Reviews (page 2 of 7)
One of Cave's best and most accessible, great album.
These seeds are just too bad for me
He has a cool sound but not sure he merits as many spots on this list as he has
Not bad can see the influence it had
This album sux
Other than the Birthday Party's "Release the Bats", I've not liked material from Nick Cave's projects ... until now. This has encouraged me to give him another chance.
não escutei ainda e sem querer dei nota, eu edito dps
Good unique voice. Interesting story telling. First song or maybe first two involved an annoying amount of repetition of the same line. At the time I thought it would be such in my head fit quite some time, but have actually forgotten it
뭐라 쓰지
и тут запишу ревелейшн - Ник Кейв мог бы петь голосом Морриси нормальные песни, но он поёт это... конкретно это даже не так ужасно (как другой Ник Кейв), но всё равно абсолютно не для меня
I enjoyed this very much. Good album and my style. But not his greatest that I would recommend people start with.
I'm kind of bored with most of the songs, but I really liked John Finn's Wife. By far, best track on the album. My daughter said it sounded like Jack Black, and she's totally right. Maybe this is an artist who inspired Tenacious D? It also sounded like the start of millennial stomp-clap music on some tracks.
Nick Cave has quietly emerged as one of our most compelling musicians - with a range that includes rousing punk anthems to beautiful ballads, all enhanced by strong, incisive lyrics. Not all of his albums work, but this one really does.
I enjoyed it but didn't really love it. One to go back to as I think I'll like it more on repeated listens.
5/10 No me gusto mucho. No es malo pero bastante meh, mas mal que bien
I did not like this. Irish pub music x rock and roll. Weird. DNF (2)
To me there is a marked demarcation line in Nick Cave’s music. I love and play a lot his albums from Push The Sky Away onwards but find his stuff before this album challengingly. This album is very much in the Nick Cave’s mark 1 camp and I found it a hard listen. Lyrics are good and deserve further analysis. Nick is a very thoughtful wordsmith and a lot can be gained by trying to understand them. The accompanying music however does not do the words justice. Thankfully his music has become a lot more melodic and the reason why Nick Cave mark 2 is rarely off my playlist but alas not this album. 3/5 23/8/26
For a change, I found the time to stop and read the lyrics as I was listening to this album. Each track feels different and individual, even if it all comes from such a weird, dark place, full of grotesque imagery. This is nothing like the Nick Cave of The Birthday Party, and for that I'm glad. 3½★
Alright. Nothing special me thinks.
So disappointed that I have another Nick Cave album to listen to. Thank the universe this is the last one I have to endure for this project. I don't get the appeal.
I don’t mind the guy, but how much Nick Cave MUST I listen to.
#1038. This sounds like the soundtrack for a circus themed horror movie. 3/5: acceptable?
I can't stand Nick Cave, this is probably the best I've heard from him but still... no
Nick Cave just doesn’t do it for me. This is probably the third album and though I appreciate what he is trying to do, I just can’t get into it.
It's solid. Probably on here for the lyrics in particular. 3/5.
Not for me.
Decent.
They have a very menacing sound. His dark voice complements the music very well. Fun listen. 7/10 Top song... John Finn's wife
Good tight album this. NC is sounding timeless.
I’m just so worn out by how bad his albums are. I don’t have the energy to write anything substantive about it.
3/5
Never gave nick a chance but I really enjoyed this.
some really impressive tunes
I really liked one song and the rest was inoffensive to me👍
It took the website so long to give me "Henry's Dream". I'm beginning to become a fan of Nick Cave. "Henry's Dream" has quite a few bangers. My favourite is "Straight to You". In other news: It turns out The Birthday Party weren't as bad as I thought. 4 stars for "Henry's Dream".
Often quite partial to a bit of Nick Cave but frankly couldn't be arsed with his diabolically portentous dirges today. Despite that, I was concerned I hadn't given this a fair crack of the whip so I tried for a second listen. It actually grew on me a little. And it's undeniably more accessible and less messed-up than the Birthday Party stuff.
Dear Robert Dimery, I’ve given you a lot of haterade about some of your inclusions on this list. But one thing you did do is include five great Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds albums. Thank you for that. Signed, A fan
Nick Cave is one of those musicians I wish I understood better. People love this guy’s output but despite being moody and provocative it always feels too loud and blunt for my tastes. I like my moody music introspective and solemn, and I just don’t think that’s Nick Cave’s mission statement in the slightest.
This list has way too much Nick Cave in it. That being said, either this was the best Nick Cave I've heard yet or I've just gotten used to him. This album is like Tom Waits minus all the gravel.
The talk singing is not my favorite, gothic country does nothing for me. The is some good Nick Cave out there but this wasn't it. It really is just boring to me, won't be listening to this one again.
Me senti ouvindo um Rogério Skylab americano.
Not for me.
Панк, блюз и всё это сдобрено шансоном.
So this wasn't my favorite. I don't really like narrative songs that much and that was all of these lol. So many characters but I just don't really care?
I love a bit of Nick Cave, and love many of his albums. Maybe not quite this one though. This is a bit more filler than normal. However, Nick's fillers would be other's killers
Enjoyed some songs, ok album Standout songs: I had a dream Joe Brother my cup is empty
Didn't enjoy. Don't really understand how this is a top album.
I wanted to like this so much. I just don't.
Very good Nick Cave album. I feel the choice of Cave albums for this list is a bit scattershot. I much prefer the albums on either side of this one, but Henry's Dream is also worthwhile. Maybe I would have added all of them? Either way, great performances of these tense and Gothic character portraits. And I love the Lynchian look of the cover art. Key tracks: Papa Won't Leave You, Henry Straight to You
I’ve listened to some Nick Cave in the past, so I wasn’t particularly surprised by what I heard here…the old-time-religion vibes, creaky arrangements, and Nick’s relatively calmer (compared to his older Birthday Party stuff, at least) doom croon are all well in line with what I know of him. So without introducing anything particularly new, the record rides on the existing uniqueness of Cave’s style and on the songwriting, and succeeds. The hard part is to pick out exactly what constitutes that success! I think Cave is a master of making his unique little atmospheres memorable with rhythmic folk hooks, and that’s on full display here; he harnesses the existing beats in phrases like “papa won’t leave you Henry” and “every hand movin' on John Finn's wife” in ways that are really smooth and natural, and I think that, rather than the melodies (though the melodies are perfectly fine) is the basis for his hooks. I guess that’s normal for folk music! This is a real good one.
