Reviews (page 11 of 13)
7.5/10 Highlights: O Children Hiding All Away Nature Boy The Lyre of Orpheus Easy Money
Aware of Nick Cave but hadn't heard him before (apparently this album isn't representative). Really good musically, but grow bored with his verse after a while. Seems like he's one of those legends that primarily exists in his well-worn path. For a double album, pretty solid. 3.8
3.2/5 Best Track: Nature Boy
Not sure what I was expecting but better than expected… if that makes sense. I have obviously heard of Nick Cave but cannot recall actually listening to a full album. Will give it a few more listens on my next long drive.
hated it.
The best Nick Cave album!!! O Children has been one of my fav songs for years.
Not a fan
The song Lyre of Orpheus was my favorite - love.
Liked the gospel backup, lyrics were a bit dark at times
Makes no sense so bad that I simply could no finish it at all. It troubled me at a concerning level. It felt like a man was trying to force an album in a bad way. It was a collage of music that didn’t flow.
Pretty okay album. Liked the instrumentation on it and señor Nick’s voice was nice (better than Bob Dylan’s by far). Liked that most of the songs told stories but lyrically some of it made no sense and was just kinda weird. Supernaturally (track 5 on the second album) was pretty solid.
2nd disc better than 1st. liked gospel choir. overall kinda "meh"
Just when you start to enjoy the style some disturbing lyrics come along to shake you out of your trance.
wow. what an album!
Mostly did not enjoy, although this will be a theme in my upcoming reviews as well because I'm having a not enjoying music phase. But still I think this was bad
Pretty good. Gotta look into what some of the songs mean. Rock/gospel almost. Nice rhythms
I wouldn’t say I had to hear this before I died, but still a good listen.
Score for this album just kept getting lower. I liked some stuff around the start then it was all downhill. Stop making albums this long, they would all be better cut in half. Will I listen to again: 0%
This was the first Nick Cave album that I ever listened to and I think it’s a great place to start. It’s not as hard edged as his earlier stuff, but still has great intensity and really varied moods. There She Goes, My Beautiful Works and Supernaturally are two all time favorite songs of mine. There are only a few songwriters who can create their own worlds in each song and Nick Cave is up there with the best storytellers in rock. Incredible album.
The slippery slope of having Harry Potter read to me at age 4 to becoming a Nick Cave fan at 27 is very real & dangerous. Heed my warning (the song "O Children" is featured in the moving picture Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt. I [2010]) Surprised myself at how I enjoyed this a fair bit more than Murder Ballads, the more eclectic of the two (three?). I guess when you have a winning cocktail of blues, gospel, rock & folk, with some theatre and horror added for good measure, I’ll take a whole double album of it. HL: "Get Ready for Love", "Nature Boy", "There She Goes, My Beautiful World", “Supernaturally”, “Breathless”, “Carry Me”/"O Children" December 31, 2023. That was 2023, eh? Hm
Not bad. I like the voice but something about the composition doesn’t quite sit right with me. Maybe I’m not cool enough. Sorry Nick.
Not bad...but not mine...
Wilder start, hatte von Nick cave irgendwie anderes erwartet. Postpunk meets rock? Durchgehend gute Musik, Abwechslungreich, Mal schneller, Mal Ballade, Mal silly. Immer im guten Wechsel.
Different vibe than expected. More soulful than I thought - rather than something more dour.
Sehr gut
not great
"Abbatoir Blues" is one of my favourite Bad Seeds songs of all time. "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" is great. "The Lyre of Orpheus", "Babe, You Turn Me On" and "O Children" are good tracks. This double album is well done, but also such a somber, spare affair. I enjoy and appreciate the album when I take the time to listen, but I have to square myself up for the emotional drag that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds bring to the proceedings. Bleak stuff and certainly an acquired taste. 3.6 stars rounded up.
Sick tunes tbh
Hey ja, was sölli sege. War gut, eher so biz wasi sust amigs au so lose aber so us de Socke grisse dasis ständig würd lose hets mich halt au nid. War aber doch solid also 4/5.
Sehr ‘in your face’ ahfang, ned de sound woni vo nick cave kenne?? Interesting. Uhhh we love a lil sneaky bass
Ääh he weiss nöd, es isch huere lang und i has bim excel mache gloset. Ha eigentli immer gfunde es isch no cool aber i würs etz nöd nomol wölle lose. Wieso singt er so? Isch jetz irgendwie s vierte album woni find wieso singeds so. Isch da so e ding mit albe wo d kritik mega gern het, dases weitd singed. Isch da cool?
Get Ready For Love. noisy uf e gueti art. wechsel zwüsched jazzy drums und punkigem shit passt guet. bgvs huuuere geil Cannibals Hymn. geeeeili drums geile song mega bonham Hiding All Away. konversationell mega cool. wenns riff chunt gohts huere los. THERE IS A WAAAAR COMIIING huii dark aber geil. Messiah Ward. sounds schööööön hübsche song. dynamik im griiiiiff. there she goes. mega schön? rieeese chords und bgvs?? mega schöni wall of sound?! was?? Nature Boy. er singt relaxt und d band isch easy energetisch hinedra da isch geil moll. Abbatour Blues. mass extinction uf chiiillo?? er het de abbatoir blues glaub. Let the Bells Ring. mmmh gitarre überaall. piano sochli am chille. lyre of orpheus zweite teil vom album dunkler?? aber cool he hit the g minor 7 hahahahah breathless. whimsical as fuck mit de flöte. Babe, You Turn me on. horny on main also. ersch schochli en nuschelibueb aber do redt er afoch. recht schön. er isch chli am oversinge. Supernaturally. 6/8 clave oder sones ding, ungwohnt uf jede fall und no geil. d hey ho hook findi semi cool. Gitarre defür huere geil messy. Spell. sehr gloomy, au wenn d sounds schön sind findis chli klagend. de schwizer ade drums machts guet (er isch actually zürcher de thomas wydler) Carry Me. atonals striicher züg git cooli struktur. BGVs sind back! yesss. guuuuete song. bgvs sind glaub zeme gsunge eig wie en chor huuuere nice. O children isch en h finds allgemein am ahfang besser und sehr sehr lang. aber es guets album mit sehr schöne songs. d highlights sind am nick cave sin gsang in kombination mit de gospel-bgvs. und d gitarre sind durs band meega kreativ und schön. noisy döt wos mönd noisy sii. dass de drummer vo züri isch findi funny. aber jo die punkigere songs sind cooler als die melancholische.
ok han chli angst gha will nachem nick cave hets gad als nächsts gad d pj harvey ahzeigt😭 aber s erste lied gfalltmer schomal sehr, gutarre macht funny sache und d strophe mit ride gfalltmer mega, chli post-pubk mässig? 1h20 min schochli lang?? ok lit sicher bis zumene gwüsse grad au ah mier will ich ultramüed aber nach 20 min het ahgfange chli alles glich töne breathless tönt wie halleluja?? fucking shrek ok d mitti hetmer nöd so gfalle, jz geg de schluss findis iwie wieder spannender baby you turn me on eig cool mit spoken word aber schochli cringe?? supernaturally erinnered mich chli aaaaaahh of monsters and men oder eie die heissed, cools lied allgemein cool mitem chor wo mengisch chunnt
4/5
Excellent album. Beaucoup aimé "Get ready for love" et "O children", mais comme d'hab pour Nick Cave surtout de cette période, tout l'album est très solide
I had no idea what to expect, but this was amazing! Melancholy stylistically all over the place with some really standout tracks. Pleasantly surprised! “Let the Bells Ring” and “Supernaturally” in particular are amazing.
