Reviews (page 8 of 13)
Some songs were really good. Others felt uninspired. I liked Nick Cave's voice on some tracks, and the piano and backing vocals worked quite well. Overall, I kinda liked parts of it, but it isn't consistent enough quality wise. Favorite Track: The Lyre of Orpheus
Pretty good but not for me :(
Some of Nick Cave best work. A good balance between the more punkish sound of the early days of the band and is more theatrical, piano driven vampire-crooner direction
I hadn't heard this one! I like it a lot so far. Nick Cave is something I find hard to get myself to listen to sometimes. I got Murder Ballads on this list a couple weeks ago and skipped it, even though I own the vinyl. But there is just so much thats cool about his music. And this album feels different somehow from the other albums I've heard. Something about it feels more palatable even when I wasn't sure I was in the mood to listen to Nick Cave. I really like how the band's music is perfect for each song, but even though its SO cool, it has a way of almost forcing you to pay attention to Cave's lyrics. I kinda divided the two halves of the album up thoughiut my day and really liked it
Yes now, big album from nick
Nicht ständig, aber gut für bestimmte Momente
I have been getting a lot of double albums recently and they are getting really draining. This one should have just been two albums. They are both good and both are pretty different stylistically so why do they have to be on top of each other? I don't need this much nick cave in one sitting. And he's not saying anything that two albums couldn't have done. Which is too bad because I think of all the authors obsessions Nick cave is probably the only one that warrants multiple albums on this list because his albums are so different stylistically . Certainly not Elvis Costello. I'm just tired.
Maybe my favorite NC&TBS albums! I always liked them but this was the first album that really got me stuck into them (for life)..really love the great piano, nice lyrics, GREAT production,...Oh God, this is definately my favourite NC&TBS album!
You really need to be in a certain mindspace for a Nick Cave double album, otherwise the side effects can be jarring.
It took a while (lol, because it's a long album) to figure out why this didn't lock in for me. It's all very technically competent - no question, these are very proficient musicians - but it's like music for music nerds. Like, yeah, they're doing Good Musical Techniques, but it somehow falls short of Good Music, because it's ... boring. It's showing off.
A couple good songs. Not terrible.
The thing about this album is that I really didn’t care for Abattoir Blues, but I liked The Lyre of Orpheus. I guess it averages out to a 3. Bye
OH MAAMAAA
It’s fine. I enjoyed the songs but it got a little tedious and lengthy. Song lyrics are tepid, but music is pretty crisp and tight
so. i opened the website. i submitted my last rating. and out of nowhere, i had this feeling that there's gonna be some boring things coming up. AND HERE COMES MY NEWEST FAVOURITE SONGWRITER! (squeals excitedly, disturbing my classmate's peace while can't control my limbs well because of the cup of coffee that i drank) so. this album is important. it is considered one of Cave's best work and is also the first album from Nick and the seeds after long time contributor Blixa Bargeld quitted the band to focus full-time on their own band. and the name of Blixa's band? Einstürzende Neubauten. yes, THE Einstürzende Neubauten. the band that has the lowest rating on this fucking website. but anyway. so first, let's take a look at the album closer, "O Children". Nick's second famous song because of its usage in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And fun fact! i bought a pack of butterbeer flavoured snacks (which is a certified tie-in with the franchise) this morning! the snack is mid. BUT THE TRACK IS PERFECT. with the fleeting and spiritual arrangements, and the gospel-like vocals. the lyrics with all these bittersweet moments of life and death, and we rejoice with tears while the song fades out. well, now to the first disc of the double album, "Abattoir Blues". Don't tell me you can't feel an immediate adrenaline rush from "Get Ready For Love". YEAH! A STRAIGHT PUNCH IN YOUR FACE! "Cannibal's Hymn", build upon a repeated bass riff, is a departing from the straight punch the first song offers us, with a rather tender form of songwriting and the song running in a waltz-like 3/4 time beat. "Hiding All Away" returned to the energetic state using dirty blues rock/post punk and uplifting backing vocals, while "Messiah Ward" mitigated the atmosphere again with Cave's songwriting sensibility. (fuck it i begin to talk nonsense again.) BUT ANYWAY! LET ME PRESENT TO YOU! THE ONLY OTHER BOLDED SONG ON THIS ALBUM'S RYM PAGE! THE ANTHEM OF SEEKING INSPIRATION! THE PRAYER TO THE MUSES! MY ALL-TIME FAVOURITE NICK CAVE SONG, IF NOT COUNTING "THE MERCY SEAT" IN! "There She Goes, my Beautiful World"! i literally get my social media username from the opening lyrics of the song ;) well, just take a listen... and look at how fucking motivated this hell of a songs is. i can't tell you how much i like this song and all its references to famous writers (although Johnny Thunders didn't write "Chinese Rocks", the songwriter is Dee Dee Ramone). it helped me while i was encountering writer's block. many times. i just put it on and typed furiously. "Nature Boy" is a near pop rock love song praising beauty which, being a constant theme on the album, was written in many, beautiful, ways. It is also pretty in sync with the flower on the album cover imo. "Abattoir Blues" is not blues but art rock, and released a scent of apocolypes and death with misantropic lyrics and the arrangement that paints doom right into the song. "Let the Bells Ring", based on a tinkering guitar riff and sounds religious in all the way, is both melancholic and uplifting. "Fable of the Brown Ape", the closer of the first half, literally sounds like bipolar disorder somehow. and it is weird. VERY WEIRD. So, "The Lyre of Orpheus". both the disc and the song. It brings a literal twist to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice with his signature dark storytelling. Nobody looked back this time, but both orpheus and eurydice are still dead in the end. and here's "Breathless". Nick tries folk rock. Tommy and Grace married over the song. and "NO FOOKING FIGHTING". "Babe, You Turn Me On" is a folkish song too, but it is not featured in Peaky Blinders. And for "Easy Money", i think it is similar with Pink Floyd's "Money". but i don't know why. "Supernaturally" is a hidden killer track and sounds like something that should appeared on the first disc. "Spell" is mid, while "Carry Me" retained the gospel-like arrangement find in the first disc that Nick would come back to 20 years later in "Wild God". and as we listen to "O Children" one more time, i just want to ask every one that gives a low grade in a might be biased way: WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, MOTHERFUCKER? 5/5
klassisch instrumentierter rock mit charaktervoller stimme. gefällt, oder aber nicht. und ja, literarisch anspruchsvoller als die hitparade.
Nick Cave in seiner ganzen Vielfalt auf einem Doppelalbum, was will man mehr. Finde zwar andere Alben noch besser aber was solls.
If you’re gonna make a list of 1001 greatest albums of all time you’re gonna have to include a bunch of filler stuff and this feels like filler to me it’s OK, not spectacular
Disc 1 me gustó. Disc 2, not so much. Le bajó al final.
First time to really listen to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds so not sure what to expect. Enjoyed most of this album.
Underwhelmed 2.5/5
Nick Cave knows what he's doing, excellent album!
Pretty good, no complaints
Better than I thought it was going to be. Wonderful lyrics!
beautiful o children is just amazing
I'd never listened to a Nick Cave album before, so I was a little intimidated by an 82-minute double album being my introduction to his music. Although it is dense, it's also stacked with truly great rock songs. I wasn't bored at all; at worst, indifferent or not present. I wanted to revisit to absorb what I'd missed during this first listen. I like his stately, deep voice and writing style, and the band sounds great. These songs are carefully composed without being fussy or labored. I'm relieved to say that I'm looking forward to the next Nick Cave album.
Ugh, it just kinda rambles and gets close to good, but the fact that it never gets there is worse than something that never gets close.
Wow, this is excellent. I was not familiar with Nick Cave before I started this project and the first album of his I received was "Ghosteen" which rubbed me the wrong way. This is very good. 4/5
2 stars. Would have been a 1 star if not for a few songs but still that's a no from me dawg!! The Lyre of Orpheus is possibly the weirdest song lyrically I think I have ever heard.
Lyre of Orpheus > Abattoir Blues
Just don't really do Nick Cave all that well. Was a little repetitive. 2/5
3.5 - liked some of the upbeat songs more than others
Ok so I think punk Nick Cave is the best Nick Cave. He brings the passion and energy right out of the gate with, Get Ready For Love and the Bad Seeds absolutely match the energy. Elevated by There She Goes and Abbatoir Blues, I think the first half is the stronger of the two but the second half had its moments. Double albums are tough for me though and an 1hr 20 is alot but this is the best I’ve heard of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. 4 stars
Not my style
Good but not quite there to great
Like an amalgamation of all his other albums- dense, passionate, brooding, rock (in places) and unmistakeable. Not instantly enjoyable- I guess it would take several plays before the hook bit but it's undeniable a cut above the norm.