I liked this much more than the other albums of his this project has fed me.
This is pretty much everything that you want from a Nick Cave album - a couple of drunken torch songs, a couple of murder ballads and plenty of growling and prowling. Musically, the sound is boosted the addition of cello and violins on a couple of tracks, and some nice organ sounds combined with cicadas on “Christina the Astonishing” giving the effect of a sinister small town at night. Whether you like it or not will very much depend on your opinion of Nick Cave. I love his stuff, but this feels like a middling example of his work - perfectly fine, but not quite up there with his best albums (arguing about those is left as an exercise for the constant reader). This album did remind me in places (particularly on the tracks with the strings) of Scott Walker, which is a good thing. I listened twice, and enjoyed it more the second time around. Currently at three stars but knocking on the door of four.
Not really my thing but it's cool that he made the peaky blinders theme
This was somewhat of a drag to listen to. Vocals were kind of boring. Not much going on musically.
Twin Peaks the musical, and I'm afraid it's just not for me. 2 stars.
I do like Nick Cave, but I was spoiled by hearing the Kylie duet and now nothing else compares. Then I heard the Polly Harvey duet... On second thoughts, Into My Arms and Red Right Hand are also great songs. Unfortunately not on this album.
Not their best
I've been waiting for my first Nick Cave album, and finally got it at #404. I've never listened to a full album of his before, but have generally enjoyed the songs I've heard. I've watched live concert videos and he seems very passionate live, so I hoped that would come across in a full record. After listening to it today, I liked it very much, but only loved one song. I thought it was very evocative and cinematic and it was musically fun and interesting. There were a few too many songs that sounded the same, however. The absolute standout for me was the song that actually stood out as different than the rest, which was Straight to You. Other songs I thought were very cool were Papa Won't Leave You Henry, John Finn's Wife, and Jack the Ripper. Overall a very good starting point for me with Nick Cave.
don’t get it
I don't know who I hate more: Nick Cave or Tom Waits. What I do know, however, is that these dudes, together, shouldn't be taking up 1% of this bloated-ass list. Give each a token entry - or two, if you must. That should offer plenty of exposure for the average listener to formulate an opinion one way or the other. But straight up, more than that is either pandering to already rabid fans or just alienating the rest of us.
I’m gonna give this a two to hopefully call a truce. Robert, can we please retire Nick from this list? Pretty please….
Honestly, after the travesty that was Boatman's I thought this would be terrible but was surprised. There's some Wild West energy in this album that appeals to me with the story telling aspect of it along with the use of string instruments. Great stuff.
My favorite Nick Cave record so far. Still not something I’d probably listen to again, but not too depressing.
Increíble. Se sabe que Nick Cave siempre va a entregar cosas geniales, pero con Henrys Dream se voló la barda. Un hit tras otro, canciones que me hicieron sentir en un western crepuscular y un dominio de la música y la voz que me dejaron muy impresionado. Genial.
I honestly hope to never listen to Nick Cave again
Tom Waits is one of my favorite artists, and Nick Cave is clearly playing in a similar sandbox, but for some reason this album does absolutely nothing for me. Maybe it's the instrumentation: I see what he's going for with the spare acoustic sound, but it just ends up sounding very brittle and plain to me. All the songs trudge along with these really stiff rhythms that don't match Cave's dramatic performance at all. Speaking of his performance, it was a mixed bag for me. He's got a strong eye for imagery and storytelling, and there are times where his melodrama works for me, but a lot of times his performance felt very artificial to me, like watching a bad one-man show at a cheap local theater. Credit where credit is due, there's a clear artistic vision at work here that's very admirable, but it didn't move me at all.
I accidentally got drunk while listening to this, but I think it made me like it more? “I Had A Dream, Joe” and “Straight To You” were my favorite songs, but I was really digging the vibe of the entire album. This is 3.5 stars for me, but I have to round down just because there isn’t much replay value for me.
It’s like if the pogues and Cameron winter had a baby and I don’t think that’s the best thing Highlights: When I first came to town (fav) Straight to you Loom of the Land
don’t like it
Some grating vocals and shanty-esque song structures make this kinda mid for me. I couldn't get into it by the end and it just doesn't strike me as something I'd like to listen to again. I'm sure they have other albums that are more approachable, but this one didn't tickle my fancy.
Sometimes feels like the lyrics or the story are the focus and the melody is an afterthought. 2.5
My first time listening to Nick Cave and I'm kind of disappointed. I feel like he's going to be an artist I should like but just can't get into. A lot of this sounded like a desperate attempt to sound edgy whilst he strums his guitar as hard as he can. The repetition of the lyrics also gets tiresome really fast. This wasn't bad as there were moments I liked, it just feels a tad bit pretentious. 5/10
I can appreciate there’s some level of artistry to this, and I understand maybe what someone might see and get out of it, but it’s just not the vibe for me. The dark gothic theatre kid energy of it, as a man plays at being a murderous sailor in the turn of the 20th century or w/e, doesn’t really hit for me generally, which means the songs just run overlong and all that. Music itself is fine, still falls into a similar trap, but I think Nick Cave at the front is my bigger issue.
More terrible Nick Cave bullshit. Can't sing and his lyrics are shit, no matter what you say. Weak instrumentals, and boring as hell arrangements. Nothing new here. It is just more of Nick recycling old ideas that Americana musicians presented ages ago. There is no way that 5 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds albums belong on a list of essential albums to hear before dying. You are kidding yourself.
# Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - *Henry's Dream*: An In-Depth Review Released in 1992, *Henry's Dream* is the seventh studio album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. It's a record caught in a fascinating paradox: a fierce return to the band's punk-blues roots that was immediately disowned by its creator, a collection of some of Cave's most vivid storytelling that's often overshadowed by the albums that surround it . ## Background and Production: The Album That Almost Wasn't Following the more subdued, piano-driven *The Good Son* (1990), *Henry's Dream* marked a deliberate return to a rawer, more aggressive sound. The band decamped to Sound City Studios in California with producer David Briggs, famed for his live-in-the-studio work with Neil Young . The intention was to capture a visceral, immediate performance—a stark contrast to the more polished feel of its predecessor . The album also marked the debut of two future Bad Seeds mainstays: bassist Martyn P. Casey and pianist Conway Savage, who brought new textures to the band's sound . This is where the album's central conflict arises. The collaboration with Briggs was a disaster. Cave was deeply unhappy with the production, feeling Briggs had missed the point and created a mix that was "flat" and didn't do the songs justice . Cave and co-producer Mick Harvey were forced to remix the album, but the damage was done. The experience was so "horrible, horrible," in Cave's words, that he effectively disowned the album and the band quickly released the *Live Seeds* EP to present the songs as they were meant to be heard . This tension between intent and outcome is the key to understanding *Henry's Dream*. ## Lyrical Themes: Storytelling and the Grotesque If there's one area where *Henry's Dream* is an undisputed success, it's in the lyrics. This is arguably the Bad Seeds' most narrative-driven album, functioning almost like a collection of cinematic short stories . The title is a direct reference to John Berryman's poetry collection *The Dream Songs*, and the album's character, "Henry," serves as a troubled everyman navigating a world of violence and despair . The album opens with the sprawling, six-minute "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry," a song Cave described as a "nasty fucked-up lullaby" for his infant son . Its lyrical imagery is startlingly violent, mixing domestic fears with apocalyptic visions of "death squads" and "babies born without brains" . The vivid, unsettling narratives continue through the frantic energy of "I Had a Dream, Joe" and the biblical desolation of "Straight to You." Cave explores a wide range of grotesque source material. "Christina the Astonishing" is based on the life of a 12th-century Catholic saint known for her miraculous resurrection, while the melancholic "When I First Came to Town" is adapted from the traditional folk song "Katie Cruel" . The album is drenched in the influence of Cave's time living in Brazil, where he was inspired by the aggressive, "unmusical" street music of favela beggars . This influence manifests in the frantic, percussive quality of tracks like "Brother, My Cup Is Empty" and the murder ballad "John Finn's Wife." ## Musical Style and Composition: Punk Blues, Gospel, and Chaos Musically, *Henry's Dream* is a fusion of its disparate influences. It successfully marries the aggressive, abrasive post-punk of the band's early days with the folk and gospel elements they had been exploring . It's a sound that has been aptly termed "favela-punk" . The band's performance is uniformly fierce. The rhythm section, anchored by new bassist Casey, is propulsive and unrelenting. Blixa Bargeld's guitar work provides jagged, angular textures, while Conway Savage's piano and organ add a layer of gothic, sometimes hymnal, grandeur . The opening three tracks—"Papa Won't Leave You, Henry," "I Had a Dream, Joe," and "Straight to You"—form a killer opening salvo that showcases the band at their most dynamic and energized . The record explores a range of moods, from the frantic rock of "Jack the Ripper" to the tender, almost romantic melancholy of "Loom of the Land." ## Pros and Cons **Pros:** - **Narrative Songwriting:** This is the album's greatest strength. Cave's lyrics are detailed, poetic, and create unforgettable, cinematic worlds, making this one of his most compelling storytelling efforts . - **Dynamic Performances:** The Bad Seeds are on fire. The energy, particularly on the first half of the album, is palpable and showcases the band's incredible dynamic range . - **Influence of the Favelas:** The Brazilian influence gives the album a unique sonic texture. The raw, percussive, and "unmusical" energy that Cave sought to capture is a fascinating and potent ingredient . - **Standout Tracks:** It features some of the band's most underrated and powerful songs, including "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry," "Straight to You," and the live staple "Jack the Ripper" . **Cons:** - **The Production:** The album is marred by a production that many, including the band themselves, feel is underwhelming. The mix can sound flat and homogeneous, failing to capture the raw intensity of the performances . - **Inconsistent Second Half:** After a blistering start, the album's momentum slows down considerably. Tracks like "Christina the Astonishing" and "When I First Came to Town" are often cited as lengthy, meandering, and less engaging, causing the album to lose its focus . - **Wasted Potential:** The central tragedy of *Henry's Dream* is its unrealized potential. The songs are clearly there, as proven by the superior live versions on *Live Seeds*, but the studio album fails to capture their true power . ## Influence and Legacy While often overlooked between the more celebrated *The Good Son* and the iconic *Let Love In*, *Henry's Dream* is a crucial album in the Bad Seeds' discography . It represents the band recommitting to their raw, punk-blues roots after a period of relative calm, while simultaneously pushing their narrative songwriting to new heights. Its legacy is complex. For many, it's a frustratingly flawed masterpiece—a record of immense power that was sabotaged in the studio. Its true spirit and influence are arguably best heard not on the album itself, but on the live recordings that followed, where the songs were finally "done justice" . For fans of Nick Cave's visceral, storytelling side, *Henry's Dream* is an essential, if imperfect, listen that stands as a testament to the power of a great song to survive even a bad production.
Another Nick Cave album. Some good tracks here, I don't mind the mix either. Never fully got into his shtick, wears thin after a while. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No, 96/359 (26%) Will I get: No
Let me say at the outset that I have never found myself joining those - Nick Cave amongst them - who worship at the shrine of Nick Cave. There are certainly Bad Seeds songs that I like, but I bought the Greatest Hits compilation and that seems to have me covered. To be honest I think that Cave's songwriting is stuffed full of good ideas, but - and we'll whisper it, so the worshippers don't hear - he does tend to overwrite his lyrics. He stuffs them full of ideas, then stuffs them full of images and then finds a spare pack of metaphors and subtext that he tosses in as well, all the while with a rhyming dictionary in hand. He'd benefit from having someone willing to say, "Nick, just calm down!" Solid Musicianship from the band and Cave sings like a lounge crooner with anger issues who's seen Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter a few too many times. Your appreciation may vary with the whole theatrical "Prince of Darkness," Gothic horror schtick, but it certainly grabs your attention, probably by the balls, and doesn't let go. It dares you not to admire it. But perhaps it's time Nick switches to decaf.
