Ghosteen

Having not really liked much Nick Cave before I actually thought this one was quite good, but not really 1001 worthy. 3.7/5

I refuse to listen to albums by men who sound like they would tell their girlfriends whom they cheated on that they should "bear some of the responsibility"

Solid miserable noise

This is grief in audio form. Even without knowing the album's backstory. That's simply what it sounds like. The sparse ambient instrumentals coupled with Nick Cave's somewhat tired sounding delivery, all contribute to a desolate but dreamy atmosphere unlike anything else in Cave's catalog, even the other ambient-leaning albums of the "trilogy", Push the Sky Away (2013) and Skeleton Tree (2016). This is a double album, but it's a pretty short one at under 70 minutes. The concept is that the songs are all a family, with the two long tracks on the second disc being the mother and father and the ones on the first disc being the children. Family and loss and grief are obviously big themes on the album, which could potentially have been handled in a heavy-handed way. However, Cave's cryptic and surrealist lyrics keep it from ever becoming that. The key here is in the delivery. Only occasionally we get a glimpse at what these songs are actually about, and when that happens it hits you like gut punch. Beautiful. Key tracks: Bright Horses Waiting for You Ghosteen

3/5

Muito bonito e melodramático. Som ambiente, e profundo, que te prende bem. Não é um disco fácil de ouvir, bem pelo contrário, é uma experiência maçante e cansativa, e geralmente eu consideraria isso um gigantesco ponto negativo, mas no caso deste álbum e o contexto por trás da sua discussão, isso acaba sendo algo positivo. Essa exaustão que ele causa é obviamente proposital, e faz parte da experiência brutal que Nick Cave construiu aqui. Definitivamente um disco que todos devem ouvir antes de morrer. 4/5

Yet another Nick Cave album? Fine, I’ll say it now: Overrated. But…. that voice! He should do audio books.

Jesus fuck. I have zero patience for this shit.

Feels like I’ve listened to several nick cave albums now. All of them just fine.

I have nothing original or interesting to say about this band. So, instead, I'll just get some thoughts down rapid fire style. -I genuinely don't know any ride or die Nick Cave fans personally, so I have a hard time imagining who this music is for. It's certainly not for me. Nick Caves smarmy vocals make me think of theater kids and REPO the Genetic Opera. -I understand this album was written during a grieving process, but that hardly qualifies this as needing to hear it before I die. -Less than 10 years old, who is citing this album as being seminal or even a standout? Doesn't deserve to be on this list. There are some nice soundscapes on this album but nothing that couldn't be found on soundcloud by searching "Moody soundscape." My advice to the critics writing these books is to get off Nick's jock, leave the man alone. 2.5/5

It may be crass to give a negative review of an album on which the artist is grieving for their recently lost child, but I hated this. It's warbled beat poetry accompanied by some (admittedly nice) soulful backup singing, all played over the sort of ambient nothingness you might try to fall asleep to. I play every album in this project in it's entirety to provide an honest opinion, and this one was the toughest to get through, even more so than Leonard Cohen's quarter-speed snooze ballads. That seems harsh given the circumstances, but Cave marketed the shit out of these circumstances, with a documentary, an album, a "live recreation project" (of the album, not his child's death) and a concert tour. There's nothing wrong with expressing grief through art, but grief as commerce leaves me feeling squirmy and Grief On Tour seems like the kind of thing a burgeoning cult leader would show up for to find recruits.

Dull. 0.5 if I could score lower

Another album that I just didn't gel with. I turned it off before the end, it was just so dull and monotonous. I found it difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between the tracks.

I feel like I was waiting for it to start...? nice but did not get into the vibe

A bit to slow for my taste but I guess this album really depends on your current mood. I can imagine you enjoy it way more in different moods

That was a long, boring hour. Not thrilled to see the other reviews mentioning there's a lot of Nick Cave on this list.

If you are going through it, this could help you process. But I think you have to be in that mindset to "like" this.

0 out of 5 What the fuck was that?!? I have no words.

shut up you boring cunt

Beautiful, soaring, personal. Also too long and a bit sleep for me, dog.

Weird

Wow. Just wow. What an incredibly stunning, moving, heartbreaking, hopeful, emotional album. It ended and I put it right back on again.

Pretty sombre and melancholy - not a surprise I guess - decent enough, but hard to say you enjoy

First listen. 1.5 I'm not sure I really get this. It's pretty boring to me, but maybe I'm missing something. It felt like most/all of the songs on the first disc were slow songs, made up of 2 or 3 notes on a synth pad. The second disc was a little more interesting, but even then, just when I thought there was something interesting, it'd lapse into a long lyrical part that I didn't care for.

This is a spoken word album with ambient sounds in the background. I think it was trying to tell a story, but I couldn’t really follow it. The voice drone on and on like the sounds in the background. I’d like to give it another try while reading the words. Three stars for at least sounding creative.

Not quite

Someone loves Nick Cave

Excruciating. That's the first word that comes to mind. The music didn't grip me and I found the lyrics to be so annoying. There seemed to be some kind of attempt at doing what Leonard Cohen does, but failing miserably.

I think this album deserves multiple listens, preferably on a rainy day where you have nothing else to do. Even over the course of a single listen, the moody ambiance grew on me. There are hauntingly beautiful moments even on first pass and I suspect a lot I’ll grow to love with more listens. Maybe I’m a Nick Cave fan now?

This is a very good album that I don't really want to listen to on any given day. With a little dad-istry under my belt, I feel marginally closer to understanding Cave's pain after losing his kid; enough that I sense the grieving and the existential want behind these songs. He's a varsity songwriter and a great lyricist, and like the best of them, he speaks of his own experiences behind veils and parables. They're not fun but they're rich. I want to listen to more Nick Cave, and I hope to cultivate his wisdom without sharing a fraction of his pain.

As a project this is obviously full of value. But I really didn't want to listen to it today and, frankly, I didn't enjoy it much. One of the few albums I haven't managed to get all the way through. It doesn't mean it doesn't belong on this list, obviously, but just not for me.

Better than the usual fare from Nick Cave as it was less country sounding - shame it was born out of the loss of Cave's son. Best: Bright Horses Worst: Hollywood

I'm never sure what you're going to get with Nick Cave, but this was great!

- Vom Cover her habe ich so eine Art Musik erwartet - Ich denke wenn man in der richtigen Stimmung dazu ist, passt es ganz gut - Ist mir für den Alltag etwas zu ruhig und fast deprimierend - Aber so etwas habe ich definitiv noch nicht gehört und finde es gut, dass das Album in dieser Liste ist Topsong: Bright Horses

This is a challenging listen to say the least. An hour plus of Nick mainly speaking, sometimes barely singing, over minimal ambient music. About the death of his son. It’s gorgeous but also not really enjoyable. How to rate this? It’s a beautiful piece of work that I never care to hear again. But it is ceriay worth hearing before you die. I’ll split the baby and give it 3 stars

So boring. Every song sounds exactly alike. 2/5

This album sounds like if a ghost got really into journaling and incense. Nick Cave basically said, “what if sadness, but make it floaty?” and then wrote the most beautiful breakup letter to the concept of existence. Every song sounds like it’s trying to hug you and apologize for dying. Rating: 5/5 Short Review: The soundtrack to softly levitating in emotional distress. Favorite Track: “Bright Horses” — it’s like crying in a cathedral, but in a really aesthetic way.

Í fyrsta fannst mér þetta fínt en undir lokin var ég orðin sannfærð um að ég væri búin að vera að hlusta á sama lagið í rúman klukkutíma

Ég held að ég þurfi að hlusta djúpt á þessa til að ná henni almennilega.

