Henry's Dream

I continue to fail to understand why people think Nick Cave is good. He sings like an entirely untrained sixth former, and he writes with the kind of philosophical grandiosity you'd expect of a 17 year old who has just discovered that Kierkegaard and Nietzsche are important. He even dresses like an edgy sixth former. Maybe the gothic excess and atonal howling are part of the point, but intention cant excuse irritation for me. I found large swathes of this album unlistenable musically, which renders the lyrics, even when interesting, entirely pointless. Does not, and I fear never will, appeal.

#288/1001 🇦🇺 From the cacaphony of the opening track to the beauty of Straight to You, this is yet another outstanding Nick Cave album. Best Tracks: Straight to You, Papa won't leave you, Henry, Brother my cup is Empty, Loom of the Land.

Had it in in the background and was not really upset about it. 5/10

How do we go back in time and remove some of these Nick Cave albums from the list? Is that possible yet in the year 2026?

A collection of nine over-long lyrically repetitive dirges with shouty vocals.

It’s like if Bob Dylan weren’t cool as hell

Genuinely what the fuck is this. I think this could just be sea shanties or the soundtrack for a new SpongeBob movie

I actually liked most of the music. It’s very theatrical and interesting. But goddamn they should have outsourced the singing. Mr. Cave’s voice was bad to the point of distraction. I would get used to it by the end the song and almost forget about it and then the next song would start and boom immediately all I can focus on is how much he cannot sing.

Fucking Nick Cave

Favorite Song: I Had a Dream, Joe Least Favorite: When I First Came to Town

I’m a fan of Nick Cave but I had never heard this album and was surprisingly impressed. This album reminded me a lot of the last two albums that he’s put out. The orchestration, which at a couple of points reminded me of Elton John‘s madman across the water, stood out for me. The sound is much more approachable than some of this other albums.

Nope. Just nope.

Good album

I want to like Nick Cave more than I actually do

This is music for all the edgy theater kids who got a dark leather coat in high school and felt really cool and/or who get a tingly feeling in their stomach whenever the phantom of the opera appears.

Really close to being incredible, but instead just odd and interesting and chaotic and enjoyable.

Knöt inte an till det här albumet lika mycket som andra Cave-album jag hört, men fortfarande bra!

meh

I’m not sure I can get into Nick Cave, but I was happy to recognize a song of his in Dexter Resurrection, thanks to the exposure to brought this experience. This album is much more lively than the last I listened to of his, Ghosteen. And for that reason, it’s gets a slight better rating of “average” from me.

Nope. 1/5

I like Nick Cave, he was incredible live at Rock en Seine this summer, and I also like that he explores different genres. But this wasn't really for me.

Vantaa-Mäntyharju ajo sateessa 17.10.26. Tämä albumi ajomusana. On tuo Nick Cave aikamoinen kaveri. The birthday party pari päivää sitten oli ihan hirveää ripulia, tämä taas on erinomainen albumi. Tulee musikaalimaiset vibat, en tiedä miksi. Mutta loistava levy! 4/5

Another great offering from Mr. Cave, so far on side 1 but it's great, so no matter what's on side 2 - it will still get 4 stars.

So good. I love Nick Cave and this showcases him in all his spooky splendor. Some good hooks and heartfelt lyrics also between the wild storytelling.

Nick's relationship with his children is interesting.

I don't like his voice.

Alway interesting to listen to. Great instrumentals and storytelling. Often reminds me of Sikth

A very enjoyable listen. The opening tracks are probably some of the Bad Seeds best rocky numbers, with opener Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry really grabbing you straight away. We get classic Cave themes of human emotion and religious themes across the piece here, done in a really engaging way. The quality dropped off too much to consider 5, but it’s very good.

Another really strong Bad Seeds album, the first of three with this kind of sound, balanced between the raucous tone of their 80s output and the lighter sound of 1990’s ‘The Good Son’. As is typical with Nick Cave, we get lots of dark storytelling paired with dramatic, punk-edged music, perhaps best demonstrated on album opener ‘Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry’. But there are plenty of softer moments too, including the gospelly ballad ‘Straight to You’, possibly my overall favourite track (although it’s a tough call with so many strong contenders). Consistently excellent, very close to the full 5 stars.

Turns out even a "meh" Nick Cave is still pretty damn good. Some songs were a little too commercial, and a few less ear catching, but I'll probably come back to this one. 3.6/5 -> 4/5

Of the Nick Cave albums on here this is the better of them.

