Reviews (page 3 of 9)
I thought this was an inconsistent album. Had some great ballads, some duds. Excellent songwriting throughout. Incidentally- even though this whole thing’s about Murder Ballads, I think it might be the case that Nick Cave wrote better Murder Ballads into The Lyre of Orpheus.
Brilliant, wacky, imaginative
This wasn't terrible and this is coming from someone sick of seeing Nick Cave on this list. 3/5
Generally enjoyable, though the songs can tend to not really stand out, even if they sound cool. Very Nick Cave. Slots in between "Let Love In" and "The Boatman's Call" and it sounds like the transitional phase between them, with the former being the "Murder" part and the latter being the "Ballads" part, respectively. I typically prefer the former, and while I do miss something more gritty and catching sometimes, the album is still a good dose of Cave-yness
Not my favorite Nick Cave but I need to revisit
Bro thinks he's the Phantom of the Opera. This was kind of cool. The Bad Seeds are a mid back-up band - nothing special here musically. It's the macabre storytelling that shines, and Mr. Cave has a talent for it and an even better voice for it. I was super disappointed that the PJ Harvey duet is one on the weaker songs on the album. I'm not going out of my way for this, but I'm glad I heard it once before I died. Too bad it wasn't in October. Influence 3. Hits 1. Quality 4. Intangibles 4. Whatevs 2.
If anyone could pull off this album’s concept, it should be Nick Cave. But this work just rubs me the wrong way. (Kinda like Stagger Lee.) It’s all just…too much. Too bombastic. Too over-the-top. Apparently I prefer my murder ballads on the more subtle side, so I’ll take Springsteen’s NEBRASKA over this every time.
Great band, clever lyrics, and strong guest vocals from PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue — but Cave’s talk‑sing style kept me from fully enjoying the album.
Literally just an hour of singing about killing people in an old timey 1900s kind of way. Outside of the subject matter, I don't think this style of music is for me.
A parade of theatrical gloom where every song sounds like it was recorded in a candlelit dungeon for ghosts who love overacting. It’s less “haunting storytelling” and more “sir, please stop narrating murders at me in a baritone.”
Never heard any of this before. Lots of long songs on this album. Wait is this the guy who sang Red Right Hand from Peaky Blinders? Enjoyable.
this was quite the journey
this made me scared in the best way
Still dont fully understand what I just listened to.
"Where the Wild Roses Grow" is an amazing track, the rest are ok.
A great Nick Cave album. It has grit and melody all in one.
it's fine
Ive heard this band name before but I couldnt name single song they from them. This album sounds prety unique. Its dark and the weird voice of the singer fits well I think. Its really good. Its not for everyone I know, but I fucking hate how close minded this site is to more experimental albums. If you look at the top 20 higest rated album on this site its only extremely mainstream albums that sold millions of copy. I hate this website fantase. Dont listen to any comments on here and make your own opinion people. Why am I typing this, nobody is ever going to read any of my shit reviews.
I like really really didn't like this.
eu achei interessantinho o conceito do álbum, mas, como todos do nick cave, é um album chatinho e a voz dele me incomoda um tanto. dando um 2 só pelo conceitinho e pela kylie minogue.
I was NOT expecting this to be worth four stars. Damn! This was pretty good, and my first introduction to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Can't wait to explore this band more. Fave tracks: Henry lee, lovely creature, where the wild roses grow, kindness of strangers. Would I revisit: yeah
Very first thought was Dracula's Lament....
Not bad. Some enjoyable songs.
Exactly what it says on the tin, just nonstop songs about murder. The songwriting likes to flip-flop alot from really dour and depressing to being more tongue in cheek, which is good because god damn I don't think I could make it through a whole album of songs like "Kindness of Strangers" without just getting really depressed. I do wish "O'Malley's Bar" was trimmed down a little, the 14-minute runtime had me just wanting the song to end by the end. If nothing else I'm glad I got to hear "The Ballad Of Robert Moore & Betty Coltrane", it rules. 8/10.
Pretty cool collection as described, glad for the feature tracks and the more folk inclusions because it really would be too much otherwise. Favourite track: The Curse of Millhaven
8.5/10 For a record made up entirely of murder ballads, it's surprisingly diverse. The storytelling is so descriptive, it paints such a complete picture of the described stories.
Disappointed by this one. Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus was one of the best albums I've gotten so far, and this one wasn't anywhere near as good.
Just not a nick cave fan. Kinda weird and dark album.
I am a big fan of The Boatman’s Call. For many years it was my only Nick Cave. I think that makes it harder for me to enjoy his other albums, but maybe if I listened to them as much as the boatman call I would love it too.
Can understand Murder Ballads not for everyone however for me it is an amazing album. Each song a story and the music just seems to fit each one perfectly.
Mmhmm. Mukava tarinalaululevy. Kuuntelin tätä 20 vuotta sitte, oli unohtunut pitkäksi pitkäksi aikaa. Dramaattinen levy, en keksi nyt toista vastaavaa. Kylien ja nickin yhteislaulu on tietenkin levyn kuningasraita, mutta MR STÄGÄ LEE tulee hyvin lähellä kakkosena. Tää pitää nyt laittaa permanent muistiin ja kuunnella sillontällön.
Ei lähtenyt hirveästi itselle. Rankkaa tekstiä joo, välillä vähän cringeä omaan korvaan, puhelauluhommat on vähän vaikea laji
tired. boring. yawning.
rambling shite
Musically, it’s quite monotonous, although when you take the lyrical layer into account, everything makes sense. It feels more like an audio drama than an album, but it’s cohesive, well thought out, and often terrifying. 7/10
Wow. I got my 5th and final Nick Cave album of the list immediately after my 5th and final Byrds album of the list. What are the odds of that? That's crazy. Anyways, unlike the Byrds, I have not gotten particularly tired of listening to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for this album project for 2 big reasons. Reason 1 is that I just like Nick Cave's music more than that of the Byrds, but my 2nd reason, and the one that I actually think is more important, is that the Nick Cave representation on this list is much more varied than... honestly, most other artists. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have a lot of variety in their discography and I have a ton of respect that. Like, compare the 5 Nick Cave albums of the list to the 6 Elvis Costello albums, or the 5 Byrds albums, or, hell, even a set as great as the 7 Neil Young albums. There's just more sonic and lyrical variety across Nick Cave's set of albums than the other ones. Now, I will say that artists like Elvis Costello and Neil Young have higher highs than Nick Cave, but that's no reason for me to complain about Nick Cave at all, especially when we've got albums as good as Murder Ballads to talk about. Yeah, this album's great. Murder Ballads has a pretty interesting style to it. It's got a lot more pianos on it, which makes it comparable to an album like The Boatman's Call, but the atmosphere of Murder Ballads is a lot darker and more ominous than that album, mostly because of the album's lyrical matter. Yeah, the name of this album isn't just 2 words selected at random. Murder Ballads is comprised of actual murder ballads. You know, ballads about murder. It's definitely an interesting choice, but I respect the vision behind the album. I think it's a cool concept. Is Murder Ballads technically a concept album? I don't know. This album's a little spooky, but in a cool way. This is one of those albums where Nick Cave's voice really fits the music perfectly. The mix of traditional and original songwriting is a nice touch as well. This album's pretty well regarded for its musical guests, including PJ Harvey on "Henry Lee" and Kylie Minogue on "Where the Wild Roses Grow." I don't know if it's because of the guests or what, but those are some of the album's best songs. The album is pretty consistent in terms of quality, though I do think that "O'Malley's Bar" goes on for a bit too long. Still, Murder Ballads is among the stronger outings that I've heard from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It's got a unique vision that's seen through very well. Great stuff. High 4/5.
im tired of men with deep voices speaking over music like how is this top 1001. 0.5/10.
just can't do it
The duet with Kylie is a classic, but in general I need something a little more uplifting in my life right now
he doesn't really hold back huh 4/5
This album was pretty good! I thought the concept was cool, and it had some really good songs on it! some parts were a little too crass IMO, but still a good album.