Best Songs: N/A Listen Again: No
Роскошный тембр у Ника Кейва
There's good stuff here, particularly instrumentally. Some lyrics are interesting but this feels like an anthem for boomers with only just above average music taste. Maybe earlier stuff was better.
This is the 3rd from Nick Cave that I got on this list. Liked it more than the others. The songs are glorious and the production is amazing. Is it going on my must-have list? No. [0084/1001]
This is my third Nick Cave album to be assigned, and all three albums have been very different. The Abattoir Blues album was far superior in my mind. I loved the blues rock sound of the songs, and they suited Nick Cave's voice really well. The backing vocals were fantastic as well, and they really kicked the blues sound up a notch. The three song run of "Messiah Ward," "There She Goes, My Beautiful World," and "Nature Boy" were absolutely fantastic. If I were rating the album just on those three songs, this would easily be a five-star album. The two tracks before these songs were great, but after the title track, I lost interest in the last two songs of Abattoir Blues. I wasn't terribly in to The Lyre of Orpheus album. After the hard driving sounds of Abattoir Blues, I just wasn't ready for a comedown. The songs were okay, but outside of "Supernaturally," nothing really snagged my attention. Lyrically, I thought the album was solid all the way through. I love the imagery that Nick Cave uses in his music, and I enjoyed the fact that the meaning of these songs was very open to interpretation. The Biblical references in the lyrics were great too, and just furthered the mystery of what these songs were about. I appreciate the ambition of this double album, but it the second half just didn't land with me.
My first experience of Nick Cave's music and I intend to listen to many more of his albums. With the first track initially I was concerned the album might be a bit too religious for me to enjoy but this was not tue case. Some great songs, my favourites being: 'Cannibal's Hymn' 'Hiding All Away' 'Let the Bells Ring' 'The Lyre of Orpheus' 'Easy Money' and of course the beautiful 'O Children'. On first listen some of the tracks felt like they went on a bit to long/were a bit filler. This wasn't as bad on my second listen and I really enjoyed the entire album with the same standout tracks. 4/5 (High 7/10)
Pretty good. Not what I was expecting
Some good stuff here, but Nick Cave just isn't my style. It's fine as background noise for me. I understand there are many superfans that will not enjoy my hot take.
Full throated Cave. The Seeds are in their Sunday best. None of the songs got to me yet. Worth revisiting.
Overly long, plodding, no real songs of note.
Sweet. This is what I needed to wake myself up in the morning. Amazing production and musicianship all around here. Nick’s vocals are a stand out. The Lyre of Orpheus has great spoken word passages. It does kind of drag a tiny bit, but it was still very good. I think i prefer the second half over the first. Nice!
The name and cover are so unbelievably pretentious. The concept could be cool but wow....and turns out I like it more than I thought I would, both sides. Well played, Nick Cave.
Some songs were super interesting, others didn’t do it for me.
Not a fan
I was not looking forward to a double album by Nick Cave this morning, but the time flew and it was over before I knew it. The first part was great, but I also enjoyed the second part equally, even though it was a bit more mellow and derivative. I think this is the definition of a four star album using my scoring methods. I liked it, but I felt it needed at least one relisten, and it was definitely not perfect.
Damn this is great. Grungey, growly, choral... very cool.
Abattoir Blues was rocking hard and then The Lyre Of Orpheus sort of dropped off in quality and wasn't as good.
I don’t get what all the fuss is about. Going with a 3 because it’s definitely not terrible. But it doesn’t live up to all the hype either. I need to listen a few more times to see if it will start to hit better / differently. 3.25
I do like Mr. Cave and his bands music but not so much this album.
Not my jam, but background music okay
This is like putting Tom Waits through a grinder and taking off all the edges but still ending up with a (much smoother) ball of shit.
Brilliant - covers a range of genres and sound profiles, while always sounding like a coherent piece. Hard to pick a best song - listen to it all the way through! I kind of wish I knew how good these guys are before, I feel I've missed out on them by only discovering them over this project.
Another example of an artist I’ve tried multiple times to get into with no success. I listened to the boatman’s call and ghosteen and didn’t get much out of it, so wasn’t hopeful here. However, I did learn some things with this album. I learnt that to truly appreciate these albums, I’m going to have to stop and actually focus on listening to them. As in, lie down, close my eyes and listen with no distractions. That’s going to be hard to do day to day, especially if it’s a double album like speakerboxx/ the love below! When I did this with this album, things started clicking. I was able to connect more with the musical choices and relax into the soundscape which took on more depth, I could see the musical layers that had been constructed. I’m not saying I had a transcendental experience or anything, but this helped me get so much more out of the album. I think one day to try and appreciate an album is not enough, 3 listens should be the minimum required to start getting something out of a collection of music, but I managed 2 playthroughs of this and started really getting into some of it. Highlights are mostly from the back half, lyre of Orpheus, breathless and carry me were my favourites. Some of the longer cuts like the opener get ready for love and hiding all away were good as well, can imagine they’d be amazing live. I hope to come back to this album, again, nick caves style isn’t easily accessible to me but this is the closest I’ve gotten and I learnt something along the way!
Fingers crossed this is the last Nick Cave project we have to drudge through.
I had never heard of Nick Cave prior to starting this listening project. This is something like the 5th album that we have been subjected to. Literally zero Nick Cave albums are good, but can you imagine the albums he made that didn't make this list? That being said, this is not his worse album that I've heard. Hopefully we've exhausted his albums on this list... Really what I couldn't shake from while listening to this album was it sounded like Jason Segel's character from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, who wrote and performed a musical(s) in the voice of an exaggerated Dracula voice. A lot of this album sounded like that but it wasn't funny.
Nick Cave is like the uncle of all the music I listen to. I would like to find the people where Nick is the end all, be all best artist they’ve ever heard.
Another album that I could see myself absolutely loving when I was younger. But for now, it just doesn’t grab me. Good album though.
For o children pretty much
Just as bad as the other Nick Cave album that came up :(
Very theatrical, but I liked it.
Interesting listen. Makes me think of a rock musical soundtrack. Lots of variation here, well composed, solid album.
Quite a few songs I really like from this one! The album felt just a little all over the place, but I enjoyed listening from start to finish. Favorites - Cannibals Hymn, Nature Boy, Breathless, Easy Money, Carry Me, O Children (recognized this one from Harry Potter movie)
weird, but pretty good overall. listened 2x. 3/5
O cara ouve a primeira música e já pensa: lá vem mais uma banda genérica... foda. As músicas não são ruins, mas não chega lá pra se tornar um diferencial. Ainda por cima é gigante... mal via a hora de acabar para ir pro próximo. Nem a última, com trocentos like salvou. Foda, não curti não.