Actually liked this album.

"Henry’s Dream" opens with 'Papa Won't Leave You, Henry' - a sprawling, tale of dread and urban squalor. It is a staggering track, packed with vivid imagery and a relentless sense of urgency that is both lyrically gripping and utterly thrilling. Just two tracks later, the album pivots to its polar opposite in "Straight to You," one of the Bad Seeds’ finest love songs, which delivers a sweep of pure romanticism set against apocalyptic lyricism. As an unabashed fan, much of my admiration for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds stems from their constant desire to evolve. "Henry’s Dream" captures them mid-transformation, largely abandoning the lush, piano-led sound of its predecessor, "The Good Son." The sheer musicality on display is remarkable. They are an extraordinary ensemble - one that has gracefully reshaped itself over the decades - working in total unison to underpin Cave’s vivid imagination and bring his lyrical themes to life. Whenever I listen to "Henry's Dream" a different track captures my attention and stands out - today it was 'Loom Of The Land' but it is full of standout tracks. "Henry’s Dream" sits firmly among the highlights of a remarkably eclectic catalogue. It would be tempting to call it the Bad Seeds at their peak, but that would do a disservice to the magnificent body of work that follows. Instead, it remains one essential chapter in a quite fabulous discography. 1 "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" (5/5) 2 "I Had a Dream, Joe" (5/5) 3 "Straight to You" (5/5) 4 "Brother, My Cup Is Empty" (5/5) 5 "Christina the Astonishing" (4/5) 6 "When I First Came to Town" (4/5) 7 "John Finn's Wife" (5/5) 8 "Loom of the Land" (5/5) 9 "Jack the Ripper" (5/5) Total - 43 Average - 4.8 443/1001 235/443 albums reviewed were new to me.

Nick Cave is insanely talented. Love listening to him

Nick cave osasi todellakin yllättää. Ennen ablumia olin yksittäisiä kappaleita kuullut sieltä täältä, mutta tämä oli todellakin hyvää musiikkia. Albumi oli sopivan mittainen että riitti kiinnostus kuunnella. Yhtään pidempään ei kuitenkaan olisi jaksanut. En kuitenkaan yksinään tämän albumin perusteella voi sanoa että Nick on hyvä/huono, jätkä tehny musiikkia kuitenkin noin vuosisadan verran joten luultavasti tulee lisää samalta artistilta.

I’m just becoming aware of Nick cave. Harry and hermoine danced to one of his songs in the second to last movie, and he does the peaky blinders theme song. For that, he’s cool in my book. I dig how the first song on this album has a sea shanty vibe, but otherwise not much turned my head.

Enjoyed the first half second half was too depressing

A unique sound and voice that lost its charm quite quickly and became rather grating. An artist, I feel, that is but about the lyrics than the tune. As previously stated, this doesn’t really appeal to me.

I liked this a lot. Great vocal presence and delivery, very emotional. Bad seeds are being sown into me. Hopefully I dont start a war 🤔

Goodness me Henry, what a dream you've had. It's time to wake up..

Didn't like it. Too crowded, overwhelming, and not interesting. Nick cave had some wonderful music in the 90s, but this is not oneof his best albums

Yay Nick Cave! That’s sarcasm You know what’s going down with this album if you know what he’s like and sounds like. That’s all I need to say about that Jenny

7/10 (dropped to 3 from 4)

Probably my favorite Nick Cave album. His stuff is always so dark, but his harmonies with with band is quite good here. 4/5

The darkness of this album shines through. I can hear early Leonard Cohen breaking through.

Rather enjoyed this. Top bops; Papa won’t leave you Henry When I first came to town Loom of the land

I've never listened to Nick Cave. "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" is a hell of an introduction. Dramatic storyteller punky folk, bravo! Also really enjoyed the mid album mystic lull of "Christina the Astonishing".

Nick seems to tip toe around cringe but rarely end up in it. Must be because of the great band backing him since I don't enjoy his voice. Loom of the Land was my favourite

Esse é o artista favorito do meu pai, e eu entendo é visceral e honesto de um jeito muito especial, mas não é algo que eu escutaria tanto

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are another fun discovery from this project. I really have enjoyed both albums that have come up. Great vocals.