On paper this should be right up my alley but I just don't vibe with it and I can't really say why. I like it well enough but for every track I get into there's one that kinda annoys me. Something about the tone, the cadence, the word choices. I just can't quite get into it. The idea of a full album of murder ballads is cool, and even within a very specific musical style and subject they do a good job of finding variety in both the music and story. I like the theatrical style and the serious execution on a fairly Halloweeny concept. Every la la la la la leeee or la la la la liiie loses this album a couple points of good will and I'm vaguely annoyed by the number of songs where the refrain is basically just a name. Borderline 3/4 but I'll round up for the parts of the album I did like
the first track, Song of Joy, sets the stage for the entire album: it listens more like the soundtrack to a stage musical than a traditional record. It feels like you’re missing some kind of connective tissue between songs, you’re not seeing the actors on stage acting out their parts while the weird looking guy sings what’s happening. And that’s what makes it work. It’s some gothy theater kid nonsense in the most complimentary way. Cave does sound kind of monotone in that initial track, it does drone on a bit, but in my head I can see people setting the stage for an anthology of murder ballads while Cave’s voice plays from the dark. Then the album ends with Death Isn’t the End, the big closing number where each of the album’s guests steps out for their individual verse. Nick Cave’s voice isn’t the most versatile but I think it’s largely put to good use here. He also benefits from some fantastic duet partners (I’m upset we don’t see Kylie Minogue on the list again after this and I love love love PJ Harvey, and though she’s sadly only on background vocals on Lovely Creature I hadn’t thought about Katharine Blake or Miranda Sex Garden in *years*). It doesn’t always work. I don’t think Nick Cave is the right guy for Stagger Lee (Shane MacGowan is on the closing track, why not use him here?). He does pull off that energy better later in The Curse of Millhaven. It’s slightly missing something for the 5 - I could use a little more guitar jangle maybe, something a little folkier, and a song like Crow Jane drags the album’s pacing down - but it’s a solid 4. Another strong duet or something less repetitive between Crow Jane and O’Malley’s Bar might have made the difference? Nearly 15 minutes of O’Malley’s Bar is a big ask for a list of murders that aren’t all that poetic or clever. It just builds and builds without ever going anywhere.
Bad seed: "We got all these awesome songs about busting people's heads open, strangling, betrayal, and death. What do we call the album?" Nick Cave: "Give me a sec...."
DNF
Idk how this is on the list. 2
I really enjoyed this much more than I thought I would
In a perfect world, this would be the only Nick Cave album we would have to review. The full schtick is firmly in place, but the guest vocalists break up the monotony a bit. As it is, we've been assaulted with a Nick Cave album regularly for years now and I'm thoroughly sick of it.
UN AUTRE NICK CAVE? C’EST QUI LE CAVE QUI L’A RAJOUTÉ???!!! J’AVAIS PASSÉ À TRAVERS, J’EN ÉTAIS SÛR!!!! Osti qu’il est lourd ce gars-là, toute ses tounes c’est «J’suis un weirdo alcolo qui frappe des femmes et tue tout le monde qui rencontre mon chemin parce que je suis un weirdo alcolo», suivi de 10 minutes de simagrées vocale de retardé intellectuel.
Please not another one. The music is slow-motion blues-rock with all the excitement removed. The songs are turgid ramblings of a bore. The voice is as uninteresting as already-dried paint. I may have to skip if yet another Nick Cave album pops up. 1*
Nick Cave sings 10 songs about death and murder. It’s one of the more jovial moments of his career.
A great moody atmosphere that drapes over the album like a dark cloak. Incredibly theatrical in its display, which works wonderfully as a point of emphasis. Dramatic and deeply serious, there’s a wonderful level of emotion that this project puts forth. Faves: Stagger Lee, Henry Lee, Where the Wild Roses Grow, Song of Joy
Baritone
The vocal delivery and much of the music ruin what, for me, could be interesting songs lyrically.
Good group, Good lead singer. Good music.
An absolutely monotonous album to listen to. Sounds like the ramblings of a drunk man at a bar. Random Kylie Minogue feature couldn't save this
Donker maar wel goeeed
Trash
Absolutely love this album. Utterly brilliant. Great tunes. Fabulous lyrics, dark, amusing, unusual theme. Like listening to a musical audio book. Just great from start to (nearly) finish. The only dud was the final Bob Dylan authored track.. Whoda thunk it. I get the tongue-in-cheekness of adding this at the end of an album that is basically all murders. It's just sadly not a great song. 4½
Really wanted to like this but it wasn’t the best.
Looking for an upbeat start to your day? Look somewhere else! Here's, we range from the sad, haunting stories, such as the Kylie infused Where The Wild Roses Go, through the Tarentino-esque gun splattered fun of Stagger Lee and The Curse of Milhaven right up to the psychotic violence of O'Malley's Bar. And as i write this review in an Irish bar, it's raised the awareness levels! So, notwithstanding for everyone then, but if you like a narrative with your songs, and a decent melody, it's not all bad. Doubt it'll get you into a party mood though. A high 3☆ for a handful of decent stories.
14歳のころに聞いてたらハマってたかも
Not really my cup of tea, but the duet with Kylie Minogue was ok.
Menudo vozarrón
prachtige teksten met soms schaarse begeleiding... dreigend (laatste nummer niet meegerekend natuurlijk)
No thanks
Nick Cave is quite the storyteller. I defy anyone to find a more depressing album than Murder Ballads. It drags in a couple spots, but overall it's a solid album.
Fuuuuck. I just don't get Nick Cave. His work with the Birthday Party is pretty good, but this album just sounds like mass shooter Bob Dylan.
I really liked the last song and enjoyed the songs with PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue. The heavy gothic flavor is up his alley, and he’s trying to add flavor by genre jumping a little, but there are too many clunkers here.
Cool sound, but I don't like the songs. Or the cartoonishly dire vocals.
This is really hard to listen to. Also really, really good.
Not bad, but still not a big Nick Cave guy. Does he really need this many albums on the 1001 list?
Review premier degre: l'exercice est cool, mais c'est chiant de fou et je kiffe pas trop les description de violence tres longues et en revanche quand on decrit sa femme par le sorrow de ses breast, man hater maybe. wow wow wow, 2 tracks in, encore des supers descriptions de femmes et une imitation de meuf conne.... nan mais stop les insultes et les menaces de viol, c'est qui ce gars la ??? Je fais que lire les paroles a partir de la, parce que visiblement ils voulaient ecrire un livre. bon c'est des bandeurs d'ameriques coloniales "so mothers keep you girls at home" horrible, dommage qu'il n'y ait pas 0 etoiles, c'est nul
I found Nick Cave so overrated. I just want him to shut up
Nothing new here. Much the same as their other albums. But generally OK. Some great lyrics some awful ones. Minimalist music which means its a sit down listen. Boring.
Wait, there are FIVE Nick Cave albums on this list? wow... just, wow.
I didn’t expect the album title to be so literal. This is a batshit insane album, I really liked it.
Here I am, finally giving this album the 1 star without making it all the way through. What a bunch of violent garbage, I tried listening with my dad who likes a different Nick Cave album and after 2 songs he said "nope", put on a Sonny Clark album, and we couldn't have been happier.
An album of murder ballads was always going to be a hard listen. But I thought if anyone could pull it off, Nick Cave could. And boy was I neither right now wrong. He nails the tone of them and gets some great features for this. But at the end of the day, this is an hour long slog through the worst humanity has to offer. It’s a five-star quality, for a two-star idea. I’m only rounding up from that average for the Dylan cover at the end.
he loves his stories !
-1 for o'malleys bar
Weird album but what did I expect? It’s pretty cool. Very surprised to hear Kylie Minogue on one of the tracks!
Nick Cave is a natural at evoking gloom. What an ideal concept for his voice. He sounds convincingly like he's muttering his stories at you from the other side of a jail cell. (No wonder his romantic songs come across as creepy.)
I'm not a fan of Nick Cave's style, and this was as tiresome as I expected. An interesting idea, but not my style at all.