Holy shit! Where did this come from? The first track slaps, and I really enjoy all of the big numbers--with groove, a choir, and this massive sound. Nick cave's voice itself has trouble sustaining a double album, and in the middle of disc two I'm sick of his sound, and just want more choir. All-in-all the arrangements are killer, the songwriting original, and the grooves deep, and the sounds exciting. I know he's known for them, but I'd skip the ballads.
Wonderful!
This album ran long, but I remember enjoying some of the messages and deliveries throughout the runtime.
I do enjoy a bit of Nick Cave
Literally Nick Cave.
another album from nick. compared to the last one, this album has a much stronger gospel sound, a deep, preaching-like way of singing with choirs chiming in often. lyrics are sometimes artistic and absurd. romantic and emotional, this one i wanna say i like more than the last one too... still not an artist i would listen to every day, but i can appreciate it for what it is... some gutwretching tracks here and there.
Nope.
Loved it!
I really liked some of the songs, while others were a little more bland. I got Mumford & Sons vibes from Supernaturally on Disc 2.
I think this is easily my favorite Nick Cave release so far, though I did break it into two sittings and the score reflects that.
I made it through the whole album, and there were a couple of songs I enjoyed but overall not something I cared for the album.
I really like the variation on show with this album, and I’m generally impressed with the quality over the two halves. Musically it’s very good, and at the least it's always interesting. He’s feels like a true artist forging his own path and I admire that.
For some reason I've always skipped out on listening to Nick Cave, glad I got to hear this album, it was quite a good surprise.
Good background, little angsty
best track by miles - there she goes. Otherwise perfectly fine but wouldn't listen again , which is surprising since i really loved Ghosteen .
The grandiose title and concept is betrayed by the fact the album just doesn't particularly go anywhere. A handful of good ideas are lost in a sea of the unremarkable. The lyricism was a particular catching point as it ranged from unnoticeable and bland to egregiously clumsy.
I am compelled to give this a 4, mainly because it's better than Boatman's Call, which I gave a 3. There were several good tracks, and a lot more soul and energy in this album comparatively, however, shit doesn't need to be so long. It's hard to intimately connect with the songs in my opinion if there are just so many. But also of note, Nick Cave being my first repeat artists on this list, when I had not even heard of him previously, was quite surprising.
Less depressing than the other Nick Cave album(s) I've listened to so far, but I just can't get into this.
I guess I’m not into nick cave
I weirdly liked it
3/5, sorpresa positiva ma troppo lungo, hiding all the way, nature boy, supernaturally le piu belle
this was really not enjoyable... all the way until "fable of the brown ape," and then it was torture. i did not listen to the second half.
all sorts of full sound and a lot of clever words
Alright
I think i like the second disc a little better. Wonderful but not as impactful as some of the more overtly s/s albums from this era of Nick Cave. Amazingly, equal parts post-punk and gospel and it WORKS
Okay I may be weird but I was kinda into this
I really like the first disc as there’s several songs off that half of the album that I know well and they flow nicely into each other. The second half was slower and more vibey, which didn’t resonate with me as well, but it ended in a soft groove and took me on a journey.
Not a lot of songwriters can make an hour and a half long album with zero skips. But Nick Cave is one of those few. I discovered him from this list and now I'm a big fan, he's fucking awesome "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" is one of the best songs he's ever made
I would have liked the album a lot, if not for Nick’s overindulgent (or even somewhat pretentious) vocals. He’s a great singer but he sounds like he’s trying too hard. I didn’t realize at first that O Children sounded familiar because of Harry Potter, but it’s a great song and probably my favorite in the album.
Más rockero que sus discos posteriores. Interesante.
The best Album so far, some really good Songs and interesting lyrics ( finally in a Language I can understand). I also liked the background singers. Whish I could give 3.5 Stars but I Need to Leave Open some room for the 4 Stars Albums
Really enjoyed this.
This has been the only NC album I've found remotely listenable so far. Why are there so many NC albums though???
I like some of these songs, especially the ones with a gospel feel, but too much filler.
a bit long and not entirely my style but the good songs really hit
I'm just not vibing with this album.
Album 1 has mixed sounds, some track more energetic than others, great production. Album 2 has a soulful side, slower songs and a more sentimental feeling, with tones of gospel and alternative.
This was a slog. And long. Saying more would be too give more time to an album that has already taken enough of it.
One good song
Grateful to get this on a Friday because it's a long'un. Really enjoyed this on each listen. O Children is beautiful (in spite of the image of Daniel Radcliffe dancing to it). I want to see There She Goes, My Beautiful World live
Wow how have I missed this album all my life?! A dark, bloody, pessimistic view on power, manipulation, god, nature and love, entwined with fables, myths and fairytales. Not suffocatingly serious though, it's a bit silly, which makes it even better. The lyre of orpheus is a brilliant sarcastic take on how annoying it is to have a boyfriend who's a musician. Too true Nick. O children will forever remind me of Harry Potter. The combo of blues and gospel takes you to another world completely. Very up my street. I've noticed I always seem to like the Friday albums best, which is great cos I get even more time to enjoy them.
Enjoyed a few songs. Think I preferred the 2nd disc to the first. But ultimately nothing jumped out at me and it didn't leave me completely satisfied.
Sorry Nick, not for me. Boring… goes on for too long. There are a couple of tracks I can enjoy but I will never go back to this. 1 extra star for the Harry Potter song.
I find this album weird to think about. I broadly like everything on here, it contains some of my favourite Nick Cave songs and yet it still feels like less than the sum of its parts to me. I think my issue is that it’s such a 2004 sounding album. The influence of the then contemporary garage rock and post punk revivals are very audible in the it’s produced, giving it a sort of pristine quality that would have allowed it to sit comfortably alongside the bands of the day. Whilst this does mean it sounds great, it does also mean that it sounds too great for Nick Cave. The grit of his older records is missing here, making listening to this less like being enveloped into its own world and more like consciously listening to ‘proper music.’ What with the album being THIS long, it does make the whole thing a bit of a slog after a while, despite ultimately enjoying all of it. I sort of think the songs work better when played on their own than inside the album. My particular favourites are the punch to the face that is ‘Get Ready for Love’, the impassioned ‘There She Goes My Beautiful World’, the ominous and broken sounding ‘The Lyre of Orpheus’ and ‘O Children’ which despite being somewhat cheapened by Harry Potter remains an absolutely astonishing piece of music. I dunno, maybe I’d feel more positively if this was just the length of one disc, and therefore less of an undertaking to listen to. As it is though, ehhhhhh.
I just don't like this band. I've tried, it never works. I think it might be his singing because some of the music is great, or at least interesting. But that talk singing gets so old so fast. I'm not totally anti-Nick Cave, I like Grinderman, but every time I've tried the Bad Seeds I bounce off of it. This band almost certainly deserves a better rating but hits my internal rule: if you can't get all the way through it, it's an automatic 1. You know what? I went to listen to Grinderman to make myself feel better and I don't like them all that much either, really just a couple of songs.
I usually try to write these ratings before reading my compatriot’s ratings. Today I’m glad I read theirs first. I too cannot get into this album/band. They feel like something I should enjoy but I just don’t.
It's fine. For me, it's too long and it reminds me of Tom Waits too much. I think it's the carnival barker/spoken word bits. I've tried with Nick Cave and I just don't really get it. Same with Tom Waits. So, this one's not for me. As an aside, does it feel like all the really good Tom Waits songs are the covers that other bands do? He's a good songwriter, but he should leave it to someone else to arrange and perform his stuff.
I remember seeing Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ Lollapalooza a million years ago -- only band I liked less that day was The Boredoms -- maybe a studio (double) album will change my mind. It was fine, pretty decent Tom Waits like adjacent tunes, but nothing spectacular in my mind.
This morning I was looking for something a little mellow to gain my focus. You can imagine my surprise when Mr. Cave came out the gate swinging with Get Ready for Love and followed it with Cannibal’s Hymn. It’s obvious he had something to say here, and damn it he was gonna’ say it! Key song for me was There She Goes… Definitely different from previous work but a pretty good risk and reward. Well played Mr Cave!