Nick Cave, so intense.
Nick Cave is a musical genius!
Can't say that I enjoy that voice .
Whole lot of Nick Cave on this list. I’ve always considered his music to be interesting, but nowhere near as amazing as it’s hyped up to be. This album was no different, I enjoyed a few moments but it’s nothing that I would ever return to. I wish that his vocals clicked a bit more for me.
Tak
l’il devil in Nick Cave’s brain surveyed all that he had wrought and felt pride. But l’il devil’s smile faltered for a short second as he wondered, “is there another way, besides just doing tons of murders?” But then l’il devil’s doubt was gone. Because murdering is good.
This was the album of the day my (still currently unnamed) son was born. Probably doesn’t deserve five stars, but to hell with it. Goodwill towards man and all that.
4*
Nick cave speaks to my soul
Not the worst Nick Cave album on this list, it might be my favorite so far. By why so many? This man isn't impressive enough to have this many albums on the list.
Yes good better than the last ones
Rounding down to 4 on this one. An acquired taste apparently reading the other reviews
This was good, entertaining, music with the usual interesting lyrics from Nick Cave. 3.5/5.0: Very Good
i much prefer this version of cave over the sad brooding version
I love almost every permutation of Nick Cave: the manic demon, the preacher man, the piano crooner, the moustachioed lecher, the avuncular sage, the reflective father. I think, if you like his voice as a baseline, he's probably done something you'll like at some age or another of his career. He's not for everyone, especially early on, but I love his sonorous, imperfect voice and his Gothic vignettes of outcasts, killers, and ne'er-do-wells. Not many people could deliver the phrase "warm arterial spray" with enough theatrical vigour to get away with it. Henry's Dream is a blast on the grotesque end of the Cave spectrum, with thunderous ravings and murderous intent aplenty. Straight to You and When I First Came to Town are two gorgeous slower songs that stand out for their difference. The Good Son would've been my pick for an early-90s Cave album that's more well-rounded, but this one's still a treat.
Positives: Cave sings with a passion and seems to be feeling the emotions of the songs he sings. Didn't like many of these songs first time but something pulled me back to hear the album through again. Lyrics are like a poor man's Dylan but interesting enough to listen to even though they don't quite make it. Negatives: Is the aggressive stance the norm for them? Too many negative emotions. I don't really like his voice on some of this - strained and out of tune with his band. Too much misery and overall such a depressive tone to the album makes me wonder if he ever smiles let alone laugh. Never really listened to any Nick Cave before but overall I'm intrigued enough to keep listening. Proving the point that you often need to hear some songs a few times to appreciate them. I'm even accepting the vocals the more I hear this and probably need to hear other albums before deciding whether these are a find for me or not.
Wow!! Hits you like a hammer from the start and I love it! Absolute perfection! One of those records that you listen to and regret all the years you missed listening to it. I was searching for the weak track but wasnt able to find it. This record is the reason I am doing this challenge - so pleased I found this!
This record starts with the Cave insanity dialled up to 10, the Cormac Mcarthy-esque cowboy hellscape is hilarious AND terrifying. I'm less into the slow, epic tracks, but overall this was lots of fun.
Verged between good and moderate, after 2 or 3 listens i warmed up to it, but not fully sold
First band I saw live, though never actually listened to this album before (live seeds is my all time favourite)
Not my favourite from Cave but still very good which goes to show how fantastic he is. Feels a little mixed and the tracks stand up by themselves. Favourites: Straight To You When I First Came To Town Loom of The Land
This was quite good. Cave is obviously a fantastic lyricist but I sometimes find his music a little dour. This was a bit more energetic and it's an alternative rock record but I felt like some of the songs could grow on me, especially the first half. Still not sure i'm a complete convert to Cave but I'm getting more favourable!
You don't need the best voice for a project like this, he has all the energy it needs to make up for it, strings are being plated very lax or they are too taut but it seems to be by design, I kbt know how to classify this cool little project a little tho.
херня, вообще не понравилось.
I too had a dream Joe. His Dad left him years ago. Apparently he couldn't stand his singing or his music any longer.
2/5
I want to like Nick Cave as much as Nick Cave
Overall Rating - 2.56/5 (5.11/10). It's middling, early 90s rock. Nothing special, but nothing terrible, either.
Love some of their stuff but not sure what to make of this one. Interesting story telling as usual and some definite bangers, loving Papa Won’t Leave You Henry. I suspect Nick is right and the production choices aren’t doing the material any favours. 3.5 rounding up. A possible grower
This had a nice vibe. Whenever I hear or read about Nick Cave, all I think about is his theme song for the TV series “Peaky Blinders”, which I really like and fits the show well.
One of his better albums. A bridge from the heavier more punk rock stuff to more atmospheric stuff like Murder Ballads.
At first I kind of enjoyed this album, there's an almost wrathful energy to it, which I think makes for an album that is at the very least fairly interesting. The back half of the album mostly dragged my estimation of it down, though. "Jack the Ripper" really felt like a bad note to end the album on. On the lyrical side, this album kind of has that "men writing women" feel you would expect out of, say, an old science fiction novel. This stood out to me on a few tracks. I think that also contributes to drag this album down from around a 3 to something lower. Favorite track: "Loom of the Land"
Wat een drama
a perfect album to welcome back Star Fox
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Nick Cave. I love the voice and the power but lyrically it's not there for me. 8th track "Loom of the Land" was the pick for me but one of the lesser tracks according to Spotify listens.
Really conflicted between 3/4
Nice
From the first song, I was transported to when I listened to Scott 2 with a country twang. I was really caught off guard by the one lyric, which reminded me of "Jackie". On a storytelling category that includes Bob Dylan, Scott Walker, and Tom Waits, Nick Cave totally fits into this storytelling troupe. Their cadences and lyrics can get very theatrical or verbose, which I'm realizing is my musical weak spot. Throughout the record, the songwriting has a poetic, vignette feel to it. I like to use the word "atmosphere" a lot, but "Henry's Dream" definitely sets a macabre mood. Don't really get what Wikipedia means by "punk blues". If we're talking about his time with "The Birthday Party", this record's not it.
it was okay but the singer was not that good. i did like the guitar though.
