Reviews (page 6 of 13)
This was a similar listening experience as Exile on Main Street for me - I came into it expecting something a little more bland, and the instrumentation blew me away. Some of the songs were still a little too violent and the album was too long, but it continued to pull me back in.
This album is one note for the entire hour plus run time, but at least it has the decency to be one good note.
3.5 - Good
Not for me
I love it!
Soulful throughout, in more ways than one. Ventures from Motown, through spoken word. So much to embrace.
This had some interesting moments but ultimately I felt it was too long and too out there.
Das erste Lied und das Cover passen nicht zusammen. Sagen wir es so, das war jetzt nicht so meins…
Nick Cave der Bourbon und Cognac Poet. Super misery hangover soundtrack. Aber nüchtern kann ich den abtrünnigen Dopamin-Killer nicht abhaben. Trotzdem vier Sterne für die Dunkelheit.
ich mag nick! zuu cooli stimm
I'm learning that I just really don't like Nick Cave. His vocals are what kills most of it for me. This album also highlighted how bad his lyrics are, though, as well. The song where half of the words were "well"??? Nightmare. I did do my best to be open minded when the album started, and I almost enjoyed the first few songs. The song below was my legitimate favorite. But the album just slowly gets worse and worse as it goes on top of being 80 minutes long. Favorite Song(s): Hiding All Away
Du rock hongrois, hongrois que c'est bien mais c mid
Début 1er album : 4 Fin 1er album : 3 Début 2ème album : 2 Fin 2ème album : 3
The Good: We’ve got a little bit of this… The Bad: We’ve got a little bit of that… The Ugly: Finding out that Orpheus Lyre isn’t what we thought it would be… Guess the word Cave and Seed should have given us a fair warning! What a lovely double album this turned out to be. I am no fan of Nick, his previous outing on this list I believe was ranked with 2*, however, this double outing, this is worth double that no problem. That’s it, all I’ve got… guess I’ve got nothing better to do than to listen to this double outing again! 4*
Not for me.
It’s been so long since I had a 5 star album, much less one I’d never heard before.
Overall not bad just not my cup of tea
Menha gustado mucho. No conocía a Nick Cave. Dónde ha estado todo este tiempo, en una cueva??
No one in my family has heard of this band before, me included. I asked them, and considering there are 5 of his albums on here, I was banking on at least SOMEONE knowing who this guy Nick Cave is. They’re all rated pretty poorly on the site, so all things considered, it seems like a questionable choice to have that many, if any at all included. This is the first of them that I have heard, and it’s the highest rated on the site. What are my thoughts on this album? Holy shit. No dude, it’s actually good. It’s actually quite good, easily the best thing I’ve heard this week. It’s funny how the mind can draw parallels to things. Earlier in the week, I heard a Black man (Ray Charles) singing traditionally White music and making it his own, and now I’m hearing the reverse of that. These are all very Black Gospel coded songs, and you know what?? Nick Cave absolutely crushes it here. I don’t know if his other 4 albums are even remotely this good, but I actually loved this one. As a double album, it has a massive 1 hour and 22 minute playtime, and the first half kicks the shit out of the second half, so it’s not perfect, but it’s pretty close. I found myself adding 4 songs from this album to my favorites playlist, and even the ones that did not make the cut were at the bare minimum all good enough to not skip. My favorites on this album are “Get Ready for Love”, “Cannibal’s Hymn”, “There She Goes, My Beautiful World”, and my personal favorite, “Hiding All Away”, which has an absolutely electric, energetic, crazy finish. “There is a waaaaaaaaaar comiiiiiiiiiiiiiing”, (Crazy guitar solo). That song kicks ass. So yeah, it all came together nicely and gave me a hell of a surprise on a random, slow Wednesday. Thank you Nick. Interested to see what else you’ve got, I might be a fan.
Not only is this my fourth Nick Cave album on the list, but of course it had to be a double album too. I really wanted to like this one more, especially after such a strong start. “Get Ready for Love” was fantastic and easily one of the best Nick Cave songs I have heard so far. It had energy, grit, and that gospel-punk intensity that pulled me right in. Unfortunately, after that opening track, the album slid right back into typical Nick Cave territory. The pacing slowed, the mood got overly dramatic, and it turned into another long, brooding listen that felt more exhausting than engaging. The second disc did not help much either, just more of the same drawn-out gloom. The first song alone saves it from being a total miss. Abattoir Blues had the potential to be something great, but outside of that killer opener, it felt like a lot of filler spread across way too many tracks.
Love Nick, bit too much for one sitting
First listen, and I loved it. I’m a fan of Nick Cave generally, but this is eviscerating inclinations hidden in lush, beautiful soundscape Nick Cave. Abattoir Blues is energetic and intense, vaguely gospel, vaguely blues and Nick Cave’s trademark gothic, sinister undercurrent is never far from the sound. The Lyre of Orpheus has a lighter touch. It opens with a bristling, crawling, call and response blues before following a more whimsical, pastoral path. It’s also shamelessly pretentious. There are definitely some fatty parts on the album that could be trimmed down, but I adore the lushness of this.
Love Nick Caves voice but the album was a bit all over the place. A bit too rocky I guess.
Lead singer has a really limited vocal range. Paired with the pretty repetitive instrument usage, I found the songs to be pretty bland, uninteresting, and uninspiring. Wasn't sure how I felt about the ties into scripture, but they were very prevalent. 3/10
Wow! I could take or leave Nick Cave's voice, but the poetry of the lyrics, the lush orchestrations, the gospel choir back-ups...It all blew my socks off even at a 90-minute runtime. I'll revisit this one in the future for sure.
A really tough listen. The singing style really is not to my taste. There is also just a lot of fat on this album; it could have been much shorter. As a big Harry Potter fan, hearing the last song was a nice memory, but that really was the only highlight for me. It saves it from the lowest rating. 2/5
What a nice surprise. Had never listened to Nick Cave outside of Red Right Hand thanks to Dumb and Dumber. Loved this album. Good variety. Some amazing high energy songs with a huge sound. Love an upbeat piano based song. Clever lyrics. This album is both made well made and makes you feel something. It's also just kind of different and feels like a breath of fresh air. Standout songs include: Get Ready for Love Hiding All Away (personal favorite) There She Goes, My Beautiful World Nature Boy Supernaturally Carry Me
לא באמת הטעם שלי אבל אי אפשר להתעלם מהעוצמה והכישרון של ניק קייב שתמיד עושה דברים במוזיקליות הייחודית לו אבל אין סיבה שהדבר הזה יהיה אלבום כפול ולא שני אלבומים נפרדים
Really cool album on a long drive. Very dark in places and melodic throughout.