Australian Leonard Cohen tells stories about murder. It was interesting for the first few songs
I saw that this was Nick Cave, and my initial thought was a revolting “ugh”. Lo and behold, I kept looking at how much of the album I have left. Glad it’s over, I’m not coming back.
Cave does Tarantino
Thoughts before listening: I have always found Nick Cave to be too dark for my tastes. I know he is loved by many people that tend to share music preferences with me, and I know this album in particular is considered a classic for the post-punk genre, but I have just never been able to get past the darkness. Review: So I like the music. It's cinematic and dramatic post-punk with lots of bluesy swagger and kind of an old timey country vibe that is always interesting. The mixture of more modern alternative sounds with old timey styles is making me think of Tom Waits a bit. Also similar to Tom, the vocals take some getting used to, with Nick Cave using more of a talk sing baritone compared to Tom Waits' raspy carnival barker. I do really like the female vocals that come in to bring a welcome counterpoint on multiple songs. Some of the songs are more profane than I want them to be, and as you would expect from the album title, the lyrics are dark throughout. Still though, I'm enjoying this and will give it 4-stars.
144/1001 First listen. I bought Nick Cave’s best of CD years ago based solely on Red right hand. There wasn’t one other song near as good as that. There wasn’t even one other song that was good. The rough pre internet days. The music is okay on this album but this is not good singing. At times it’s just awful. I just don’t get it. I say no thank you to Nick Cave. 2/10
This kind of voices are not my thing
Failed the 3 strikes and you’re out test. Couldn’t make it all the way through the first 3 tracks without hating someone or something. What the fuck is wrong with 90s bands, all they do is hate, and worship death and dysfunction. Music to suicide by.
Nick Cave feels like a real life Cormac McCarthy character.
This will have been the third Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds album on my journey. I remember first listening to his near-hit with Kylie Minogue, "Where the Wild Roses Grow", a year and a half ago. Such an unconventional team-up that led to a serene waltz with the organic strings, acoustic guitar, and piano coalescing around this duet as they recount the murder of Elisa Day, from both the perspective of the killer and the victim. It is a genuinely amazing single that gave a taste of what Murder Ballads had in store. True to its title, this record is a collection of narrative-driven songs that detail various murders... for the most part; I'll put a pin on that for later. Atmosphere is the name of the game here, as the compositions crawl with visceral menace, largely piano-driven as Nick and Conway Savage's tickled those ivory keys, with additional support from the distorted guitars of Blixa Bargeld and Mick Harvey, and the strong rhythmic foundation of Martyn P. Casey, Jim Sclavunos, and Thomas Wylder. It's the perfect backdrop for Nick to brood with specificity in these graphic tales. From the death of a mother and her three daughters in the chilling "Song of Joy", to the New Orleans R&B swagger of "Stagger Lee" as an update on the folk iconography of the murderous pimp Lee Shelton, to another bona fide duet on "Henry Lee" as PJ Harvey effortlessly played the woman who kills her cheating lover, to the wandering haze of "Lovely Creature" with the whooshing organ as a girl is left to die in the desert sands, to the choir accompaniment on the manic shuffle of "The Curse of Millhaven" as the character of Loretta went on a misguided killing spree, to the somber recounting of a crime scene in "The Kindness of Strangers", to the haunting blues of "Crow Jane" as the titular character went from rape victim to mass murderer, nothing is left on the table with each sensationalist story that offered a unique perspective. Probably the most spine-tingling tale came in the 14-minute "O'Malley's Bar", the song that spurred on the creation of this album. An eerie cabaret piece as Nick played a demented man hell-bent on his killing spree, only to stop from ending his life at the very end when his humanity was regained, and he turned himself in to the police. It's the kind of striking songwriting that I would not have expected any less from him. All that said, I come back to my pin from earlier, as there is but one song on the album where a murder didn't happen. That would be the closer, a cover of Bob Dylan's "Death Is Not the End", where Nick is not only accompanied by Kylie and PJ on the vocals once again, but also his bandmates, Shane McGowan of the Pogues, and singer-songwriter Anita Lane. Sure, it has been described as a tongue-in-cheek inclusion by Nick, but I think there is something potent in the sentiment that for all these lives prematurely ended, there is still more in store for them, be it in the afterlife or in the memories of those we loved. Perhaps it's a bit of a reach to call it intentional, but I certainly felt moved by it as a curtain call. Murder Ballads is a wonderful album, truly encapsulating what Nick Cave is known for as a singer-songwriter.
My second Nick Cave album. I stand by the assertion that he sounds a bit like the Australian Tom Waits. That's partly just the baritone vocal register but also the darkness of the music. On the whole, it's both pretty and vulgar. I do think that more folks should listen to Nick Cave. He's fairly unique (apart from comparisons to Tom Waits) and it's worthwhile to be exposed to other takes on what pop music (as opposed to Western orchestral "art" music) can be. However, it sounds a little bit like a parody of itself. It sounds like this is the lounge singer in the background of a Muppet-based noir (which is the disappointing Happytime Murders, if you must know). It doesn't diminish my interest in exploring more of Nick Cave's music but it's not an album that I'm rushing to get back to. It's also worth noting that murder ballads were a very popular songwriting form for a long time and Cave & crew do two traditional numbers ('Stagger Lee' and 'Henry Lee') here. It's an outlier in terms of successful records in the middle 90's and that's remarkable in and of itself. The collabs are nice (Kylie Minogue, PJ Harvey and Shane McGowan). Overall though, I'm not coming back. 3/5 -- Nick Cave is cool but he's only a sometimes food for me, like duck.
I enjoyed this album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds! Cave definitely has a unique and deep vocal quality but for the subject matter and macabre vibe of the album I think that the talk singing compliments the album well. Overall, I dug this dark alt rock album and would listen to it again in the future!
Dark, twisted and beautiful.
No one tells a story in a song like Nick Cave does.
Oscuro, intenso y cargado de emociones. Creo que se necesita mucho tiempo y coraje para meterse en el mundo de Nick Cave. Considero que lo más atractivo acá está en la lírica, algo difícil de resolver en un día. Esto no es para cualquiera, realmente debe gustarte.
Could not get through it. I am baffled by all the Nick Cave albums on this list. I had to turn this off before the end of the second song.
I know, I know, I know I need to be listening to the lyrics here. He's a storyteller, and that's the whole point. And probably I would find this very valuable if I keyed in. But damn, this dude's voice sucks. And damn, this is some weird shit. I can't be too upset, because at least it's artistic and interesting, but what exactly is the point here man. Fave tracks: - Stagger Lee - Lovely Creature - The Curse of Millhaven - Crow Jane - O'Malley's Bar (side note: this seems to me like the epitome of this album. A long, thought-out, wacko story. Pretty cool, even if it was weird and somewhat boring.)
I was a bit bored by this. There are some tracks that have great playing, but the western narrator style of "singing" is something I didn't like. Or to put it differently, everything Cave did on this album, Tom Waits did better numerous times before and after. It was a very mediocre experience all in all, pulled up to a 3/5 by lyricism and a backing band that had no room to shine anywhere
i like the concept/storytelling idea, just some songs were far too long and not my fav vocals highlights: Where the Wild Roses Grow, The Curse of Millhaven
Surprisingly impressed
Never have so many people been killed on the one album and considering young Kylie is on here the profanity is off the scale but it works with guest appearances by Shane and PJ. really good album
not my cupper
ja ganz cute. 3.5.
Murder Ballads is filled with rich storytelling, real emotions, and a cohesive album start to finish. It's a magnificent album.
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (said threateningly)
love nick cave. this "stagger lee" is the best version of the "stagger lee"s. saw him do it live, one of the best performances i've ever seen. fun to imagine a kylie minogue stan buying this album for her two spots and getting this album.
Great
Oh good, more Nick Cave :eyeroll: The first track reminds me of Andy Bernard from The Office singing the Sweeney Todd soundtrack. I don't really DISlike Nick Cave, but I've just never gotten the fascination with him. I definitely don't think a person needs to hear multiple Nick Cave albums before he/she dies. I liked the PJ Harvey track. "O'Malley's Bar" went on way, way, WAY too long. Covering "Death Is Not the End" was cool. This gets a 2 - 2.5 from me.