Álbum chatão, as únicas que se destacaram um pouco foram: Disco 1: 5. There She Goes, My Beautiful World: foi a melhorzinha até agora, a primeira que até que é boa, mas nada extraordinário também. 6. Nature Boy: essa sim é boa, melhorinha até agora, melhor que a última. Gostosinha de ouvir, boa melodia, coral massa no fundo. Disco 2: 1. The Lyre of Orpheus: é esquisita, diferente, não é ruim não, só fica um pouco repetitiva, mas o hey mama tem algo que chama um pouquinho a atenção 2. Breathless: uma vibe mais gostosinha, violãozinho, mas ainda faltou algo. De 17 músicas, gostei mesmo de 2 só. Achei o álbum extremamente sem sal. Parece que tô tomando um suco aguado. Não são músicas ruins, mas sempre parece que falta algo, falta uma personalidade mais definida talvez, mais forte, mais presente, não sei. O álbum é gigante e não tem nada realmente memorável em momento algum. Não dá vontade de ouvir de novo não.
There are a lot of catchy tunes on this one
This and Murder Ballads are exactly why I love Nick Cave
A bit depressing. Quite liked "Hiding All Away" and "O Children".
I couldn't get through listening to this. His voice is awful, and the music itself was uninteresting. I didn't like it at all
Lots of great songs, blusey and artsy and devastating and fun
Unique but not for me, won't give another listen
From opening to close this album changes, the start is frantic and faster but by the end O children whisks you off the planet and into another time, I'm a fan of how this sounds
Hienostuneen tuntuista rockia, mutta silti "raa'an" tuntuista. Tykkäsin Ghosteenista enemmän
Niek Grot en De Slechte Zaadjes maken wel kwaliteitsmuziek, maar wat voelt het elke keer toch weer als een enorme stapel huiswerk waar je je doorheen moet ploeteren. Zo is dit album een uur en 22 minuten, waarbij het ook niet helpt dat bijvoorbeeld de eerste track al voelt als een aanslag op je uithoudingsvermogen. Of track 3, die bombastisch eindigt met 15x de zin 'There is a war coming'. Een beetje het theatrale van Bowie met de langdradigheid van een type Omtzigt. Een tik pretentieus. Het klopt allemaal wel maar ik haal er geen enkel plezier uit. Er wordt volgens mij een heel aardig verhaal verteld, maar in deze vorm heb ik helemaal geen zin om er naar te luisteren merk ik. Dat zal een stukje de vorm van de dag zijn, maar ik denk dat het ook wel een beetje aan ome Nick ligt. Bombastische musical.
I thought it was alright. O Children was the best one IMO.
It was fine without being special
Thé album beautifully tells a story, drawing from a wide range of references like the Orpheus myth, Ovid, Dante, and more The vocals are superb, and the instrumentation is equally impressive, making it a captivating but too long musical experience
I already know O Children and like it, this is def a genre I dont explore much though. Yea the lyrics are weird af but im having fun! Creeeeeeepy sounds going on here Its a little long
Nick Cavellekin kyllä riittää yhden levyn mitta vallan hyvin, puoltoista tuntia on jo uuvuttava massa. Onneksi välillä on kevyempiä sävellyksiä. Ja alku on vauhdikas! Kuoro ilahduttaa ja välillä jopa jouset. Mutta paljolti pitäis olla keskittymässä tarinoihin, mitä en aivan jaksa.
Caven äänen vakavuus välittyy kritiikittömyytenä, jopa omahyväisyytenä, mikä saa minut tuntemaan koko kirjon negatiivisia tunteita hänen musiikillista tuotettaan kohtaan. Toisaalta olen tietoinen siitä, etteivät nämä tunteet ole aina täysin oikeitettuja, sillä näissä biiseissä on myös houkuttelevia puolia. Toisaalta taas nämä puolet tuntuvat olevan enemmänkin koristeellisia kuin sävellyksellisiä: kiva sovituksellinen oivallus siellä, fiksu kitarakuvio täällä. Mitä tulee obsessioon kuoleman ja sukupuuton kanssa, on harvinaisen selvää, että puhujan subjektiivisuudessa nämä toimivat repression kehittyneenä muotona. Ok, Cave ei ole yhtä kuin levyn "runojen" puhuja, mutta voisin lyödä vetoa, että sama pätee syvälliseen artistiin itseensä.
Such a difficult album to rate because it essentially is two albums in one. And while I admire the range of Cave displayed here - his shift from barking madman to sermoning priest - I really wished that The Lyre of Orpheus was a standalone record. Because while I think the second side of the album is among his best output, Abattoir Blues doesn't even begin to crack the top 5. Fuck it, 'O Children' is too good to not give this a 5/5.
It’s normally hard to defend a runtime of 80+ minutes. But this is essentially two albums in one. And even if it wasn’t… It’s Nick Cave, he can do what he wants, shut up. I first fell in love with the band around Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! and the opening record of this double album, Abattoir Blues, hits that exact vibe with a howling and mad Nick Cave accompanied by the bluesy and frenzied Bad Seeds on a never ending stream of perfect songs where “Get Ready For Love”, “Hiding All Away” and “There She Goes, My Beautiful World” stand out in particular. The second album, The Lyre of Orpheus, is a completely different record altogether. It’s more melodic and mellow with a Nick Cave in front that seems more aware of what The Bad Seeds would eventually become. In that regard, this double album seems to serve as a kind of portal leading from one era and into the next. I personally prefer the first half, but both albums are undoubtedly 5 star records. So there’s no actual consideration going into the final score.
Uhh almost okay, just strange lyrics that I couldn’t get into. Singer almost sounded like the lead singer from The National.
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus is an album that was quite a ride. It started off quite good but unfortunately fell off towards the end. The songs at the start were well done and fit well with each other and were interesting to listen to but the songs on the back half were quite forgettable. This album is decent but you can do better Best Song: Hiding All Away Worst Song: Fable of the Brown Ape
This is a Nick Cave album I have not listened to before. A little different in tone than the others I have heard, but still good. At times I love his stuff, and other times it is too much. Next time this album come up, I may not like it as much. They consistently put out good work though.
Strange, but haunting. Some very sadistic/satanic lyrics. Sounds cool, but I wouldn't choose this.
I am not at all familiar with their music even though I've heard their name in the past and at least another one of their albums has shown up before in my rotation here, so I'm glad I get the chance to hear them. Overall, I like this album. Some of the songs get real harsh to my ears, but I know that's what they're going for and it's really simply a matter of personal tendencies, tastes, and preferences. Even in those harsh tunes, I hear very skilled musicians and interesting composition and arrangements. Impressive band.
classic album from the day it was released
God bless rock and roll
Saturday evening/Classy bar mood
It was alright. Nothing too notable.