After two relatively sombre piano-driven albums in 'The Boatman's Call' and 'No More Shall We Part' and the somewhat uneven 'Nocturama', Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds stepped into double album territory for the first time with 2004's 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus', and I consider this the start of Nick's upbeat, enlighted preacher era, while still showing plenty of respect and appreciation for everything he'd done previously. The eloquent rhyming and lyricism? Check! Attacking piano strokes? Double check! A balanced mix of light and shade? Triple check! All supported by the impressive Bad Seeds lineup of the time: Mick Harvey, Warren Ellis, Martyn Casey, Conway Savage, James Johnston, Jim Sclavunos and Thomas Wydler, although without Blixa Bargeld for the first time since the Bad Seeds' inception. This is a double album (Nick Cave's first) of two very different flavours. 'Abattoir Blues' is the standard Cave-esque rock/blues sound the Bad Seeds had championed throughout most of the 90s, blending rousing gospel and infectious energy with Cave's trademark twisted storytelling. Songs like 'Get Ready For Love', 'Nature Boy' and 'There She Goes, My Beautiful World' would not sound out of place on 'Henry's Dream' or 'Let Love In' and serve as great reinforcement of the Bad Seeds' magnetic presence as a unit. On the other hand, 'The Lyre of Orpheus' is a lot more laid back and heartfelt, although the title track hearkens back to the uneasyness of 'Murder Ballads'. There's also the closing track, the enthralling 'O Children', which has the distinction of being the only conventional song used in the Harry Potter series. 20 years on from the start of The Bad Seeds, 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus' sees Nick Cave finally hit a solid level of contentness with his career. He truly sounds like he enjoyed making this album and was in a very good place in his life. He'd face some very difficult years in the 2010s with the loss of two of his sons, but the joy of his most recent record, 'Wild God', certainly brought back the passion of this awesome double album! I'm biased, but there's not a single 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus' is Nick's gospel album: full of love, warmth and life. Best songs: Get Ready For Love, There She Goes, My Beautiful World, Nature Boy, Abattoir Blues, The Lyre of Orpheus, Breathless, O Children
Great sound! Some really interesting songs
The older I get the more I appreciate Nick Cave. It's Dark but also creative and thats why it deserves to be here.
I didn’t think I liked Nick Cave.. but I really like this!
There she goes my beautiful world is een fantastisch nummer! De rest va de plaat is gewoon goed! Aangenaam om te luisteren
Great, two albums really, been a long while since I have listened to it in full.
Great album
To be honest I’m a little iffy on the voice, but I did find one song I really enjoyed that was a little spicy. It was also a great album.
this is the kind of sugar papa likes
Really a great album. Personally I enjoyed the first half more than the second, but overall, amazing. Maybe the first full Nick Cave album I’ve listened to besides Murder Ballads. The gospel choir and the vibe of the album is ‘fun’ and light compared to MB, and the songs have more depth which is cool to see.
It’s been too long since I’d sat down and listened to a Nick Cave album, and this album did not disappoint. This one must have flown under my radar at the time of its release, but I’m glad to have finally heard it. The last time I felt this kind of physical reaction to an album was in 1998 when heard KISS’s “Psycho Circus” for the first time… and puked/shit myself/and bled from my ears so profusely due to how bad it sucked that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to listen to music ever again! Thankfully I recovered, and lived long enough to hear “Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus” on a beautiful autumn night with the dogs in tow and the stars high in the heavens. Excited to keep this one in this fall’s “Heavy Rotation” queue.
Better on second listening. Obviously heard some before but really enjoyed it.
An excellent new find!
I fear I don’t get Nick Cave. This was more enjoyable than ghosteen but I fear it didn’t have the few brilliant points that made listening to that slog bearable in the first place. But it’s just better. I can’t give it an endless amount for nature boy but i really liked this song a lot. It’s not fun but the constant up and down is at least interesting. I’m really grappling with what I think about this album but I fear it’s just too long to make the bright spots stand tall. With grit teeth I give this 3 stars because I get it and it’s good but I never want to listen to this again.
Lots of religious undertones. But the music was good, I enjoyed it
Even though I was busy and didn't pay full attention to the album, it was an interesting and engaging listen—a good one! The album's opening track, 'Get Ready for Love,' starts loud with the drive of the guitar sounding a bit noisy and compressed. However, the album quickly opens up with a much more expansive sound, the initial noise giving way to pleasant combinations of piano and acoustic guitars, and groovy baselines. The expressive and emotional vocals of Nick combined with the backing choir sound really good. The album keeps you engaged with the creative use of unfamiliar rumbling or squeaking noises scattered throughout. I loved 'Nature Boy,' 'Messiah Ward,' and 'Babe, You Turn Me On.' Meanwhile, 'Easy Money' felt emotional yet somehow catchy. The opening chords of 'O Children' reminded me of 'Zombie' by The Cranberries, though they didn't sound quite as compelling. Even though I didn't listen carefully to the second part of the album (The Lyre of Orpheus), overall I loved it. It is definitely an album I would return to and listen to while paying closer attention.
O Children is one of my favorite songs of all time - this is my first time listening to the whole album. There is a lot of good, and a lot of okay. Nick Cave is an incredible songwriter who has some dark lyrics Best Song: O Children Rating: 7/10 Stars: 3
Gear: Sennheiser MOMENTUM TW 4 Artwork: 🌸🖋️🔳 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🎙️⛪🌋 Ratinng: 🌸🌸🌸🌸/5
I had skipped this one when it came out. I had assumed it was an unnecessarily long collection of ballads which I had enough of on No More Shall We Part (my favorite Nick Cave album). But there’s a lot more variety here than I expected. Disc one has some tracks that feel a bit like okder Cave though sans Blixa and plus gospel backup singers. Disc two brings the soft ballads and stuff that sounds like Jimmy Buffet. A mixed bag for sure. More is less here and it’s far from a classic Nick Cave record.
I was excited to see Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus on the list today. As a huge Nick Cave fan, I realized it’s been a long time since I last gave this one a proper listen. Going in, my view was that there are far stronger Bad Seeds albums—The Boatman’s Call and Let Love In are particularly brilliant. I never really connected with this record when it came out, apart from the standout tracks Get Ready for Love and Breathless. Still, I was curious to revisit it and see if my opinion had shifted. As a double album, Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus has room to stretch out, offering a wide range of styles—rock, ballads, and slower bluesy numbers. The variety really works, and Nick’s vocals sound fantastic throughout. The Bad Seeds are in top form too, delivering a full, powerful rock and roll sound. The whole record is bigger, louder, and ultimately better than I remembered. I also enjoyed rediscovering songs I’d forgotten about, like Cannibal’s Hymn, Hiding All Away, and Messiah Ward. Side one in particular feels especially strong. Add to that the gems O Children and There She Goes, My Beautiful World, which are just gorgeous songs. And of course, there’s Breathless—a moment of pure joy and one of my absolute favourite Bad Seeds tracks. Favourite track: Breathless Least favourite track: None that truly fall flat Album artwork: A really classy cover
Effectivement peut-être pas son meilleur album. Perso j'aime bien la voix de Nick Cave, les instrus sont sympas, je sens une vibe un peu entre Leonard Cohen en effet et Bruce Springsteen. Le genre de musique que je pourrais mettre à fond chez moi en faisant le ménage ou à manger sans problème.