Dosadnjikavo. 2/5, 3/10
Tf is this lol
4 star if it ended with Crow Jane
Found it fairly tedious and self-indulgent.
Id rather listen to tom waits
I think embracing Nick Cave is largely about buying into his schtick. Listening to this, I buy into it, for a while, and then I get tired of it. Some great moments on here, but it's too much for me for a long album. 6.8 Fav song: The Curse of Milltown Least fav: O'Malley's Bar Song
Perhaps not usually the sort of thing I would enjoy listening to but I was certainly drawn in by the story telling in this one. Couldn’t help but admire the audacity to put out a song like Stagger Lee. Ok so maybe by the end I was a bit murdered out but certainly enjoyed it more than I was expecting to.
A concept album of songs about murder? Well it certainly is unique. His voice on this annoys me and the Kylie cover is pretty bad. Like the last album we had of his, it goes on far too long.
All went a bit Band Aid at the end there, what was that all about? Anyway, it really does turn out you can have too much murder on an album. It starts off ‘brightly’ and the duets are the real highlights of the album (and I thought murder ballads were traditionally a play off of male and female leads?). Which also helps prove a theory I have that Nick Cave albums would probably be better if there was a less Nick Cave singing on them. The theory is also proven by the album and the theme dragging as it went along, and quite honestly in O’Malleys bar you’re just wishing he would stop. And then back to the comedy ending.
apart from the tender top-20 hit "Where the Wild Roses Grow" (a duet with Kylie Minogue) and the tongue-in-cheek closing cover of Bob Dylan's "Death Is Not the End", Nick Cave's ninth album with the Bad Seeds is a series of depraved, twisted and (pardon the pun) seedy stories of, you guessed it, murder and death. Cave is an artist whose large body of work has always felt rather imposing to me in the past, and my previous experiences trying to enter his musical world have often left me feeling a bit cold. I think what I needed to do was a bit of homework; I've recently become enamored with the various musical projects of his fellow Australians Gareth Liddiard and Fiona Kitschin (namely The Drones and Tropical Fuck Storm), whose Caveian influences are now far more apparent to me. like those bands, the Bad Seeds make rock music with macabre conceptual underpinnings and an experimental approach to production and instrumentation. the approach to storytelling Cave takes on Murder Ballads, a mixture of traditional and new songs, also does a lot to draw me into the sound his band conjures, and reminds me quite a lot of Liddiard's approach to similarly harrowing stories like "The Radicalisation of D". "Song of Joy" opens with sparse, pummeling drums, a honky-tonk piano hammering away, and Cave's sinister baritone recalling the story of a man who murders his entire family; the sick twist comes with the reveal that it was the narrator himself who did the deed. "Stagger Lee" is a decidedly darker take on the traditional song of the same name, with a ton of profanity and sexually charged lyrics which certainly caught me the hell off guard! there's a slight influence from hip hop here, with the slow, tight drum break, the lumbering, independent bassline and Cave's spoken-word vocal delivery approaching rapping or toasting. (he's also credited with firing the gunshots you hear towards the end!) the similarly titled "Henry Lee" follows, the first moment of some reprieve. it's a gorgeous piano ballad featuring PJ Harvey (Cave's then-girlfriend) that recounts the story of a woman scorned by her husband after the birth of their child; she kills him after he tells her of his plan to leave her for another woman, abandoning both her and the kid. honestly, who could blame her? the rest of the album follows in a similar fashion; sometimes serene, sometimes evil, always a little bit theatrical. as dark as these murder stories get, there's always a little bit of humor in the proceedings, which helps this 60-minute album (the penultimate track accounts for nearly a quarter of that time) not feel like a slog. even as the characters in these stories commit heinous acts of violence, sometimes leveling entire towns just for the thrill of it, there's always something kind of affable about them underneath it all. Cave's ability to turn characters like Loretta ("The Curse of Millhaven") or the unnamed narrator of "O'Malley's Bar" from villains into likeable antiheroes is something to behold! light 9/10.
A four star album, but it had Polly Jean on one song
it's been one of the most boring albums I've ever heard. and dreadful man's voice. maybe i should pay attention for lyrics bcz it's named "murder BALLADS" but I'm too lazy to do any research.
First time I ever saw Nick Cave was in Wim Wenders’ film Wings of Desire - yeah someone who departed to Berlin the 80s I enjoyed following his career. That said I never sat down and fully listened to this particular LP. I enjoyed the thematic organization of some creative and dark songs. Not a 5-star album (although I would love to give it some ballast in these darn rankings!) but I judge for myself and this is a solid 4.
It was a bit odd but it worked
This is probably the coolest album that I've found here that I wouldn't have known about without listening to these. One never heard of Nick Cave, much less The Bad Seeds, but I'm glad I have now. To show you can sing and tell a compelling story all within one album is impressive. I saw someone said this album is badly sung, but Nick shows us he can sing well. Choosing to not be right on pitch on several tracks is clearly an intentional choice and, I believe, one that adds to the album.
I don't appreciate this... I don't mind the stories, but the vocals make this an unpleasant listen. Also R.I.P Biko.
Not sure the context someone would listen to this for fun, but it is well made and almost soothing for Murder Ballads.
Я не умею и не люблю погружаться в лирику в музыке. Куда более мне интересно непосредственно музыкальная составляющая, потому этот альбом мне не слишком нравится, хотя стоит отметить очень красивый вокал Ника Кейва, который ещё прекраснее раскрывается в сочетании с PJ Harvey.
So a couple of things - the album title and a duet with PJ Harvey *feel* too on the nose for Nick Cave. Like don’t you only sing murder ballads? All kidding aside the only thing that bugged me about this record was how Nick slipped into Leonard Cohen a bit too much for my liking.
3.5 more than a 4, love Stagger Lee and Wild Rose, probably need to hear again
Nick Cave is complicated for me. I appreciate his complex creativity, and would probably even consider going to a concert. But it isn't an album I would listen to on a regular basis. I still appreciate him.
Nick Cave is the more refined version of Tom Waits. Which means you can actually enjoy the music more without Waits’ faux rasp. Some good track but nothing that really hooked me in for multiple listens.
Bland Caves bästa, speciellt duetterna!
Ett väldigt speciellt sound och som historieberättande intressant, men som musik känns det svårare att betygsätta. Finns dock helt klart några toppar som höjer det hela.
Fantastiskt stämningsfull musik och berättande. Mörkret fångar mig verkligen och har svårt att se att den här typen av musik kan göras bättre än åtminstone första halvan!
Mördarmusik?? Inte så nice.
Very dark and sinister, not an easy listen type album, but similar to Tom Waits, Nick has a charisma that draws you in.
Best concept album?
It's Nick Cave
Pretty dark music (melodically- and lyrically-wise) and sometimes it feels like the singer's rhythm is a little off. I think I might like it a bit better (find it tolerable even) if he had better rhythm and better notes (sometimes he feels like he's not completely right with his notes). I'm just imagining the kind of person who would write/sing these songs... and it's kinda hard to enjoy his voice after thinking about that. Seems like a bad version of Ballad of Hollis Brown. If you want ballads, listen to Bob Dylan. It's like nasty, serial killer Ted Bundy mixed with Bob Dylan. Did not like this at all. I got through half of it and figured it was enough
After the slog that was Ghosteen, I was dreading having to listen to this. I'm happy to report that the music is a lot better. Granted, there is still the personal issue that I don't much like listening to Nick Cave sing, but in general everything else about this album is very good. Conceptually, the music is a mixture of haunting/malevolent traditional songs and original songs in that vein, and I think it works very well up until the final two songs, the interminable (14 minutes!) "O'Malley's Bar" and funereal throwaway "Death Is Not The End". But then there's Nick. I don't think singing has to be perfect. Some of my favorite albums have been sung by raggedy-ass singers, and I don't think he sounds bad on every song ("The Curse of Millhaven" is maybe my favorite song on here, and I think he handles it pretty well) but he often shoots for emotion his voice doesn't have the power to convey, sounding more petulant than angry on "Stagger Lee" for example. Not to belabor the point, but I would have enjoyed this a lot more if he enlisted his various guests (PJ Harvey and Shane McGowan, especially) to handle more of the vocal workload. Still, all in all, I didn't mind listening to this, at least up until "O'Malley's Bar" and we'll just pretend the album cuts off before then.