This album is decent. I much preferred The Lyre of Orpheus to Abattoir Blues; the main singer's slam poetry-esque style of mostly talking with a little singing fit the more melancholy style of The Lyre of Orpheus than the more upbeat Abattoir Blues. This singing style grew on me over the course of the album, but I still prefer regular singing over this style. I definitely thing the backup singers and especially the instrumentals carried this album though. 3/5 Favorite song: Easy Money (really exemplifies when this singing style goes right) Worst song: Hiding All Away (really exemplifies when this singing style goes wrong and the instrumental can't carry the song enough)
Really like the album on the first couple listens. This is my first nick cave record so I was completely unaware about his sound. Ive read he changes it up with each record, so this album shouldn’t be an indicator of his whole discography. But what it does indicate is his raw, raspy, heavy vocals which elevate some great writing. The songs are weird and abstract and invoke religious imagery. There are gospel influences all over the record with choirs supporting a lot of the songs here. The instrumentation is lush and full. I love the pianos and guitar on this. Some of my fave tracks as of now - get ready for love, there she goes…, nature boy, the lyre of Orpheus, breathless. I need some more time to digest it as it’s a double album, almost 90 mins long. But I reckon it’ll only grow on me more with repeated listens. It’s a light 4.
Ok, men synes måske bare det er lidt kedeligt
I liked it OK , 3 stars
Loves the album artwork music didn’t match-I did like the Chris Cornell similarities in voice but wouldn’t come back to it 3/5
Gut aber viel zu lang!
I was feeling the first few tracks on this album, but I think this is the kind of sound I don't want or need an entire album for. I can see myself enjoying some of these songs in isolation, but an hour is just too much for me. Not wild about this one overall.
Coming through The Birthday Party front door into my Nick Cave fandom, I've always appreciated the more abrasive and uptempo songs from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. The opener Abattoir Blues delivers in this regard as do a few other tracks on this double album. To be fair, there are tracks that are more subdued and introspective which are also good. Solid.
Very interesting, different vibes. Timeless
heard
forgettable. not my style.
First disc okay but mostly good for background music. I liked the second disc better, my favourite of those songs were The Lyre of Orpheus and O Children.
Bit of a mixed bag, some songs on here I really enjoyed having never heard of the band before. There are some songs that I really struggled though as well though. Best song - Supernaturally
Nick Cave
3/5 - 3.5/5 For Disc 1. 2.0/5 for Disc 2. I saved "Nature Boy" to my playlist to remind myself every now and then that they exist. Drummer and guitarist play well together. The whole band gives an orchestra vibe at some points, which is something i love to hear out of a band. The lyrics are nice, not life changing or new. The musicians all seem well in sync with each other. This seems like a very average album from a band of above average musicians. Some of these songs just had no business being >5 mins. And i say that as a Grateful Dead fan.
Australian band
3.6
Like okay. Nick cave is supposed to be great and I guess I kind of like him but two whole albums is just too much Nick Cave at once for me. Plus one star for being profoundly weird but minus a star for possibly being pompous.
I don't think this is my kind of music. I can appreciate how it's objectively good, and there were moments I enjoyed, but the whole thing seemed kind of melodramatic in an exhausting way, and no individual track really stood out to me.
Funky,Bluesy aber hat mich irgendwie relativ kalt gelassen
Moany old men
nick cave and the bad seeds are quite the artist. definitely pretentious, but also definitely pleasant enough music! i've listened to their ghosteen album as part of this project, and i'm impressed by the range this band has. many artists don't challenge themselves in the way nick cave and the bad seeds do! in contrast, abattoir blues / the lyre of orpheus is much more lively and has a stronger beat driving the music--and there's an overall dark tone that, honestly, i'm obsessed about. like many double albums on this project, i'm left wondering why it needed to be so long, but alas.
I never quite know what to do with Nick Cave. This is very different from the other Nick Cave album I've had on this project, so I can appreciate that. But in both cases, he is just so overly dramatic, melancholy, and deep. His music is almost an exercise to listen to and leaves me feeling exhausted. All of this seems to be for the sake of "art". Fair enough, I guess, but it makes it a bit of a slog to get through. I would like to address something specific, though. Thanks to the musical Hadestown, I understood the song "The Lyre of Orpheus" quite a bit more than I probably would have otherwise. This song actually sounds like it could have come from Hadestown, as "The Lyre of Orpheus" is very bluesy and gospel-y, like Hadestown. Seeing as this song and album came before the musical, though, I wonder if this song was an inspiration for the musical? A longshot to be sure, but almost too on the nose to be coincidence. I guess this will be my little conspiracy theory.
I don't get Nick Cave. And I don't get this. This is like Bruce Springsteen without the talent. It's just sort of this one note show tuney way over the top single note thing. Not. Good.
the only good thing about this album was that one song they use in that harry potter scene
No likey
was a bit too long for me but it had great song but it didnt took me on a journey
Second nick cave album on here. Just as depressing and disappointing as the first, but with a whopping 82 minutes in length it wins the rare and coveted 1* award. Congratulations.
Tending to gravitate to the second album. Favorite tracks: "The Lyre of Orpheus", "Breathless", "Supernaturally", "O Children". "Babe, You Turn Me On" does feel redundant and lesser following "Breathless". From the first: "Cannibal's Hymn" I'll almost definitely be coming back to this one, my vote may go up with more listens.
I’m not crazy about the first half, but the slower second half is awesome. I haven’t checked out much of Nick Cave’s stuff before; this is good.
2004. Exceptional blues/alt rock
Very theatrical with a lot of big sounds. Unrelenting power which felt overwhelming at times.
Background music but yay Harry potter song 🤣 it's okay but nothing special
Didn't have much of an identity to me, however I haven't listened to the entire album. Gave me background music vibes.
Really enjoyed
Reminds me of Springsteen and someone else that I can't put my finger on. No song stood out for my. It isn't bad, but it did not do anything for me. Most of the songs feel like they were written for some poignant moment on a show. 2/5
First half of album = meh Second half of album = excellente
This is probably the most pretentious thing I've ever listened to. There's maybe 4 solid songs on this double album.
такие разные две части альбома - первая такая бунтарско-блюзовая, грубоватая, несуразная (для меня), неопрятная - и мне тяжело было. В серединке задорный переход ко второй более романтической и лирической части. Я даже в затруднении, что ставить ах да, альбом двойной оказывается. Это все объясняет. Поставлю пока 3 (для меня же исключительно)
Heel apart album. Wat voor genre dit is zou ik niet zo 1,2,3 kunnen zeggen. Het pakt me opzich wel? Ik ken van hun alleen Red Right Hand(Shoutout Peaky Blinders) maar moet zeggen dat de muziek me wel trekt. Het is zeer moody, duistere muziek. Als ik dan momenteel naar buiten kijk matched dat best wel heel erg goed! Nadeel van moody duistere muziek; het kan na een tijdje een beetje zeikerig overkomen... Dat is meteen ook mn grootste kritiekpunt op dit album. Het is best wel mooi en de sfeer word duidelijk neergezet, alleen jammer dat de sfeer op een gemiddelde begrafenis een stuk beter is. Poeh, er word geen rekening gehouden met eventuele dinsdagdipjes he? FAVO: Easy Money, O children
Oke, na een lange pauze weet ik niet of dit het beste album is om mee op te starten Nick Cave is een zanger met een herkenbare stem, maar vooral de manier waarop hij zijn teksten brengt verdient alle lof. Deze man doet mij geloven dat hij elk woord dat hij zingt voelt en meent. Ik vind de toevoegingen van het koor af en toe ook zeer prettig. Hoe dan ook, kabbelt het album een beetje voort voor me, met weinig hoogte- of dieptepunten. Al met al een prima album, maar niets iets dat me bij zal blijven. Favo's: The Lyre of Orpheus, Supernaturally, Carry Me
Really enjoyed the first half of this album, but the second half dragged a lot. There’s a chance I could really love this, but it’s so long and it’s not an easy listen - it takes a lot of energy.