Random thoughts review: * I always wanted to like Nick Cave. His name sounds cool. Somehow, I've never liked him as much as I have wanted to like him. I'm not sure that makes sense. * What if you mixed the Black Keys with a gospel chorus and Leonard Cohen? You'd get this album. * I had to look up abattoir twice. Maybe I'll remember it means slaughterhouse.
Following his Bookending of the '90's with The Boatman's Call, and the disappointing followup, Nocturama, Cave was looking for direction. Most fans will point here as the album that kick-started his later-career arc. I would disagree. Rather, I view Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus a detour. Clearly, Cave and crew had a desire to up the energy, as evidenced by the follow-up record Dig, Lazarus, Dig and Cave's side project from this period, Grinderman. There's a a lot of ideas on this double album (of course) but this could have been pared down to one good album (each album has a handful of truly great songs). "Cannibal's Hymn" and "O Children" bear flashes of the 90's Cave and hints at the style he would adopt for Push The Sky Away, later down the road. The choir, while a nice though, generally holds back most songs. The repetition, especially when there's so much from it, seems wasteful when a wordsmith of Cave's calibur is the one doing it. I love Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, but not this record. I revisit this every few years to see if it's aged any better, but he answer continues to be "eh". Not his worst record by any stretch, but rather middling.
The first time I've ever really connected with him. Tastefully loud, full of energy perfectly arranged, beautiful harmonies, very weird but very cool lyrics.
Starkes Album, reife Songs, sehr energetisch.
oh my god what the fuck i don’t think i can finish this album😭😭😭💔 THE OPENING TRACK IS ALREADY PISSING ME OFF. sorry i can’t afford to finishing this monstrosity xx
Decently interesting, clearly dragged into length by a lot of songs in side 2, ultimately average x
Bloody loved this, only really listened to NCATBS individual tracks and with them being spread across such a long time they all sound great but so different. Solid 2 disk album some bangers on here. Only not getting a 5 because although it's fantastic I can't see me coming back and listening to it again. High 4.
Slapped!
The length of the album is absurd but damn when the choir comes in on Get Ready For Love you start to think 'thank god this is longer than 2 minutes' Cannibal's Hymn is proof to give music a chance, because that's twice now I've thought of turning this album off only to end up thinking 'damn this is pretty good' Overall, this album is not for the faint of heart. Not that it's hard to listen to, it's long. Roughly double the length of an album that would have come out in the last decade. edit: Just wrote that this is a literal double album in the most verbose way I could. I'm leaving it. Production wise, it's a great album with incredible and dynamic instrumentals that had me tapping my foot with most of the music. Lyrically I find this album lacking. Not in theme or content, but the vocalist's delivery of them tends to get repetitive over the course of the album's runtime. Despite this minor complaint, I'd listen to this album again.
Clasping two red hands together in prayer
Hate it less than The Verve, but still hated it.
• 3/5 • not a big fan of indie goth rock or of Cave’s vocals, but the songwriting and arrangements on a number of the tracks are great • particularly enjoy There She Goes, My Beautiful World
I like Nick Cave and I appreciate the holy roller energy he brings to his rock and roll. He shows multiple gears throughout this double album, but it does get a bit tiresome after 80+ minutes, so it would benefit from some trimming. This is solid, but Let Love In deserves a spot on the list before this one.
An unprecedented A+++ love love love
Great dark rock, reminds me a lot of Lord Huron
This is a tough one to dive into knowing nothing about the artist... coming deep into his career... from my count it's his 24th album, including 5 with the Birthday Party, and the rest either solo or with the Bad Seeds, and that's not counting other collaborations. And this came out 20 years ago, and he's still going strong. One should be warned: these are two separate albums, with two separate lyrical conceits and two different sonic approaches. In my mind they should be approached separately. It's interesting -- Why Cave will never be accepted by the mainstream listener, just look at something like the "single" "Nature Boy" versus, say, Counting Crows "Mr Jones"... each have free-flowing rambling verses and a repeating chorus... It's just that the "Mr Jones" chorus is a BIG HOOK that plays well on the radio, and "and she moves among the sparrows" just doesn't get there, although it sounds like it's trying to. Cave doesn't really do "hooks". Instead, he is a poet, a bleak, ecstatic-experience seeker, a morose romantic, a hopeless optimist, a lover of the profane and the spiritual. A contradiction, and absolutely not for everybody. I appreciate him more than I like listening to him. These two records, though, are a helluva lot more palatable than the old days of the Birthday Party, which to me was the audio equivalent of drinking cold black coffee while getting kicked in the head in a rock club at 11 am. Cave has somehow developed an elegance I would have never expected in the '80s. In the end I think he's a better lyricist/poet than songwriter. "Let The Bells Ring" being a prime example: a heartfelt tribute to Johnny Cash on his passing, it's kind of a boring song, but a great lyric. There weren't enough songs in this thing that I wanted to come back to and hear again. The opening track on each record turned out to be my favorite.
Not what I was expecting. Very good. I will listen to this again.
Fabulous
Not a fan. The lead singer's voice is very unpleasant to me and the songs all blend together, each one is individually repetitive and that makes the whole album boring. Favourite tracks: Spell, O Children
Blues Cave is better than Lyre Cave, still a good double album.
Not sure how I feel about this, it kinda bounced off me
Great album. Was wary it was two discs long but it delivered.
Loads of novelty and weirdness without losing anything from the pop/rock/blues vibe
I genuinely hated the first few songs on this album and ended up really enjoying the rest of it….I’d like to give it a 3.5 but since that doesn’t exist I’ll round up. It genuinely surprised me on the back end
Well, wasn't quite a trip to the abattoir
This was not a bad album, but it sounded like meat loaf and the velvet underground collabed.
Skipped it, I already know, based on the 3 other album he has that I've reviewed, that it's not my thing and I have NO idea how he keeps making this list. Weak sauce!
Nick Cave always has a lot of vivid stories to tell. I often wonder how he comes up with all these images in his head. This album is a good example of just that - from stories of family and relationships, to tales from high fantasy worlds - he has it all in his head. At points during this record though, it felt like too much for one sitting. Not to take away from the incredible vocal conviction and great narrative-based lyricism. But towards the end I got a bit burnt out on it all. “Hiding All Away” is a great anthemic rock song. And “Messiah Ward” has some really cool guitar harmonies that make it my favorite listen here. Soft 3/5
10/10, better than Wild God
nick cave não me pega nem um pouco
esse aqui é gospel para rockeiros. eu nunca me interessei pelo nick cave nao, mas a voz dele é até bacana. primeiro disco bem bacana, na vdd. explosivo, intenso, um pouco caótico, com guitarra boa. o segundo já é quetim, só baladinha bacaninha, mais introspectivo. achei chique o contraste. é um bom album duplo na real, bem bonito e super sólido.
Har lyssnat på lite Nick Cave via brorsan. Gillar det jag tidigare lyssnat på. Och detta är inget undantag. Det är välkomponerade låtar. Melodiska och stämningsfulla. Också en styrka i det går att spela från början till slut utan att bli besviken. Ändå med en ganska stor variation. Jag balanserar mellan fem och fyra. Jag kanske inte har lyssnat tillräckligt, tror att flera genomlyssningar skulle peta upp den till fem. Så jag tar beslutet att sätta fem! Det är "för många" låtar som på kort tid är så bra.
Önskar att jag hade haft tid att lyssna igenom denna flera gånger. Nu blev det bara två och den växte från en trea till en fyra vid andra genomlyssningen. Gillar i synnerhet den första halvan, men ska lyssna mer på hela skivan när tillfälle ges framöver.
Its not really bad but I didnt like it at all. A des song stuck out but overall pretty boring
Hadestown story pretty good
I surprised myself and liked this one.
-interesting. a bit different from The Boatman’s Call. some things I liked more and others I liked less -the move toward gospel and more straightforward rock, especially on The Lyre of Orpheus was cool. Nick Cave has an excellent voice so it was easy to stay engaged -maybe it was bc it’s a double album but def felt a bit bloated -Favorites are There She Goes, My Beautiful World, Breathless, and Spell
I just love Nick Cave. He's a brooding outrageous man that makes crazy music that evokes a lot of emotion. I particularly love this album because of how versatile it is.
I personally dont like nick cave very much, but is a fine album, i guess
Ghosteen is still my favorite Nick Cave album but this one is a close second. While I love Ghosteen for its somber ambience, I love this one for its bombastic expression. On the Abattoir Blues (disc 1) the drums are nice and roomy, bass distorted and growling and guitars are pushed to the edge. There are plenty of quieter moments but even then the band feels like it’s really having to fight the urge to break loose. Cave’s ability to tell a story and keep you captivated with his delivery is on display as well. The calmer feel of The Lyre of Orpheus (disc 2) is where the band catches its breath. It feels less urgent and more cautionary and timid. Overall the band shows its dynamic capabilities throughout the 1hr 22min run time and keeps me locked in the whole time.