Il est mega réputé, j’avais jamais vraiment écouté mais je suis convaincue qu’il a des albums plus dynamiques ! En tout cas, c’est sympa, c’est poétique ! C’est un peu dans la même veine que Léonard Cohen
J'ai trouvé ça boring et très long. Toutes les chanson se ressemblent, je pense que c'est pas un genre auquel je suis très sensible 2/5
I need to listen to more Nick Cave - great album
I only really liked one song from this album. This guy just sounds like guyliner embodied. He’s great at what he does but it’s just really not for me
ultimate rock vibes lowkeg 2 diff dics
So this is the first double album I am getting and also first time I am getting a 2nd album from an artist I already got before and this also happens to be the artist I will see live in a year so very excited. This will surely be a dense listen, knowing Cave. P.S. Busy day at work and pub after, will be tough to absorb this one. P.S.2 Rating this 4.5 on RYM, but I think I'll go for 4 stars here
Nick Cave is an artist I hear people talk about all the time but I've managed to stay completely ignorant of for my entire life (plus 3 years). Going into this, I know he's got a devoted fanbase but I have no concept of what his music sounds like. And now I get to find out with a double album, that's kinda fun! His voice has a lounge singer bravado/sleeze - a dark theatricality -that I do occasionally find compelling (The The, Electric Six, some Tom Waits, The Oogie Boogie Man in Nightmare Before Christmas, Dracula in Jason Segel's Dracula Musical "A Taste For Love", Richard Cheese, etc). It's compelling here, but it begins to wear on me over the course of the first disc. Thankfully, it's muted on the second record as they shift into more downtempo songs. "Get Ready For Love" - Starting the album with an in-your-face blues/rock song definitely makes me feel like I'm joining a conversation already in progress; there's no chance to get my bearings before getting the full force of NC&TBS directly in my face. It's their 13th album, so I guess they've pretty well established their sound and can expect you to know what you're getting into when you press play. "Cannibal's Hymn" - so close to being an earnest version of the Jason Segel Dracula Musical "Die. Die. Die. I Can't" that it hurts. "Nature Boy" - I missed this one initially, but on second listen this one stood out for me like "Supernaturally" did on my first pass. "Supernaturally" - this is the fourth-to-last song on the album, but it's the track that finally swayed me from "this is fine" to "this is pretty good". "O Children" - this must be the hit, because it has almost 200M more listens than any other song on the record. The backing vocals and harmonies were one of my favorite features of "Supernaturally", and they're back in full force here.
255/1089 - I was initially apprehensive about listening to this. Nick Cave has many albums on this list, which is usually a red flag for me since my taste doesn't heavily align with Dimery. It also is a double album so I'd be commiting to the sound for a while. So I listened, and it was pretty good! The songs are simple and somewhat repetitive but have slightly atypical instrumentation and do enough interesting things with texture and Nick Cave's voice to keep the songs fresh. Overall, a pleasent surprise. Now I hope I get all of the Neil Young or Elvis Costello albums in a row so I never have to listen to them again.
I liked the blues but the lyre held it back
This has been my favorite Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album for the past year.
Couldn’t really get into it
Beautiful melancholy splendour. Probably the strongest concept album I've gotten so far.
Really good I enjoyed both parts of the album - blues was faster paced and lyre was slower and more introspective
high 3
Gonna rate as 2 separate albums. Abattoir Blues: 4 The Lyre of Orpheus: 3.5
This one’s goinna be difficult. I have a love hate relationship with Nick Cave’s music. It might stem from a time when i was a much younger man and my then GF loved Nick Cave. We’d booked a holiday together and she broke it off just before we were due to go. Stupidly we decided to continue the holiday. Fuck onows ehy she thought it would be a good idea. I think i was hoping we could reignite the flame while away. Anyeay, in a pub across from the Vic market, getting on it with some Melb mates, Nick Cave turns up, just drinking, not performing. She had puppy dog eyes for him all night and I seethed with jealousy at a man who probably didnt even look at her all night. Some time later, at the end of the trip when i was moaning about not getting back together, probably saying how heartless she was, she pointwd out that she had not gone home woth Nick Cave ao couldnt in fact be all that heartless. The ego staggered me and i may have had a chip on my shoulder about the king of private school goth punk Melbournr ever since. Anyway, i also cant decide if veing a shit ainger makes Nick Cave shit or it just fits the music and expression perfectly. I think the latter. I also struggle with the idea that a white boy average muso gets famous off the back of black musicians, often not even all that obscure. I saw a doco on Nick Cave once where he spoke about having a curator or librarian who looked after his musiccatelogue and i thought really would be better preserving aome of the original rwcordings he’s covered, the musi’s he’s ripped from in a fine tradition that stretches back forever. But thats a bit u fair to Nick and the Bad Seeds. Hes written plenty of iriginal materials. All in all this album rocks pretty hard compared to aome of rhe more cloying albums like Tender Prey or Henry’s Dream, etc. it displays a bit more range than other albums while still being Nick Cave. Listening to My Beautiful World i think its unfair to say Nick is a poor singer. I am a poor singer. He’s not always on note, but he’s got melody, he folles i tervals, he’s consistent in his flaws. Perfect ainging and the music might be boring as shit. His voice is distinctive, full of passion and feeling. The man can emote, which plenty of singers lack. And them you get a track like Abattoir Blues. Why bother. Is this like a Nick Cave rap? And the final 2 of the first disc. Maybe he cant sing on slower ballad like songs with littlw backing instruments, the voice gets exposed. He’s better in the higher register. Maybe he’s just singing in the wrong key all the time. There’s also some weird every syllable enunciated to one count type thimg going on in a couple of the songs towards the end of disk 1. Liked it for the first 5 or 6 songs. Second disk is a bit more familiar melancholic drone i would expect.
Pretty good - I wasn't expecting to enjoy Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, but I did. Not sure it needed to be a double album, though.
Moody alt-country(?)-esque guitar driven riffs. Lyrics are....interesting religious focused? Good listen
9/10 Hmm, see, I owned this back in 2004 and, while I like it well enough, I certainly didn't love it. Maybe I was still hungover from the Strokes and it was a bit dark for me. Listening to it today was a revelation. The first disk is stonking, with Nick Cave coaxing his gospel rock through a rip-roaring set. I love how he manifests the unhinged band leader, barely controlling the music as it surges and crashes around him. He's like Prospero conjuring his storm - the guitars howl, the drums and bass throb while the choir build and moan, with those beautiful snatches of blue sky that give you some light to hang on to. Excellent.
Great album
I liked it a lot. But it is an album that is a mood, a whole mood. And I feel I would listen to it only when in that mood
Pretty good, found myself getting into more of the tracks than I thought I might.
Start of the album is too noisy. Abattoir blues is a class name for an album but it didn't live up to the name.
More like Nick Cave and the Bad Songs, imo. I hated this album so much I stayed at the album an hour late just so I wouldn't have to listen to the rest of it in the morning.
Vintage Nick Cave though arguably more agreeable to the regular ear than some of the stranger pieces of work he’s produced. Liked this album a lot with great variety and musicianship too. Will listen again
Empece la escucha con cariño porque este album tiene O Children y como buena fan de Harry Potter me dio mucha nostalgia, pero resulto ser totalmente distinto a lo que esperaba. Los instrumentales son un 10/10, curados hasta el ultimo detalle, la voz de nick cave es muy cálida y tiene una manera de contar historias muy destacable. De todas maneras, el primer disco noto que se luce mucho mas que el segundo, y se me hizo bastante largo el album en general. No se si es algo que escucharía pero es muy interesante de escuchar, veo por que es un must. Destaco Nature Boy, Let the Bells Ring, There She Goes, My Beautiful World y obviamente O Children por el valor sentimental PD que poronga esta pasando en Breathless ?????