This is beautiful. Heavy but beautiful. 4/5

Interessiertes Gesamtwerk mit ruhigem meditativen Songs., um es zu verstehen muss man es mehrfach hören.

Hmm, don't really know what to say, probably would've enjoyed it more if I listened actively, bit it very easily faded into the background. Didn't hate it

weird. i didnt like

a marvellous, devestating piece of art.

Hauntingly beautiful. And sad. And great. 4.5/5

Oof. This is great. Cave and Ellis have great chemistry together. I am a fan of their film soundtracks. I imagine this will repay repeated listening. Definitely have to be in the right mood for it though. I was supposed to go to this tour but I had Covid :’(

Too depressing

88/100. Definitely one of those albums you just get wrapped up in. It feels more like an experience than a collection of songs.

Great for a cry.

Nick Cave is just private school Kanye

This is such a weird album. It sounds so experimental. There are times where it could be good but it isn’t.

Already am a bug fan of Nick Cave. Listening to this album again reaffirms that he is a generational artist carving his own niche in the music world where he is free to express himself unapologetically. The depth of feeling on this album, the longing, the romance, the sadness, word can't describe. Masterpiece.

Man, what a tough listen. I am just not a big fan of Nick Cave's singing style. This is also the second Nick Cave album this week, which does not help this rating. But I feel this album is significantly worse compared to the Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus double album. This album features a lot of heavy religious lyrics, which also do not appeal to me at all. Easy 1/5 unfortunately.

62% Best: Sun Forest; Hollywood Must-Hear? No

I have to assume this won’t be the only album of his on the list. If it is, they picked the wrong one.

Grim

feels a tad one note but i like the note if you know what i mean. I always fuck with this melancholic type shit

Damn that was the saddest thing I’ve ever heard

Another album by the prolific Nick Cave, one I’ve not really listened to properly. Not one you’d go back to often but a very interesting listen all the same!

Easily the most boring thing I've ever listened to.

Hard one to rate as I only give 4+ to albums I want to hear again. As beautiful and haunting as this is, it's quite a tough listen as Cave pours his heart out over his son's death. Atmospheric but ultimately I don't really want to return to it

This ambient, elegiac album is heavy and airless, its slow synths and murmured vocals blurring into a weightless monotony as its mournful tone collapses into self-absorption, leaving the listener wandering through a fog that never lifts.

3.5 One of the more recent albums on this list, 2019, and my second Nick Cave album. Glad I had a long road trip today to listen to this one because it’s solidly over an hour long and kind of necessitates you focus on it a bit. Drenched in grief, every song heartbreaking. Every note sad. Covers a lot of the normal Cave bases, lots of poetry and religious references, but here they were waaaay more personal because of the circumstances. Multiple tracks well over 10 minutes long, little operettas in themselves. Cave is still never gonna be my favorite artist but I’ve always respected him and this is clearly a solid work, especially from someone grieving.

It's better than most of the Nick Cave I've heard. He usually sounds like he's trying to hard to have this weird, deep voice Here though, it's sounds like he's just singing, or reading, in his natural voice, which is deep enough. Now, the problem is that much of it just sounds like poetry read over soft music. It's Ok. But the actual songs are nice, often revelatory, and well done. If this was split up better, I'd like to listen to half this album sometime. But the way it is, I'm not sure I'd come back. I'll probably put this on once more in my life. (Probably on a day I'm feeling sad.) I'd say it's a 3.7 album, but since nothing relly annoyed me, let's give it a 4.

1. zong - 2 2. horzez -1.5 3. uuaiting -1.5 4. Night - 1.5 5. Sun -2 6. Ship - 1 7.speaks -1.5 8. Leviathan - 0 9. Seen -1.5 10. Flies - 1 11. Hollywood - 1.5

More speaking than singing. Poetry put to music. Background music that I forgot was on because it faded into the background most of the time

Is this the score to a musical? This is my second time trying to listen to this. It just puts me to sleep. There may be something here that I'm just not hearing, or even listening for, but my God this is not my jam. To me music is supposed to be joyous, a celebration. This is just....odd 1 outta 5

I think this was highly rated at the time of release, I liked it.

I think knowing the backstory to this album helps when listening to it. I think I would give it a lower rating without that context

Not in The mood for it.

Loved this album when it came out. So beautiful, haunting and a heartbreaking exploration of grieve. It definitely pulls on the heart strings but is also cathartic and euphoric in places.

I certainly always respect when an album tries to be an art piece but this really doesn’t inspire anything but respect and an appreciation for a few good ideas from me. It’s a lot. And it’s not accessible and I don’t really feel inspired to dig for the key to unlock this one.

Ne mogu ove ala Marjan Ban albume slušati, užas. Glazba je još čak i okej, ali taj njegov glas i naracija mi ubiju volju za životom. 2/5, 3/10

It was okay I understand the acclaim it received but I couldn't hear him over the instrumentals

3-

Nah, I'm good.

The Bad Seeds must be planted in the soil of the music because what the hell is this album?

Very sad, but very nice.

That's a tough listen, but music evokes emotion, and this did exactly that.

Aight

Slow, somber, and beautiful but I feel like you need to be in the right mood for it.

Im not a big nick fan but I liked this. His voice us still annoying but musically me likey.

i liked this more when i read the story behind it and saw what it was trying to accomplish as a side-a side-b experience but i didn't actually enjoy the experience of listening to this

okay this really shook me, i didn't know what to expect. it's giving church spoken word. it's giving angsty emo drama spoken in weird tone directly into my ears with eerie music following. um maybe if i was in the right mood i would like this more!

Muy bonito y triste al mismo tiempo, la historia en torno a este disco y la vida de Nick Cave hacen difícil al menos para mí disfrutar de gran parte de su música. Lo he escuchado una vez y media para no dejar nada atrás y finalmente no me guarda nada como favorito aunque creo que en general es un disco que merece la pena como música ambiental casi religiosa.

This is obviously not an album you'd play on Touch Tunes on a Friday night but it is perfect.

After you listen to enough music, and you've been around long enough, you begin to instinctually disregard newer albums. I did that with this one. I remember casually listening and enjoying enough, but morning spectacular. Upon this listen, it really strikes home how good he truly is. Don't wanna listen a ton. Not much fun. But it's really beautiful.

I like Nick Cave's music. But this album was a little too melancholic and gloomy for me. If I'm feeling too good and want to look into the depths of my soul, I might listen to it again. I can hardly imagine ever being in such a state of mind. 3/5

Ya me toco su album del 92 que no me encanto pero me sorprendio para bien, de este me esta gustando el sonido de la melodia que resulta muy atmosferico y onirico. Casi prefiero que no meta la voz en las canciones. Esta curiosete.

Grief and heartbreak on record. Cave sounds like he is on the verge of tears the whole time. I’m not even sure how to rate it - it’s so obviously a document of a terrible time in his life that I’d feel weird either acclaiming it or dismissing it. When I have the spirit I’ll revisit it in full. I did appreciate the lush production, textures, and atmosphere very much.

When I saw it was another Nick Cave album I was “ oh man, not again” but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This album was Stellar!

Maybe I’d rate this higher if it came along at a better time but I can’t imagine when that time would come.

It was ok to me, i know its got a real sad story behind it but the album itself didnt really connect with me

I don’t really know how to rate this album. On the one hand it is almost shoegaze in its musical landscapes, and the other it is sparse and minimalist. Knowing the back story of it, makes me want to like it more than I do, and while I enjoy the emotionality of it, it runs very long.

didn't get it i guess

Absolutely not. How many shitty Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds albums does this list need. More like albums that make you want to die… good lord, this author needs to get out of his bubble more than he does.

