough already.
very listenable for a live album
Weird, narrative, and the dude singing looks like a cartoon villain. Overall, cool experience. Really catchy tracks, too.
There really is a lot of Nick Cave that is considered essential, huh? On the whole, I have found myself to enjoy his music, but there have certainly been a few bad albums too. Thankfully, today’s album seemed more fun than a lot of his other stuff. I’m not sure exactly why or how, but I felt more engaged than usual. It’s funny how before this project, I couldn’t say with any certainty if I could even name a song by him, and yet now his voice is instantly recognisable. His music itself may not be due to his tendency to play around with genres. This is likely up there as one of my favourites by him.
Upbeat Nice Cave is so much better than depressing/slow Cave. Enjoyed it
Coincidentally, I got The Birthday Party and this back to back, which was a fun comparison. This album is excellent, everything you expect from a good Nick Cave album.
Before starting this project, the only album by Nick Cave that I had listened to was Ghosteen, which I really enjoyed. I gave Ghosteen five stars when I reviewed it, and the other two Nick Cave albums have gotten three stars from me. I'm interested to give this fourth album from Nick a listen and see what it has in store. I thought this album was really good, and while it wasn't better than Ghosteen, I thought it eclipsed The Boatman's Call and Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus. This album started off really strong with "Papa Won't Leave You Henry." I loved the thundering backing vocals, the guitar arrangements, and the way the song started off slowly before kicking off with frantic percussion and an eerie violin arrangement. "I Had a Dream, Joe" kept the energy high, and I enjoyed the organ playing that kept the haunting sound established on the first song. The album was really well paced with some slower ballads and up-tempo songs as well. I enjoyed hearing something from Nick Cave that was based in more traditional rock sounds that relied on a lot of guitar playing, and I thought the arrangements were all really well done. The whole album had a great haunting atmosphere to it, which melded really well with Nick Cave's usual vivid and cryptic lyrics. Nick typically does such an excellent job controlling the mood of his music with his words and the tone of his vocals, and this album was no exception to that. This album isn't really something that I'd come back to, but I still thought it was incredibly well made, and it's another example of Nick Cave's ability to create great music.
I think I’m becoming Nick Cave pilled. I knew of him for years but never really listened. But each album that’s been given to me during this challenge I love. This is no exception. A few less 5 star songs from the last but still a great time. 4.5/5
huhhuh pitää parin ensimmäisen biisin jälkeen ottaa hengähdys.... nick caveman luikertelee taas listalle kuinkamonettako kertaa... yllättävän korkealla aina pysyy numerot. kyllä yksi niistä löytöartisteista projektista vaikka en nyt hehkuttele, rupee hehkutteleen... taattua laattua kuitenkin aina on melkein sanoisin... näin. ei kuitenkaan hankkinut sitä haluttua toista vitosta plakkariin. syynä on yksinkertaisesti se, että vähän liian iso homoilija tämä ukko. henri potter papa wont leave you henry
4/5. Creepy and upbeat, these are accessible songs with the energy of a cult telling stories around a campfire where everyone knows the songs. Spooky but not scary, feels like an homage to concept songs. I enjoyed all the songs mostly, save a couple, but otherwise this was a better album than I was expecting from Nick Cave based on previous experiences. Most of the lyrics are surface level despite the intensity of them. And the album does not overstay its welcome either, which is a good choice especially with Cave's songs. Best Song: Straight To You, Papa Won't Leave You Henry, Jack The Ripper
I think the lyrics are the standouts over the music, but I liked the music too and they go well together. Sometimes idk wtf he's going on about, but it works Favorites: "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry", "Brother, My Cup Is Empty", "Loom of the Land"
Album #597 was my 1st Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (Ghosteen)- now at #868 I have my 5th. How time flies He’s an interesting case in that there are definitely Nick Cave albums on other “great” lists (I’ve been reading through them), but critics can’t decide on which ones deserve to be there. Skeleton Tree & Let Love In are examples of touted Seeds that aren’t a part of this list. I think Henry’s Dream has a lot going for it; the drama, the macabre, the strings. His dark folkiness is still best represented in Abbatoir/Orpheus, but there’s a radio rock sensibility here that’s only matched in the Boatman’s Call (+ a couple songs in Murder Ballads) of the albums I’ve encountered. I’ve often judged music from how it’d sound on a car radio, probably because I got back into this project through long highway commutes towards a job I used to have. In that regard, I wouldn’t mind hearing “Straight To You” on a dark desert highway HL: "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" (oof not the homophobia), "Straight To You", "Brother My Cup Is Empty", "John Finn's Wife" August 17, 2024
Not my favorite, but not bad either.