Qué puedo decir de un album que está en todas mis playlist de favoritos, de canciones que sonarían en mi banda sonora, en mi funeral, en mi boda, etc., etc. Para mí este señor es poco menos que Jesucristo. En el Disc 1 la energía es simplemente arrolladora, Nature Boy es una canción impresionante como pocas. Y luego, en el Disc 2, el colega te hace las canciones más desgarradoras que has escuchado en tu vida (O' Children) y sonidos que lo simples mortales solo podemos aspirar a ser (Spell). De las pedazo letras de agonía existencial mejor ni hablamos (tampoco de que hay canciones que no son muy "escuchables", pero yo te lo perdono todo Nicolás) Favs: Spell (por si no había quedado claro, lol) y There She Goes, My Beautiful World <3
Doble álbum MUY bien balanceado con ambos discos que bien podrían funcionar como proyectos independientes y que a la vez se sienten parte de un mismo todo. Me gusta que en la primera parte Nick suene como un profeta desatado y arropado por instrumentación divina y que en la segunda baje marchas pero sus canciones sigan sonando igual de gloriosas e importantes. Su sensibilidad poética brilla de principio a fin, de un disco a otro, con versos sinceros y metáforas potentes que hermanan lo macabro con lo hermoso. A pesar de la evidente longitud al ser doble, se me hizo corto (y desde luego, mil veces más ameno que el anterior de U2 🫢) Favs: There She Goes, My Beautiful World, Supernaturally, Spell, O Children
No entiendo cómo se puede hacer un disco que suene tan familiar pero al mismo tiempo con una identidad propia tan marcada. Todo lo que suena se ha escuchado alguna vez, pero juntar esos sonidos de manera tan particular se hace muy poco, muy soportado por la voz de Nick Cave. La hora y veintidos minutos que dura el disco puede parecer densa desde fuera, pero la manera en la que se abarca tanto del espectro musical hace que el resultado final sea más ameno de lo que debería. Me quedo con muchas ganas de escuchar más de ellos. A la playlist: Get Ready for Love, Hiding All Away, There She Goes My Beautiful World, Nature Boy, Easy Money, Supernaturally
This is definitely my favourite NCATBS record on this list to date. Pretty ambitious double album with fantastic production and some really standout tracks. Favourite tracks: Get Ready for Love, Hiding All Away, Nature Boy, Abattoir Blues, The Lyre of Orpheus ("If you play that fucking thing down here I'll stick it up your orifice" - love it), Easy Money, O Children.
Cannibal's Hymn was good. It all sounds like one long song after a while though. Not bad but not memorable
Really 2 different albums, Richard thompson Get ready for love My beautiful world Babe you turn me on
Not great.
6/10 I should like Nick Cave. I just don't. I don't dislike it, but I'm not sure why everyone likes it so much. To each their own. 9-19-2025
It's the perfect double album. Abattoir Blues is Nick Cave at his absolute best, and Lyre of Orpheus is Nick Cave at his absolute most boring.
Never listened to him before. This is alright, could even go down the rabbit hole and listen to more of his catalog.
Nicky Cave with another album save
Decent albeit too long. If it was shortened to a single album, I would have liked it more. First disc is stronger and it rocks out surprisingly. Cave is an acquired taste and I have to be in the right mood. Still, I may revisit someday.
I was introduced to this music through the Peaky Blinders TV show. I didn't think I could acquire any new bands that I liked but the minute I heard them I knew they were fantastic. This is the second time I've listened to this album and every song on it is a banger. Abattoir blues is my favorite
Timing of the lyrics/vocals and instruments seemed… off? I guess, kinda decent modern rock.
That felt SO long. The music wasn't bad itself but the double-album makes it overstay its welcome.
Really enjoyed this one, feels like the generator should give you two days for this one since it’s so clearly two albums.
Why release one incredible album when you can release two. Abattoir Blues - Intense Lyre of Orpheus - Reflective & melodic. I can’t even pick a favourite
I liked this guy’s sound. Reminded me of Warren Zevon
I don’t think I like Nicholas Cavern, but he did help make one of my favorite film scores: Assassination of Jesse James, which I listened to after & think that should have been on this list instead.
Not all seeds need to grow into flowers, not all things in caves need to see the sun
No more God Damn Nick Cave.
Apologies Nick Cave and the Bad Seed, I was unfamiliar with your game. This landed in the prime of my music listening years, so shame on everyone else for not getting this to me.
4/5. Nick Cave is a unique character. Sometimes his lyrics are unique and creative, and the other times they mean absolutely nothing. And sometimes my feelings about the same lyrics change based on the day. But what Nick is great at is creating an aesthetic and theme for the album and sticking with it throughout the tracks. The choral arrangements with the full rock band gives hints of Christian rock but mixed with the lyrical cynicism and very well produced. These are all great songs, the first half better than the latter, but still Nick Cave provides a great experience. Best Song: Hiding All Away, There She Goes My Beautiful World, Breathless
Not my thang 5/10
If only there was a zero score button
The only Nick Cave album I’ve ever heard was when I generated Murder Ballads nearly a year ago and I absolutely love that one, probably in my top 5 new discoveries so far. As a result I had high expectations going in and it more than met them, this is bloody BRILLIANT. I still prefer Murder Ballads out of the two but it is very close between them. Top Track - There She Goes, My Beautiful World. Banger of a song
Classy as fuck. If I had to choose a side I'd pick The Lyre of Orpheus. Some proper stately shit on that side.
This is my 3rd (4th if The Birthday Party counts) Nick Cave album, and I have not connected with his music at all until this one. Double album, so it’s on the longer side, but I was engaged the whole time. I’m interested in going back to those earlier ones I panned and seeing if my opinion has changed
I don't know why exactly, but I wasn't that interested in this album when it came out. But my God, I'm pleased to have been forced to listen to it in full because of this list. This has been an absolutely great rediscovery! Not sure why I left this record out of my repeatedly played Cave records - maybe because of the gospel choir and my dislike for soul searching at that time - but it's a gem! The gospel elements here aren't preachy; they're more about exploring the power and mystery of faith rather than endorsing it. From the opening song "Get Ready for Love" to the typical storytelling of Cave on "Cannibal Hymn" and "Abattoir Blues" to the soulful "Nature Boy" this album demands your attention. The second album is more introverted but just as well crafted. "The Lyre of Orpheus" is more intimate, and has a beautifully reflective quality. Releasing it as a double album shows Cave at his complete range. I can go on forever, but I'll leave it at that - another 5/5!
I hate this. The first album has all the shitty parts of blues rock and southern gothic tropes. There's a bit of Rolling Stones in here as well as Elton's rhythm and blues pastiche. Jumpin Jack Flash meets Crocodile Rock. The second album is some acoustic gothic ballad crap.
nice but little depressing
Interesting double album that I was only half-familiar with. It’s a bit hard to review, since the two albums are quite different from one another... It’s like taking a long walk in a palace with dozens of rooms (and two very different wings). Some rooms are crumbling and decayed (Baby You Turn Me On sounds like much earlier Nick Cave), others are surprising and flamboyant (the opening title Lyre of Orpheus for instance, which I find magnificent) ; some are silent and deserted, others are full of people having an orgy (the crescendo in Hiding All Away is incredible !). I massively prefer Lyre of Orpheus – an intense, moody and soulful album, which is probably one of Nick Cave’s masterpieces. The atmosphere of the whole album is incredible, with a lot of subtleties and a passionate vocal performance. Abattoir Blues doesn’t make as deep an impression. It sounds more conventionnal, but its lowkey art rock vibe grew on me in the end. It’s well crafted and executed, and there is enough diversity between songs to keep the listener curious. Very nice overall. I will absolutely come back to it. A strong 4* (I would have given a 5* to Lyre of Orpheus alone, and a 3* to Abattoir Blues alone).
Passionate, intimate, exhilarating, meditative...
Because it's them because it's me. I can't help but fell sympathy for the guys. There I am listening another time on this Monday morning. The Lyre of Orpheus with it's gimmick "Oh Mama" is the only song that stucks. Nontheless after I gave a 3 to the Mooth, I have to go higher.
I really didn't like nor enjoy the listening of that double album
It started off well, the choirs really add something to Nick Cave’s usually monotone delivery. But apart from a few nice surprises, the album just drags on and to me, feels way too monotonous overall.
Wait. What? 82 minutes of this dude again?! Cruel and unnecessary. While this thankfully wasn't as artificially macabre as "Murder Ballads", the overdramatization was still about as compelling as a high school musical. And like such productions, it ran painfully too long. This should have been two shitty albums instead of one large pile of crap... or better yet, not have existed at all. Seriously, I might have considered giving this a 2 for the quality of its instrumentation and production, but the combination of its unconvincing delivery and relentless length fail it.