I liked this way more than I thought I would
yeah not my vibe. most songs sounded like theyd be on a disney villians soundtrack.
Coldplay left me well, cold
This isn't my kind of thing at all, either musically or lyrically
I don't know if I'd say I "enjoyed" this album, but it was interesting at the very least. The whole murder theme is honestly a little offputting as someone without much interest in the macabre, so opening with a track like Song of Joy, which seems to revel in being as grim as possible, gave me a bad impression right off the bat. That immediately being followed up by the unbearably edgy Stagger Lee was probably the nadir of the record. I feel like there must be something going over my head with that song because it's such a crude and unpleasant listen that it somehow feels out of place even on an album as dark as this one. Maybe it's a parody of something, I don't know. The album does pick up in the middle though, with guest vocals from the likes of PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue helping to break up the oppressive monotony of Cave's own distinctive singing style. I feel like the songwriting itself got a little more varied and interesting here as well, but I'll be honest I don't feel like listening to the album again to better elaborate how right now. I can't give a review of this album without touching on The Curse of Millhaven and O'Malley's Bar. With this being my first Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds record I've listened to in full, I feel like I got a better idea of what Cave is all about and his sense of humour after listening to these. I do find the macabre subject matter more palatable when it's played as obviously farcical as it is in these tracks. While the lyrics are clever and engaging here, I think Curse did a much better job of not outstaying its welcome; 15 minutes is a tough ask when the music itself is as repetitive and static as it is in O'Malley's Bar. Then again, repetitive seems to be just how this band does things. Favourite tracks: Where the Wild Roses Grow, Curse of Millhaven
This project is making me question if I actually like music
what is the obsession with this band?! 3 albums in the overall list. please stop
M’lady ass music
*Cool world building *Dark mood- unique sound but probably won't listen again
My wife wants to leave me. I‘m in a period of sorrow. This is not the right time for this album. I wonder though for whom it is the right time.
I... Don't like this. I don't know exactly why but it just all feels wrong. The instrumentation is ugly and the vocals aren't much prettier. At first it just felt like random noise. Looking into the story of the album (and, well, the name), I guess it does make sense why it sounds the way it does. It's about ugly crimes. But still, this doesn't appeal to me.
no
When Nick Cave went into mainstream consciousness without even trying. Being himself and bringing fellow Kiwi Kylie Minogue into his wheelhouse didn’t hurt one bit.
A creepy, weird, awesome concept album. I’ve always been intrigued by Nick Cave, but this was my first time listening.
I remember the singles from back in the day. The other tracks are a mixed bag for sure. Long story songs sort of pass over you. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No 48/197 (24%) Will I get: Probably not
I'm a bit conflicted. I think this was a cool album, it's just not my style, but I think it was pretty well done and it was interesting to listen to
Cave at his diabolical best. Tales of bad people doing bad things, with a soundtrack to match. Impeccable guest spots from Kylie and PJ Harvey (as well as Shane MacGowan and the whole Bad Seeds on the final track). The sprawling O’Malley’s Bar does drag a bit towards the end of its nearly 15 minutes, but that is a minor quibble on a magnificent album. It’s loud, its brash, it’s a bit silly, and it leaves you feeling just a bit dirty. Mission accomplished.
Gives me Andrew Bird vibes. Not bad, but I definitely need to be in the mood for it.
I hated this. Could not even finish
Really liked it
Interesting but a bit bland
Don't like this genre. So, bullshit
2.5
9/10… alternative pop / gothy / *1996 👂 Thx to Tine 🫶
Some really gorgeous stuff.
He's a conservative now and I don't like to listen to him anymore :(
I love albums that tell you exactly what they are. "Murder Ballads" is a whole experience. Two features stuck out in particular-- done by two legends in their own right-- PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue. Really spectacular performances with intricate and unique lyrical styles that fit the theme of each song. "The Curse of Millhaven" was probably my favorite, both for its jaunty tempo and creative lyrics.
They call me the wild rose!! But my name was Elisa Day!!!!!!! Love literally everything by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds but I’m saving my 5 stars for Abattoir Blues.
My favorite of Nick Cave's early releases, and maybe my favorite album from him, period. Yes, it's edgy and overly grotesque, which is what initially drew me to it as a teenager - the many dark, twisted tales that Nick expressively goes through on this record. That part sort of grew off of me over the years, but goddammit it's still so much fun...for the most part, you do get the sudden mood change with 'The Kindness of Strangers' which is the most serious the album takes itself (don't know how I feel about it entirely). But it's the production value on this thing that remains the album's best quality; it's so beautiful. Really fits this album cover - beautiful on the outside, but with something truly sinister hidden underneath. Each backing track fits the story being told, rising and falling with the song's story beats. I love the intro to 'Stagger Lee'; it's ominous and subtle, and it really takes its time before the drums kick in and the story of the titular badass unfolds. This album is over the top, in general, but this song might take the cake, and Nick clearly knows that - it sounds like he's having way too much fun on here. 'Lovely Creatures' has that iconic somber, full-moon, heavy piano playing, but it's so nicely juxtaposed with these sharp guitar hits and this driving drum beat. And for as long and repetitive as it is, I'll always love the barroom organ style of 'O'Malley's Bar'. Feels like some innocent bystander just panically playing in the background as the whole mess unfolds. And the guest vocalists on here are so important to the album, a much-needed contrast to Cave's deep bellowing croon on so many of these nocturnal, evil songs. There's no way I won't love PJ Harvey on this; her chemistry with Nick Cave on 'Henry Lee' is mesmerizing (I believe they were dating at the time). Love this woman's vocals generally, but this is honestly one of her very best, which is saying so damn much. Easily the best song here, and maybe my favorite Nick Cave song period. And for as repetitive as they are, the backing vocals on 'Lovely Creature' over this ever-evolving instrumental add a lot of drama and weight to the whole thing. 'Where The Wild Roses Grow' is maybe the most "dark cabaret" thing here, as Kylie Minogue's angelic vocals so beautifully hover over this pillowy string section. Another incredible song. And it's honestly pretty cheesy, but I'll always have a soft spot for 'Death Is Not The End', it offers somewhat of a resolution(?) to much of the album's "themes", if you can even call them that. Was a bit nervous revisiting this. I hadn't listened to it in years despite being in love with it as a teenager. And while it doesn't hit the same this time, I do still think this is one of the lushest-sounding albums in its lane, and those guest vocalists are as incredible as I remember. Nick Cave's music and songwriting would only grow deeper and more mature after this, but this is a nice send-off to my favorite era of his.
Ever wanted to listen to a disappointing musical with bad lyrics an and even worse vocals from the kids who didn’t get to be in the community theater play? Well … have I got an album for you!
One of Nick Cave more famous releases, mostly because of its concept. It is a fun one. Here, Cave is at his most csrtoonishly evil and macabre, and as far as lyrics and storytelling go, this album is unparalleled at what it does. Painting a picture, setting the mood, and delivering all the plot twists and insane violence with finesse, even when the tone is B-movie level of silly rather than serious. Musically, however, I can't say this is one of my favorites. The folk song forms these songs take work wonders for delivering the story, but are not so great from songwriting point. Some songs, especially the longer ones, tend to get a bit repetitive, and in a jam band sense, where the listener can get lost in it. The big exception here is the gorgeous Kylie Minogue duet "Where the Wild Roses Grow", which excel at both being narrstively and musically engaging, and finds Minogue right at the peak of her mid-late 90's Indie arc. I completely understand why this is one of Cave's most successful records, but I much prefer the heartbroken balladry of his next album, The Boatman's Call (also on this list), or his darkly sophisticated previous one, Let Love In (not on the list, but highly recommended). Key tracks: Henry Lee Where the Wild Roses Grow
2/5
Oh Nick Cave. This album is fine. I didn't enjoy the duets, but I understand they are "well sung". The cover is good, so points for that I guess? Overall I just don't get it...
