Henry's Dream

Agh....... Is the sound I made when I saw I was given another Nick Cave album. I REALLY did not like the previous one, "Murder Ballads", for reasons. I don't care how "historically important" people say his music is, I do not find it compelling. I just think that he should have chosen another path in his life. I think that when he was getting started someone should have sat him down and told him he just doesn't have a very nice singing voice. But hey what do I know, I love Bob Dylan and some people can't stand his voice. However, Bob Dylan CAN actually sing and I don't think Nick Cave can. His lyrics too aren't my favorite. As I'm listening to it, the same trend is appearing of crude, nasty lyrics that I do not find appealing at all. Also, there is a lot of repetition, a LOT. A lot of times repetition can be good, however that's only if the lyrics and melody are actually good! So he didn't quite hit either one of those marks there. Agh... Just WHY does this guy have 5 whole albums on this list and someone like Gillian Welch only has one. She could easily have at least 3!!!! His music just feels a little cringey like he's trying to be edgy or something. "I am the captain of my fate"... okay affirmations? Keep those to your mirror, buddy. Yeah, that's enough of all that. Again I am hearing him being offkey again? I think? It just feels like he's not exactly hitting those notes. "Christina the astonishing was the most astonishing of all"... Wow nice one! The only song I can stand to listen to is "Straight to You".

Nick Cave is very hit or miss for me, though he's not a very accessible artist. Really not an enjoyable listen. From the advent, a very grating, gutteral, vocal performance that I can only describe as parody-like. Intriguing lyricism marred by many very repetitive choruses which aren't enjoyable enough to warrant it. Very well instrumented. Not sure if Nick Cave may be too pompous, or I just can't enjoy more artistic and less conventional rock. Honestly cringes listening to some of this even though I understand it has quality.

Just not an enjoyable listen.

I really kept wanting this one to end and it's not even that long. It's just not my tune I guess. 1.5/5

3 Nick Cave albums down, 1 to go and I don't think I get it even 1% more than when I started this journey. Maybe this last (?) stretch will be when it all clicks and I'll see the genius in vampire bayou rock music.

Another Nick Cave album i simply do not understand. I hate this so much my god.

Couldn't stand the lead's voice, though they clearly had a distinct style. Grating, unpleasant, and it was terrible putting this on after a long day. Maybe you just need to be in a very specific listening mood.

ngl not really my thing. don’t really like the songs enough to have a fave

Enough, enough! Please release me of this fever dream 😟

Que álbum ruim. O cara canta muito mal, tá doido.

Did not enjoy his vocals or the songs

DNF.

not good

Really did not enjoy this album. This might be the least favorite one from this experience so far. Just does not sound good at all.

Well that's 0/4, I think i got the point after the first one. Honestly, might as well just be a fucking author at this point. Dude wants to always tell his weird little stories but he just sings them so horribly and the music just seems like a second thought. Also, I can't shake the vibe that he would be the least fun person at parties. Like wearing a trench coat to a theme park, the antithesis of fun and sucking the life out of everything. Maybe there's a musical theatre somewhere that would entertain this nonsense but it wont be the theatre of my earbuds ever again. 1/5

Awful

Literally unbearable

Less Henry's dream, more sort of Henry's nightmare. Musicianship was good. I just found it a completely unpleasant listen.

This is not his best and I am wondering why it was included in this list at the expense of something else. There was very little 'mood' and a fair bit of bad singing.

This is terrible. Maybe people like this for the lyrics? Downer musically, downer vocals. Blech!

Meh

Yeah, I wasn't a fan of this. Felt like an assault on my ears.

Hard to say. Subject matter questionable, musically OK, the deep voice id creepy, prob would not chose to listen to this

Not for me

I’d like to give it a 0. Didn’t like this one at all.

Nick Cave and Tom Waits are perfectly interchangeable to me. They are both so committed to their persona that they are a one-lane, one way road that is experienced the exact same way, mile after mile, year after year. It is a dirty, bumpy road, littered with imaginary casualties. No matter, the tires won't bounce and any curves in the road are gentle and barely noticeable. There is no destination or end to the road, only a horizon that looks just like where it all started from. Maybe it's actually am amusement park ride, staying locked into it's loop of track. The listener enjoys the safety of being strapped into the cart, while Nick Cave and Tom Waits perform their schtick of murder ballads and pseudo-poetic drinking songs. In either case, I do not enjoy the ride and dread having to sit through it again. The guy running the Tilt-O-Whirl just off the Van Halen Expressway seems pretty drunk and wants to play some Whitesnake over the loudspeaker. That looks wayyyy more fun.