Bruh, we just had a Nick Cave album a week or so ago.... No way he has multiple albums in the top 1001 albums, but clearly he does. What a world! Damn this app for fucking up my algorithm. The music is much more lively on this one, so that's good. In fact, the music saves this album. His voice kills me, though. I did enjoy Nature Boy and Let the Bells Ring. The music alone takes this to a 4.
Is this project making Nick Cave grow on me? I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The music is really solid. He sounded less theatrical and lurid (?) than he did on Henry's Dream, but those elements are still present. The storytelling and the drama and his crooning delivery give the feeling of show tunes.
I would like to think when Nick was deciding what to name the album, when “ Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus” popped into his head, he thought… I think this is just about Nick Cave enough.
Not my kinda vibe but some cool sounds.
Really enjoyed it all. Both sides are interesting in their own ways. Standout songs: Hiding all away There she goes, my beautiful world The lyre of orpheus Supernaturally
The lyrics on this one really distract from the rest of what is going on. Would have been much, much better released as an instrumental track highlighting the band around the lead singer instead of his Talking Heads wanna be head ass. Lukewarm 3/10.
Relaxing and chill to listen to, but my god it is massive. Comforting as Nick Cave's voice is, I don't think I'm going to revisit it.
I found myself warming up to it as it went on. It borrows from the singer-songwriter ilk but places it in a much richer sound. The songs range from bombastic to quiet and melancholic. Cave's lyrics are consistently good.
Seemed way to try hard and it all sounded the same.
A stunning and somehow underrated masterful double album from Nick Cave. An 82 minute album should really be intimidating but somehow this manages to be propulsive and magnetic throughout, with some of Cave’s biggest hooks balanced out by a darkly gothic foreboding. I would usually point out a standout song here, but genuinely everything is fantastic to the extent that I can’t choose favourites. Every song earns its place and its runtime and adds so much to the overall sound, whether it’s driving blues, angular rock, or just pure Cave songwriter-lamenting-at-a-piano-and-breaking-your-soul
I don't really like this band
I was really excited when I saw this come up bc I know of the one song from the Harry Potter movie. But this album didn’t jump out to me in any special way. A lot of the songs sounded the same to me.
Overall: 8/10 I have to admit, my exposure to Nick Cave's music is incredibly limited. Without looking him up, the only thing I'm aware I've listened to is his collaborative score for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Based on that score and my overall preconceptions of what Nick's band would sound like, I was really shocked to find how energetic this is! Nick has a lot of range with his voice and I love the gospel-esque backing vocals on some of these tracks. I also enjoy the fact that they aren't afraid to get a little weird (Fable of the Brown Ape is such a strange song but I love it). I haven't decided which half I enjoy more and I'm not sure if I'll ever listen to the whole thing in one sitting again due to it's length, but it's the rare double album where I think every track deserves to be here. Fav Song: There She Goes, My Beautiful World Least Fav Song: Spell
This is two exceptionally good records. The second is a more obvious Nick Cave album, instantly recognizable as such; you can hear echoes of this in his most recent album. The first is a rockier, more blues-led affair. It's another album I should have bought on release.
A bit boring
i was a bit skeptical for the first few songs and i was honestly kind of thinking "oh god a whole hour and a half of this?" but "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" converted me, and it was only up from there. as i said above, i love the Dylan/Cohen/van Zandt parallels in his songwriting and i think his lyrical imagery is beautiful, especially for the love songs. the album is a bit dense though, so i think i'll need another listen or two to really get the nuances of some of these songs but overall i think it's very strong! i don't think i'm quite converted on his voice- it's fine, nothing special- but i think he's a great lyricist. i was also recommended to listen to Let Love In as well, so I will definitely do that, and I'm looking forward to hearing more of his discography in general :)
A double album from an artist I’ve had a lot of recommendations to listen to. I was hopeful that this album would click straight away for me and I could buy into the Nick Cave hype train. However I think the first disc starts relatively weakly. I mean the song structure is good, the production sounds great and the individual elements are well performed. The vocal style is cool and I’m never not turned off by them and as far as I can tell so far the lyrics are fine. However nothing in the first two tracks is grabbing me so far and I can’t put my finger on why yet. The vocals and the bass and drum lines is reminding me of Michael Gira and Swans on some of their more recent records. Which on Hiding All Away is great, a much better track after the first two, it doesn’t overly rely on the choral unison vocals but the short sweet punches of it in the verses really add emphasis where you want it to be. The track really feels like it earns its runtime and the chaotic crescendo at the end of the song is excellent. Things continue strongly on the next track Messiah Ward, which starts a bit slower than the other songs so far but creates a great atmosphere with the piano melodies and the more haunting vocals from Cave. Again doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and stays interesting for its nearly 6 minute run. There She Goes, My Beautiful World has a bit more of a positive feel than the last two tracks, but feels a bit too predictable and follows mainly the same plan, there’s no addition of anything unique and it feels like it’s sticking to the game plan a little bit too much. That being said it’s still extremely well made if a touch too familiar by this point. Nature Boy keeps up the tempo and energy of the last track and doesn’t seem to be straying from the defined sound so far. The hook and the writing on this song is a bit more fun and absurdist. Cave’s delivery on this song is perfect for this track. Track could maybe a minute shorter to really nail the landing. Abbatoir Blues is another slow moodier song which I think tend to be the stronger songs of this disc. It also has a sub 5 minute runtime which is a nice change of pace and I think this song is a great change of pace for this point in the track list. The lyrics are also pretty solid and interesting. The song itself is pretty strong but not a huge standout compared to the Hiding All Away and Messiah Ward. Let the Bells Ring maintains the mood of the last track and is another fairly strong moody song but fails to leave any lasting impact. Fable of the Brown Ape closes out the first disc with probably the weirdest and most interesting sound palette. Really cool sounding and doesn’t feel as long as 3 minutes, so could actually do with another verse or something new. Disc 1- overall an enjoyable listen but a bit too one note on occasion leaving a lot of the songs, although enjoyable hard to distinguish in my mind after listening. Could have been a shorter moodier album or an EP. 3/5 Moving on to disc 2… Straight off the bat on The Lyre of Orpheus Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds lean into the more interesting post rock sounds sprinkled throughout the first disc with a spacey hypnotic guitar and reprise vocal that really gets stuck in your ear. The strange retelling/twisting of the story of Orpheus and the creation of his lyre makes for a really captivating lyrical concept. The drums also sound incredible and the vocal harmonies are crisp. Cave’s vocals also have a bit more of a sinister bite, especially when singing as Eurydice and Orpheus towards the end of the track. Loving this track a lot, high hopes for the second disc. Breathless kicks off with some nice woodwind sounds. The sonic pallet of this song is really pleasant and the song seems to be placed as a bit of a breather after the tonally heavier previous track. A very nice and relaxed song although after the first track I was ready for some more dark expansive sounds. Still very nice and warm. Babe, You Turn Me On is a sweet track about the attraction Cave is feeling to his partner, unsure if written about anyone in specific, but the lyrics are tender and touching. Easily one of the stand out tracks which is surprising, when I saw the title of this song I was expecting a more raunchy bluesy song but the appreciation and attraction that Cave feels for this person rings out as not only passionate but mature and deep. Easy Money is a powerful track which as far as I can tell revolves around a relationship built on financial/class differences, shame and guilt. I can’t quite fully understand/grasp the story off a first listen, but is captivating enough to warrant returning to. The structure and arrangement of the track are top notch and so far this second disc is setting up to be a much more interesting and enjoyable listen. Supernaturally is faster paced and more energetic, with a more indie rock style. The driving rhythm leads to a more cinematic feel for the track, feeling like a victorious climax point of the disc with a big hook group vocal and a very short but great guitar shred at the end of the track which left me wanting more, maybe a full solo and another chorus. Spell continues with the moodier post rock inspired soundscape of the second disc, with haunting strings and understated eery vocals the track really builds on the atmosphere and tension of the album. The song flew by and I could’ve listened to another 5 minutes of it. Carry Me maintains the creepy tense strings but with a dramatic piano melody and more overt vocals. The choral vocals bringing the reprise and alternating against Cave sounds great and the lyrics on this one are super strong. Another great song for this half of the double album. O Children has a real downtrodden and defeated energy which thematically feels perfect after Carry Me. The lyrics and vocals sit lingering in your head after each line with excellent pacing. I can see why this is the bands most streamed song. It really is perfect. Disc 2: If this is the normal style of the band then I’m buying in 100% after the first disc. I had really mixed feelings and was starting to dread another 40 odd minutes of middling blues rock adjacent tracks. But this completely blew my expectations and I wish I could rate this album on the merits of the second disc alone. I can’t help but continually thinking the vocals seem Bowie-esque, especially those found on Blackstar. I don’t want to keep drawing similarities to other artists but this one kept reoccurring in my mind throughout this second disc and it is no way a negative. 4.5/5 Overall considering both discs I’d give this a 3.5 but man the second disc is infinitely more interesting.
need to listen again but pretty good?