This guy again? This was nonsense. I’m thankful this was a double album though. If he split it into two separate albums the creators of this list would have been inclined to use two slots on this list. Which two slots more than it should have.
Growing on me at the end of disc one but still not completely convinced Disc two was so much better in every way Disc one 2 Disc two 4
great lyrics, great tunes!
Fascinating. Nick cave showed up later tonight on the score of The Road.
Some ok songs but the album was way too long.
woah, nick cave is like, a lot cooler than i thought? reminds me of sort of a tom waits / leonard cohen vibe but a bit more melodic/musical. also reminded me of ben caplan (iykyk)
Music isn’t bad but it’s not really for me. Album is waaaayyyy too long.
Good songs, but too much of it. Woulda been a fantastic 10 track album, instead it was kind of a slog. That said, there were prob 3-4 songs that will make into my rotation., and I recognized the last song from the Harry Potter movie (which always felt really out of place in that scene).
I don’t know what to do with Nick Cave. Every time I’ve listened to him, i enjoy the music, like the energy of the band, appreciate the density of the lyrics, am intrigued by his persona, etc….and then never remember the songs or come back to them. I like “The Lyre of Orpheus” song, but this is essentially two short albums combined. There’s something about it that just doesn’t grab me, even though I know it’s good and similar to a lot of other music I like. TBH, an 85 minute run time probably doesn’t help make it feel more accessible. Idk how the band remembers these songs, or how his fans can discern their favorites. If “undefined” were a rating, that’s what I’d give it, but after about an hour, i was pretty solidly bored. Wish i could go 2.5.
Fine for background music, but not great for close listening. Songs could all benefit from being about 2 minutes shorter.
Great artist great album
It was okay to listen to.
So many things to like about the album. Really good.
Nick Cave can really .... annunciate. Cool singing style. This is one of those albums that deserves a deeper and repeated listen. Favorite songs: Get Ready For Love, Nature Boy, Supernaturally, Breathless.
This was a fun one. Nick and his Seeds are pretty inventive, with some good lyrics.
Great album that I've listen to quite a bit before. Favourite is Easy Money.
Pretty good
I was very surprised at this. I just absolutely could not get into Murder Ballads, my only Nick Cave listening experience before so I was going into this double album with some bias, but it was really really good. I went all the way to 5 stars on this one. I'll be listening again, don't let Murder Ballads turn you away from this one!
I love Murder Ballads. In many ways, this is a less-morbidly-dark version of Murder Ballads. At least, stylistically, this album hits right for me. My biggest complaint is the length of the album. As much as I enjoy the style and sound, a double album is just too much. 4 stars.
In short, this is a long album with a lot about it. It begins and ends with its two most striking songs. “Get Ready for Love” is just a total fucking banger; an uproarious wall of sound that defies its own geometry, twirling around into a vertigo of ecstatic yelling. On the other side of the coin, album closer “O Children” is pure Cave; a gothic noir that carries a novella of feeling – fragile melodies teetering delicately atop rhythmic chugging. In other moments, it’s Lou Reed’s Berlin, only with the stark brutality replaced by a lascivious cringe (“Babe, you turn me on” is horny in the way boys imagine their dads to be, a musical Men and Motors after 9pm). A solid double album that threatens to stall only when it veers too close toward the middle of the road.
I didn't finish it. Too much filler. Very bluesy which is fine but not really my thing
Very nice and Jazzy. Not my particular cup of tea but good overall.
Had the boatsman call few days before this and was left disappointed with how the album develops. Listening to this A side is eye opening to the diversity in their musical work. B side really leans into the strengths of the band, in my opinion. His voice is beautiful and those melodic, drawn out songs really suit them. Not great by any means, but interesting listen
Nice
This was fun. 4 stars
After weeks of starting and re-starting, I finally got through this epic double album. End result: it's very good. After the aggressive bluesy first half, I was ready for the pretty, folksy second half. Still think it could have been two separate albums, though.
Not as depressing as I was formerly led to believe it would be (by their other songs). Re-listen.
It’s usually hard to keep my attention for a double album, so it was quite something that my interest was mostly maintained throughout the album’s runtime. Some of the album was a bit too far out there for me, and some of it did lag. Still a very intriguing sounding production. I didn’t really connect with it on a personal level, though it sounded good overall. The backing vocals really make this album feel grand. Solid listen.
I kind of wanted to like this, but it mostly just does nothing for me. For some reason, "The Lyre of Orpheus" (the song) is particularly grating to me. "Breathless" is pretty fun though. I feel like being boring is almost worse than being actively bad. Having a harder time with this than with Nixon by Lambchop, though probably mostly because this is a double album so it's a lot more to get through.
Meh
While diving through Nick Cave a while back I came across this album, listened to it, but didn't care for it much. Now with a second listen, I respect it more. There are some killer tracks on this. Still I believe it to be one of his weaker album. Didn't need to be a double album. One volume with a selection of tracks could have been a masterpiece.
Correcto
3.58
Jeeeezuuusss-H.-Tap-Dancing-Christ.... Nick Cave again? Not gonna listen to another of the same exact thing I already said I don't enjoy. Life's too short. Giving it one star as protest.
Nick Cave has always irritated me a little. His voice is just... off. And his songs a bit too long. And not enough melody. A couple of these songs (e.g. Lyre of Orpheus) I love. But not the album as a whole. 2.5/5
I've always liked Nick Cave, but I haven't gotten that much into him. I really should. This is an absolute all-time banger album.
surprisingly good!
Fairly OK. Surprised myself by liking Nick Cave.
It took me days to finish listening to this one. It has some good songs, but overall it depressed me. Don't want to repeat the experience
What a strange man
This was weird.
No idea how that made the list.
Nick Cave being as weird and cryptic as ever. As a fellow member of Weird Union Local 898, I must appreciate this for contractual reasons. (But I would give it three stars even without a contract.)
I was prepared to not like this, but I was pleasantly surprised. The opener “Get Ready For Love” had me hooked immediately. As a double album, this first is so strong, but admittedly the second album lost me a little bit. It was good, and I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t as great and didn’t catch my attention the same way Abattoir Blues did. Abattoir Blues is a 5 for me, but The Lyre of Orpheus is closer to a 3, despite the fantastic “O Children.” Splitting the difference and giving this a well-deserved 4 stars.
- Pretty fuckin' good .... thanks to the list for giving me this one. -
I really liked it. Hadn't listened to too much Nick Cave, just the main hits. But this really piqued my interest. Will definately go back to this and re-listen. First 3 tracks of the 1st side and the last track of the 2nd (O Children). 3 stars feels low...
Albummet er udgivet 20 år mellem deres sidste og viser de stadig er i stand til det. Først da jeg lyttede til det, synes jeg det lød meget som Black country new road og at vokalen er sådan lidt david bowie agtig? får mig til at tænke det er sådan lidt art rocket. der er meget gospel og kor med også. Varierer meget i uplifting og sådan lidt mere dystert og mørkt. jeg kan faktisk rigtig godt lide det og synes i hvert fald det skal have 3,5-4 agtigt. men jeg tror stadig jeg rater det 3. det fede ved dette er åbenbart teksterne også. De er både mytologiske, litterærer og bibelske. Altså det er det som det tager udgangspunkt i.