1. get ready for love - 0 2. cannibalz hymn - 0 3. hiding all auuay - 0 4. mezziah uuard - 0 5. there zhe goez - 0 6. nature boy - 0 7. abbatoir bluez - 0 8. let the bellz ring - 0 9. fable of the brouun ape - 0 10. the lyre of orpheuz - 0 11. breathlezz - 0 12. babe you turn me on - 0 13.eazy money - 0 14. zupernaturally - 0 15. zpell - 0 16. carry me - 0 17. o children - 0
Very cool. I Iike the sound of this newer blusey band 4
This double album excellently displays the wide range of styles of the band and how skilled they are as musicians. Not a bad song on it. Best album I've heard in a long time.
Beautifully produced album. First song hits hard af
Favorite tracks: O Children and Supernaturally I like the genre, this just seems a little too disorienting.
This is dense yet beautiful. I loved the first half especially when it gets overwhelming. So rich and intense. 4.5
Nice storytelling and tones throughout, but didnt keep my interest much
Nick Cave reflects on the dichotomies of man with this double album, and while it has some duds in the tracklist, he very much gets his ideas across
The two disc's certainly have there own feel to them. The gospel backing vocals elavate many tracks. A few "just okay" songs surrounded by a lot of songs that deserve repeat listening. Not perfect, but a lot of fun/ emotion from start to finish. My personal highlights are "hiding all away", "there she goes, my beautiful world" and "easy money".
Lot to love here but not for me
Sonzao tri, característico o vocal, só não ganha cinco porque algumas destoam
Always thought an album of Nick would be too much, let alone a double. How wrong was I. Second listening was even better. Some of the funniest dark lyrics ever.
very good, hidden gem, would rate around a 4.5 if able.
Nick Cave, good ennit
If this is the best he has to offer on a "1001 albums you must hear before you die", I feel vindicated in not expressing interest in Nick Cave up to this point.
3.5/5 he's just not my type...
"riotous gospel rock" sounds about right
First half is nice but beggining of second disc is so sluggish. Unfortunately it stays like this for big part of second disc. Barely 4/5
Very groovy, definitely adding some songs to my playlist 4/5
A lot of fun
Interesting
It's interesting but not really for me
good variance
First Nick Cave album. Listened twice, half paying attention tbh. Not bad, not mad at it. Not a whole lot stuck out, solid record. Not inclined to return though
Oh my goodness, this album is a real delight.
So so good
One of my absolute favorite songwriters! I don't know how many times I've spun this album, I love it. It shows all the great things about Nick and his band and I have to give a shout out for the band, because they're all insanely talented. Even though this album shows more of the rocky/frenzy side of the band, there's also some great moments of beauty. 8,5 out of 10
I'll probably never listen to this one again. 80 min of songs that really don't compel me at all
Nick's built different.
Too long 2.5
a pretty cool album. nick cave is a name i've heard for a while and never explored, so my intrigue was high. you can definitely see that this album was really ahead of its time in terms of production and sound. i liked the arrangements more than i cared for the lyrics, which at times felt clunky to me. but overall, i felt this was a good listen.
Cool bluesy vibes
3.5/5
I really hated this. Of course it was a double album.
Nice example of blues. Preferred the tracks with backing vocals, but didn't love the 'talkier' songs.
Pretty good
Good, nice blend of blues and rock, soulful voice. Some songs veer off into self indulgence and atonal experimentation that doesn't work for me.
Shouldn't be a double album, just a long LP. A lot of duff lyrics. The positives though are that I really liked some of the songs! And I can imagine they would be great live. Still a bit annoying but I like the album cover.
Finally tackled this one because fuck is it long for no reason. Not bad but not interesting, better than the Nick Cave’s other group album that I got on this list (2.5/5)
really enjoyed this a lot. Very upbeat and cool.
Despite its length, I quite enjoyed this album.
Dosadnoooo
O children je super pjesma Dobar album, ali nema baš puno pjesama kojima bi se vraćala.
Totally dig it. See myself playing this again soon
Probably best enjoyed off your tits and yearning for depression. Quite unorthodox without being experimental. Both interesting and dull. Not made to sound catchy. a bit self-indulgent.
Hard going and a but pretentious. Self aware
Cool writing, tight sounds.
Oh, what to say about Nick Cave? I love him when I'm in the right space and in small doses. This album is not a small dose, however, and it feels a bit long and morose. But there are so many good moments in it! There is no question that a whole lot of creativity and great musicianship went into this album. But you have to be in the mood for it. I'd give it a 4.5/5 but I'll round up because the skill is there.
I hadn’t really listened to a nick cave full album before. But had heard some stuff Pretty depressing at times but not in a terrible way. Smashing pumpkins or Lou reed managed to pull it off. And so does NC and the BS here
Oh Christ this guy again.
Way too generic and dull to be this long and self indulgent. Musically some of it is OK but as a completed work this really made me suffer. Piss off, Nick.
"Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds is a mesmerizing double album that delves into the depths of love, loss, and redemption. With the raw intensity of 'Abattoir Blues' and the hauntingly beautiful 'The Lyre of Orpheus,' Cave's lyrical prowess shines. The band's musical range is astounding, from thunderous rock anthems to delicate ballads, all adorned with Cave's distinct baritone. This masterpiece showcases their ability to navigate diverse emotions and soundscapes. Nick Cave's storytelling is both poignant and visceral, making this album a profound journey through the human experience, leaving an indelible mark on the soul.
The outstanding creation of late period Bad Seeds. Just stands out from most other things of this decade.
All Ballads is usually a pretty big ask for me, but man *Murder Ballads* really unlocked these guys for me, I enjoyed this
Never really good into Nick Cave. It’s good but just not my thing.
Not the easiest nick cave album but a very enjoyable one has aspects of earlier albums all rolled onto 2 discs. Some Birthday Party tunes. Takes a lot of the best elements of nicks writing. A grower of a piece of work.
I only listened to the first of this dual album, one of those cases where an artist is going for something VERY specific and absolutely nailing it but it doesn’t do much for me.
Right when I was ready to skip the whole album, Breathless captivated me. With Babe you turn me on, I was sold. Too long for me, and I like the second half more than the first. But can't deny Nick Cave talent.
This album was not super bad but not something I’m going to be seeking out again.
Considering this is a Nick Cave creation (the guy who is behind The Birthday Party and their trash heap of an album Junkyard), there were some actually decent songs on this. None of it was good enough to make me a fan of him or their work. I'm hesitant to give this a 2 based on his other work, but this might actually deserve that. 2/5
One of my favorites.
quase bonitao? quase me emociona? devo ouvir mais
Album was alright but I'm not a fan.
Let the bells ring is OK. Otherwise... not for me.
I gotta give it to Nice Cave and his Bad Seeds. This was pretty good.
I don't really like his singing voice - musically this is decent. This album goes on a long time though, overstays it's welcome.
I actually appreciated what was going on here. Colour me surprised
Pretty interesting stuff on some of these tracks. Should have been a single album though there's lots of boring tracks.