You can tell when someone swears a lot because they’re compensating for lack of substance. The whole album was this.
The only bad seed is the sperm that wriggled its way into Mrs. Cave and gave life to this talentless phuck
The seeds are bad alright
Well, the title doesn’t lie. Operatic, dark, dramatic. Also very theater-kid energy. The songs go from passionate, angry, intense to overblown and silly. But that’s the Nick Cave promise. It’s gonna get big.
Weird somehow, 14 Minuten Song?!
Just a bit cringe honestly
5.5/10
Perfect album to play in the background when you’re killin’ folks. It’s actually great Nick Cave has an outlet in music to keep him from hopping around the countryside doing heaps of murders of his own. These work so well because the Bad Seeds are equally locked in on the vision. They don’t come much more delightfully demented than this.
It what could only be some intern’s stand against The Broadcasting Standards Authority, the uncensored version of Stagger Lee was played on New Zealand state television at approximately 11 am on a Sunday. The year was 1996 or 1997. I was 11, my brothers were 9 and 7. Morning cartoons had just ended, and now, suddenly, we were watching a tale of murder and sexual depravity told with the worst swearing we’d ever heard on mass broadcast media. Oh that glorious swearing. Something close to righteous joy washed over us to the equal parts horror and amusement of our father. We yelled “Mr Motherfucker do you know who I am?” and kicked over the coffee table. We fired finger guns and counted the holes in our motherfucking heads. We lined up the stuffed animals to search for fat boy’s assholes. We hollered and beat the ground like those apes at the start of Space Odyssey. It was bedlam. Looking back, there was a valuable lesson on censorship. It’s not the words themselves that ‘they’ aim to stop, under the premise of moral purity or what have you. It’s that spirit of mayhem that must be suppressed at all costs. Link Wray knew that. There’s a riot closer to the surface that we think.
fuck yess
I...don't...get it. I don't think I'm going to get it. This is my second Nick Cave album in the project...and it's not getting better.
ARROGANCE
The first couple tracks are unlistenable but I grew on me as I listened to the rest.
I liked the PJ / Kylie duets - but found the majority of the album like an extended version of the Peaky Blinders theme tune. After a few tracks the novelty wore off and the repetition of content got a bit annoying.
Murder Ballads This has a cartoonish malevolency that is extremely enjoyable. Obviously there is a degree of seriousness to an album of songs about death and murder, but running through that is a darkly comic tone, not played for laughs exactly, more that humour is the other side of the coin to the morbidity. And there’s many very catchy la la la las. It takes a few listens to warm up. Despite some excellent piano and spooky backing vocals Song of Joy is quite a slow burn, but it starts hitting its straps in the brilliantly filthy Stagger Lee, and then taking off with Polly Jean on Henry Lee, their gloomy, gothic voices are fantastic in tandem. Lovely Creature has that great galloping rhythm and catchy la la las, evoking the Wild West. Where the Wild Roses Grow is superb, Kylie doesn’t have the strongest voice, but it is distinctive and characterful, and her hushed, delicate tones work perfectly here, and it’s hard not to think this is an old, old folk song in the vein of Long Black Veil or the House Carpenter. The Curse of Millhaven, with its swirling organ and violin, brings a circus like vaudevillian feel, with a frantic, creepy edge, whereas The Kindness of Strangers' more mellow music hides another murder drenched lyric. I love the twangy, 50s ghost town vibes of Crow Jane, a great evocation of mood and menace. Having recently listened to Highway 61, O’Malley’s Bar has a Dylan-esque feel in its length and the free-ranging narrative of the verses, even if Dylan doesn’t normally mention his dick and murdering loads of people, the pulsing, portentous groove is superb, tracking the protagonist as he works his way around the bar. And then of course it ends on the ironic joke of Dylan’s Death is Not the End, a great cover. This is right on the border of 4 and 5, it’s a great album, every track consistent with the overall theme, with a pretty unique sensibility, and there aren’t really any weak moments, so I think it probably has to be a 5. ⚰️⚰️⚰️⚰️⚰️ Playlist submission: O’Malley’s Bar
A fascinating album, Nick Cave doesn't hold back lyrically, and pushes many of his murderous tales to the graphic limit. But rather than being gratuitous, they are very effectively shrouded in a sinister atmosphere, both forbidding and foreboding. About the only track I didn't get on with is 'The Curse of Millhaven', with it's alternating bassline and accordion, it sounds like a cross between the Moulin Rouge soundtrack and a jug-band - it doesn't have the power of the rest of the album. The Dylan cover is quite bonkers, and actually made me think it was an upside-down version of 'Feed the World' - a motley crew of singers taking random lines and not really hanging together. Still - better than the lacklustre original. Whilst not as great as 'The Boatman's Call' it's a fine piece of evocative work. It borders top tier; it's unique enough to be admitted.
Definitely not an album to listen to if you are looking for something happy and a good pick me up. A whole album of songs about death and murder is for sure not for everyone. But it's a cohesive album for sure and a classic Nick Cave album.
Not for me. Found it kind of cheesy even
Another Nick Caves and the Bad Seeds album, albeit the last one. I might like Murder Ballads the most. I enjoy concept albums already, and I especially like dark subjects on an album. Maybe the concept is very on the nose considering the album title, but I'll let it go. Nick Cave executed his vision well because the album flows and he creates quite an enticing story. I appreciate he used several traditional songs, but you can't tell since their inclusion is seamless. I have no shame when I claim that "Where the Wild Roses Grow" is the best song on the album, and specifically because of Kylie Minogue's vocals. And my nemesis PJ Harvey was also featured on this album. Whatever, Nick Cave, just take your 3.
I'm not much of a fan of Nick Cave music, but I begrudgingly kind of enjoyed this album. I'll blame the murder ballad angle of the entire album, because I AM a sucker for that. This type of music is very typical for Nick Cave, but I was very pleasantly surprised to hear how great Kylie Minogue sounded on a track like "Where the Wild Roses Grow". She lends an air of mystery and really contributes to making this the best song on the album. "O'Malley's Bar" is almost insufferable, and unfortunately it's nearly 15 minutes long. It made me almost want to knock this album down to a 2, but then came "Death is Not the End" to save this album's 3 rating. I enjoyed how most if not all of the vocal contributors on the album came together to add to this final track. All in all, there are just some very good aesthetic and style choices at play on this album.
It's like Tom Waits but worse. Will I listen to again: 2%
In Scotland when we say something is murder we're saying it is crap. e.g. That film we watched last night was murder. These are all Murder Ballads but these Ballads are not all Murder. I was deep in my Nick Cave fandom when this album came out. So much so that I was almost in denial that it was the first thing by him that disappointed me a bit. There are plenty great moments. Song of Joy is a brilliant concoction with the full power of the Bad Seeds allied to a fine creepy tale with a classic unreliable narrator. Stagger Lee unearths an interim horror version of this venerable lyric to amusing effect. It's a white boy joining the dots between 90s Gangsta rap and the real life Stag O Lee Shelton who was a 19th century peacocking pimp who served time for shooting Billy Lyons dead. By the time he was released there were already versions of the song where he was executed for the crime but went to hell and murdered the devil because he was such a bad motherfucker. If this interests you I recommend Cecil Brown's incredible book Stagolee Shot Billy which charts the song's storied history and context. The album, for me, as a whole struggles under the weight of its concept. Too many of these songs feel like a grim academic exercise in fulfilling the stated brief of providing a suitable setting for O'Malley's Bar, a song that doesn't really warrant the effort and could have been consigned to a CD single extra. On the other hand I have a soft spot for the album because it is the last ride of their producer Tony Cohen and therefore the last outting for that big crowded layered Bad Seeds sound.