He's not the happiest of campers. Lots of dark lyrics. 2.5/5

Mulig jeg ikke lyttet aktivt nok, men her var det lite som grep meg. Nick Cave fortsetter å være en artist jeg ønskte jeg likte bedre enn jeg faktisk liker. Qobuz begynte å autoplaye Do You Love Me? etter skiva var over. Mulig det er familiaritet, men den låta griper meg med en gang. Så jeg vil nok en gang rette spørsmål i retning lista: hva skjer med å ikke ha med Let Love In? Jeg har en følelse av at denne fortjener mer enn 2, men jeg hadde en 2/5 opplevelse, så jeg får la være å forskjellsbehandle bare fordi jeg føler jeg burde like det.

Mais um disco inspirado de Nick Cave. Canções imponentes e interpretações viscerais.

p700. 1992. 3 stars. Some quality material in here, but also a lot of filler. Not his best work by any means - "Grinderman", "Dig Lazurus Dig" or "Push The Sky Away" for that - but still worth a listen.

“There’s too much Nick Cave and Elvis Costello!” My steak is too juicy and my lobster is too buttery. 5/5

Not for me.

This one really just stressed me out

Grim and gloomy Dracula ballads about seedy people. Nick Cave has a definite thing going on and I don’t think it’s for me, but I appreciate that he’s committed so hard to said thing.

Didn't like this as much as the others I listened to but it wasn't bad

I somehow ended up liking every song on this album? Has Nick Cave ascended as the best new artist found on this list? Perhaps. A bad seed he is not.

Has a theatrical quality to it! Very cool. Not quite for me, but I’m glad I finally got the motivation to sample a Nick Cave album after hearing about him for so long!

Ok

3 out of 5. First album of his that kept me hooked more than usual.

Would probably rank this as my favourite Cave album. It's a 5* all day long

Holy shit

Too much Nick

Хорошо выстроенный, динамичный и цельный альбом с сильными песнями и ярко выраженной атмосферой. В ранней дискографии Кейва — одна из наиболее внушительных работ и важная точка перехода к его более масштабному звучанию.

Not exceptional- I think a lot sounds the same

What is this perpetual concert of a drunken sailor? It did not drive me mad, but I wouldn't listen to it again

It is yet another good Nick Cave album. In a way, it does not feel as unique or fundamental as some of the later records. It is not subject to the harrowing melancholy of the latest part of his discography and feels strictly inferior to the three albums that come after it, which to me are the quintessential part of his oeuvre. I'm bent on whether this album should be included when there are so many better Nick Cave records. 8/10 [KEEP?]

It's ok

Almost catchy, but not quite

I think I like Nick Cave, but I was pretty fatigued by the end of this record. It's even more high drama than the other Nick Cave albums I've heard, and perhaps we've found my tipping point.

4 - BAD

Why the fuck would you make me listen to this.

Sucks! It sucks. I still can’t believe there are SIX of these on the list. I would’ve died happier had I never endured the immense displeasure that is a Nick Cave album.

Daar is 'ie weer, je favoriete schrijver's favoriete artiest. Ik heb er maar beperkt zin in, maar het is niet z'n meest vervelende album. Vergeef me m'n gebrek aan creativiteit, maar dit is m'n 5e keer Nick Cave. Ondanks dat ik het niet haat ben ik inmiddels wel murw gebeukt. Bij het 4e album wist ik al niks meer te verzinnen zie ik ook. Ik geef 3 sterren.

Big Nick Cave week, eh? This is less gothic contemplation Cave like the later era. It's more of the deranged, shambling Cave. If you can get past the wailing, which is the point in this era, I would imagine, there is some interesting stuff here. “Papa Won't Leave You, Henry” is the sort of swirling dystopia that Cave made a name on, a rant of a story that feels like hearing a crime scene confession. It's as good an example of that as you wish, arguably better than a lot of what makes it onto Murder Ballads (I think we'll get there soon enough). Its strength is heightened by “I Had a Dream, Joe” not capturing the same lightning in a bottle, despite being similar in concept, style, and even title-structure. But those sorts of character studies are the bulk of the content, whether it is the wretched and broken telling their tale (Brother, My Cup Is Empty) or in hymnlike elegy (Christina the Astonishing). Cave isn't purely in this mode though (again, we will talk about Murder Ballads later). Straight to You, for example, almost feels like balladry, if in a Warren Zevon sorta way (for more of that we'd need to get to Boatman's Call, I think). “When I First Came to Town” mines a similar style, albeit taking more time to paint an uncertain picture of yet another unsavory character. This really was Cave's bread and butter for a while, and he was good at it, but it does tend to be one note and tiring compared to what he is capable of. There's only so much underbelly one can commit to before you want something more honest, something you can connect to. Personally, I'd rather Let Love In here. But this is what we got and it gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5

4 of these albums? I mean, they are okay, but there are so many great artist not represented at all

Highlights: Papa Won't Leave You Henry, Straight To You. In a nutshell: a furious fever dream. Overall: 6/10

This is an incredible album that I honestly don't think I'll listen to again. Like, I'll have to be in a specific mood to listen to this, and what kind of mood would that be!?!?