Didn’t get through it all. It wasn’t bad but didn’t stand out to me.
Easy money en o.children zijn zo vet
Скукотень. Только пара песен хотя бы заинтересовали. Вообще не хочется переслушивать.
Quite nice, a bit slow. O children was a nice ending to the album.
I appreciate the weirdness, but it’s not my type of weird.
Thanks, I hate it Stefan likes it
Dug this one. It's like bluesy Tom Waits. The backing singers really made it for me. Really solid compositions and arrangements.
not for me
For many folks this is one of the best album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. This goes especially for then-not-fans who see them a bit critical - but usually they are blown away by this album. And there is a good reason for that: This album has one of the richest instrumentation that backs up Nick Cave. It is Gospel Rock on a grandiose scale that highlights the talents of all the musicians involved. The double album is therefore split by who drummed: Abatoir Blues by Sclavanous and The Lyre of Orpheus by Thomas Wydler. Both have their own distinct styles, the former a gentle giant and the latter a capacious cat. You could argue that Nick's lyrics are - while as always great - a bit repetitive here and there. He uses a lot of the same imagery, sometimes starting a song with the same setup ("Through the..."). But this would be nitpicking. He's a charismatic preacher as well as chronist of a world of love, thunder and God. Best songs: 'Hiding all away' on the first side, 'Breathless' on the second side.
One of his best. Exuberant, wild, fun.
Love the energetic first half of this album a lot Second half is also very good Nick Cave is one of my personal favourite songwriters and this album is a great example of that Favourite tracks: Get Ready For Love, Cannibal’s Hymn, There She Goes…, Nature Boy, Abattoir Blues, Breathless, O Children
There were actually a few tracks on here that I liked, but a lot more that I very much disliked.
Meh
Gotta be honest. The Lyre of Orpheus > Abattoir Blues
Enjoyed it more than the last Nick Cave album that was suggested but at almost an hour and a half it seemed a little long at times
Second time around with this guy. Wasn't impressed the first time. 2nd time around, I thought, he just trying to be annoying with the double album, 2 hours thing. Cut it short and move along, please. Nothing outright terrible, except the flute part halfway through the album, but nothing that made me want to revisit either. I found myself bored. He did make me think of my beautiful wife, with Babe, You Turn Me On. But even then, I didn't like the song much. I kept calling him Nick Cage over the weekend and it got me thinking, what is worse, Cave music or Cage movies. Turns out, I can't really remember much of either one of these guys output. Nick Cage was in Fast Times. He wins. 2
I think I once saw a comment on Reddit recommend this album if you're a fan of Ghost's "Meliora/Popestar" and I remember thinking that was weird. I never really vetted that claim so I'm happy to do so here. And while I don't think it's a perfect recommendation I do see the similarities. The skeletons of the two albums are somewhat alike and they share common themes and ideas but they are ultimately two different albums attempting different things. As far as this album goes I enjoyed it well enough. Too long to justify its length. I'm not sure if I prefer the front half more because I like it more or if I was just burnt out by the end. All things considered I'd listen to a few tracks again. 3
2 Nick Cave is an artist I really want to like - I mean, the guy is supposed a brooding, lyrical icon after all - but I’m still not impressed after listening to this album. After being disappointed with his effort at piano ballads on The Boatman’s Call, I thought I just had to hold out for something more conventional to really understand his charm, but unfortunately I found this even more boring than his piano stuff. As suggested by the title, this is really two separate albums paired together into one release, and I gotta say, there is nothing interesting going on in the the first half, Abattoir Blues. This is rock music at its most generic, and even though I really tried to attach myself to the topics and themes he’s writing about in these songs, the overall songwriting seems to alternate between goofy and bland in such a way that it made it hard for me to dial in on anything he was trying to convey. I picked up that there’s a religious angle he was going for on a few songs, but between the cheesy choruses on songs like Get Ready For Love and Hiding All The Way or his weirdly numerous references to fingering women, I just really couldn’t get too into it. The saving grace from this side is the Johnny Cash-dedicated elegy Let the Bells Ring. The Lrye of Orpheus marks the start of the second album, titled the same, and the change in sound is immediately noticeable. From what I’ve read online, this half is much more indicative of Cave’s typical output, featuring songwriting that I appreciated a bit more - it reminded me of a heavier Leonard Cohen in some ways - but even then I feel like it was only a small improvement above the first half. It has its highs with the title track (best lyric on the album by far is “Eurydice appeared brindled in blood/And she said to Orpheus/If you play that fucking thing down here/I'll stick it up your orifice!”) and my personal favorite song here, Supernaturally, which has the most enjoyable chorus of anything on the album, dare I say bordering on epic. Unfortunately, my least favorite moment is also here in the awkward and out-of-place ballad Baby, You Turn Me On (seriously why does this guy keep mention fingering?) Also, despite being the most popular track on Spotify across his whole discography, I wasn’t too impressed with O Children. I mean, it was effective enough for a closer, but the best this guy has? Really? I really feel like either of these albums released individually could have gotten a 2.5 or even a 3 from me on a good day, but mushed together as is results in an album that feels too long to be this mediocre. I’m still open to listening to more of Cave’s stuff, but let it be known this is Strike 2.
An almost perfect album and I’m not that much of a huge fan of NC&TBS. Would give 4.5 if I could.
I liked some of the songs, but it does NOT justify the hour and twenty minute length.
A bit too dad-rock in the first half and not much of note in the second half. 5/10
very good, not his best has very strong songs (O Children, Lyre of Orpheus, Easy Money or There She Goes My Beautiful World) but also very boring ones (half of the first disc)
I'm listening to it and I like it, especially the guitar riffs and the bass. It often gives me the vibes of some Pink Floyd work. I'm giving 4 stars only because it doesn't meet the mood I'm looking for right now but I really appreciate the whole album.
definitely enjoyed this more than his weird spoken word one but dear god why is it so long
I really hated the last album from this guy. But this was pretty good.
Too long for me to fully grapple with, but lots of really good songs, interesting and distinctive sound. I'd like to listen to more!
ok i know that i've called multiple albums so far "not interesting" but this one takes the cake, the cream of the crop, the pinnacle of "not interesting", to me at least. usually when i do work and listen to music i can at least remember and actually recognise the music's existence in some way, i could not with this album, i had no strong memory of a single song, and truthfully, i still dont. the piano on abattoir blues sounds like its from sibelius (the music notation software), which makes it slightly more memorable than any other song. fav song: abattoir blues
Very nice, well produced album full of energy, Easy money and Supernaturally are becoming favourites
Turned into a bit of a slog towards the end of play but was an enjoyable mix overall.
Disc 1 is a 5 star album. Disc 2 is a 3 star album. 4 stars feels exactly right here. The biggest thing this album did was make me hate Ghosteen even more. These guys are clearly very talented arrangers, and this shows how they can make interesting music too. Favorite track: There She Goes, My Beautiful World
I will say I liked this a lot better than the last album of Nick Cave's "Murder Ballads." There's more of going for a rock style. I also liked the disparity between the 2 discs. A few times artists used to do that with two sides of their albums: have one side be harder-edged and the other side be more lighter. You can tell the difference between the two discs and what the band was going for here. I got a little tired of "The Lyre of Orpheus," even with its driving rhythm, which I liked. The "Oh Mamma" just started to get a bit too repetitive for me. I just wish Nick was a bit more... melodic. His voice isn't bad, but I wanted it to be more than it was. He was drifting more into a grunty snarl, when I wanted him to stay in tune. So much better than Murder Ballads, I just don't know if it's something I would definitely listen to day in and day out.