Another NC&tBS album - I am now confident in my assessment that I just don't like his sound/music direction. It just doesn't land well and annoys me.
Laugh out loud album! A lot of variations on what are some morbid lyrics, but somehow Nick makes it work.
Couldn't listen to the whole album, missing : - Crow Jane - O'Malleys Bar - Death is not the End Otherwise, very entertaining, thanks the various styles of songs, but also thanks to the lyrics of the songs, who ALL depict murder. Where the Wild Roses Grow is an absolute masterpiece. Really chilling song.
What a weird concept, not my vibe at all, but I ended up enjoying some parts of it.
"Jonathan Ross went to Minnesota, and shot Renee Good".
Nick Cave and The Bad Album 2/5
Contemplative, storytelling folk
I love Nick Cave. He's a performance artist in all the best ways: songwriter, musician, charisma in spades, tortured, a bit nuts. (Not all of that is great for him. But, lucky us!) He's absolutely compelling, live. I didn't exactly *love* every track; that was always on the cards, with the unedifying nature of some of the graphic scenes and verbal exchanges being portrayed. But I did find the album quite brilliant, really. Atmospheric, chilling and exciting, with moments of beauty, and some dark (of course) humour. I loved all of the instrumentation, and particularly Martyn P Casey's bass contributions. The ending made me chuckle.
I can’t do this justice on just one listen but I know I’ll listen again
How much heroin went into the creation of this album?
Not my favourite Nick Cave record. I prefer the period immediately following this where the songs are still dirgey but piano based and more introspective
Interesting, do like Nick Caves voice
Some very cool songs but a bit much at times
I love murder ballads in the abstract - they're definitely in that folk/field/traditional song set that I'm attracted to. The lyrics here are well done, the instrumentation is great. I am lukewarm on Nick Cave's execution though - he falls too far into that "Theater Kid" subset where it's too far over the top and too much of a "look at me playing a part" style that takes me out of the song a bit.
Such a classic album, its darkness is only matched by the quality of the storytelling. I found it confronting the first time I heard it a long time ago, but it’s still a classic. The final song, death is not the end finishes the album perfectly
The album title is definitely accurate
I know I’m supposed to like this, but I hated it. Graphic for the sake of being graphic. Little to no subtlety or meaning. Ponderous musically. The duet with Kylie Minogue was a high point.
No me cautivó en lo absoluto
Originally called Len Houmous & The Bad Seeds, Len, Ken Chutney, 3 of Len’s wives and Nick Cave were taking on the world and about to break America when Len found all three wives in bed with a sound technician who looked exactly like Nick. Blaming Nick, the band went there separate ways and Houmous & Chutney were born! 4.1 3/10 Henry Lee
I remember being in high school and my friend handing me his cd player to listen to Stagger Lee off of this album. I didn't want to hurt his feelings in describing how annoying I found it to be. I think Nick Cave is tedious and this is a tedious album.
Nick at his most menacing.
NICK CAVE RULES
Look, if you have a 14 minute track, it cannot be incredibly flat throughout. The whole album feels edgy in a way that isn't good. "Kindness from strangers" seemed sort of promising until it added the weird crying effects. Kylie Minogue is the best part of this but even "Where the wild roses grow" is rough. Before this I think I've only ever heard "Red Right Hand" and the song from Shrek 2. Those are good, so like... Why is this here??
I really like this. great collection of ballads and Nick cave and Kylie is great
not for me. it does feel a bit musical theatre, with each song storytelling about something murdery. I just don’t think the music itself is interesting enough to be something I return to.
This album is truly such a magnificent surprise. It's dark and cold, and great and done with so so much taste. Also, the instrumentals are on another level. The piano on the first song just gives me goosebumps. I love how much of a storytelling album it is and how immersive too. It has so many great songs, such a strong beginning and end, and so much power, both, lyrically and musically. I am obsessed with it right now, this album is spectacular. It truly is.
An interesting record. I’ve never heard of murder ballads before and it made me pay attention to the lyrics more. Pretty good
Es ist ein düsteres, faszinierendes Konzeptalbum, das mit morbidem Charme und erzählerischer Wucht überzeugt. Jeder Song erzählt eine eigene, blutgetränkte Geschichte – mal schaurig, mal poetisch. Besonders herausragend ist das Duett „Where the Wild Roses Grow“ mit Kylie Minogue: eine verstörend schöne Ballade über Liebe und Tod, die unter die Haut geht. Die stilistische Vielfalt – von zarten Melodien bis zu apokalyptischem Lärm – sorgt für Abwechslung, auch wenn nicht jeder Track gleich stark zündet. Ein makaber-schönes Meisterwerk für Freunde des Abgründigen.
Probably not an album you wanna listen to on a first date, but still an absolute banger. Threads the needle between vibes and overwrought perfectly and the content lends itself to Nick Cave beautifully. Love this record.
Very hit and miss. I think I need to listen to this again when I'm in a better mood. There was one song that was incredibly my jam but I can't seem to find it again. Ah well.
Meh
Nick Cave is a legend. At times this album flirts with musical theater which can be off putting however it’s easily forgiven by the good parts.
💕💕💕💕
This was a good listen. Interesting stories throughout but I'm not sure what mood id need to be to listen to it again?
A truly unique album that I think is Nick Cave’s best. It is disturbing, beautiful, funny, with some killer performances and storytelling. Stagger Lee and Curse of Milhaven both go so hard
This was a lot better than I was expecting, but a 15 min song is a lot
I genuinely don’t know how people can listen to this without cringing
Not for me. A miserable listen
fuckin sucks dude
What an interesting listen! I don't really like the guy's voice but still find it in me to enjoy the music. Top: Crow Jane Not Top: The Kindness of Strangers
Genius of Nick Cave, genius of the concept, at times a little too intense for me
Eh, if you like it you like it. Me not so much.
i hate this kind of thing i could not get through it
This is NOT background listening. It gets a half point back for that 2.5
7/10 Obviously a cohesive piece of work, very fitting for the time of year and pay hired nicely with the book in reading (the awesome North Woods by Daniel Mason). The songs are a bit too relentless in their bleakness (as I expected) and I could have done without the 15 mins of O'Mallhaleys Bar, but generally pretty good
An intense lyrical listening experience 💀 'Crawl over fifty good pussies to get to one fat boy's asshole' ... aye, alright Nick, calm doon 😬. It's like Cormac McCarthy: the Musical over here. All in all it's pretty great but also, if your partner listens to this more than once in a blue moon, I reckon that's a serious red flag 😅
Light 4,5
Liked this overall but it’s the weakest of their albums I’ve heard so far.
sooo many references to characters i’m like who are these people - not sure i’m the target audience fav song: death is not the end
Moody and orchestral. I love the backing tracks but I have mixed feelings about Nick's vocal delivery. It is strangely compelling though and I can see this growing on me more over time. Maybe another Bad Seeds album will be the one that converts me. Where The Wild Roses Grow is fantastic though.
A great album. I first became aware of Nick Cave with the song "Where the Wild Roses Grow." I was also familiar with the duet with PJ Harvey in "Henry Lee." I had heard the album, but didn't appreciate it. That has now changed. The album is one of my favorites. 5/5
Another artist I want to so like & parts I really do. However, this album save his tracks with Kylie Minogue came up short to me.
I dunno not for me. Temu Lou Reed vibes sorta
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Very atmospheric. Very noir. Very good.
Good
Alt tyder på at jeg og Nick Cave burde være en perfect match, og selv om jeg har likt mye av det jeg har hørt (Your Funeral ... My Trial, Let Love In, og Skeleton Tree), føler jeg ikke at det har clicka helt. Jeg ser forøvrig at curatorene, i sin uendelig visdom, ikke har inkludert Let Love In, som jeg trodde var DET essensielle Nick Cave-albumet...? Og Ghosteen over Skeleton Tree? Anyways, dette skal egentlig handle om Murder Ballads. Synes dette er bra, men blir litt monotont i lengden. Cave & co. holder fortsatt et bein i gothic rock mens de beveger seg dypere inn i crooner-territoriet hvor Cave tydeligvis føler seg mest hjemme. Klarer vel akkurat å klore til seg 4ern, for når det funker, funker det jævlig bra. O'Malley's Bar fikk meg til å innse at Iceage skylder hele soundet sitt til Nick Cave.