As an admirer of Nick Cave, I was not prepared for this masterpiece. It’s so powerful and loud at the same time. So far one of the best albums from the list so far.
Felt a little like a history lesson. All in all, not bad... I would listen to it again.
I don’t get all the fuss about Nick Cave. Best song is one he did with Kylie. Aside from that there are one or two others I don’t mind.
Thought this was brilliant, a double album concept that actually worked really well.
My head dropped when I saw we had another nick cave album, but this is excellent
Great album. Not in my top 5 Bad Seeds albums though
Meh. It’s not bad, but gets boring soon.
Can’t get over the fact that this is an Australian man imitating an old American blues guy. It’s not as bad as the other nick cave albums on the list but it just makes me cringe
Mon Dieu que ça me fait mal d'écrire ça. Croyez-moi. Mettre un 3 sur 5 à un album de Nick Cave, c'est comme mettre une mauvaise note à un membre de sa propre famille. On l'aime, on le vénère, on lui doit tant de moments de grâce et de fureur... mais parfois, il faut être honnête. Parfois, l'amour ne suffit pas à masquer les défauts. Et "Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus", aussi génial soit-il par moments, est un album décevant. Remettons-nous dans le contexte de 2004. Trois ans que l'on attendait le successeur du magnifique et apaisé "No More Shall We Part". Et surtout, c'était le premier album sans une pièce maîtresse des Bad Seeds : le guitariste Blixa Bargeld, dont les scarifications soniques et la présence décharnée avaient hanté chaque disque du groupe depuis le début. L'attente était immense et puis la nouvelle tombe : ce ne sera pas un, mais DEUX albums. Un double. La panique et l'excitation. La double dose de Cave. Le concept, est celui des deux faces d'une même pièce. Deux visages d'un artiste arrivé à une forme de maturité. D'un côté, "Abattoir Blues", c'est le Cave prêcheur, le rockeur possédé, le poète de l'apocalypse. C'est un disque intense, rageur, porté par un putain de choeur gospel qui transforme chaque morceau en une messe électrique et survoltée. Des titres comme "Get Ready for Love" ou "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" sont des uppercuts, des hymnes à la vie et à la luxure d'une puissance phénoménale. C'est le Nick Cave du samedi soir, celui qui danse avec le diable en pogotant. De l'autre, "The Lyre of Orpheus". C'est le Cave du dimanche matin, la gueule de bois mélancolique, le poète au coeur brisé. C'est un disque de ballades somptueuses, portées par le piano et des arrangements d'une finesse inouïe. Des chansons comme "Breathless" ou "Carry Me" sont d'une beauté à pleurer. C'est le Cave qui nous murmure à l'oreille des histoires d'amour et de mort avec une tendresse infinie. Alors, où est le problème ? Le problème, c'est que c'est un DOUBLE album. C'est la maladie classique des artistes qui ont trop d'idées et personne pour leur dire "stop". Sur les dix-huit titres que comptent ces deux disques, combien sont réellement indispensables ? Sept ? Huit ? Dix, si on est généreux. Et ces dix titres, si on les avait rassemblés sur un seul et même album, auraient constitué l'un des plus grands chefs-d'oeuvre de la décennie. Un 5/5 sans la moindre hésitation. Mais voilà. Au lieu de ça, on a un festin gargantuesque, mais inégal. Pour chaque "Get Ready for Love", on a un "Fable of the Brown Ape" un peu anecdotique. Pour chaque "Breathless", on a un "Babe, You Turn Me On" qui, bien que joli, n'a pas la même force. Le génie est là, bien présent, mais il est dilué. Noyé dans une profusion de titres qui sentent parfois le remplissage, la face B de luxe. L'écoute complète des deux disques est une expérience éprouvante, un marathon qui laisse sur sa faim, paradoxalement. On passe d'un sommet à un plat, puis à un autre sommet, et on finit par se dire que le voyage aurait été bien plus marquant s'il avait été plus court et plus direct. C'est pour ça que ce 3 sur 5 me fend le coeur. C'est une note de frustration, la frustration de voir un chef-d'oeuvre potentiel transformé en un très bon double album, ce qui n'est pas la même chose. C'est le disque d'un artiste en état de grâce créative, mais qui a manqué d'un producteur ou d'un ami pour lui dire : "Nick, calme-toi. Garde le meilleur, et fous le reste de côté pour plus tard." Il faut l'écouter, évidemment. Pour les quelques morceaux qui comptent parmi les plus beaux de sa carrière. Et pour se faire sa propre compilation, son propre album idéal. Mais en tant qu'oeuvre complète, "Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus" est une oeuvre frustrante. Et de la part d'un artiste qui nous a habitués à une telle exigence, c'est une petite déception.
Brit rock
Lovely double album. Nick Cave has haunting vocals, and the gospel vibes tie this album together. It's long, but fulfilling.
That was pretty cool. Not as melancholy as I was expecting.
It took me a couple of listens, but now I really like it. I’ve always known the occasional Nick Cave songs, but I’ve not really delved into it until now. I’m glad I did
Not for me
Like Tom Waits and peat smokey scotch, Nick Cave is an acquired taste and I've acquired it quite easily starting with Peaky Blinders some years ago. I don't think he's as good a writer as Waits, but I largely enjoyed this.
The extent of my personal experiences with Nick Cave is very limited. And I wouldn’t call Junkyard by The Birthday Party a good introduction to him as a musician in any way. Partly because that’s not a very enjoyable record. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have been around for a long time, and have continued to release music well into the 21st century. But I also wasn’t so sure a very lengthy double album is the best way to become accustomed to their music either. This is a double album in the truest sense of the term. It’s split up into two halves, or two different records, titled Abattoir Blues and The Lyre of Orpheus. And stylistically these two albums aren’t all that different. The latter half contains most of the softer, more folk influenced songs, while the first half has a lot more energy. An energy that is felt from the very first song. It reminded me of the opening track from Exile on Main St., where this intense party atmosphere envelopes the listener from the moment it starts. And I’ll admit that this did a far better job at turning me into a Nick Cave fan than I ever would have imagined. It made me want to seek out other albums and hear them. This was an exceedingly enjoyable listen from start to finish. Even on the songs I don’t enjoy, and quality of songwriting does not diminish. And every single song is instrumentally unique enough that I was never bored. I think I prefer the more energetic cuts personally. The folk stuff isn’t bad, but something like Breathless isn’t the best folk ballad I’ve ever heard. There are some really explosive moments all over this, like the end of Hiding All Away. Or Fable of the Brown Ape, which is a strange but cool way to close out the first half of the record. A lot of this energy comes from this gospel feel the whole album has, which is aided by the backup vocalists who are present on most songs. And they use this to create not only intensity, but also some really beautiful moments too. Like the whole of My Beautiful World, which is possibly the most well-put together song on the entire thing. O Children actually happens to be Nick’s most popular song on streaming, which probably has more to do with the fact it was featured in a Harry Potter movie. And I was a little let down by it personally. It definitely matches the penultimate track in having the most gospel elements, but I prefer Carry Me much more. I was shocked by how much I genuinely enjoyed this, and how much I had to say. And I look forward to whatever I hear from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds next. Rating: 8/10
2.5
I don’t necessarily believe in serendipity, but it felt oddly appropriate that Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus landed as my album of the day while I was deep into Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ latest release Wild God (2024, if you're reading this in the future). Why? Because this double album is widely regarded as the moment Nick Cave’s career was reignited. By the early 2000s, Cave’s creative momentum seemed to be waning. Though revered for his previous work, Nocturama (2003) was considered by many a misstep, and whispers of him becoming a "legacy act" grew louder. Yet, with Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus, Cave didn't just bounce back—he charted a bold new course. The two-disc set feels less like a traditional double album and more like a deliberate pairing of contrasting moods. Abattoir Blues is explosive and intense, steeped in gospel-tinged rock that surges with energy. Tracks like “Get Ready for Love” and “There She Goes, My Beautiful World” bristle with urgency, while “Hiding All Away” stands out for its sinister, bluesy undercurrent. Meanwhile, The Lyre of Orpheus takes a more introspective approach, leaning into orchestral elegance and pastoral balladry. “Breathless” offers a breezy, almost whimsical respite, contrasting with the mythic darkness of “The Lyre of Orpheus” and the poignant, choir-backed “O Children.” Warren Ellis’s contributions—particularly his haunting string work—elevate the album’s more delicate moments. Cave’s vocals shift masterfully between fiery preacher and tender storyteller, embodying the duality of love and loss, myth and mortality. This dynamic range, coupled with the band’s invigorated performance, cemented the album as a late-career triumph. This wasn’t just a comeback—it was a reinvention. Cave’s ability to draw from mythological themes, literary references, and gospel sounds without losing his signature edge gave the album both a cerebral and spiritual depth. It also paved the way for his increasingly minimalist, contemplative works in the 2010s, including Push the Sky Away (2013) and Skeleton Tree (2016). And while the immediate critical response praised the album for its ambition and energy, hindsight has only amplified its importance in Cave’s discography. Tracks like “O Children” have since gained pop culture recognition, while “Nature Boy” and “Breathless” remind listeners of Cave’s ability to balance darkness with levity. Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus is another step in my continued infatuation with Nick Cave. The album's raw energy and emotional depth have left me feeling both exhilarated and deeply moved. This wasn’t just music to pass the time—it was an experience that lingers, stirring thoughts and emotions long after the last note fades. There’s an argument to be made that Nick Cave’s real magic lies in his consistency during what could be considered the third act of his career. Rather than fading into nostalgia, he continues to evolve—like that rare bottle of bourbon you keep hidden away, savouring each sip while marvelling at how much more remains. If Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus wasn’t already included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, it would surely have earned its place by now, not just as a great record but as a moment when an artist defied expectation and found new life in the process. Did/Do I own this release? No. Does this release belong on the list? Yes. Would this release make my personal list? Another album I hadn't heard before that feels like it was missing in my life. Will I be listening to it again? This deserves repeat visits.