This album was very mixed in my perspective. They had some amazing vocals and instrumentation. But some songs weren't that good to be honest. I would call it a middle-tier album. I could recommend this to almost anyone because it is really PG.
Like how the song is but not really my favorite because. Of the album cover of how it ruins the vibe of the music but. I still like it even though it sounds weird but yeah I would recommend it to my family.
It is rock music I personally don't like rock but if you do you can listen to it.
I down't like him.I like it but not relly.
i dont like it i dont recommend
I like the music in the background, its pretty nice, but I dislike the voice of the singer. It's a little too slow for me. And a bit too dramatic at that.
It was alright, not my favorite but overall pretty good. I would recommend to punk-blues fans.
This is an okay album. It's not the kind of music I listen to but it's okay. The instruments are okay and it sounds okay so I would give this 2 stars.
Hm. Would've enjoyed this one more with a different vocalist.
poco convincente, tranne che per un paio di tracce, ma coerente in sé stesso.
La racha de Cave en los 90 es difícil de igualar, y eso que en los 10´s y 20´s ha tenido nivel. Aquí lo tenemos cerca de su cénit pero será en el siguiente Let love in donde rayará aún mejor. A tod trapo arranca y aun que baja revoluciones no pierde potencia nis en Finn wife ni en Loom of the land. Disco genial
No
too piratey
Nick Cave’s voice and songs remind me of Jason Segal’s Dracula musical in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Not a compliment.
Very good.
The album is alright, it's okay just playing on the side. It wasn't anything too exciting though, but it was listenable for sure.
This guy is a terrible fuckin singer. Such an annoying voice. Edit: changing this from a 2 to a 1 after hearing the album I got after this one. Africa Brasil by Jorge Ben Jor was just so lush and full of life it was refreshing to listen to after this garbage.
I really just don't care about Nick Cave. I have really tried. Ever since high-school when my friend Marvin put Murder Ballads on his CD player and sincerely wanted to know what I thought I felt like I had to hide my indifference. I think there was another review of his albums on here that captured the feeling well. It just gives off this Sweeny Todd energy. I guess the lyrics are supposed to be the big selling point? He tries to shove every line he wants into the generic backing tracks without any regard to how it fits at that time.
Another Nick Cave album that I like but I'm not obsessed with or anything. Onto the next one... Favorite track: I Had a Dream, Joe
1/2
NICK CAVE AND THE PEOPLE SEEDS??? IN 2026??? Will you would never get it like harsh and I do. This was cool but never really lives hype of the first song
An incredibly spirited, theatrical vocal performance which is always appreciated. A little skimp on the production and lyrics but overall a fun listen
Huh. What is this. What are we doing. What's going on. Four flat. Go Australia!
Always happy to hear Nick
Really liked this one. Very dark, violent, and immoral, with the opener and "John Finn's Wife" being my favorite tracks on the LP. Even though I'm usually not fond of theatricality in music, the other stylistic and lyrical elements make up for it.
Full skibidi.
I think it's the last Nick Cave album i hehe to listen to, thankfully
This was quite the surprise! Fun and dark and gravely and tough. 6/10
My 4th Nick Cave Album if you count The Birthday Party and his voice continues to be the biggest obstacle to enjoying the music. This album has more going for it than any of the others though. The interplay between the guitar bass and drums keep me listening and even his voice sometimes helps, its got a manic rock sound that would fit well in a hole in the wall pub full of broken bottles and sleazy people.
I rolled my eyes so many times.
Mmmmpueke q si pueke no, lo dejaré en 3
Straight to You is okay but I just really didn’t like his voice.
It all sounds like one big stupid, screechy country song — completely not for me
Aller on retente Nick cave Fiou enfin de la bonne musique ! Bon finalement je trouve ça un peu mou quand même Je ressors pas forcément une chanson du lot
Its aight. Nothing to write home about
Nick Cave and I just don’t see eye to eye anymore. With one exception — the mournful album Ghosteen — I have great respect for Nick Cave the artist, and for his unwavering artistic and personal integrity. Musically, however, on "Henry’s Dream" Cave remains exactly the ‘backyard Elvis’ that I’ve always perceived him to be (and I don’t mean that as a criticism). He is a storyteller who looks at the dark and dirty sides of the world, but musically, it's too much rock 'n' roll for me. There's too little pause for thought and too much prose. He's a good man. But not for me. With all due respect.
songs for downtrodden souls. sounds like they could have come from Natural Born Killers. Aussie version of deep Americana Nick Cave at his best
It's like if Dracula made sea shanties, but somehow even less good than that combination of words would imply.
Don't know why but I did not like this one
Australian folk punk? I loved it. The energy is great. The imagery is fun.
What’s with all the Nick Cave? I haven’t enjoyed any of it. The songs are campy and even a little sleazy. What am I missing that has “earned” this dude so many slots on the list? He’s like a Temu John Travolta.
Standard Bad Seeds
Enjoyable album. 3 is fair
Not for me. People love this man, but it just ain't me. Maybe a re-listen in the future.
Cool, but I feel like Nick Cave is over represented on this list
Very Nick Cave. I think middle of the pack of the Nick Cave we've done on this list so far, but a decent listen and mercifully short. 3.5
Not shocked to see shared-producer or whatever here with Neil Young bc they both love a clunky turn of phrase and rhymey wimes
The Good: We know it’s all a dream… The Bad: They could’ve been more forthright by calling it a nightmare… The Ugly: Realizing that I have 1 more Nick Cave album to go through… Fuck me this is a chore to sit through. The positive is that it is only 40-odd minutes long, so I do applaud that. I also had to go check my history to find that I did manage to give Nick a 4* on one of his albums… but I don’t believe this one is going to be one of them. My main issue with Nick is that I can’t stand his voice… So, I can understand that there are persons out there who admire him for his poetry et al, but I just can’t handle his voice… just like other people can’t stand Tom Waits, who I adore. Anyway, I am way behind on rating albums… another 13 to go to catch up, and most of them are probably as shitty as this one… so here’s to me pulling out the straight razor and contemplating slicing open my veins… 2* for now… doubt it will go to 3*
Malo mi je unplesantly nasilan ovaj album, teško za objasniti. Vokal mi nikad nije legao i ne volim ga inače. 2/5, 3/10
Nick cave & the bad seeds implies the existence of the good seeds
Muito foda, não fazia ideia que estava perdendo um album tão maneiro
I try to like him but it's not my thing
Henry's Dream was my favorite Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album for a long time, and upon my last listen, I began to wonder if it still held up. Yes. Yes it does. Caves rambling preacher delivery is as prevalent as ever. His lyrics have touches of Flannery O'Connor in them, but Cave continues to branch out into slower, more gentle fare. Great continuation of they styles on The Good Son.