Strange, different, cool. That's how I'd sum up this album - and Nick Cave and his band in general. Not as much theatre as Murder Ballads, but still some sordid tales in there. What I like more is how they go for it on the rock side of things. Not all songs, but there's some great musicianship going on at times. Get Ready for Love is like modern blues rock - great start to side one. Hiding All Away similar but different at the same time - cool, pounding sound with some organ zeal? Messiah Ward was more sweeping (almost Peter Gabriel-like) but very cool. There She Goes, My Beautiful World is one of my favorites on the album - great tempo, great humming guitar and bass with some rocking piano to add a little blues edge. The rest of side one was solid too and then we hit the strange with the last song Fable of the Brown Ape and the first song on side two The Lyre of Orpheus. Just weird lyrics and story-telling (theatric Drake). But interesting beats to go with it, and you know I kind of dug them both. Side two is definitely stranger or more eclectic overall, less rock and more ballad. Maybe not quite as good as side one but still solid and some real winners were Babe You Turn Me On (yowza lyrics but a nice soft beat and I love his atom bomb sound effect right at the end), Easy Money (great rhythm and vocals), Supernaturally (still some rock on side two), and O Children (almost gospel). That last one may be the best track on both sides - deep lyrics, sweeping sound with just the right amount of sharp piano to contrast, and great blend of Drake's vocals and his backing singers. I know right now I'm not going to love everything by Nick Drake, but this one was very good.
A double album where a lot is going on. Almost too much. With themes that go from the apocalyptic to the inspirational (in the religious sense), addresses to lovers, nature, fathers: this record has its highs and its lows. The two faces of the music and lyrics, the more classic ‘dark’ Cave and the hopeful almost uplifting streak, are reflected in the tendencies towards their classic style on one hand and a more mainstream attitude in the other. A weak 4/5. FaV tracks: Abattoir Blues, O children
Not good, too long
Inget livsavgörande, men helt ok.
Bad bad seeds.
I liked this album better than the other work I have heard from this artist.
No issues with Mr Nick Cave. Distinctive voice and lyrics for sure, but a talented man.
Listened in 4 separate sessions, but still good
Fourth Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album we've had. All three of the previous ones received 3 stars from me and in all of them I saw potential and interesting idea, but the pathos just wasn't convincing enough or the album didn't come together as a cohesive whole. This time, it seems these guys made true on their promises. Basically, these are two distinct albums. The first, I didn't quite know what to make of (the fact that it opens with the worst song of the albums doesn't help) but the second one I loved from the get-go. After that, I gave the first one another chance as well and enjoyed it a lot more during the second spin. It's pretty hard to describe the music accurately, but I really enjoyed it.
This is a great double album. Needs 2 or 3 listens though!
A cool and interesting double album of blues rock and gospel ballads. I wish I was at home to sit down and just listen to this with no distractions, as it lost me a few times, but I think I'd really love this if I just got to sit and appreciate it. Favourite: Supernaturally
Jesus .. 1 hr and 22 min .. Not even going to try to break this down by track, just gonna go for bulk effect and highlights / lowlights. Hiding All Away is a pretty cool, bluesy song. It has a rawness and groove that reminds me of White Strips. Weird lyrics, but I'm into it. Builds to quite a climax at the end whose bass line almost reminds me of a Whamola solo I saw from Primus years ago. The next couple of songs are kind of meh. Nature Boy reminds me a bit of Bowie in his delivery, but the song itself is pretty standard / boring. Kind of spaced out for the next several. Nothing much jumping out at me until I got to Spell. Something about that song I really like. The closer O Children does a good job of making its own space to expand into. Probably the most effective song on the album. I think overall, this album does fine service, but is not anything that I find particularly compelling. Maybe I'm not into the Nick Cave aesthetic, but generally I find the songs to be kind of boring in structure and execution.There's nothing outright "bad" here, but nothing compelling me to listen closely or ever again. 2 / 5
Skipped a few songs. I also was not really actively listening to this just had it on in the background I found it hard to focus on it
This was a long one, but I had to take a break to eat in the middle, so the length didn't affect me as much as it likely could have. I mean, it's cool, and I totally understand why people would like it, but I don't care about it very much. Not to say that it's bad or boring, but it's not something I would seek out again. My favourite song Spell, I think. The tracks blend together for me.
I very much liked the first half, the second half was fine, overall a pleasant experience
Переслушав его спустя почти 400 альбомов понял что не настолько плохо это было. Но долго прям, мда Алкоальбом: дед в 4 раз рассказывает и ты уже поддакиваешь (вы пьете вино 2 час)
Зачем было выпускать двойной альбом, если можно было сделать два отдельных?
да, я зумер, который не вывез 82 минуты альбома
What a fantastic blues album. It shows a wonderful transition of how blues turns into rock very easily, and the influences that had previously made bands like Pink Floyd so good
Didnt like a single song
Nick Cave is usually a weird but pretty good time.
Beautiful
Good, cool, relaxed
Poetic. Not bad.
I didn't get it.
J'étais à peine sorti du lit quand Nick Cave et les Bad Seeds me mirent un sac sur la tête et m'annoncèrent qu'ils me prenaient en otage pour les prochaines quatre-vingt-deux minutes. J'ai connu de meilleurs réveils.
Nick Cave vient dès les premiers instants de l'album nous aposer un sac sur la tête, avant de nous balancer dans le coffre d'une voiture, pour une prise d'otage qui durera au total près d'1h20.
An absolute banger. Great stuff - will listen again.