good
Ugh these guys again. Obnoxious and self-important. Noisy yet bringing no real value. 3.5/10 (1.75/5)
bueno, más no es de mi agrado
This was extraordinary. I thought it’d be a little too theatrical for me but perhaps I’ve aged into that.
Thats a 9. Incredible, I will revisit and listen to more of nick cave's work
Typical Nick
No es mi estilo
Album #6 - 4/5 I took so long to rate this one because I listened to it about a dozen times to figure out how I felt about it, but I'm still not entirely sure! Overall, I did like it. It's unique with a lot going on. Touching on so many different genres, with really fascinating lyrics! So much power & energy in Nick Cave's vocals. Very gospel-coded. I struggled to pick stand outs, because there were things that I both liked and disliked about every single song on both discs, but it somehow comes together to be a powerful complete package! Stand outs are: "There She Goes, My Beautiful World," and "Easy Money". I did also love "Fable of the Brown Ape," and "The Lyre of Orpheus," but they're not ones I'd put in my regular rotation - a bit too dramatic for daily listening. Overall, this album was a great listen!
Never listened to Nick Cave before. But this was a fun album. Some good songs, some not so good. Breathless and Hiding All Away were a blast. Fable of the Brown Ape was odd, and not in an interesting way. Bit on the long side though, could have been a 4 if they cut out a bunch of the weaker tracks and made a tighter album. A couple songs had some great guitar work, such as Easy Money and Spell. Best song: Hiding All Away
Surprisingly good album! I feared the worst when this double album was generated, but not once during its 82 minutes playtime was I bored. It only gets a 4 because none of the tracks really stood out as winners. Guess it will be even better with more listens, but no time today.
I'm not really sure what this is, but I do think I like it. This is the first album I have listened to by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Previously, I have had very limited exposure to the band, having heard just a couple of singles (Red Right Hand, notably). Let the Bells Ring is the standout track for me on the first volume of this double album. Volume II of this set is by far far my favorite. I'm definitely coming back to all this 3.75
Ridiculously good, fantastic lyrics and variety
most bland and boring snoozer shit everrrrr
Nick Cave.
Now for the 4th time: I don't need the experience listening to Nick Cave!
Bro really made one good album and then never again.
I liked the second disc(album) a lot more than the first.
Extremely driving and menacing gothic rock. A very long double record.
Frábær eins og alltaf! Nikki Hellir klikkar aldrei
Ein besta NC platan. Í raun tvær ólíkar plötur, báðar frábærar.
The piano playing really stands out here, it's simple but cuts through the tracks beautifully.
The lyrics might be a little dramatic for my taste. But overall this was a pretty compelling album. I'll need to come back to it. One listen was definitely not sufficient.
Wow. I am shocked. Not by the album or anything like that. It's really good as I'll get to in a bit, but there's something even more shocking. I'm surprised that it took me 443 days to get a Nick Cave album when he has 5 of them on the list (6 if you count the Birthday Party)! That's a lot. Surely there's something about Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds that warrant the high album count. Fortunately, while 5 albums is still too much for an artist of his popularity, I definitely think Nick Cave is worthy of being on this list in some capacity, and Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus is proof of that. This is a great double album right here. Let's start with the big thing that justifies Nick Cave's presence... his songwriting. It's quite good. The 1001 albums book listed him as a gifted songwriter for a reason. While I wouldn't put him on the level of someone like Bob Dylan, there's no denying that this man has a talent for the art of songwriting. The variety in this album's songs is quite commendable. It's a double album that's effectively split into two distinct sections. The first half, Abattoir Blues, is more energetic in its music and varied in its writing, while the second half, The Lyre of Orpheus, is slower and more emotional. I think this works quite well. Comparing songs like the opener "Get Ready for Love" with the closer "O Children" paints a very interesting picture of this album and, by extension, Nick Cave as a musician. I feel like I've been talking too much about Nick Cave himself and not enough about his backing band, the Bad Seeds. This is the part where I talk about the instrumentals of the songs. They're great. The energy of the first half's songs is balanced out by the gentler tone of the second half. I like it. Back to Cave himself, his singing is definitely interesting. I think it works quite well here. The album is quite long, but I feel that its time is well-spent. Despite lasting for over 80 minutes, the album doesn't feel like a slog, which is always a good thing. Overall, this is a great album that paints a good first impression of an artist that I have a lot more of to listen to in the future. I think I'll give it a high 4/5 for now. I do want to revisit the album in the future after listening to more of his stuff though to see if this could be bumped up to a 5 in comparison.
Initial thought: I'm kind of blah about it. I don't know a ton about Nick Cave. I *think* I've heard some and didn't love it, but I don't think I hate it either. I'm not excited about this, but I guess I'm not dreading it either. Actually, I just took a look at my history and I've had TWO Nick Cave albums already! That's hilarious, and it shows how memorable his music is. Too long, wtf. Why is this an hour and a half? It's whatever. some songs are pretty decent, some are stupid and annoying. I'd give it a 3 but I'm annoyed at how long it is.
Cool
Great album!
Probably one of the more accessible Nick Cave albums I’ve heard. Lyrics are pretentious as ever, and I still can’t figure out what he’s singing about half the time, but musically it’s pretty straightforward and pleasant. Surprisingly, despite my prejudices, and criticisms of Cave, his music and writing in general, plus the long run time, I actually enjoyed this quite a lot.
Always liked me a bit of Nick Cave, hadn’t heard this and when saw double was a bit daunted, but this is a fine record. Definitely adding to my collection.
Great songwriting and compositions though something about it just seemed..meh. It’s 3 stars though because it is very interesting and new to me
Wasn't a bad album. Just not really that interesting either. Kind of meh. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again
not usually a double album guy but this one earns it
NOW WE'RE COOKING BABY
Som incomum para a época em que foi lançado.
Get Ready for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
# 383 : ungh! Not a Nick Cave album. In saying that, this was alright. Not bad, not great, but somewhere in the middle.
Nick Cave is an artist that I like in very small doses, some great tracks and very distinct unique sound and style. It's just listening to a whole album and one as long as this one where that style becomes just too much. While I'm giving this album a low rating I could easily make a 5 star rated playlist of Nick Cave's music.