4 Cowboy vibes, first of theirs I've heard and I did like it, wasn't sure at first but it really grew on me
Okay. Maybe I’m just digging the vocal vibe too much to notice anything else. New to Nick Cave. I’m vibin’ to his sound
I do like this more animated version of Nick Cave (even if I am most familiar with his later releases). High 3, slightly lower than some of his other releases , as it veers into being a bit theatrical in places
My favourite version of Nick Cave is all over this record - I love it when he is furious, raucous and unhinged. On Papa Won’t Leave You he sounds like an excited, angry sailor, venting his frustration. Even the emotional ballads like Straight to You are gregariously over-delivered and exaggerated - it feels like Cave is breathing down your neck. His more reflective, subdued approach which I’m less into has become more prominent in later years. It's clear to me that I need to focus on the earlier end of his mammoth discography.
Another great Nick Cave album, diving into some of the bad seeds records i’d never heard is only solidifying my love for them. I’m so utterly convinced by Cave’s persona and the way the band executes his theatrics on every release. This is another high 4 for me.
3 stars
I liked the opening track immediately. The style and delivery reminded me a lot of Eric Burdon. I like the blusey story based lyrics of a couple others as well, “Brother, my cup is empty and “Jim Finn’s wife”. Some tracks fell flat but I liked those three. 3.5/5
Nick and The Seeds are an acquired taste no doubt. With dramatic sounds and some of the strangest yet interesting lyrics. But I’ve been a fan since first hearing The Good Son, the album prior to this one. I like that one better than this one, but both hit at a sweet spot time where Nick was doing some of his better stuff. Seeing them live in ‘94 solidified my liking of them. Definitely not a go-to listen at all times, but an easy retreat to escape to.
A little too theatrical for my tastes. All I can think is Dracula opera from forgetting Sarah Marshall. Didn’t hurt my ears but didn’t have them perk up in pleasure either. 2.5
This feels very “try hard” to me. Like, chill out, bro. 2.5/5
Man jis iš principo nepatinka.
Glæsileg plata. Skuggalegt sound og geggjaðir textar. Hann er svo dark en samt mjúkur. intensity án þess að vera bara macho.
Frábær plata og geggjuð lög. Mjög þétt plata hjá Nick, engir tvistar og mikið af lögunum sem lifa góðu lífi í dag.
На самом деле интересный альбом. Мрачное, готическое звучание, атмосфера одновременно американского фильма и вампирской драмы, даже немного линчевские вайбы. Интересная музыка.
Weird but cool style. Makes me want to go to a dive bar real bad.
169. ok
Gode greier! Hver gang jeg hører Nick Cave blir jeg pinlig berørt over hvor mye Sivert Høyem vil være han.
Helt ok. Ikke en favoritt fra NC. Føler han av og til høres ut som en parodi på seg selv her.
Musikalt e det ganske kjedelig. Nick Cave e kult, men e det kanskje en smule oppskrytt? Tar vare på I Had A Dream og Brother My Cup Is Empty
Ingen klare høydepunkter, men heller ingen klare svake låter heller. Fengende på sitt mørke vis.
Interesting to listen to once but will be just fine if I never do so again
Listened to 2010 remastered version. Not my type of music. Not sure why even historically it is must hear. It was fine in background.
I wanted to like this album. The reminiscence of cowboy country and Vegas rock. The story telling and guitar. Everything felt like it should be at minimum interesting. It wasn’t. I found his voice grating. It was like that guy who tries too hard at karaoke as an ironic joke and mistakes the applause for genuinely enjoying the performance. I was not a fan.
Not a fan of this at all.
A pesar de ser rock y buena energía, no me enganchó. Lo sentí muy narrativo.
Best nick cave I’ve heard yet
Good
No more nick cave
gothic, driving, and obsessed with dreaming and delusion, yet very much indebted to the stylistic trends of the early 90s. this totally gives Wild at Heart (1990). i thought this was great! way better than what i'd already heard from Nick Cave. the bangers bang, and the softer atmospheric tracks are often quite spellbinding. deserves to be one of the 1001? ignoring The Birthday Party for a second, i reckon he gets one album from the 80s, one album from the 90s, and one album from the 21st century. the specific picks? i dont fucking know go ask someone that's obsessed with this guy [2]
Engaging
This sucks.
The classic Nick Cave predicament/conundrum: the man is undeniably a lyrical genius, but the execution here feels like a "flawed masterpiece" at best. There’s an incredible, theatrical energy in tracks like "Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry" and "Jack The Ripper", where his gothic, country emo storytelling really shines. But, the production? It's a bit of a mess, sounds kinda cramped and muddy, probably because Cave and the producer didn't get along. The band is good, and I dig the sea shanty vibe they're going for, but the album's all over the place. It goes from super intense to just plain boring. It feels more like a stepping stone for the Bad Seeds rather than their best work. I like the ballads like "Straight To You" and the stories in "John Finn’s Wife", but it doesn't all come together. It's frustrating, you know? The sound gets in the way.
Strong start, lacks a bit in the middle but ends strong too
Unable to listen because we are on holiday with very poor phone signal, but I'm not too bothered about this one
He has such a interesting voice, but I did not love this album.
Before listening: Nick Cave again? Can't wait to shit on this album! After listening: OK Mr. Cave, I'll throw you a bone here. This one was slightly tolerable. I didn't really follow the "story" here, but you certainly hear the despair and tension in the lyricism and the arrangements. It's...not bad, but this isn't something I'll be raring to go back and listen to. OK, one more Nick Cave album is still waiting for me...I can do this...