I originally listened to this when it released in 2019, haven't listened since though. Look forward to revisiting

I felt this album took me to a beautiful synth landscape. And although beautiful and mysterious, it wasn’t exactly an exciting place. Stand out track was Hollywood.

If you like to hear talking, disinterested sci noises, and unenthusiastic butterfly symphonies, this is the album is for you.

Wasn’t in the mood, then was in the mood. Good enough for me. 5.0

I enjoyed it. Mellow, good songs.

Did I just take drugs without knowing? Feel oddly enlightened.

I know Nick Cave’s work has been critically acclaimed but this does nothing for me. I am aware that the albums concept was based on a Rea life tragedy but it all seems a bit self indulgent

3.8 - Für meinen Geschmack ein paar zu langsame Nummern, aber am Stück entfaltet sich eine zauberhafte Stimmung, in die ich sicher noch oft eintauche. Highlights: Sun Forest, Ghosteen Speaks, Hollywood

As soon as I saw that this album was on the list, I prepared for it. Ghosteen has been framed as the final part of a trilogy of albums spanning Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' output through the 2010s, following Push the Sky Away and Skeleton Tree. I gave both of those albums a listen to better understand how they would be followed up on. I'm also aware that Nick Cave's son Arthur passed away back in 2015, after much of Skeleton Tree was written. There was a certain expectation festering in my mind of Nick leaning into more grief amidst the electronic and ambient textures that have colored the then-most-recent works. So let me state this for the record - while I admit that this album may be viewed as the "weakest" of the aforementioned trilogy, that is not to excuse how damn potent it is. I might as well get my nitpicks out of the way, as the idea of Ghosteen being the "weakest" will loom longer if I don't address it. Mainly, my concerns lie with the structuring of this record. It is a double album that does admittedly run long, and requires thoughtful listening as the mixes are so spare and restrained, and the beats are so minimal that attention has to be paid to any tunefulness and poetic frailty that cuts to the front. There aren't any musical climaxes like on Push the Sky Away or any melodic choices that hit as hard as on Skeleton Tree, as the music is largely ambient to allow the listener to sink into the textures. But then there's also a matter of how the two halves of this record are divided - the first disc being eight songs described as "from the children", while the second disc is two long songs split by a spoken word interlude referred to as "from the parents". On a pure musical level, there's a certain awkwardness with the sequencing in terms of building towards those emotional climaxes. The first disc ending on "Leviathan" may make sense lyrically, but sonically it does feel a tad incomplete, where the end of disc two on "Hollywood" is more jarring with the minor key brittleness that comes off as a rather bleak way to end an otherwise ethereal experience. Yet, there is something truly mesmerizing in this album's minimalist compositions. Take for example the fuzzed-out, clanking introduction to "Waiting for You" that lasts a few seconds before the song shifts to an outright piano ballad, or the faint, muffled stutter of the ascending guitar against the gentle warmth of the strings on "Sun Forest", or the vocal pickups that build such a striking foundation on "Galleon Ship", or the little synth flourishes on "Ghosteen Speaks", or even the hand percussion touches around a mix of faint electronic layers and melodic swell off the piano chords on "Leviathan". Even if there isn't a defined groove, the rich cushion of atmosphere and effective use of negative space made up for the lack of any explicit hook. Of course, when the musical landscape is largely atmospheric, the logical centerpiece in this mix is Nick Cave himself, with a painfully aching vocal delivery that can still command gravitas. He assumes the focal point as the storyteller for the abstract stories that need to be told. There are some genuinely striking moments coming from his voice, such as the full-throated singing on "Waiting for You", the accompanying backing chorus on "Sun Forest" and "Spinning Song", and the female vocals sliding behind him on "Night Raid". As for the content with which Nick uses that voice, there is a continuation of certain metaphors and points of reference from the previously mentioned works. The burning trees and creatures rising from the ocean that were on Push the Sky Away are used in such apocalyptic scenery, as the children ascend towards the sun in a similar iconography to the passing through worlds witnessed on Skeleton Tree. This leads into the larger text of Ghosteen as rooted in the healing of grief and heartbreak that came from Nick Cave losing his son, now left to reconcile with the son's passage into another plane of existence that he can't contextualize. Alongside that, there had been a long-running subtext through these albums about the music itself - the questions of advancing artistry into untold depths on Push the Sky Away, the whole concept of narratives severed on Skeleton Tree, and here with bookending statements about the inevitability of death, yet through art's transmission beyond that life there can be an emotional clarity found between the artist and their audience. Even still, there's another side to the narrative that has to be mentioned, and that is what Nick himself is left to do back on earth. In the text, Nick is still patching up the lingering pain that he and his wife had endured, while in the subtext, the art has to mend that gap to his audience, to rebuild the faith in his stories and that emotive connection. It's why "Night Raid" retells his son's conception with swirling images of birth and death, the gravitas of the moment symbolized by the returning horses to the street. It's why the fairy tale of Goldilocks and the three bears is recontextualized on the title track to highlight the sense of falling into routine to maintain a lingering connection. Probably most potently on the record, it's why on the interlude "Fireflies", the impossibility of holding on to that cosmic connection is compared to the photons of a dying star, as they inch across space to land their energy. By the time they achieve this feat, they're left as memories. That leads us into "Hollywood" at the end, where life seems cheapened amid a dark, apocalyptic world, as Nick waits to cross that distance himself to reunite with his son. That is, until he recalls the Buddhist tale of Kisa, a woman whose son dies and she searches for answers from the Buddha, only to be told instead to collect a mustard seed from each house whose owner has never lost someone; she could not collect a single one. At this point, the text and subtext are joined: until that great barrier is passed, what we have on earth is all that we got, whether it's the flawed community we find or the audience who will take that conveyance of energy and momentum in art and reflect it on the artist. If it wasn't apparent, I was moved by this record. Admittedly, I nearly broke down in tears while listening in the office. Ghosteen may not possess the compositional bombast of its preceding records, but that doesn't stop it from being a sonically gorgeous, nuanced, and striking effort. There is a command of atmosphere and intricacy that I can't help but be moved by. While complete peace may be further on down the road, there's enough found here that was made beautiful.

Yeah. I don't even know what this is. 1 Star

Nick Cave. A name I had come across many-a-time. For whatever reason, as I tend to do sometimes, I had decided I didn't like him without knowing anything about him or his music. When this came up, I put it aside for a week or so. Great, I have to listen to the fella... I finally put it on on the way back from work, listening on the streets of Paris - was completely shocked, I was not expecting anything of the sort. I was intrigued but didn't really know what the hell to think about it. A weird mix of Leonard Cohen, Hans Zimmer and slight reminders of Aphex Twin and the like even. Listened to the full thing again, reading more about the album and the fellas behind it (well, mainly him and Warren Ellis it seems). Ended up going down a Ned Kelly wormhole, after reading that he was enamored with him growing up. What a story! And what a story behind Nick Cave. An interesting, flawed, yet seemingly good natured and wise man. I'd give 4.3/5. Will definitely listen to more of his stuff - also like his idea of constantly evolving, exploring different genres and the like. A wonderful life lesson from this list is to give any and all artists a chance, despite what prejudices you may have beforehand. Let the music speak. It has opened my mind to many musicians I would have previously said I didn't like, having never listened to them before.

Возможно лучший его (их) альбом. Мне больше нравится трагедия Skeleton Tree, но этот альбом настолько странный в своих сочетаниях, кажется будто такого больше просто нет. Лучшая песня - Bright Horses.

This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful things I've heard in a very long time. I absolutely loved this, though it kind of feels more like an extended poem set to music. It was incredibly atmospheric and the pain in his voice was so moving.

Yay another Nick Cave album! Said nobody, ever.

Yawn...

Oh Nick Cave. You are such a tortured artist, especially on this album. It might be a masterpiece of grief, but it missed the mark for me.