No offense but who put this on here

Not my jam

Horrendous voice made it through without ears bleeding. Definitely never going to be on my playlist.

This was not for me. At all. I appreciate it, and I appreciate Nick Cave, but this is not my cup of tea.

Alright so we start off with a singer who can't sing. I hated this fuckin album. Just all over the place and wasn't in the least bit enjoyable. 2/10.

Have already written a lot about why I don't like Nick Cave's music. Someone else's review calling it melodramatic and overwrought captures it very well for me. There are far too many Cave albums on this list, in my humble opinion.

I don't know what it is about Nick Cave, but his songs do absolutely nothing for me.

Genuinely cannot tell if this is parody or just bad. How is this must-listen?

When Papa Won't Leave You, Henry felt like it was 23 minutes long, I knew I was in trouble. Surely this has to be a joke. Wannabe deep lyrics sung by someone doing a bad mash-up impersonation of Johnny Cash and David Johnansen. By the end I was almost actively hating this music. Even now, the memory of listening to it makes me cringe. I'm not that far along in the 1001, mid 200's, but without a doubt this is the worst album I have listened to so far. I sure can't wait to listen to the other Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds albums on the list.

Couldn't wait for this to be over. It's certainly 'alternative' as Apple music assumes that's it's genre. It's alternative from being good. Hesitant 1 star.

Not digging this. Too something...not sure what

Zionist and genocide apologist. Pah. I never rated him that highly. Heroin chic never did it for me. Some of his later stuff is good. But this is dire empty nothing. Not here though. A must miss. And yes I know that there are those who love him. That’s perfectly ok. But any genocide apologist is morally abhorrent.

cant do it

Not sure this one is for me.

i hate you

weird, he doesn't really sing and just seems angry 2 out of 10

I do not enjoy this all that much. 1.5

I am struggling with his irritating vocal style which comes across as "faintly drunk pub folk singer". Why must he stick "-uh" to the end of most lines? "dream-uh", "reverend-uh", "neck-uh", "head-uh". It is an intensely annoying vocal tick. The lyrics might be deep and meaningful but I can't listen to the delivery. 1/5.

Nick Cave #5, no change in my comment. no need to hear before I die !

I'm genuinely upset how many fucking nick cave albums are on this list.

OMG ANOTHER ONE?????

Not for me

Bad

Bad way to end the year, onto 2025!

I listened to the first 20 seconds of the first song, personally will not be bothered to the rest of the album. Rusty nails are being driven into my skull one by one.

Not my style

talk about BORING

I tried twice to get through this. The first time I got about half way through before I had to turn it off because it was too weird and distracting. I picked it up again, before getting about two songs in and hating it even more. This album is dogshit lmao I don't understand what is going on through half of it, I can't even write a good review for this because my brain subconsciously filters it out as white noise until the parts where it's too weird to not focus on anything but that.

This was just boring. I don't get the inclusion in the list. Also, the guy's voice annoys me.

If they could get a singer who knows how to song I tune, this could actually be enjoyable. But then still not great, a bit too over the top constantly. A good album need balance, this one doesn't have any of that.

I don't feel like this guy is a talented singer at all. He's mostly "talky" like Shatner (although not to this extreme), and when he sings he's often flat. Some of the songs were okay, but overall I was not a fan.

This. Is. Terrible. It’s a self-important nonsense of babbling lyrics. Nick Cave must’ve become the lead singer because he owned the mic and wanted to be in a Warren Zevon tribute band. Rubbish.

“Papa won’t leave you Henry! Papa won’t leave you boy"! Well if Papa sings like this, then I sure hope he leaves. I could not stand this man’s vocals, style, or lyrics. Though, I really dug that backing band’s performance and their occasional vocal harmonization. I would choose this group to support any other lead singer. I can’t stress how much I hate this man’s voice. Favorite track: “Straight To You”

Hard work. Too many words for each sentence and signing really needs to be more than shouting! Weird as I love Red Right Hand in Into My Arms but I can’t find anything redeemable here. First one I haven’t put any tracks onto my ‘favourites’ list from. 2/10

immediately no

It's a lot. It'd be better if there was less of it.

Listened to this at very low volume at work. Best way to appreciate this artist.