No lo siento un esencial y no me gusta la vibe overall 5/10
These songs are just like bar/drinking songs. They're kinda boring. While I enjoy the Dream Songs by Berryman, this album is just kinda dull.
Heard Before? Nope. Notes: - yet another case where this list would be instantly and vastly improved by having a two-albums-per-artist limit. - live-sounding reverb-y production works great on the sparser numbers, but gets a bit claustrophobic as the arrangements get busy. - performances ebb and flow in exciting ways. - vocals lack the variation in delivery of his later work, here it is all stentorian pronouncements. - some clever interesting stories in the lyrics, while never leaving the Nick Cave wheelhouse. Verdict: Few surprises here for fans, but a solid effort from all involved. Listen Again? I'll pass. There's still plenty more Nick Cave to be heard, though.
Depressing but decent.
Good
It's an OK Nick Cave album, not as good as some of his later work!
Ive been through a strong Nick Cave fan and remain a big fan, but i wasnt expecting this album to pop up. I prefer his more romantic stuff and bis later more abstract work. But its always a good listen so not s bad day.
this was a bit much for me……
I had a really great time with this one! Nice proportion of bangers and ballads, some murder ballads as only nick knows how to write. Great sound from the band and some lovely little melodies are sprinkled here. Musically though, it's not exceptional or different for a nick cave album. Still Very good A high 3
wsh je savais pas que ça envoyait comme ça Nick cave. s/o weronika?
Some of the songs are bit bluesy for my taste.
1/5
No, thank you.
Kinda hating it. I hate how he sings. Noise for real
Like all of Nick Cave’s projects, this is manic and ambitious. This one more than any of them is really operatic, which I suppose was the intent and ambition. This one feels the most Tom Waits to me. It’s kind of all over the place. Which then kind of feels like Cameron Winter. Is this Cameron Winter’s future when he inevitably leaves Geese? Solo singer songwriter rock operas? I guess one thing to say about Nick Cave, is that he is not subtle. He definitely wants you to know he’s there.
I like Nick Cave, but am surprised this album is here.
doesn't work without cillian murphy. hate the vocal fry. not for me
911 albums in and this is my fourth Nick Cave Album, but I have yet to see ELO. I liked one of the records by Nick Cave, but not this one.
Nick Cave is one of those artists wise music is exponentially better when you pay attention to the lyrics. I've been unable to do that for 3 listens, though what I've caught I've liked a lot! So I'ma rate this comparably to other Nick Cave albums.
Okay, this is brilliant I thiiiink this might be his best. Maybe not, but its certainly really top notch. The opener is a fast paced bit of fun and the follow up is even better. Such a good record. Nick cave and the good album
Decent listen
His singing style on this album is pretty hard to get into but even on first listen it's clear some songs (e.g., Loom of the Earth) are really good. Maybe it would grow on you.
Is this like, a soundtrack to a vampire Broadway play? Very odd. Can’t say I really got it. It did grow on me slightly as it went on. But not really something I’m gonna repeat. Was a bit of a slog to get through. 2/5.
I thought this was a solid album. Easy 4 stars.
They had a dream I had a nightmare
probably my favorite Nick Cave album so far. of all the ones i listened to, this one was probably the best from everything ive heard from him. i think the opening track was actually kind of killer, but the back end fell off a bit.
I took Nick Cave off of do not play for this?
I don't like Nick Cave or The Bad Seeds.
meh. not my favorite vocalist and very much a concept album, which is good, but not great if i dont particularly enjoy the vocals
Always a lot, and still a good time.
Detta hører dem på
Vähän erilaisempaa Nick Cavea. Ei tämäkään nyt niin huonoa ole, mutta tykkään ehkä niistä muista levyistä enempää vaikka tää onkin paljon suorempaa rokkia, eikä niin taiteellista kuin muut levyt. Wikin mukaan genre Punk Blues. Parhaat: Straight To You, Loom of the Land, When I First Came to Town
Five Nick Cave albums?!? I must listen to FIVE Nick Cave albums before I die? No, no one does. Honestly, I think the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and maybe Stevie Wonder are the only artists that (probably) deserve to have 5 f'ing albums on this list. Hey editors, tell me this project is nothing more than a list of your favorite albums without saying it's nothing more than a list of your favorite albums. Wankers.
The sea shanty album - love it
meh
Cave's baritone voice is always a treat.
Henry's Dream was definitely on the weirder side of albums on here. I honestly thought that going into it, i was going to hate this album because Nick Cave gets really into what he is singing and i thought that it was just gonna get annoying but i found out that it wasn't very bad. The music here is pretty cool with all the extravagant melodies on offer. I was pretty mixed on the lyrics as sometimes, i thought there were some cool stories that gave me a lot of vibes of that Marty Robbins album i did but at other times, they could get rather stupid. This is definitely an album i have mixed opinions on but i think i enjoyed it overall. Best Song: Loom of the Land Worst Song: Papa Won't Leave You, Henry
Nice storytelling, good sound overall just not something i would listen to.
I like the songwriting but the whole package is lacking something.
Nick Cave was always on my radar but this 1000 albums thing has really opened my eyes to what an Amazing artost
A voice made for murder ballads and the band to match.
It's your typical Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album. Intriguing, brooding and eccentric, but also a interesting throughline of a story from start to finish.
I'm not sure if I like it or not, but there is some clear artistry in there and the production value seems quite high.
Enjoyed this one and have always liked the idea of Nick Cave. Need to listen to more.
Used to be a big fan but not since he showed himself to be a zio prick!
This is the second Nick Cave album I have listened to, but I am not really fond of his voice. It is depressing to think that there are three more on this list, but perhaps there is room for me to grow to like it if I listen to it many times.
I don't think I get the Nick Cave hype (yet, perhaps). 'Straight to You' won me over by the end and 'Christina the Astonishing' was interesting
a masterpiece, specially in the bass department.
gracias por musicalizar a los picos blandos
Ich hab's im Schnelldurchgang gehört, um guten Gewissens eine schlechte Bewertung geben zu können. Aus Vermutung, dass sich solche Alben durch die "did not listen" Funktion in der Liste halten...