- ambientação que lembra brian eno - vocal é bem marcante, guia a experiência e história durante o álbum - é interessante, bem tranquilo também, poucas variações, meio drone

Kan vara trevligt med nick cave i små doser. Lite för deppigt att lyssna på ett helt album tyvärr. Cd 2 kan man hoppa över

VERY intense

This is art born of tragedy. A parent dealing with the death of their child. Absolutely haunting album that I think anyone who has lost someone before their time will resonate with. Felt like a real gut punch. 4/5.

I've never listened to this album before, mostly because I figured it would be challenging based on its subject matter. I'm glad I have now.

There is another one of these albums on this list, what???

Currently the top review on this album is a one-star review about how there are too many Nick Cave albums on this list and it is nearly impossible to listen to. Upon clicking their profile you will find that they are a fan of Frank Sinatra, disco, and 90s rap. Clearly we have picked the wrong people to judge what music is good and what music is bad.

It’s sad, it’s beautiful, it’s rich, and overall a great album. You can really feel Cave’s grief. Listened to this one quite a few times and while it is not a clear 5/5 for me, it can see it become one someday. For now, a 4/5.

Interesting vibe, not a huge fan of the vocals but instrumentals were great

What a deep and haunting album. The only other album that gets me like this is Blackstar by Bowie. Being a parent this tears me up and brought me to tears multiple times. Beautiful music with synthesizer use that reminded me of Vangelis. Not an everyday or week listen but very moving and worthy of being on this list

Day 18 Amazing album, haunting music and lyrics about grief, would have to be in a certain mood to revisit but found it beautiful . 8/10 Highlights Bright Horses Waiting for You Leviathan

Joy. MORE Nick Cave. AND IT'S AN HOUR LONG??? Unraptured joy! My god, Nick Cave sucks.

Great vocals

I love Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. I really enjoy the sound of this album, I can listen to it both thoughtfully and while doing something else. The sound is incredibly deep, singing is soothing and mesmerising and overall atmosphere is soothing and unsettling at the same time. I will be boring here and call "Waiting for You" is my favourite track but that's just because it introduced me to this album. It's hard to pick my favourite out of here.

damn, right in the feels

Second Nick Cave in a row! Made an appointment to get more anti depressants 🙄. Seriously, this music is very interesting to me and I heard echoes of Leonard Cohen, David Bowie's Black Star, and even some hints of a Van Morrison. Needless to say, this scores almost as highly as the masters.

While he was working on his previous album Skeleton Tree, Nick Cave and his family suffered an almost unimaginable tragedy - his 15 year old son Arthur died in an accident in horrific circumstances, leaving behind a family wracked and broken by grief. While some of the lyrics on Skeleton Tree dealt with the immediate aftermath, this album is about the process of going through the grief of losing a child, dealing with anger, despair, poignant memories and ultimately accepting the unacceptable truth. It’s not an easy listen, but it’s an unforgettable one that speaks to a fundamental human experience.

It's sad, dark and slow, and reading the story behind the record, the reason is clear. It's well written, well executed, but too long to my taste, lacking of variation for such a long record. And Even though Cave is a great artist, there is too much of him on this list (as for many other artists/bands).

Man that was sad as shit.

I know that Nick Cave is beloved. And I respect his epic moody sad style. But man, this is a tough listen. Like some songs are really cool and you can kind of get into the sadness of it all, but I get somewhat fatigued with this. I would have to be in a very specific mood and that's a mood that I'm not a lot of the time. I respect the hell out of him for recording this after his son's death. Its beautiful and painful, but its also a hard listen.

¿Otra vez Nick Cave? Me cago en la puta, si todas las canciones son iguales. Y la portada es para mandarlo a tomar por culo. En fin, lo escucharé con la mejor actitud de la que sea capaz. Pues sinceramente, me desdigo de casi todo. No me gusta su forma de cantar y no me transmite eso que dicen por ahí. Pero este disco es de una belleza sublime. Es como si cantase por encima de una banda sonora de David Lynch. Me lo quedo sin duda. La portada sigue siendo el horror.

Strange. Album seemed to take forever. The vocals remind me of a cantor that Is saying a lot over the music. I think I'm missing the point of this selection.

Bright Horses Waiting for You Ghosteen

didn't leave huge impression, but i might not have been in the mood. slower and more pensive

Absolute garbage

Not a single banger. Poor effort

The lyrics are pretentious trash. Instrumentally I don't mind it. Not sure how to rate this one, if it was just the instrumental aspects I would happily listen to it in the background. However the problem is once he opens his mouth. Subject to editing I will put this as a 2 star .

This is just noise, and not the good kind

The perfect threesome for the author of this book: him, Elvis Costello, and Nick Cave. Unreal! Mental!

Honestly thought I'd already gotten all the Nick Cave albums on the list, but apparently not. In a previous review I was like "I generally enjoy Nick Cave" but now I'm questioning that because the last three albums by him that I've gotten (including this one) have been resoundingly meh. This one is not very fun, mostly it's just boring. I'm bored. I get it Nick, but can you make it a little more interesting?

Ai, ik kan de Stem van Nick Cave echt NIET verdragen. Wat een zeik muziek. Sporadisch melodisch mooi, maar over het algemeen te emo voor mij

Good lyrics but would work better as poetry

Boring

Never heard of this before. Absolutely haunting. Hope I don't have cause to listen to this again

Definitely my favorite Nick Cave album. Beautiful, sorrowful, and atmospheric in all the right ways. It was the wrong album to try to lift weights to (busy day), but it was a beautiful and impactful album.

Very vibey

Very Nick Cave. Very orchestral.

Wow, absolute goosebumps. This album is dripping with sadness and you can feel the pain in Cave's voice as he sings about the death of his child. I cannot imagine the pain, and I hope to never experience it. Musically, the album is very sparse and airy. It's a great companion to the heavy lyrical content and is potentially one of my favorite albums that I've ever gone into totally blind. I have never listened to a Nick Cave album before, but I was familiar with him prior to listening to this album. I can already guess that this will be an album that people either love or hate with very little in between. I happen to love it. I would give it a solid 4.8, but I am rounding up to 5 because giving it 4 stars would be doing this album a royal disservice. I will be digging deeply into his catalogue of work after listening to this masterpiece.

Quite a lush, modern and epic production, but not my favourite Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album. Too many synths, not enough piano. I preferred the melodrama and track length of the second disc, it brought me in a bit more than the first side.

first listen didn't do much for me

2/5 (good singer, but music is slow)

I don't know how to feel about this album. Bright Horses is quite pretty and some of the songs are kinda nice, but none of them are songs I would want to regularly listen to.

The songs are complete, they have good harmonies. The vocals are ok, but not amazing The album is good but it’s too slow for me.

Hrozna nuda sorry not sorry

Some of this sounds like bad poetry, Cave's vocal performance isn't always the strongest, and yet some of it (the first few tracks in particular) is some of the most affecting music I've heard.

Gorgeous, but I don't know if I can finish it. I made it through the first disc alright, but I had to stop during "Ghosteen." I'm going through a bit of depression myself, and hearing him sing about his son with such a heartbreaking voice is a little too much for me right now. I suppose that means it's definitely a great album.

This is both weird and beautiful as a struggle with grief often is. It is real, raw, and an experience and I honestly don't know how to rate it.

Not my taste

fallegar ballöður. guð ríður húsum. meira.

hate it

Very sad but beautiful.

A haunting, beautiful, vulnerable, and deeply emotional album from the king of cool.

An emotional window into Nick Caves grief . Beautiful and ambient. I enjoyed listening to it and learning more about Nick Cave (we share a birthday). I think Ghosteen is meant for slow and intentional listening. A practice I am new at but appreciate nontheless.