Jeg er veldig glad i Nick Cave, og hadde til og med en t-skjorte det sto "Murder Ballads" på. Men selve albumet har aldri vært blant mine gjengangere i Cave-katalogen. For meg blir det litt Tim Burton-aktig, en slags påtatt estetikk som er litt for tivoli-aktig for min del. Det er høydepunkt på plata, og den starter sterkt. De to tradlåtene "Stagger Lee" og "Henry Lee" funker veldig bra og funker tekstmessig fordi det er ekte murder ballads, resten blir litt fan fiction. "Where the Wild Roses Grow" har heller aldri vært noe for meg, men jeg skjønner at det er hiten fra plata. Syns også det er gøy med Dylan-coveren på slutten, med det mest brokete pubkoret med solister som har fått boltre seg i et studio noensinne. Det er ikke mye å hente fra plata den kommer fra, Down in the Groove, så det er nok like greit at Cave valgte "Death is Not the End" og ikke "Ugliest Girl in the World". Jeg lurer på om Cave hørte plata til Dylan og ble like skuffet som så mange ble, og fant ut at det var mulig å gjøre "Death is not the End" bedre i alle fall. Han klarte det i alle fall.
Starter sterkt, men det blir for kjedelig i lengden. Gjør det samme trikse om og om igjen
Funny that Kylie minogue is on this but I guess they’re both Australian. Nick cave is pretty good
Tom Waits walked so Nick Cave could also try and walk but fall flat on his face and be boring. That might be the worst version of Stagger Lee I’ve ever heard.
What a weird, awesome choice for the Christmas Eve album! I'm giving it a 4 for the creativity and because I think I'd appreciate it even more with a second listen.
Nick Cave makes me wanna cry
What the helly
What a crazy and dark album! I really liked it. It reminded me of a reimagined old country album.
Never knew such an album/genre existed. Interesting, but not my thing. Stagger lee was fun and I liked the Nick Cave Kylie Minogue combination.
had some hits for sure. i don't think i've ever heard of a 14 minute song before so that was cool.
Murder Ballads isn’t quite my favourite Nick Cave album, but its mythology looms large. This unrelenting collection of vividly imagined deaths marked a strange commercial high point for Cave, driven largely by the unlikely crossover appeal of a legendary duet with Australia’s pop princess. And it’s not even the best duet on here. “Henry Lee” with PJ Harvey - fresh from their breakup - is arguably more compelling, particularly in the video, where the performance crackles with a volatile mix of attraction and hostility. Cinematic and darkly funny from beginning to end, the gallows humour and excess of tracks like “O’Malley’s Bar” almost push things into parody. And that’s before you reach the closing track: an oddly touching, and sincere piece of tonal whiplash that cements the album as a true great.
I once saw Nick Cave at the bus stop, which was more exciting than this
this one was different, very creative
dark, creepy, bad
Not my jam... I tried but it was ok at best.
Not a fan, just more weird stuff.
I figured the album title was just a title only but nope - this album is nothing but murder and death. It's pretty morbid AND it feels lazy with the multiple repetition of names "Mary Bellows", "Elisa Day", and "Stagger Lee". Even our Queen Kylie Minogue can't redeem this l album. I'm curious how you can make a full album of this…."
That's enough Nick Cave thanks. Bonus point for Kylie bringing the sexy back on "Where the Wild Roses Grow"
Each track tells a murder mystery, and played at an intense tones with some killer riffs, and bears. If it wasn't for three filler tracks, it would be perfect. Favorite Track: "Stagger Lee".
Another excellent “winter album” (with a very appropriate cover). This one is dark as shit, but it’s incredibly varied, a real showcase of Nick Cave’s talents. If you’re interested in that sort of thing this is immensely rewarding.
Loved it, give me more murder songs with big ole erections.
++: Stagger Lee, Lovely Creature, The Curse of Millhaven, Crow Jane +: Song of Joy, Where the Wild Roses Grow, Death Is Not the End +-: Henry Lee, The Kindness of Strangers, O'Malley's Bar 6,9/10
I feel like if I listened to this more i might like it more but i'm not 100% sure on that. 2.5
This is okay, but it's no Birthday Party. Cave is playing a character here, and I guess your opinion of this album depends on whether you like or identify with that character, or not. Personally I can take or leave it. A collection of songs about people being murdered isn't really my thing. This is quite polished in terms of presentation, and that for me is where this falls down. Much as I love Blixa Bargeld, the all-star karaoke Dylan track at the end sums this album up for me. All style and no substance.
Only Nick Cave could get away with an album all about murdering women - although I doubt if he would walk away unscathed in 2025. The Kylie duet gets all the headlines. But it's the PJ Harvey collab that works best for me. Polly brings out the best baritone in Smiling Nick.
This is one of the weirdest things I've listened to in years.
Great listen! Surprisingly easy to throw on. Distinct voice with wild lyrics. I dig it.
Gross, exhausting, and unnecessary. It’s not even clever. Can’t believe he also made a record I loved.
An album entirely just about murder stories is bound to be entertaining. It also just fits Nick Cave’s energy and he shouldn’t sing about anything else
A perfectly fine gothic album, not Nick's best, not his worst either!
Ég hef ekki verið mikið fyrir Nick Cave en ég verð að viðurkenna að þessi plata er algjört gull. Ég er hársbreidd frá því að setja hana í fimmu en ætla að halda henni í fjórum. Það er bara eitthvað svo yndislegt við textamíðina og þemað en lögin eru oft mjög svipað uppbyggð sem stendur í vegi fyrir fimmunni.
3.5
As a fan of traditional murder ballads, I was perplexed and appalled. WTF!? Go to your local bar and support the real thing. It will change you.
Decent, nothing bad nothing amazing 3/5
Pretty decent album. I would recommend
Nick Cave is an artist I often lack understanding of. I hear his music, a lot of it reminds me of others artists I love, and yet his particular style has never really clicked with me in a way that I would have hoped so. Granted, I only listened to two of his full albums so far, but I have heard more of his music than that. I'll give his other projects a listen at some point. Overall, I did enjoy this record. 3.5/5
izvrsno, izvrsno! bilo koji album koji ima pjesme 'stagger lee' i 'henry lee', koje znam otprije, ne može ne biti jako dobar, ali i ostatak je albuma gotovo uvijek na toj razini... još kad sam čuo šejna na zadnjoj pjesmi... ma divota sve u svemu
A surprisingly fun album about people behaving VERY badly. I like the way it ends with the sweetly upbeat "Death Is not the End."
Weird crap, bad singing, pedestrian music.
His ninth album. Rock. This is what happens when you give a horny Jeff Dahmer some MDMA and access to a music studio with musicians in it. By the end of the album you envy the murdered and having your corpse fucked seems like a more enjoyable option than having to listen to this.
Why are there 5 Nick Cave albums on this list? This band is not that important. This is easily the worst of them too. Nah.
The record reminded me of The Doors album. The only difference is that I love The Doors; in the meantime, I don’t like Nick Cave as a singer. The theme of murder I do not like at all.
Fine
I dunno dude. I think I just really don't like Nick Cave very much. Starts and ends with the worst songs on the album. Feels pretentious throughout. The music is OK and there are moments of potential, but most of it just doesn't work for me. "The Kindness of Strangers" isn't terrible I guess. On the other hand, "O'Malley's Bar" makes me wish Nick Cave would write a murder ballad about me. Following that up with "Death is not the End" feels like they're taunting me. At least this one wasn't a double album.
Pretty dreary and depressing but that's the point so mission accomplished. Can't think of when I'd willingly listen to this again though.
Slasher film in album form. (Unfortunately, I don't really have the stomach for slashers.)