I don’t like Nick Cave.
Wasn't my thing. I don't think I've liked any of his stuff as much as I like Red Right Hand.
There's an album of great stuff here. But like most double albums, it's too long. Editing is key. But the good here is really quite good.
I think this is either my third or fourth Nick Cave album here, and so far I like this one the best. Not very murdery, but that’s okay. Think I’m finally starting to “get” him.
guy who is a little too into Greek mythology:
Not a huge Nick Cave fan. A few catchy songs, but not memorable.
4 out of 5. First album I've listened to from this band, not a bad start.
Not good
The best!!!!!!!
Would have been 3 stars if it was shorter!
alternative rock, definitely grew on me as I listened, my true rating would be more of a 2.5, it’s cool but it’s just not my taste
very good song at the end but all around pretty cool
This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
I never got into Nick Cave for whatever reason, even though he's supposedly adjacent to a lot of musicians I do like. Maybe my head wasn't in the right place. Maybe I thought it was a bit overwrought, directly sighted at Theater Kids and Former Theater Kids. Anyway, this album's pretty good! A little long, but I can respect the craft, and you know what, I'm gonna listen to it more than a couple of times. Maybe it even makes it into The Rotation. Good to put on and zone out and good to listen in. No skips! Tunes that get stuck in your head! Somber, erudite songwriting that isn't the southern gothic character exploration that turned me off the first time! Maybe I am a Nick Cave fan, I'll have to revisit some other stuff. This album hits.
Love Nick Cave.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would
This album really grew on me. I can't say it was anything special until Hiding All Away drew me in. The next couple songs were good but then Nature Boy and The Lyre of Orpheus really rose above. I was all in at this point. Babe, You Turn Me On and Spell were the stand-outs in the latter half of the album. It's close to a 5 but some songs were forgettable, but otherwise this album won me over.
Sounds a bit like a gospel from a church. Nothing really stuck out to me on this album.
I could see this one growing more on me, it takes a while to get familiar/comfortable with Nice Caves singing. I’ll give this a generous 3/5 since I wasn’t feeling it for most of the album, but it rounded out towards the end for me
Typical Nick Cave. Plus Harry Potter this time.
Not sure why this was released as a double album and not two single albums, as they don't sound connected at all. Nick's voice is something, and for the most part it works for the songs, though at times he does remind me a little of Peter Steele which I guess isn't a terrible thing. Each of the two discs as a solo album would probably end up as a 3 for me, but together, with the length it pulled it down to a 2. It was just too much Nick Cave for one morning.
Abattoir Blues was a decent disc. A mixture of blues, rock, and a bit of gospal in there as well. Honestly a nice blend of sounds. The Lyre of Orpheus however, not so great. A lot of skippable tracks in my opinion that brought the vibe down. By the end when I finally got to the most popular song, O Children, I was pretty sick of the sound and didn't even enjoy the track. Overall, I'd give it a 2/5
Baller
i liked it, but didnt really love any songs other than the last one
3 booms BOOM 💪 BOOM 💪 BOOM 💪
Really good one but as I know how amazing is last one can't rate higher
high 3, p good
Pre-listening thoughts: Harry Potter song okayyy Post/during listening thoughts: listen this is good but why does Nick Cave need FIVE albums on this list. Like it’s good but not revolutionary or anything. Also my controversial opinion is double albums should be split up into… well, two separate albums. I understand the point. I don’t care. It’s too long. This is kind of good though whatever. 6.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Get Ready for Love, There She Goes My Beautiful World, Nature Boy, Carry Me, O Children Least fav tracks: Fable of the Brown Ape
4.5 First time listening to a Nick Cave album! Surprisingly good a for a double album I'd never heard before, I'm pretty sure a couple more listens will turn it into a solid 5⭐ Edit: I've listened to this at least 20 times now whaddahell, Nick Cave ya old bastard, ya got me
This album is amazing. Much more upbeat than traditional Nick Cave fare. I really like the addition of a choir on certain songs. This is hands down one of Nick Cave's best. Favourite songs: The Lyre of Orpheus, Get Ready for Love, Nature Boy, "There She Goes, My Beautiful World", Hiding All Away, Easy Money, Breathless, "Babe, You Turn Me On", Let The Bells Ring, Carry Me, O Children Least favourite songs: Fable of the Brown Ape 5/5
Too long and not my jam.
It was just ok. I wanted to like it more than I did. I wish it was shorter
I just can't with Nick Cave & The Bad Music.
Australischer Rock - geht ab und macht gute Laune 4/5
Nick's usual mix of rock and some orchestral-ey stuff, with his deep cracky voice
"Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus" is the 13th studio album by Australian rock band Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. It is a double album with the first part '"Abattoir Blues" being a rocker and the second part "The Lyre of Orpheus" being quieter. One critic labeled it as a "bounty of gothic rock." The album was produced by Nick Launay and the band. Commercially, it hit #11 in the UK and #126 in the US. The first part of the album gets going right away with "Get Ready for Love." Loud and drving. Pounding bass and drums. Layered pyschedelic guitars. A gospel female backing choir which is pervasive throughout this first part. "Cannibal's Hymn" has a creeping bass and piano. In comes a strumming guitar and loud drums. The song builds. A wah-wah guitar. They're dinning with the cannibals. "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" is fast with a repetitive rhythmn. The gospel backing choir. A rollicking piano. By the end, the band is on full throttle. Cave wants to rule the world. The first single "Nature Boy" is the straight-forward" rocker. Catchy chorus and very melodic. The most radio-friendly song of this album for sure. The self-titled "The Lyre of Orpheus" opens with Cave singing a capella. Dark and eerie electric guitar, bass and drums. It's slower. Cave's voice is deeper. Very Tom Waits-esque. Cave tells the story of Orpheus, whose wife Eurydice dies by a snake bite, tries to convince Hades to let her live and afterwhich, she has to walk behind him playing the lyre. We get the flute in "Breathless." Yes! A catchy slow melodic ronantic song. It was the second single released. The ever-reliable handclaps open "Supernaturally." Fast pace and drums. This song could have been in the first part. It rolls on dramatically and reminded me of a traditional Celtic song. The album closes with the melancholic "O Children." A synth, acoustic guitar and the gospel female chorus is back. It was appropriate to end spiritually. Life with its greed and cruelty will always steal the innocence of youth. I think I've made my way through the majority of the Nick Cave & Bad Seeds' discography doing this challenge. There's a lot to this double album and, for the most part, was a compelling worthwhile listen. Yes, part I was full-throttle and loud. A critic's description of "gospel-punk" is appropriate. Guitar jams as Cave preaches and sings about cannibals, war, TV, the world and romance. The second part was mostly piano and acoustic guitar-driven. Melancholic and dramatic. Relationships seem to be the at the top of lyrical themes. There's a lot to absorb in this album in whole but I highly recommend it.
I've always known people to absolutely love Nick Cave and I've never found anything of his that really drew me in. This is the one. Although its pretty much two separate albums that are almost opposite of each other, they were both awesome. I was dreading listening to this one, but my mind had been changed and I will have to add this into a heavier rotation.
You would have thought that a double album being 82 minutes long would get old but surprisingly it didn't It wasn't anything special but the varied songs kept me somewhat engaged Solid throughout, higher side of 3
Superb
Second Cave album to come up in this process. I liked this one a good bit less. Nick Cave is undoubtedly an important musician but a bit like Tom Waits in that when he's on he's on...when he isn't he's still tom waits. For me, to truly enjoy Cave's music some stars really need to align in a way they didn't really do for abattoir blues.
Bad ass album
Well, this landed at the perfect time, as I saw Nick Cave live last week on the Wild Gods tour, and I'm still floating. After being a bit "challenged" by the Birthday Party as a teenager, I didn't explore much of the Bad Seeds until quite recently. An absolute treasure-trove, which I hope to explore for years to come. I'm guessing this one counts as a relatively upbeat album; I already knew Nature Boy, and was surprised quite a lot is in a similar vein. Anyway, I thought it was brilliant, bar a few challenging moments. Humour, darkness, melody, and he's just cool as, isn't he? I love him, and I loved this.
Love the music - one of there best albums
5/10
The first half of the album was hard to get through. The second half was alright.
The second disc drags but the first is a real peach.
Didn't expect, but enjoyed it.
3 - first songs were weird but it picked up a good sound further in. I just didn’t like the narrative rock,
Very good! Nicely done all around.