= The Beatles Despite some powerful lyrics, not Nick Cave's best and also no need for this many nick cave albums especially since none so far have had red right hand

thoughts: so i didn’t love henry’s dream but holy shit, this is absolutely beautiful. this got me emotional very early in a way that i usually don’t get with albums (not because i don’t appreciate the emotion; i’m just not really wired that way). “night raid” is like nick cave singing over something from the brian eno ambient series. i meant to do a little work while i listened to this but…i just couldn’t. this is one of the best albums i’ve ever heard and it’s gonna sit with me for a long time songs: “bright horses”, “night raid”, “galleon ship” — but really, all of this as a complete work rating: 10/10

3.4 stars rounded down

4/10

A really sad album, you can really heard him dealing with grief. I don’t care for anything else nick cave, but this was a good experience once.

I hope this gave him some peace.

Slightly overwhelming but rewarding.

This is an undeniably tragic album. Something about Nick Cave's voice and songwriting style never sits right with me, but here that fortunately works with the raw emotion and unease the album conveys. I guess I am willing to overlook some of my other problems with the album. Favorite track: probably "Leviathan"

kann lowkey nix mit nick cave anfangen sorry. 2.5.

OMG, this is so beautiful.

Who actually listens to this bullshit? And what kind of mental breakdown did the guy who made this list have to include these guys FIVE times?? Horrible and I hope Nick Cave sees this review. 1/10

I've heard some Nick Cave here and there, but never really cared for it. "Ahh, this must the album with all the good stuff." Nope. Even worse than the stuff I'd already heard. Much worse. What is this??

Z - Bright Horses J - Waiting for You

I did not use a private spotify session for this one. Wasn't familiar with this one and was curious what Nick Cave I would get. The music that seems to be made for a speed induced fight in a pool hall on a Tuesday afternoon or the ballads that would serve well as background music for a film?

I was going to give it a one-star rating, but after reading the Wikipedia page about this incredibly gut-wrenching album, I have to give it at least two stars. The music is somber, and incredibly boring though. Favorite Track: "Hollywood".

Following the two previosly recommendations of Nick Cave's music from this list, 'Henry's Dream' and 'Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus', now this website presents me this record. Compared to the other two, this album shows a totally new side from Nick Cave, as this record was made during the authors mourning of his teenage son. Altough I was already expecting this album to be slow and sad, I was surprised of how deep and emotional it feels. The first tracks from the first disc are an incredible way to set up the mood for this record, specially the opener. They are the strongest song in the first part of the album, as the latter half of it I feel is a bit weaker, and sometimes it was a bit difficult to connect with them as much as I did with the first ones. The second disc features only three songs, two of them being the longest songs in the whole project, surpassing the 10 minutes mark: 'Ghosteen' being the starting point of this section, has an incredible beautiful instrumentation and choruses which transition very well into a more subtle and slow singing with delicate synths. 'Fireflies' sits between the big tracks, but it is the only spoken word song in the whole record. This album ends with the longest song, 'Hollywood' and it may feature's Nick's best performance as I could feel very much the pain in his voice. Besides, it is an incredible way to finish the album. This album is incredibly beautiful, deep, emotinal and personal. Only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is beacuse I think some tracks in the first disc are a bit weak, and I also need more time to digest it.

Oh man, am I a Nick Cave fan now?

As a statement of loss and grief, this album does its job stunningly well. I found it agonizingly dour and depressing, but maybe in the right frame of mind I could connect with this. I really really hope I’m never in the right frame of mind to connect with this.

I just don’t understand how there are so many Nick Cave albums on here. I get that he is unique. And no doubt that this one is cool in concept, first album is from the perspective of the children, the second from the parents. Great way of constructing. Unfortunately, the broad brush does not create a complete painting, and the individual constructions that are each song are not that good. Beyond this, Nick’s voice is not that interesting to me. This is one of those classic cases of the “experts” loving something (ie critics) while the customers don’t (ie the listeners). This is widely critically acclaimed, and yet the people on this album journey have voted this as under 3 stars. The simple fact is that this is just pretentious and boring, and it’s why it’s less than average with fans of actual music.

I don't know, maybe it means more if I'm a Nick cave fan, but I just plain don't know him or his stuff. 60/100

This is an album of grief, written after Nick Cave’s fifteen year old son died. I don’t know how to “rate” such a thing. It doesn’t even feel right to rate it. It feels so personal. It is devastatingly painful. I’m not a fan of Nick Cave’s voice and don’t enjoy listening to his music generally. This album moved me deeply but at the same time I hope I never have reason to seek it out and listen to it ever again. RIP Arthur.

Out of the several generated this has been my favorite Nick Cave album. It’s no easy feat to turn grief into any artistic expression but it feels very heartfelt and easy to connect with (3.5/5)

Slow and depressing

The 11th or 12th best Nick Cave album. Still good.

Pick up the tempo!

i'm sorry, this is now my 3rd nick cave album (4th if you count birthday party) and i am really starting to think i really do not understand this at all. i don't really find his music to be compelling or haunting, i just mostly find it incredibly dull and a bore. a pretentious dude droning on for over an hour. not for me.

I can feel the beautiful mourning in the music even if it is not what I was expecting. The lyrics and message are powerful and somewhat cathartic. While not what I was expecting, I can see the beauty for some in this.

Dang.

Not easy listening but pretty epic

Sad album this.

Have listened to a few of Nick's albums hoping to find more of RED RIGHT HAND, but apparently that recording was an aberration. Reminds me a bit of Leonard Cohen's last album, but he had an excuse - he was dying. This is one long doleful hum - quite funereal.

Bad. What the fuck is ambient pop? 🤡

Amazing! So calm! Love the cover too. It's the artist of 'where the wild roses grow' i'm amazed I never thought to listen to more songs by them.

Gar nicht meins, zu slow/ominös

It’s not what I expected but elegantly beautiful for Cave. I don’t know that I will listen again but I very much respect the art and the range of what Cave creates.

Beautiful.

Generally I'm not the biggest fan of Nick Cave. Yet, there's some good sound on there

Devastatingly sad. Disarming l beautiful.

Second album du groupe après 'Abattoir blues ...' qui ne m'avait pas convaincu (noté 2/5). Cet album commence mal avec un morceau long et sans intérêt. Et c'est pareil pour les morceaux suivants, musique d'ambiance sans plus. Je ne suis pas allé au bout. =>1/5

It’s devastating in the most gentle, artful way. Floating inside sorrow, without a way out. There’s no big hook, no punch. Just a slow unraveling. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Spinning Song - Bright Horses - Waiting for You

Better than I thought it was gonna be. Great words in this one

Not their best. I prefer it when they're more upbeat.

More shite

I’ve heard like one Nick Cave song from a movie soundtrack, and it was… fine, but otherwise am unfamiliar with his music. But this album is so weird and so BAD. I seriously thought it was a joke, but the Wikipedia page has it listed as ridiculously well-reviewed: most places have it as 5 out of 5 stars, 96 of 100 on Metacritic, and says it was rated as the Best Album of the Decade, tied with Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butteryfly. All of which makes it feel even more like I’m being pranked. When I was younger, my aunt was really into Ray Boltz, the Christian music singer who also did narrative songs. You’d know him from the terrible “Christmas Shoes” song (all of his music is like that). This album makes Ray Boltz sound like Sinatra. The music itself is... fine, but the sing-talking… ugh. And his vocabulary oof. I get that this is supposed to be deep, and there’s a good amount of imagery, but the actual sentence construction sounds like it should be sung by William Shatner. The insane praise is what boggles my mind. Every weird music has its dedicated fans, not gonna yuck other people’s yums, etc. But this things gets five stars across the board - a 96 out of 100 on Metacritic. “Highest rated album of 2019 and tied for highest rated album of the 2010s with Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly”. I’m looking out the window for zeppelins man.