Previously rated: Murder Ballads (3/5) Ghosteen (1/5) The Boatman's Call (2/5) **************************** The first disc wasn’t too bad, maybe I’d even rate it 4/5 on its own. Then we had to have another 40 minutes, and that was just too much. It was well produced but reminded me of Neil Diamond music.
First listen of a nick cave record. Quite good!
Songs like the Lure of Orpheus are the reason I don’t love this album. It throws the brakes on as it gets good. It could have been an amazing 5* albums if the filler was removed
Great album and Nick Cave at his most raw
Not a bad album.
I think I like Nick Cave in small doses..? Some great lyrics and genuinely moving songs, but I wanted to like this album more than I actually did. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it.
I like Eurydice’s wordplay, but otherwise had trouble getting settled into this world
Abattoir Blues: The mashup of Springsteen and The Cure I never knew I needed it. An unexpected delight. The Lyre of Orpheus: It’s really not that surprising that Nick Cave does introspective and soulful well. Some beautiful imagery on display here. Two very distinct albums that complement each other very well. This one is quite an accomplishment.
I love how I started this project hating Nick Cave, but after having had a few albums of his, I can now confidently say how much I love this. It's so dark in a really beautiful voice, and Jesus Christ what a voice that's on show. If anything this being a double album isn't enough, every moment was so good that I just wanted it to keep going.
meh
Some decent songs here, a lot more misses. Disc 1 is better
For me when a white rock star reaches for a gospel choir, creatively speaking, the jig is almost up. It has its moments but this is the start of the break up for me and Nick.
Hectical and harmonious. A good jam from beginning to end. Nick's voice is another glorious instrument amongst the symphony of the band.
I like alternative rock and this album was no different. There was 2 tracks I really liked, Nature Boy and The Bells Well Ring. I never heard of Nick Cave but his tracks are what I like: rock music, upbeat and entertaining. I am a fan of this album and I enjoyed it. I would want to know what was the inspiration for calling it The Lyre of Orpheus since I am into mythology.
As with his other albums, I completely respect the artistry and thought that goes into his music. However, he kind of "talk sings", it wouldn't be remiss in a Broadway musical, which is really not my thing. But that's a me problem, doesn't mean he isn't very talented and accomplished at what he's going for.
Ok
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus has some interesting moments and Nick Cave’s lyrics stand out, but the double album feels bloated and tiring.
not a fan
There’s one thing in music that I like more than a double album, and that’s a good double album. On this, Cave & Co. knock it out of the park. Disc 1 (Abattoir Blues) ranges from the simple-ish love ballad to the utopian uplift, and disc 2 (The Lyre of Orpheus) is still peppered with that same uplift and hope, but with many minor chord interjections, culminating in the finalising and startlingly popular O Children. Together both discs are sister pieces - both would work on their own but they are made that much better with the context of the other. Cave’s “art rock”ing is hard to appreciate fully on first listen, which is part of the reason why I bought the CD before listening to this for the first time, which is what I would’ve done had I been about for its release ~21 years ago. Here’s to many more listens of a near 1½-hour album that I’m happy to say flew by.
I don't like this music style.
long, but overall good
nice duality across the discs but didn't jump out for me
el disco es piola o children es de la puta 3/5
Would have been a 3 if it was shorter
a through and through snooze fest. the blues have me feeling blue
Couldn't wait for this to be over, which usually begets a 1. Since the unwarranted length was admittedly a big part of that, while the music here is more just typical dull pseudo-intellectual white dude drivel than actively grating 1-star fare, I suppose it can have a 2. Barely.
many emotions displayed throughout the album, not my style but I love nick cave in some more recent albums
Like a blend of Bowie and Tom Waits. And as with each of those artists, some tracks worked for me and some landed a bit wide of the mark.
I like the music, but a lot of the lyrics are ridiculous. A toss up for rating direction, until I found some songs stuck in my head.
If I took all the songs on this double album and cut half of them out, it might be a 4* album. If I'm being generous. But that's not the task at hand. His singing works for some of the song, but irritates me in others. The music's good in some, but meh in others. 3*
Not a fan of nick cave
My first exposure to Nick Cave beyond Red Right Hand. I found it to be a bit uneven & long winded & over indulgent. When he hits though it can pretty interesting & dark. For whatever reason his voice sounds like a poor man's David Bowie to me.
Okay album. This is my fourth Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album on the list. At least Cave tries to sing on this one. But seriously - 4 albums? I’m taking away a star just because I had to sit through another album. Just kidding. It’s still a two star album for me.
Really raw, really dense. Good but the type that probably takes some time to get into.
Amazing, loved to discover his music and listen to more of this kind of music. I danced a lot and I felt like I want to be in stage or listen to them live
As if Tom Waits and Jack White formed a supergroup, and found out they were booked for a Sunday morning church service. That was my thought, at first. Then I read other reviews: “Frank Zappa and Tom Waits.” “David Bowie and Tom Waits.” (That one is pretty spot on, I must admit.) Anyway, it’s an enjoyable album that is one part Tom Waits and one part Someone Else. Maybe David Bowie, maybe Julian Cope, maybe Bruce Springsteen. Maybe even…Nick Cave? Forgive me, I got carried away. Good music - 4/5 and on first listen I enjoyed the first disk better.
If Frank Zappa was a lounge singer with a knack for spiritual transcendence, he would be Nick Cave. I am not exactly sure how to explain this sincere, mystic, musical genius, but his double album is the strangest and most delightful mix of dark and joyful I have come across in quite some time. Rough and righteous I am left wondering where I go to be baptized.
I am clearly not hip enough to love Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds as much as the critics from Pitchfork or the people that made this list that are trying to cram Nick Cave down my throat 6 (6! fucking 6!) times. The music is ho hum modern gothic blues done better by other artists. The lyrics float willy nilly between 'almost great, where is this going' to 'did 7th grader write this for his poetry class'. This feels like the kind of group its fans would hate if they sold 8 million copies of an album. I wouldn't leave the room if it was playing but I am most certainly never going to purposely play any of it.
I like this
The music is really really good in this record. Can't say I've heard this album or any of the songs before. Lyrically, I get a Scott Walker feel. And vocally, I get a bit of Pete Droge. Honestly not sure why people are obsessed with this band. They sound great but they seem to have this cult following. I'll be sure to watch out for more.
big sound, a lot going on in every song. Really nothing stood out, voice isnt much and the sounds are deep but cluttered.
not a big fan
Enjoyable but not standout
it alright. Highlights: “Nature Boy,” “Lyre of Orpheus,” and “Spell”
top 3: - o children - easy money - spell special mention: - carry me - supernaturally - abbatoir blues
I really like ties but it was too long
First half of the album was fire. The last song on the first half was a little weird. Me and Spencer both just kind of sat in silence listening to it when it came on. Very upbeat and noisy. Second half was not really as much of my thing but it was very well done.
Incredible album. A double album that is virtually a no skip album is pretty rare. But this is so close.
It feels raw and interesting. I like the strange lyrics but ultimately I don't fully connect with it. Wouldn't mind listening again and/or listening to more Nick Cave music.
listened to little bit of both and preferred side 1 surprisingly
Not my thing but fine.
Not real familiar with them. Double album, only listened to the first record. Had some good rockers on it. 2nd record is supposed to be more mellow
Expected more. Maybe that's the reason I am only giving a 3 here. There are some really nice songs (Get Ready For Love, There She Goes My Beautiful World, Hiding All Away) on the album but the rest. The rest is ok. Some songs are a bit likable. But for me, they're not enough. And the main thing: I wouldn't listen to the album again after hearing it twice now.