nick cave <3
Not as engaging as I hoped it would be
My formal introduction to Nick Cave’s music came in my second year of university. We had a young lecturer, Professor Green (not that one): always clad in black from head to toe with a wiry, fiery look in his eyes. Determined to hijack the idea of a “canon” in English literature, he led a popular culture module full of his favourite graphic novels, film, music. Week four was Nick Cave’s “Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus”. I have a vivid memory of a seminar when we were all made to sit through “Hiding All Away”, copies of the lyrics in front of us for annotation. It played to a room of mostly nonplussed, fidgeting twenty year olds (including one who moaned that the track was “completely dull”), but this reviewer was quietly gripped. I went on to write an essay on “Messiah Ward”, earnestly describing it as Nick Cave navigating a war-torn, paranoid post 9/11 world. It was verbose, dense and pretentious, trying to shoehorn the university’s criteria into the work of a man who defies categorisation. That this album is just as ripe for academic study as it is for casual enjoyment is testament to Nick Cave’s power as a lyricist: intellectual, wry and cynical, I fully believe he deserves his place as his own generation’s Dylan or Cohen. Seven years on, I’m still thrilled by “Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus”, and I don’t even have to write two-thousand words to prove it. What’s more, the music’s great too: his thirteenth album with the Bad Seeds, this one completes Cave’s transition into elder-statesman of rock, a self-described “conservative-with-a-small-c”. Gone are the shock-value murder ballads, the howling haunted heroin addict, the mournful break-up hymns… instead, we have a slab of bluesy, brooding rock and roll in “Abattoir Blues” and another slab of lilting, gospel folk in “The Lyre of Orpheus”. The best tracks? “There She Goes, My Beautiful World” is propulsive and passionate with a killer chorus: one of the best odes to writer’s block on record. “Nature Boy” is a “Come Up And See Me…” homage which delights and enthralls. In the second half, “Breathless” is a pastoral beauty with a fresher face and more optimism than anything else Cave had done previously, while the one-two punch of “Carry Me” and “O Children” to close the whole set is a masterstroke: one of them beautiful, swaying gospel, the other a haunted ode to the end of the world. The rest of the Bad Seeds are on fine form, demonstrating their aptitude in a whole host of styles and moods. The gospel backing singers are also a delight whenever they feature, really elevating all of the above highlights as well as “Hiding All Away”, “Get Ready for Love” and many more. There are just a handful of roadblocks holding the album back from five stars: “Fable of the Brown Ape” is a stumbling wedge of nothing, and “Supernaturally” and “Spell” are slightly faltering dips in the road during the home stretch. Still, overall this is one of Cave’s very best. With a bit of trimming, it would be an easy five stars, but his best albums in my book can be found later in his career. It will always evoke fond memories for me, and I’ll always be grateful to Professor Green for wielding “Abattoir Blues” as the ultimate gateway drug.
Not sure how I missed this album, know a couple of the songs, the toning down of the birthday party
This album was amazing. Probably one of my favorites that I have heard on here, front to back was just so good. There were only like 2 or 3 songs I didn't really enjoy as much but were still pretty good. Will definitely be listening to this one again.
It sure is long, but I sure did enjoy it. And it’s Nick Cave… who am I to complain?
Gah, what a bloated corpse of an album. Nick Cave is such a tryhard gothy boy and it's a real turnoff. That said, this some of the best musicianship I've heard on a Cave joint. If you pulled his lyrics off of these songs, they'd probably be fantastic. Unfortunately, it's got the stank of Nick's garbage, self-indulgent, "ooh, I'm so dark and edgy" songwriting all over it. And that's a lot of garbage songwriting because this album is WAY too long. Cut a third of them and you might have a half-decent album. Kill your darlings, Nick. You write songs about it all the time. You should be good at it by now.
Got through 4 songs. Decent instrumentals that is completely overshadowed by horrendous vocals and plastic lyrics.
They had me in the first half, I'm not gonna lie. But the second half wasn't nearly as exciting. I do like this better than other Nick Cave stuff I've listened to.
I have tried to like Nick Cave for years. His music isn't horrible, but it isn't particularly enjoyable to me. It sounds like very basic, Brit rock.
Very cool, not sure why this guy isn’t more famous. Lots going on, love the “full band” sound with the backup singers and the big ensemble
Don’t love Nick cave but the album seemed ok
Good lyrics, awesome vibe.
Have they had Nick Cave voice a Disney villain yet? His voice was made for a role like that. I still haven't heard a bad album from this guy. He has to be one of the most consistent people in music, even taking his other projects like The Birthday Party into consideration. A very consistent double album that was never dull. Glad the album cover was a jape, because it's really unfitting and boring. It's also weird how I unabashedly hate crooning, but when you mix it with dark and gothic vibes, it's suddenly great.
I don’t hate it but boy is this a long album that all starts to blend together way too early on. I honestly think there is a good single album in here but the double was not for me.
Excellent album. Went a bit off piste in the middle but picked up again Fave song hiding all away
4.5
This is a really interesting album. Never listened to this band before. I don't really know the best way to describe it. I really like the gospel style organ and synth going on in the background. Every track has a ton of little moments lower in the mix if you pay attention. I like the storytelling style of lyrics and the production is insanely good. There's a lot going on here for a first listen I think. I enjoyed it a lot though. Score: 80 Art: 70
This is a long album, but it was all new to me and I didn't know what to expect. His voice goes well with the gospel sound and orchestra. It has rich story telling but with a mix of, I'm sure, absolute nonsense. Favorite song was Hiding All Away. I can do without Babe, You Turn Me On.
O Mamma! I was always a fan of Nick Cave, but I never bothered to listen to his full discography, which I'm starting to feel like a massive, massive mistake. Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus is an amazing double album. First song, "Get Ready For Love" caught my attention, but third one, "Hiding All Away" cemented its position as one of the best albums I have discovered on this website. This album has a certain great quality - it sounds like a band you have always known, but at the same time it feels extremely fresh, because for some reason I didn't listen to it before. Also, big thanks to The Bad Seeds, with Warren Ellis at the top. The more I listen to his music, the more I fall in love with it. And the quality of music on this double album is really amazing,every song feels like an adventure into unknown. But there is one thing that is unparalleled - Nick Cave's lyrics. "The Lyre of Orpheus" is now one of my favourite songs, his ability to create a story and make it almost immersive is extraordinary. I think I'm not allowed to make any more mistakes, one quiet evening I will listen to the whole discography of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. No more excuses, I need to witness more greatness!
Uninteresting. I will never get the hype about Nick Cave. His voice isn’t great and his songs can drag out.
Absolutely not this fucking sucked. It’s possible maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for this but dear god
4.5/5. I’m just so happy that I get to experience such a talented musician like Nick Cave in this lifetime.
It was just all around a nice, pleasant listen.
It was really boring with slightly odd lyrics and just kept on losing my interest: for what it was I felt it dragged on quite a bit and ended up sounding like a really shitty rock musical
Don’t see the attraction of Nick Cave. Please don’t force me to lessen to more of this guy’s albums!
Not my jam!
The Gospel according to Nick Cave.
Not his best but even his lesser stuff is better than most people's peaks.
I go into today’s album with a bit of hesitancy. My only previous exposure to Nick Cave is through his band The Birthday Party, whom I thought sounded like concentrated awful. However, I’ve made the commitment to give everything a fair chance, so I’m desperately hoping this sounds very different. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Lyre Of Orpheus, Messiah Ward Ok so there is good news: this sounds markedly different to The Birthday Party. I let out a breath of relief once track one started, as I could tell that the two bands are very different. I found this to be nice to listen to. The singing is very unique but works well with the music, and the actual music itself is catchy yet complex. I expected to hate this album, but I found myself enjoying it quite a lot. I haven’t even mentioned that it’s a double album as well, and my stamina for albums isn’t that great. Despite this, I was able to make it through the whole thing in one go, and enjoyed pretty much everything along the way.
Not bad but not really my thing
I must avow that my view of what a Nick Cave album is has been warped by the tragic circumstances that have infiltrated his life. I'm more familiar with the work he released after the premature death of his young son, work which was naturally very solemn and reflective. The lyricism here is still as poetic, but with a larger dynamic range. He's always had a darkness to his voice, but it's nice to hear him get a little lighter, too. This is a solid 3.5.
5/19, 26%
So this is Gothic Rock, huh? Always nice to eb able to put a name to a genre I know. Nick Cave was interesting to learn about, as is a lot of Australian music. Not fully my deal but iconic for what it is. A double album is always appreciated.