Idk man

It's always hard to rate an album like this that's steeped in so much context and meaning that the actual music is almost secondary. Especially when it's as heavy as this. This album is less an album and more of a therapy session for Nick Cave following the death of his son. While personally I didn't find it to be something I would come back to (this is very much not my thing musically) I feel grateful this exists, even more so than usual for albums on here I don't particularly like. That being said it almost really feel intrusive for me to listen to and straight up wrong for me to rate. Because I have to I'll give it a 4/10 but that's trying to strip the context and the meaning of this album away from it which spits in the face of the whole point of art, I know. But a score must be put and for something like this, I guess that's what I'm going to put.

This is kind of epic?? I’m a little amazed but I dig it. Really makes me want to write or go on an epic journey

This started slow for me but hooked me (?) with the shattering loss at is center. I remember this album coming out and hearing about its inspiration, but it's even more brutal than I expected. Songs like "Ghosteen Speaks," "Ghosteen," and "Hollywood" are almost unbearably sad, particularly "Ghosteen Speaks." The first songs, which reference Jesus and Mary, etc., felt laborious, but the rest cuts like a goddamn dagger.

Well, that was intense. It felt like a marathon to get through it, but as I listened I could imagine myself coming back to this album through life, and it feels singular in its atmosphere and its purpose. I even had a dream about it, which has not happened with any Kings of Leons albums.

Got so bored after 3 songs, I'm sure his other stuff is great (the song in Harry Potter was good) but this just felt like someone moaning about shit. Trying to be Leonard Cohen without the imagery.

Spacious and ethereal sounding, devastatingly sad, unsurprisingly given it’s about the death of his son. Not as amazing as critics would have you believe, but maybe you have to be in the right headspace, which I hope I never am.

Atmospheric, weird but good if you’re in the right mood

An amazing piece of art by one of my favourite artists. Strong from the start, with ‘Hollywood’ a tour de force. Outstanding, but still not his best - thus the lack of five stars.

Just gets more painful to listen to as it goes along

Wow. Omg. What‘s that?! I mean.. I have a „I‘ll hear every album from the generator 100% before rating it“-rule. But.. I couldn‘t stand this one.

God damn, I needed a trigger warning and a caffeine pill for this.

If you’re like me, it might take you some time to find the right mood and moment for this sparse meditation on grief, but when you finally do, a heartbreakingly beautiful world of universal truths will reveal itself.

A beautiful bummer.

Divorced cat lady/middle school horse girl music, shit’s bad man…

Överlag är riktigt härlig vibe o härligt luftigt, inget som sticker ut men gav mig en mycket skön känsla!

Lite sömnigt va

Not for me

Had to stop listening because I don't want Nick Cave to end up in my daily discovery list... or my nightmares.

The album cover reminded me of a fantasy novel, bringing me into a musical rendition of grief that sounded pretty magical.

I need context for why, for the most recent year included in the list thus far, the creators of 1001 decided to selected Nick Cave's band's 17th studio album. To some extent, perhaps this is some magnus opus by an old-head rocker that sums of his career beautifully, like American IV. But from a legacy perspective, I would put my money on Igor or Alex G's House of Sugar leaving a more lasting impression on the music industry than this album. After listening, this is admittedly my favorite album by Nick Cave, but I also have never been able to finish one of his albums before. A cohesive tribute to the dread, acceptance, and peace of the dead. A little monotonous, but I can get down with it. Might never listen again tho

I allow myself pre-listening comments if I know the band. What a strange place to start our Nick Cave Journey. Serendipitously, this is the album that came out of his when I was at my peak Nick Cave fandom. As I recall, I found it good, if a little too brooding for me to fully process at the time. Brilliant Writer? Yes. But I do feel like this one benefits from seeing his evolution from 90s era transgressive southern gothic to haunted bereaved parent. In fact, I wish I knew his work better; I only know the 5 most famous albums of his. We'll see if I want to dig deeper after this. To Ghosteen! Listening notes: -I often complain about softer stuff. Not in this case. -I think the space-age sounds on spinning song (and IIRC throughout the album) really work with this very spare arrangement of music. -Kinda interesting that I'm finishing reading Beloved around the same time we're listening to this--artwork using ghosts as a means of discussing bereavement and loss (I guess that's not that surprising). This album is really good, but I just don't think it has the extra oomph necessary for a 5 star. 4.5 rounding down.

This album was clearly crafted by someone who has known death first hand. It caught me off guard with how perfect, unguarded, and haunting it is.

I don't know why I didn't like this album, as by all measures I should have liked it. I love this type of music, and Hospice is my favorite album of all time. I don't know if it's personal (mentions of Jesus typically make me shut down after being told regularly I'm doomed to hell as a child and young adult) or maybe it's because the other concept albums I love tend to be more forward in the music side, where this feels more like spoken word with music attached to it. But I must deviate from critical consensus here, and give it a lower score. Of course, the daring to create an album like this always deserves a nod, but...

If I hadn't known the circumstances surrounding this album, I'm sure this album would have lost me like most of the other Cave albums. You can certainly feel the man's pain and some of the lyrics were pretty gut wrenching. Love up those you love. I feel this man's pain. I always thought the best musicians can make you feel their passion for their music. This album certainly did. Just not in the manner I would have preferred. Sorry for your loss, Nick Just damn...... 3

2 Had a few thoughts on this album, then I read what it’s about, so I’ll keep this brief. I don’t wish the loss of a child upon anyone. I can’t imagine what Nick must have been going through while writing and recording this album, and I really hope it helped him achieve a sense of catharsis that I’m sure he so desperately needed. I’m also happy for him to see that this received mass critical acclaim, though I’m sure that means very little to him in the grander scheme of things. I can’t say this album really spoke to me personally, but I’m probably very fortunate in that regard. That said, I do think there’s something quite profound about the longest two tracks here, Ghosteen and Hollywood. Ghosteen encapsulates all the emotions of this album quite effectively in a 12-minute suite (probably why it’s the title track), and then Hollywood serves as a sort of epilogue from there, with the repeated lyric, “And I'm just waiting now, for my time to come” being an absolute gut punch knowing the context of this album. It’s the kind of sentiment you wish upon nobody, but you can’t help but sympathize with coming from someone in his shoes. I have to imagine for many, Cave included, this is a very situational listen, and in those moments, I hope this helps those that need it.

Unfortunately another one I just didn't "get". Too slow and melancholic for me. I felt like this dragged far more than other albums I've listened to - I checked the time left a lot more than usual.

An absolutely stunning and beautiful piece of work. I'm going to sit with this one for at least a day before I decide what to rate it (4 or 5), but I know it's an incredible achievement. The lyrics are deep and touching. The music is ethereal and misty. I was initially going to split up my listening into the two discs at two different times but I just kept it going through the whole thing because it was so hypnotic. I love Nick Cave the person. I have had a harder time getting into his music. But after this album I definitely have a greater appreciation for what he can do. Must-listen #163.

Beautiful music. Not for me.