I've never heard a Nick Cave song in my life, but it seems he has a very unique style, especially his lyrics. The album was pretty good, yet I didn't really vibe with it. The musicians are great, and I loved the gospel parts. fav tracks: "Get Ready for Love" is a great opener, "The Lyre of Orpheus" - the take on the myth was very creative, "O Children" is pretty epic. 3/5, not really my cup of tea, but I respect it. Maybe I'll give it another listen soon and focus more on the lyricism.
I typically struggle with double albums. It's extremely rare for an artist to have so much great material that there's no filler (there's often an album and a half of good material, and they seem to feel obligated to pad it out to a full 2 sides), so I was prepared to give this 3 or 4 stars before listening purely on that basis. However, there's just no weakness here. I didn't identify any songs I would rather have been excluded, and there's good variety throughout. Cave is one of the great musical storytellers.
It's just so bland and slow and boring.
Actually enjoyed the album
not my favourite, listened while reading the poppy war in the car. carsickness and general atmosphere may have contributed to my dislike
Acceptable background music. Nothing too special, still better than Smiths...
I think I FINALLY get Nick Cave
What exactly is this missing? I can't figure it out. All the pieces seem to be there. I'm not a fan of the run time overall but that wouldn't affect the music if it was there. Something isn't there and the album just pushes forward without a hook, there's nothing to grab onto. It's weird, there's a core draw missing that make this just whatever.
Someone had raved about this group to me a long time ago. Yet, based on the guy's previous enjoyment of music (he wanted to start a U2 cover band!), I'd ignored it. It was a pretty hefty listen (double album at 1 hour 22), but overall was actually quite decent. All of the music was clearly well thought out and I enjoyed the mix. Lyrics were a bit questionable at times, especially when the vocals sound like a man in his 50s is blasting them out. And yes, that old guy voice isn't my favourite. But, I did find myself engaged in the music and found some catchy stuff on here. 4 Stars.
This album is like walking into a church in a small town in middle America. The town has a small population, but come Sunday morning, everyone is here. The floorboards are dusty, and the pews creak when you sit down. The priest cuts the figure of a tired and beaten down man, weathered by life itself and all of its experiences. However when he speaks, you feel as if he is speaking directly to you, and everybody else in the congregation fades into oblivion. The charismatic priest gives a sermon that speaks of love, loss and menace. At the end of it, you walk away not sure if you have been blessed or hexed, but you have definitely been enthralled.
This is more what I assumed Nick Cave sounded like. Good use of the band and some great tunes
Some great songs, some clunkers - ambitious, but too long.
too long
These ballads are great! I love the Orpheus song
Weird album with some good jams. The lyrics and lead singing are a but unhinged and some songs are giving I Think You Should Leave vibes, mostly The Lyre of Orpheus.
I'm not into the big choir-backed bombastic gospel sound, but I can understand why plenty of people would enjoy it. Sometimes Cave's delivery gets me - like the line "Sent sparks zapping out your face" from "Hiding All Away."
i was really pleasantly surprised by this album! I think it's too long; the only song I liked as much as the first half's songs was Easy Money. But great lyrics and instrumentals, very cohesive and stylistic without indie rock bullshit. 7.5/10
Honestly this one just flew by and blurred into the background. Hardly glowing praise but not a damning review like some of the screechy albums I’ve listened to
Cannibal's Hymn and Easy Money are the masterpieces!
Maybe the least memorable of Nick Cave’s entire discography, but still a perfect album. Favorites: - Get ready for love (good old punk rock to open the album, reminiscent of Cave’s earliest albums) - Hiding all away (terrific vocal performance, sounding like a priest) - There she goes, my beautiful world (more on the pop side, with a beautiful chorus) - Abattoir blues (pure Nick Cave, a song only he could write) - Breathless (a nice slow) - Supernaturally (surprisingly fun song, with a really good rythmic section) - O Children (what can I say? Maybe one of the best songs ever)
drei bis vier
Magnificent voice. Quite a good album
Magical album when I first heard it come out, masterpiece. If you listen to one Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album - listen to this.
Not bad. High 7. 3.5
honestly pretty good
There are some pretty great tracks on this album. But there’s also plenty of filler that isn’t really interesting. Cut it down to a single album instead of a double and it’d be pretty solid
I think these are good artists. It's a long album though. Probably the least annoying post-punk album I've listened to so far. 3 stars
phenomenal
Liked this more than I expected considering I don't usually like Nick Cave's music. I'm not sure how likely I am to go back to it again but this surprised me.
It's realyl good it's just too long for my ADHD brain.
Just unreal
I was just thinking "this sounds like the baby of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen" and then I read the reviews and noticed several other commenters say the same thing. Nick Cave and His Spreaded Seed sure have a unique sound. This dramatic gloomy burlesque-esque gospel rock would be just corny done by 99% of artists. With the Bad Seeds, it's just often corny. The stuff that squeaks out intact is fucking stellar though, like full main character energy, peak of conflict-and-resolution in a movie soundtrack, heart rending stuff. Nick Seeds are clearly clever songwriters and talented musicians that have created beautiful work. This is worth listening to before you die for the drama, uniqueness, talent, and humanity. In general I hate Nick Cave's singing style. It's so droney, one-note but not in a good way (I like drone music), just in an emotionally stunted way. I also find it ironic that this act is described as "powerful live performances" (their words). I've seen them live and they were borderline booed off stage for being so boring lol. To be fair to them I think they were just the wrong billing for that festival. I think their performance could be passionate and thrilling in a more intimate context. That said, I always have a question for the makers of this type of sad white boy music. Are the artists making music from a collection of lived experiences? Or did one girl reject them fifteen years ago and since everything else went their way in life they have just fixated on that one rejection since? Sometimes I think wow, this white boy has the blues, and other times I think wow, this white boy is just imitating the emotionality of Black art. Fave tracks: Get Ready For Love, Hiding All Away (gospel part especially), There She Goes My Beautiful World (gospel gospel), probably others but I didn't finiiiiiiish baybeeeee
massive
For me, this sounded like typical Nick Cave. Nothing to get too excited about. Nice to have in the background.
Pretty dull, the vocals drag on but it's tolerable sometimes. 3/10
Think this is my 4th Nick Cave album and I just don't get it. Lots of re-invention but track to track on a album is always the same.
Really didn't expect this. Whether it was Nick Cave's image or the few songs I've heard from other albums, I was expecting something gothic, dark and offbeat. Instead this was musical, largely upbeat and really soulful. Fantastic album, will absolutely return.
Nice album. Great writing and musicianship. Just bored me.
Dosta loše, ne mogu ovo slušati preko sat vremena, sorry not sorry. 2/5, jedva 3/10
Had higher hopes. This sucked
This is a lot. I'd probably need a many more listens to digest all of this but I'm probably not going to do that.
Overall great album, instrumentally beautiful. Would've given this a 5 if it weren't for some songs where he sings out of tune.
Dark and sentimental, not necessarily mine.
My first thought was that this was an improvement on the last Nick Cave album I was compelled to listen to, but it quickly wore out its welcome. To my dismay it then continued for another hour. There are some interesting ideas here, but they are all ruined by someone Nick Caving all over them. His lyrics are dumb, actually. Listen to the title track of the second disc, and tell me those rhymes aren't incredibly forced. He also does this thing where most of his songs sound very reminiscent of a specific artist. There is nothing wrong with being inspired by someone else; most modern music is derivative of something, but I would always rather listen to whatever artist he is currently Nick Caving all over.
I’m stunned. I loved all of it, the rocking first album and the quieter second album. Here is another singular talent I hadn’t heard before, crafting spells with poetry and sound. I look forward to hearing more.