Imagine if the most annoying person you know forced you to go to an off broadway musical they produced. This is the soundtrack. The best thing I can say about this is that "Straight to you" sounds like an old Hootie and the Blowfish song. I don't like Hootie and the Blowfish.

Weird, didn’t enjoy it

Every shit thing he thought got recorded. And all of it made this list.

His music is really hit or miss for me. This was a miss

Not for me.

Is this a joke?

Despite the list owner loving Nick Cave, I sadly do not. Really really grating voice. Spoils every track tbh. Please no more, this is #3 and I'm only a third of the way through the list. Make it stop.

I don’t understand why so many Nick Cave albums are necessary. Emphasis on the BAD seeds because what is going on here. The very first sound of this album I immediately knew it would consist of 45 minutes of torture, and I was right. His voice is excruciating to listen to and the music along with it is just horrible as well.

Dumb. I mostly hate reading the off-putting and closed-minded Robert Christgau but he nailed it here: "...if this is your idea of great writing, you may be ripe for his cult. Otherwise, forget it—the voice alone definitely won't do the trick." also this is the 93rd Nick Cave album on this list. 92.5 too many. 2/10 1 star

Starting to think this guy might be more annoying that Tom Waits. That typical "troubador" type style that just doesn't work for me, at all. Opening with an absolute dud of a track, "Papa Won't Leave You." I think Henry would prefer a little alone time, maybe some peace and quiet (don't worry: I confirmed that Henry is not actually the name of any of his sons, this one's fiction so I don't feel bad poking fun). Aside from that, yeah the album is more or less just shitty goofy songs from a guy who's convinced he's in some higher plane relationship with music. Can you tell I'm becoming a hater? Ghosteen was great, I think I kinda liked Skeleton Tree too, but the bit has worn very thin for me, I just simply cannot be bothered with this, frankly, pretty awful music. Favorite tracks: Straight to You. Album art: Part of me likes this for the color and variety, but another part of me just sees it as a stupid picture of Nick Cave on a billboard. 1.5/5

Didn't even waste my time with this tone deaf BS. Imagine 2 albums of this garbage on this list... Geez. Hope they don't show up again

Same as the other nick cave albums, I just don't get it. Quite like his voice, the music is fine without anything really standing out but the lyrics get on my nerves. A bit like Paul Simon as Jack pointed out, the sort of random conversation/story approach to these songs doesn't work at all in my opinion. Wouldn't listen again, I'm just not a Nick Cave fan.

Nicht so meins

Not for me

Stopped after swearing started

Waste of my time. A million boos.

I had hope for this because I like the album cover but wow I hated that so much.

It sounds like the music that a band in a movie about the rise and fall of a shaggy glam rock band with a real bastard singer would play and you'd think, hey that sounds pretty decent for a band from a movie, they really nailed how a band like that would sound. Some good atmospheric reverb&tremolo guitar sounds. The songs are dark and moody with a driving propulsive energy that suits the histrionic spiraling vocals. He has a very vegemite hit or miss voice, and it's a miss for me. That makes paying close attention to the lyrics - which meant to be the selling point? The storytelling and the characters? - a bit tough since it means focusing in on the most annoying part of the music: his pseudo Jim Morrison goth crooning. I guess they have a cult following, from decent live shows and lyrical lore, but I wonder if it isn't maybe among people who, in general, prefer movies to music? Even the cover suggests that interpretation.

I'd accept this album as an outro ending track for a show -- nothing else. Edgy slam poetry for guys who like beer and westerns. 1/5 - "Not listening to this again."

Did not enjoy. Not my kind of thing.

One listen was enough, lacks musicality.

Not for me

So Nick was angry, got drunk, went to a karaoke bar, and somebody recorded it. Got it. Enough with the Nick Cave albums already, ffs.

My second album by these folks and I haven’t been a fan of either.

This guy has way too many albums on this list. How much depressing talk singing can one person make yet alone listen to. Nick cave is probably now one of my least favorite artists because of this list. 2.7/10

Do people think this is good?

Droney and not pleasant

2 Barely Eh fuck it 1

Couldn’t get a grasp. Sounds like parody music but worse.

Well. That's the last Nick Cave album on the list for me and at least it's over. 870-some-odd albums in and Cave has become my most hated artist on the list. Which is saying something because the list also has Neil Young on it and that guy's a total tosser. But Cave takes first prize due to his skeezy songwriting and fake "ooh, I'm scary" performances. Such garbage. Glad I'm done with it.

Old af