My word...Ghosteen sounded like a ghost-town. Yawn!

this whole project would be much more exciting and enjoyable if there was a strict "1 album per artist" rule. I'm sorry for nick cave's loss and this isn't nearly the worst of his albums appearing on the list but i hate his voice, i hate his whole "deal," and i don't know what i possibly have to gain from listening to another 70 minutes of him

Somehow this is my 5th Nick Cave album. I keep hoping it's the last one

Boring waffle, feels bad to say when knowing the albums context but not for me at all

Weird choice for my first Nick Cave album, but you gotta start somewhere. I'm expecting something dark and gothic, and also pretty sad when taking the wiki article into account. Hoping it has a few different elements to it or else it might get boring considering it's a double album. Pretty album cover. Spinning Song Strange and spacey. The synths are very atmospheric. Interesting lyrics, feels really cryptic. Love the more melodic sections of the instrumental. Ethereal ending. Unexpected. Good. 4/5 Bright Horses Beautiful intro. Pretty piano, also love the string flourishes. Bleak lyrics. The background vocals are really pretty. Decent. 3.5/5 Waiting For You The piano is played with a lot of emotion behind it. Feels really weighty. So far the mood of this album is just extremely depressing. This song is no exception. The added context makes this hit pretty hard. Decent. 3.5/5 Night Raid Love the ambience, the drowned out bell like sound is really interesting. Beautiful instrumental. Great backing vocals. Vivid lyrics. Great. 4.5/5 Sun Forest Beautiful ambience yet again. Sets up a haunting and bleak atmosphere. Sends you to another world. Angelic background vocals. Fantastic lyrics. Love the way it switches up at the end. Fantastic buildup with the strange instrumental and the soft vocals. An experience. Fantastic. 5/5 Galleon Ship Interesting instrumental. Really like the subtle sample in the background. Beautiful keys. Love how the song sort of ascends. Great concept. Really feels like the song is "circling". Great. 4.5/5 Ghosteen Speaks Also has an air of ascension around it. Love the almost cosmic sounding instrumental. Has a bit of a hopeful feeling to it. Doesn't feel as bleak and harrowing as previous tracks do. I enjoy the simplistic structure. Good. 4/5 Leviathan Has a bit of an underwater feel to it. Love the high pitched flourishes in the background. Really like the subtle percussion. Beautifully atmospheric. Decent. 3.5/5 Ghosteen Great electronic buildup. Love the strings, beautifully arranged. Has some moments of brightness and beauty that contrasts really well against the dark exterior of the rest of the album. The lyrics tell a vivid story. Beautiful backing vocals. Good. 4/5 Fireflies Love the chaotic strings in the background. Pais well with the sort of cosmic language used in the spoken word. I can imagine that part of the instrumental as either the stars or the fireflies in the lyrics. Very vivid visual. Good. 4/5 Hollywood I like the dark bouldering rhythmic element against the light, spacey synths. Bleak and spiritual. Has some beautiful ethereal moments when the strings come in to support the vocals. Strange. Accepting grief is hard. Resolves elegantly. Good. 4/5 I need a minute after that. It's beautiful, but very emotionally draining. Feels like it's constantly at a point where it is about to resolve into something more positive before it hits you with a massive wave of depressing bleakness. It's just incredibly heavy. Emotionally, lyrically, thematically, you name it. The way he writes about his grief is truly heartbreaking. This is paired with some beautiful, sometimes ascendant ambience which reaches moments so angelic and pure that it sends the listener to a whole new world. Could see myself needing multiple listens to appreciate it fully, especially when it comes to the lyrical content, but I cannot say I didn't enjoy every second it was on. 4/5

Even by Cave's standards, this is a heavy and dark affair. It's more like a gospel album than a classic Bad Seeds album, and sonically, the layers of keyboards and piano, with lyrics more spoken that sung, and very sparse background singing is just too homogeneous, and it makes me feel numb - which mightn't even be completely against Cave's intentions. But I honestly was glad when the album after this with Warren Ellis brought energy to proceedings again, and the next band album actually featured the Bad Seeds again not just in name.

The sound of grief on "tape". It is my understanding that some of this content was written or conceived prior to his sons death, however the execution, tone and content lay a powerful grief out on the table for the world to witness. Sparse, brooding and melancholy. Often depressing. Occasionally uplifting. Beautiful synthscapes lay the foundation for crystal clear lamentations and musings on life and death. I felt conflicted listening to this as I walked my dog in the sunshine. I was fully engrossed and felt like a stranger in a strange land. Detached and unrelatable as I sharpened my focus on the music. Next time I spin this will be alone in the house with the shades drawn. Haha.

It's the day of my friend's funeral. A very apt album. Taken as a whole, there's an awful lot here. The subject matter is heavy, deservedly. There's obviously a lot to sing about. I can't give it 5 stars because it's not often I want to actively listen to so much grief. It is brilliant though. Great cover art.

Not my favorite seed.

Insanely good

A haunting elegy. Certainly not an album everyone's going to enjoy, but the bleak beauty it delivers is hard to ignore.

some songs are right up my alle others not. I definitely need to listen to it in a calmer setting.

This is obviously great, but it is a very challenging listen because it is so bleak. This is art to appreciate, not something to throw on and enjoy. It is very moving though.

Moving and atmospheric but very very very heavy

More ambient than I was expecting. This one has potential to grow on me although it is a tad overlong and I need to be in the right mood to listen to it. Still, good chance I revisit it in the future.

Wel mooi maar heel erg magere Heijn vibes geen goed album voor een mooie dag

Well this was depressing I understand why this album is meant to be sad. I got lost on wiki reading up about what happened - truly awful But even with that understanding I didn't enjoy this album or think that it was any good. Beautiful album cover though I'll give him that Seems that this is more of a personal project to him, rather than something for people to listen to 2 ⭐️

This is my 3rd Nick Cave album in a month, he is fine, but I don't really care about him THAT much. Thankfully this is my last one though. First off this album cover is really ugly it looks like an AI image of a Kinkade painting. What I've learned while doing this challenge is that I really don't care about music where the lyrics are the focus. I love music that has rhythmic complexity or just great grooves. I am assuming people who love this album love it due to his lyrics. I get that it is sad, and I am trying not to sound like a horrible person, but this album is just a little too slow/one note for me to really get anything out of it. I mean it sounds pretty, but I just have never enjoyed piano ballads and this album is full of them. Mid 3.

Thoughts before listening: Nick Cave is an interesting artist for me. I've listened to his music before and I enjoy what I hear. However, whenever I read a writeup of one of his albums...especially more modern ones like this...it all just seems so heavy and deep to me. Nick has experienced massive loss in his personal life with the deaths of his children, and that's often the theme of his albums. It's enough for me to respect the music without wanting to dig in too deep to the newer albums. This will be a first listen for me. Review: So this is a very lovely album of minimalist, ambient music backing Nick's deep baritone voice. The overall vibe of the album is dark and cathartic as this was written while coping with the death of his son...although there are still glimmers of hope with lyrics of love and the beauty of the world. I find myself immersed in listening to this album even if the music is not my typical style. Nick's voice especially is a pleasure to hear even if the emotions are exploring unpleasant territory, the backstory of this album especially resonating as I listen while in my daughter's room as she sleeps. This is a beautiful album I am glad to have experienced even if it is not one I will likely revisit any time soon. 4-stars

0,1 stars. The worst thing i've listened in my lifetime

Beautiful and heartbreaking. You need to allow yourself to be pulled into a place of sadness and instrospection for this one.

Not the best album for a morning workout. It’s well done, a little depressing, but that’s kinda the point. I respect it but don’t think I’ll come back to it.

I’m not really sure why so many Nick Cave albums made the list - this one was a decent listen, I liked it better than Murder Ballads, but I doubt I will listen to it again. I guess I’m just missing something here.

Just kinda nothing?

Pretty good. Not ground breaking, but still liked it.

Third Nick Cave Album. Who would've thought a guy who I never previously heard of would be so well represented in a list of the most essential albums. And given how much I liked his newest album, I'm guessing there's a spot saved for it on the next list. That being said, super interesting guy/songs/music, but this album didn't quite capture me fully.

For fuck sake. Won’t say I didn’t like this but won’t say I’ll listen again.