This is a marked improvement over Henry's Dream. On the whole, it just felt much more sonically engaging to me, and actually had some compelling energy contained within it. Even the more reserved tracks didn't feel quite as plodding or morose, and Cave isn't doing so much of his signature wailing either. However, at 82 minutes in length, it's a thumbs in the middle for me as far as its replayability stakes are concerned. I wouldn't be averse, but equally I'm not chomping at the bit to hear more.
Very good, well made all songs sounded good
Superbly mixed. Rock, blues and soul. Very nice backing vocals on many tracks. Nice piano on side 2
An artist I had heard a lot about but never really listened to. A solid album with some good tracks.
Basically two albums. Bowie-ish at times. Enjoyed it, except for what seemed to be a mocking tone towards God. Will definitely revisit.
Really enjoyed this. Hard to rate (all albums) after one listen, actually not fair to artists. Will definitely revisit this one, a lot going on. Strong take on religion.
Not my jam
Another boring & mid white man album.
2.0/what was going on here
A super imaginative romp that uses gospel music and imagery at times beautiful and at times disturbing to make one of the more unique albums I’ve listened to thus far. I think some of it drags, particularly The Lyre of Orpheus half of the album, and not every song is a hit, leading to a pretty inconsistent listening experience. Nevertheless, I have to give points for creativity.
Everything he touches is incredible. Love the duality of the two parts
Abattoir Blues = 4/5 Lyre of Orpheus = 2/5 The first half, Abattoir, works much better than Lyre. It is high-energy, and I dig Cave's preachy spoken vocals contrasted with the choir and grand piano behind him, like a dark twist on gospel. It has a big feel, like you can picture the live concert. Lyre is quieter, more mellow, and dare I say pretentious. Maybe I'm just not in the right mood for it or it needs another listen, but it just kind of feels tacked on to the coattails, like they knew it wouldn't sell well as its own release but they didn't want to throw out the songs. I'm just glad they didn't mix them in since I enjoyed the momentum of Abattoir alone, and Lyre songs would certainly derail it. Honestly this seems like an odd choice to include on the list. There are better albums in Nick Cave's catalog. Maybe there was recency bias when this was released. It's not bad, but it's not particularly memorable, and I don't think I'll reach for it again any time soon.
An album that represents Nick Cave well, perhaps too much so
This is my first experience with a Nick Cave album. It was fine. Decent background music. I didn't feel it's length.
good enjoyed
This is a bit shit. I've heard people talk about Nick Cave like he's some sort of mythical creature, so I expected more. Maybe I'm missing the point, but I don't care.
Meh
- entspannte Platte, ohne mir jetzt super viel zu geben, aber irgendwo bei 2-3 mit der Neigung zur 3/5
I've known about Nick Cave's popularity for a while, and I had been meaning to listen to one of his albums. While I can see why some people like his work so much, I'm not joining the cult for now. This is a pretty good album, and Cave is an excellent songwriter, his lyricism is very good and his voice is very distinctive, giving him a very stylish delivery. It can be a bit overly theatrical at times, but he manages the balance well throughout the record. The composition is great too, I particularly liked Abattoir Blues' sound, the gothic/gospel rock combination is super ambitious but works so well, the chorus backing voices along with Cave's voice mix superbly. My main issue with the album is that, being a double album, it feels pretty long, and while it's good, the low energy moments can be a bit dull. This happened more on the second disk, which is more delicate and less energetic. The beginning of Abattoir Blues is the highlight for me, from "Get Ready For Love" to "Hiding All Away" is the best the album has to offer for me, super high energy, hard hitting and catchy. Aside from that, "Let The Bells Ring", "Fable of the Brown Ape" were good too from the first disk. From the second, "The Lyre of Orpheus" was superb, loved the lyrics and "O Children" is very good too.
Not exactly what I usually listen to, but I had a pretty good experience with it. The songs feel very grand and immense and it was nice to get through. Not something I'll likely listen to again but I did not have a bad time.
Nick Cave is hit and miss. Really like "The good Son", this not so much.
Honestly, I don’t get it. Yes, the songwriting is good, but it’s just so busy. I think a gospel choir can elevate a song if used right, but when it’s on every song it just becomes part of the background noise. I don’t like the singers voice, it’s a weird middle ground between Elvis and Roy Orbison, both of which I’m not really big fans of. It nails the gothic aesthetic I’m sure they were going for, but I don’t think it works without organs and heavier guitars. Maybe this all spins back to me not liking most Alternative music, but it just doesn’t click for me. On top of all that, it’s too long. If it was 2 separate records released close together like Load and Reload, I might enjoy it better, but I can’t take an hour and a half of this at a time.
This album id great. A bit monger than it needs to be. Not my favorite Nick Cave album. But that doesn't mean anything for this. I'm giving this a 3.5... rounded up
This was pretty interesting. It’s Nick Cave so you have a decent idea of what it’s going to be going in. It’s long but other than that I liked it
Boring.
I had heard of them but never listen to any of their stuff. Solid album but I wish my first exposure was not a double album. I was ready for it to be over by the end, but the last song in particular is fantastic.
My first exposure to Nick Cave. I really liked it for a first listen. There were a few songs that grabbed my attention instantly - 'There She Goes, My Beautiful World' and 'Supernaturally'. It was a long album and they didn't all grab me, but I think if I listened more, they would grow on me.
It might be technically good, but I dont really know, and I did not like it.
Hm her şeyi çok sevdim.
real ones remember this from harry potter and not from when it was trending on tiktok
Really wasn't a fan of this kind of singing with this kind of instrumental. Feels like two separate musical ideas.
good
Good but not for me
Grandiose, brooding blues rock with classical and choral elements. I acknowledge the high quality of the arrangements and performances, but I just can’t tolerate Nick’s groaning voice.
Не скажу, что блестяще, но песни достаточно разнообразные и потому эта долгоиграющая пластинка не слишком приедается. 6,5 из 10.
An unexplectedly enjoyable variety of tunes. Enjoyed the whole album
Get Ready for Love sounds like post-punk if I was going to define it in one song. This is a million times better than The Birthday Party. Hiding All Away is good. I'm liking this so far. He's channeling Elvis a little bit too hard at some spots. I'd say that generally the first album of this double album (why?) is pretty good. Right up until Fable of the Brown Ape. This is an album that appeals to music critics and pretentious college students. While I could do without the random flute, Breathless is the best song on the album. He sounds like Neil Diamond on some of these songs. Neil Diamond, Elvis, Tom Waits...it's all here. Some good songs, some not so good songs.
Super great! Only a few songs I’d come back to but I was super impressed with how it kept me the whole time. Last song also is a fav because of deathly hallows
listened over period of a few days which is a flop but also like... double albums... you're doing yourself and your songs a disservice like i'm never gonna finish one of these and not feel a little burnt out. too much of a pretty good thing.
Not bad.
Being a double album, it certainly takes longer to get to know, but this was a 3rd listen and this is really up my street. Abbatoir Blues has an amazing 4 track run of There She Goes My Beautiful World/Nature Boy/Abbatoir Blues/Let the Bells Ring.
Absolutely exceptional album. I had never heard any music from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds before but had seen comments from others using this website that they discovered this band through the list and were now huge fans. I can confirm I am now one of those people. I loved the composition of the album and the choice of instrumentation. The piano, drums and bass stood out especially. There was so much variety throughout that by the time the 1 hour 22 mins was over, I wanted more and had to immediately relisten to a few songs. My favourite songs were “Get Ready for Love”, “There She Goes, My Beautiful World” and “The Lyre of Orpheus”. An easy 5 star album for me with no skips!