It still blows my mind that this dude has 6 ALBUMS on this list I think out of the 3 we’ve been forced to listen to so far, this is probably the best. The first 5ish songs are genuinely listenable and have an energy and edge to them that I hadn’t heard from Cave before; still not sure if I’m 100% sold on the whole “gothic rock” vibe but I can see the appeal. His voice is ok in small doses, it’s a really unique register and it works decently well It just kinda falls apart into the somber, boring, trying-to-be-emotional-but-doesn’t-have-the-weight vibe that the other two we had have. I know he’s supposed to be a great songwriter but there’s just something that feels kinda not genuine about his lyrics. Also speaking of man the lyrics at times can be just weird and not sure if I like that I still won’t listen to Nick Cave unless 1001 forces me to, but I’ll admit he’s not a total hack. I still think it’s an absolute travesty this guy has so many albums on here

fucking nick cave

Nick Cave, I warned you...

I'll admit my expectations were low for this because I haven't vibed with any of this previous work but I actually found myself enjoying this for what it is. Potentially something I would re-listen to when the mood strikes (which I cannot say about any previous Nick Cave music I've encountered).

1.8 didnt feel it had much going for it and one of the songs sounded like a pirate tune.

Nick Cave, that's solid rock. Keeping that for days when I wanna feel like a bad boy.

Verily verily, I say unto thee, I rather enjoyed this - much more than I had expected to, and it's very close to 5 stars.

Æ kan skjønne koffor folk elske Nick Cave og stemmen til Nick Cave sjøl om han aldri helt har havna på innsida av mæ. Men potensialet e der.

Gear: Grado Hemp Artwork: 🤵🪧🔦 Production (2010 Remaster): ⚡🐇🎆 Music: 🎹👻🌋 Rating: 💭💭💭💭/5

Described as punk blues on Wikipedia which is a perfect description. Starts off with the menacing sounding Pappa Won't Leave you Henry.Not long after it's onto the beautiful love song Straight to You, one of my top ten Nick Cave songs I think. Later on we have lyrical John Finn's wife with raven hair and tattooed breasts amidst bollo knives, pistols and machetes. This is lyrical narrative driven Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds coming up to Murder Ballads and Boatmans Call a few years later. Dark and dangerous but also poetic and romantic. 5 stars

Nick Cave is just not for me. I just can't understand the hype.

I think that's enough Nick Cave now...

Second half of the album is decent, just about scraped a 3. Didn’t love it though, usually like his stuff a lot more. Do better, Nick.

the first few tracks were pretty cool but then it got a bit boring

I really liked the album Ghosteen by Nick Cave, but this is another case where I can't get over the way he sounds.

"I opened my eyes Joe" ...well 2 songs in and I closed my ears, Joe. Anyone else irrationally angry at the font choice for the bottom text on the cover? The whole thing looks like it was designed in powerpoint by a 13-year old. But hey, people like what they like. Not for me, goodbye Joe.

After absolutely hating GHOSTEEN and being lukewarm on MURDER BALLADS, it is a bit of a shock to come across a Nick Cave album I unreservedly like. Setting aside the former for the grief stricken outlier that it is, the content of the latter was more to my taste but was hampered by Nick Cave's singing voice, which I didn't enjoy. This one is noticeably better in that department, with Cave himself sounding better, to my ears, and the material more appropriate to his voice. It's also just better material overall, feeling like the soundtrack for an apocalyptic western movie, that's snarling and forceful and lively. He's also boosted by some notably terrific backup singing from the rest of the Bad Seeds. The best two songs are also the first two, "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" and "I Had a Dream, Joe," both of which are sensational. "Straight to You" and "Brother, My Cup Is Empty" are almost as good. The album dips a bit in energy after that, but there are still some good moments in the latter half of "John Finn's Wife" and the closer "Jack the Ripper." All in all, a nice listening experience that was a pleasant surprise given my previous experience with Cave. I won't be looking at the remaining two albums with as much trepidation.

Sounds like if a vampire cowboy starred in a Broadway show.