One of my preferred Nick Cave albums on the list, along with Murder Ballads and The Lyre of Orpheus (just that part, Abattoir Blues is kind of mid)

heartwrenching, but not what im usually into

Some good tracks, mostly moody and a bit boring honestly

I would've rated this higher, but I just couldn't connect to the lyrics.

I hate Nick Cave.

What the hell was even that

Not the biggest NC&TBS fan, and this was bad by those standards. 1/5

Nick Cave is ALWAYS going to give a great performance and excellent compositions in his songwriting. I do however, not vibe with his more beautiful/ambient tracks as much as his more operatic/orchestral stuff.

This is deeply engrossing, I couldn't turn it off!

No thank you

Dreary lyrics. Singer doesn’t add much to the music. Listened all the way to the end and felt tortured!

This isnt it. Poetry, sure. But not much worth noting beyond that.

This is my first album I’ve given a 1 to. I really don’t like this. It started like someone was storytelling or preaching in the sound bath tent at a music festival. And then became a very long funeral dirge. He talks rather than sings on most of the tracks which I don’t like. All the tracks bleed into each other and I feel like the rhymes are weird and awkward on Hollywood. Not a fan of this.

Very well made record. It’s just too sad for me and I’ve never really resonated with Nick Cave’s music.

Started off with 2 stars but it was so long, repetitive and boring it ended up taking a way a star for that. Nothing good at all about this one

I love Nick Cave and this album is decent but there are others that belong on here more than this does

so so slow

Went on too long. Did not enjoy it.

It’s interesting and kinda clever, but it left me cold

Dark, heavy, and moody.. wow. Written in the aftermath of the death of Cave's son Arthur in 2015, this is one of the most poignant examples of 'art through adversity' I have come across in some time, perhaps ever. It's a hauntingly beautiful listen.. well made, sonically layered and extremely atmospheric. Very easy to get lost in.

bin etz vier sings deep und finds uuuhuere schön und herzschmerz wegem sohn auaaaa. sun forest au uuultra schöne text er molt bilder. galleon ships au wieder super langsam kei pult irgendwie aber s dörf afoch flüsse. de eint moment wo de chor unisono singt isch geil am schluss. leviathan wieder storytelling auaaaaa sin soooohn. fireflies au crazy schöne text. hollywood erinneret mi (aber da hend scho anderi lieder etz uf dem album) bitz ah shine on you crazy diamond parts 5 bis wasauimmer halt de schluss vo wish you were here.

puh bin glaub nöd ready okay tragischi background gschicht :( poah spinning song isch uultra schön! bide beschriebig vo wikipedia hetti denkt, dass es mier gar nöd entspricht (reduzierti perkussion, vill ambient) aber jz nach 3 lieder findis eecht schön night raid isch jz s erste lied woni jz chli langwilig finde jaa d lieder sind jz nöd unglaublich villsiitig aber iwie funktionierts für mich na guet? aso ja die ghosteen müsst minere meinig nöd soo arschlang sii macht de nick cave eifach langi (doppel)albe zum echli meh sophisticated würke? hollywood isch fantastisch und ich find die LIECHTI perkussiom macht soo vill uus erinneret mi teilwiis chli ah black star ja git es 4i. sehrsehrsehr schöns album, au wenn ich mini übliche nick cave problem han hobbla vlt mussis nomal lose, han gad nomal spinning song glost und GLIEBT

It's hard to give this less than 5 due to just how well it does what it is trying to do and the epic nature of the soundtrack to the poetry and all the powerful emotion. I'd probably give it 4.5 if I could give half stars, though.

Ghosteen is the sixteenth album from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. Ghosteen is a far from the work the band recorded earlier in its career; the sound is defined by the ambient electronic support and the near-complete lack of percussion elements. The double album is a concept album; the songs are an exploration of the grief experiences by Cave after the accidental death of his son. Ghosteen met with universal critical acclaim, and was regarded as among the best albums released in 2019. While perhaps too early to tell, some regard Ghosteen as the best release of Cave's extensive career. These are haunting, beautiful songs from a parent surviving the worst of losses.

Well that was a chore

poetically good musically bad

This was sad and beautiful but I fear I won't be listening again. Boring and TOO sad for me lol. 2/5 (personally). Read my music journalism at annasmithwriting.com!

I hated it at first. My first thoughts were somewhere along the lines of "What a bunch of pretentious garbage". I still decided to force to continue listening and push through. Don't regret it, turned to be much better than I thought. I think the issue is that you really do need to be in the right mood to listen to this. It's a mediation on grief. A very long poem made up by 11 tracks that requires your full attention to listen and reflect. Not all art has to entertain you in order for it to be good. After finishing it I did feel as if I had gone through some sort of journey. I don't think I'll revisit it. It's one of those works of art you could only see or hear once. Otherwise you run the risk of the magic disappearing, and I don't want that to happen. Fav tracks: Waiting for you, Ghosteen Speaks, Galleon Ship, Ghosteen, Hollywood Least fav tracks: Spinning song

I expected an album of Nick Cave’s vocals would be my sticking point with this album, but i think it’s actually the music. The backing tracks are either so ethereal i drift off and stop paying attention to the beautiful lyrics or its jarring (synths) and actively annoy me. Leviathan was reminiscent of queue of wicker man at Alton Towers so st least retained some intrrest. Ghosteen the song lost me when synths start ed to sound like refugee from a jean-michel jarre song. Although my dislike for those did mean more of the lyrics in the second half made it into through my ambivalence. Overall the album was just background music Sorry Nick it’s me not you.

It has a nice album cover, at least.

It's undeniably atmospheric and really, really beautiful in places. However, at the risk of sounding like my mother, there's no tune. This project is making it really clear to me that I prefer music that gives me that cathartic release of singing along at high volume. Even if I knew the words, I could never do that with Ghosteen. But in the right frame of mind, I could see me listening to this again. It feels like a headphones on, sit in a dark room and really pay attention type record. 3/5

I liked this world better when I didn't realize that Nick Cave and Nick Drake were two different people

When I realized this was a very recent album from Nick Cave, I was excited to see what he had in store. I'll admit that this was neither what I was expecting, nor exactly why this was added to this collection, as it's not a strong Nick Cave album, and frankly not that strong an album overall (although I'll admit I must be a tiny minority in this opinion, given the nearly perfect Metacritic score reviews). He seems to be channeling his Leonard Cohen indulgences to a high degree here, and not really in an effective or appealing way to me (and there's some uncomfortable-fitting Bjork/Vangelis-like music too). I thought the stronger songs of the first part (the "children" of the double album) were "Night raid", parts of "Sun forest", and "Leviathan", but this is more than offset by how the album feels so much longer than its already-too-long 68-minute runtime, and how the second part (the "parents") endlessly floats away; even after reading that songs like "Hollywood" are radically shorter than the original recordings, I kept wishing that most of the album had been left on the cutting room floor. I usually enjoy Nick Cave's music quite a bit, so the disappointment here is doubly felt, and it certainly doesn't make me want to seek out the earlier albums in this trilogy ("Push the Sky Away" and "Skeleton Tree"). I feel guilty giving only two stars to this album, especially given how much of it revolves around the untimely death of his son years earlier, and how this dramatically affected the way he approached his music, but this album *really* didn't do it for me. I fear I'm just stuck on a past version of Nick Cave that no longer exists.

I enjoyed this wistful Nick Cave album much more than his other albums, which have a harshness to them that grates. Still, don't think I'd listen again.

Incredibly heavy and melancholic, but understandably so. It’s an incredible record of grief and loss, which for me highlights what an incredible songwriter Nick Cave is. Its definitely not my goto NC record, but it has a time and place thats for sure