Interesting and slightly musical. I wouldn't listen to it again as it was quite dark and brooding.
idk why I thought this would get better, 2/5. Favourite song: Straight to You
Mhhh
I see why this massively appeals to some people. I do. It's not awakening anything in me but I can respect it
Disappointing, and I usually like Nick Cave.
The weird trying-too-hard-to-be-deep vocals annoy me, the instrumental parts are generic, and the production is repetitive, but I'm sure the lyrics are good and the one song in the middle about that woman that doesn't sound like any of the others isn't bad!
3.8/5 cool swagger from cave
Big ol' dud.
It was okay, I like his voice.
6/10
Interesting.
Always dug this, never lisened much. Definitely like.
4/7
This album was bad…almost comically bad. I kept debating if I should just turn it because the singing was awful, but halfway through my computer started to get weird and the music stopped, so I guess the computer made my decision for me lol. Didn’t finished the rest of the album one I fixed the computer.
Nick’s gothic rock is high quality w this outing
Really enjoyed this, this is the second album of his I've listened to now.
I wait a year for a Nick Cave album and they give me one that I have but would not say is my favourite. I feel perhaps this is his most commercial album (if you can say that) but the melodies are less intricate and interesting than his other work. It is just the beautiful Christina the Astonishing that gets it back on track with that ole Nick magic. Four stars just for being Nick Cave.
Still not sure about this band. I had never heard of them before, I like their music style but I must be missing something as they seem like a lot of other bands and dont stand out to me. A few more listens to them are really required I think
There's something a bit off about Nick's voice that doesn't let me fully love the band, but the songwriting is solid. For Straight To You alone, this might bump to 3.5 maybe someday a 4
2.5
Agree with you @wiz-kid, I thought I was all about the playing but a couple hundred albums on speed-review makes it clear I won't even listen to an album if I don't like the singer, and Martine has Nick's big bad baritone on Into My Arms on a playlist that's always put me off him. But agree with you too @kisigz, Nick's Red Right Hand that opens every Peaky Blinders episode is phenomenal, "theatrical" is the perfect word - listening a full Bad Seeds album for the first time I'm hearing the third point in a triangle with Springsteen and Marty Robbins. This is rage music at God and Death and absolutely full of life, hands down 5 in a single listen, 17 albums to check into.
I like this kind of slightly unhinged alt rock. There's an interesting theatricality to this album that really reminds me of Ben Caplan & the Casual Smokers - a Canadian band I discovered at folk fest. I haven't actually listened to much Nick Cave, but every time I hear his songs in movies/TV shows they always stands out to me. I think he has a great voice. I've been excited to listen to more of his music throughout this project. I think the best is yet to come!
Honestly was having a not so great day and this made it worse lol.. Just..the singing... not good.. reminiscent of other albums Ive rated low for the same problem... Hard to try to focus on the instruments when Im listening to the vocals, but they sounded fine when I could get through.
Another excellent album from NCATBS. Quite dark in places but a great listen. 4
Every time I encounter this band, they sound completely different. This time, there is no set genre with them. It's zany, wild, fun, spunky, and surprisingly entertaining. Favorite Track: "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry".
The best Nick Cave album I’ve heard so far but that’s not saying much. Listenable.
abstain
This is listenable, but I just don't like this guy or his seeds.
An interesting album but I don't know that I would listen to it again. 3 stars or C+.
I really dig this album a good bit. It's got a demented musical feel to it. I almost thought it was a concept album but it doesn't really look like it is looking at the Wikipedia page. This is something I definitely need to go back to and see if it raises in stature. (8.66) ★★★★
One of my least favourite Nick Cave albums. It is a bit too one note for me. 3.5 stars
My favorite Nick Cave album. Cave is in peak punk blues style immediately on "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry", and continues throughout the album with bangers like "Brother, My Cup Is Empty" and "Jack the Ripper". Of course, there are some prettier moments like "Loom of the Land", "When I First Came to Town", and "Straight to You", which is definitely one of Cave's best love songs. 5 stars.
3.5
This would be fine if it were a 1001 Nick Cave Albums Before You Die but I’d like to think even Nick Cave would be fed up of this one. (“I’m forever doing 1001 challenge and asking what the fuck is this garbage and the answer is always Nick Cave” - Nick Cave 2026) It’s just oh so typical of his stuff with no outright classics like Red Right Hand. I’d just have Abattoir Blues, Let Love In and maybe the first Grinderman album if it were me. Even Dig Lazarus Dig is better than this.
The second Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album I'm given on the list, after Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus. Henry's Dream is a pretty good record overall, the only track I had an issue with was Christina The Astonishing because it was too slow for me and didn't seem to go anywhere. As solid or mostly compact album as this is, wouldn't Let Love In be on this list over it or some of the other 90s records? I would've thought that was his biggest album. Good stuff, but probably not the best album of his on the list.
Nick Cave might have earned the title of "Australia's Bob Dylan" were it not for Paul Kelly, who is the obvious choice. Cave's sardonic storytelling straddles folk and blues whilst maintaining a strong rock identity. I enjoyed this, but it's not one I'd listen to any day of the week. I'd have to be in the mood for it.
I liked the first song and the last song. Rest were so so. Not my favorite, but not awful. I might listen to some more Nick Cave
Nick Cave, 3eme album =>1/5 Beaucoup trop de chant, parfois insupportable ('Jack the Ripper'). Aucun intérêt par ailleurs, je ne suis pas allé au bout. Et dire qu'il reste encore deux albums ...
Fav: Brothers My Cup is Empty
Im not very familiar with Nick Cave's work but this is fantastic! Incredible song writing & vivid story telling.
Enjoy his voice and the music. I remember liking the other album I heard from him better though. Papa, Won't Leave You, Henry stood out right from the start and Jack the Ripper to finish it up. 3/5
Nick had a lot to get off his chest with this one huh? I could probably have done without it to be honest, it all felt very frantic and unneccesary
Really fun The rhythmic shanty/ pub folk style big narrative pieces are awesome and theatrical. Ballads didn't quite hit as hard for me on these first couple of listens, but I'm sure there's some quality there. Just a really engaging cool listen.
Favorite songs: I Had a Dream, Joe, Straight to You, Brother, My Cup Is Empty, When I First Came to Town
Nice. A 3.