Either absolutely amazing songs, or just kinda whatever songs. Just the 1st half would've been an easy 4-5
Long.
Why are they eating cold potatoes? Why is this the only thing I remember about this album?
Not really my vibe But some okay songs
I grooved with an early song, then a couple later. Then I grew bored. Sounds like very good music that I just don't vibe with.
Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Would have kept half the songs for another album. This was one band I've heard of but never actually listened to them. It was nice to discover them, but not sure I could listen to them on the regular.
Musically this album is phenomenal but the vocal style gets old fast. Good ol Oogie Boogie.
I'm a little biased since I saw him live a couple weeks ago and he was amazing, but this is incredibly strong for being later in his career. I hope people didn't switch off towards the end and missed the brilliant closer that is 'O Children'.
Not my vibe but slightly better than the other Nick Cave album
Very pleasant record - but has few standouts throughout. Not a bad thing - it’s a cohesive album but given its length it’s not a very easy listen and it feels like it needs to be sat with to really appreciate. Looking forward to that eventually
I quite like the 'organic' feel of some of the instrumentals, where the percussion is not just drums, and other things like chimes etc. However imo quite a lot of the songs are quite boring and seem like something ive already heard, possibly because this particular style has been imitated/adapted by others. Favorite songs: easy money, carry me, o children overall around 6/10 (potentially higher though)
Not as bad as Henry's Dream, but I still don't think he's a good singer. Most of the songs were okay.
Kind of a peak Cave record for me. The perfect balance between his post-punk days, his more atmospheric side that was about to bloom on his later records, and it also has hints of the experimentation that would take place in his music has his relationship with Warren Ellis would grow stronger. And most importantly, Cave's songwriting is in top form here. It truly has it all.
Consistently good, even if a bit long.
I had a hard time with appreciating Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, but I've finally discovered an album that I truly love. This album was beautifully heartbreaking and full of light and shadow at the same time. Brilliant!
Abattoir: 4/5, actually quite liked this! Band rocking on, vocals sounded more fresh/energized than that last album. Orpheus: 2.5/5, I just don’t care much for his ballad-ing. Supernaturally is the standout/high point
Excellent album
This one didn’t quite make me want to gouge my eyes out like his other albums. A 2 because I made it to the end.
High 3.5/5 This isn’t a double album but two different albums in 1. Liked both but preferred the Second One. This would need a lot of listens but definitely could go up to a 4/5 eventually
No sure I agree with all the creative choices. Loved the gospel influences though.
I loved Hannibal Hymn (I do not understand the lyrics..) but the instru is great ! The other songs are nice ! This is at the edge of the line for me in terms of style (to heavy for some songs) but I admit it's great and it fully deserves to be listened and listened !
Shrek: “For your information, there’s a lot more to Nick Cave than people think.” Donkey: “Example?” Shrek: “Example? Okay, um, Nick Cave is like onions.” Donkey: “They stink?” Shrek: “Yes. No!” Donkey: “Oh, they make you cry?” Shrek: “No!” Donkey: “Oh, you leave them out in the sun, they get all brown, start sproutin’ little white hairs.” Shrek: “No! Layers. Onions have layers. Nick Cave has layers. Onions have layers. You get it? We both have layers.” Donkey: “Oh, you both have layers. Oh. You know, not everybody likes onions. Cake! Everybody loves cakes! Cakes have layers.” Shrek: “I don’t care what everyone likes. Nick Cave is not like cakes.”
A personal favourite of mine
Brilliant
8/10. Consistent album with creativity throughout.
First round yielded some tasty layers but was left cold by the story telling. I don’t get what he has to do with Eurydice yet. The production draws me back so maybe in that time I’ll figure out what he meant
gman lookin ass. look up nick cave he looks fucking scary as shit wth. i thought it was just lighting in some in his spotify pfp but he look freaky even when well lit. bro look like the boss from incredibles.
This has a really interesting sound that I'm digging about half of the time, and the other half is just kinda mediocre.
I have heard of this guy so many time. Never went out of my way to listen to him. I know how legendary of an artist he is on his own right. I can understand why he is legendary. Almost avant garde- with garage rock/punk rock influence.
This is a double album that has two distinct parts. I really loved the first disc, Abattoir Blues, would give it a solid 4.5. Good rock. The second disc, Lyre if Orpheus, gets a bit more moody. Energy drops. Didn’t match the level of the first.
I’ve already hated the two albums of this group I’ve gotten already, so not even going to try to act like the 3rd time is the charm. 3 fucking albums of this shit already on this list. 1001 albums and we need 3 of them? And this is 1 hour and 22 minutes…. Come the hell on already.
3+ Stars (9/15)
Oh come on, he’s not that good. Where’s the evolution, man?
Not my thing, rock - interesting vocals
Jag gillar Nick Cave men han matchar inte tunnelbanan och jobbet så bra. Ett dubbelalbum är också väldigt mycket Nick Cave
****
As is well known by now, I typically don’t like long albums, so I really don’t like double albums, but Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus might be an exception. Abattoir Blues is very rock and roll and Lyre is more quiet. Cannibal Hymn, The title track, let the bells ring are fantastic. He’s at his best without the industrial sounds in my opinion. Easy Money, Supeenaturally and o’children highlight Lyre 8.2/10
While I appreciate Cave’s zeal and originality, I really hate this. I really try to listen to each album through but this one I’m bailing on.
Theatrical but tight. Somehow both self-serious and fun. Dark but not somber. I thought this was a blast. Maybe didn't need to be a double album - but I really enjoyed most of these songs, and I especially respect the originality and distinctiveness of Cave's oddball perspective.
Not my brand of alternative and not an album that I never wouldve picked up on my own (which I love this for) Nevertheless, I did find it interesting and added one song to a playlist (There She Goes, My Beautiful World). There were moments where they sounded like the rolling stones. The gothic vibe was cool and different. The album itself being the sandwhich of two distinct sounds was also fun to experience as well. Wouldnt mind if someone had this playing in the background of a party, but I wouldn’t be the one to request it
A weird and fun ride. Dark but somehow also jubilant. Felt like it could be a Broadway soundtrack in story, mix of styles, pacing - and well, length. Nature Boy:A Ric Flair Story. I loved this.
..
It's like hadestown if I didn't like the music
Words cannot express how much I adored this album.
Will revisit artist. Album a bit long but some good stuff and nice variety. A bit 6music mind
Favorite track: O Children other picks: messiah ward, abattoir blues, the lyre of orpheus
Why is Nick Cave so great? Why is any artist who cut their teeth in the zero hour immediately after punk so great?
I’ve been having some bad days lately but this was much needed. Life can be terrifying and miserable, but it’s so much cooler than being dead. ‘There She Goes’ is the standout from the first half. ‘Breathless’ was good on the second part.
<Gordon Ramsay voice> Finally, some good fucking music. Nick Cave is cool as hell, and regrettably I only know random songs here and there, so listening to this full album was a treat. I love music that has this kind of energy to it. Moody but assertive. I found this a very captivating record both musically and lyrically. The songs felt distinct, exploring different genres and tempos and themes, yet it made sense that they were grouped together into an album. Again, I just love stuff like this. I already knew (and love) "There She Goes, My Beautiful World," but man that song ripsssss. Other favorites: Get Ready for Love, Nature Boy, Abattoir Blues, The Lyre of Orpheus, and Breathless.
I liked the blues sound. Fable of the Brown Ape and The Lyre of Orpheus were my favorites. Nothing else stood out to me.
did a light listen here so sorry nick cave enjoyable. this alt rock sound is more my speed for some reason reminded me a bit of the last shadow puppets, maybe bc the kind of theatrics-ish that pop out here
I'm into this. I like what I've heard of Nick Cave in general but a lot of these were new to me. My favorite was Hiding All Away (I think because it was reminding me of the white stripes, specifically elephant) Would definitely listen to again but not at the top of my list. 3.5/5
I love Nick Cave and admit that I hadn't heard this album. He is one of those artists who puts out an incredible amount of work that spans decades and so sometimes I can be overwhelming. I'm impartial to his early work that's dark and creepy and verbose, but some of the later albums are so beautiful (No More Shall We Part is incredible). This one starts with a bang and kind of ended with a whimper but I will still come back to it. The more you listen, the better it gets is what I've learned about Nick Cave. Seeing him again live in May. He's a force onstage and a true artist. (Also, funny side note: Nick Cave the visual artist is also amazing. Look him up!)
The generator gave me Disintegration by The Cure yesterday and Nick Cave today, feeling very goth in the lead up to Halloween.