Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Very nice! This was very dark, and many of the songs were story rich, which added another level of interest to the album. Nick Cave's gloomy, brooding voice, with melancholy piano and choppy guitar is my kind of thing.
Never listened to Nick Cave. After this, I'll need to check out more. For an album called Murder Ballads, there's a lot more musical variety than I expected. Where the Wild Roses Grow is gorgeous with the string arrangements and duet with Kylie Minogue. The other two traditional tracks (with adaptations) Stagger Lee and Henry Lee are also standouts. Death Is Not the End is a change of pace which makes a good closing track to what is an album far less bleak than expectations.
interesting halloween music
Yeah pretty good
Definitely an interesting album, found myself really getting into its tales.
Man monologues over mediocre instrumentals
Listened to it twice so I must have enjoyed it. His voice reminds me of a pirate.
very gruesome lyrics, very spooky, Halloween vibes, Murder Ballads for sure Liked the singer 7/10
Surprisingly good.
I have always been skeptical of Nick Cave for a pretty absurd reason, simply because he resembles someone I know that I am extremely skeptical of. But I have never doubted that I would enjoy his music. I was told this was maybe not the best entry point to him, but I absolutely loved this and am looking forward to more of his albums (assuming there are more) on this list.
I enjoyed this. Heard the name - obz, but not actually heard the music before. I’m not sure what I was expecting, I guess something along these lines, Tom Waits/Leonard Cohen etc. and it’s not miles off. Sinister yet a sense of fun that kept me entertained to the end.
Cold and dark. It sounds like Tom Waits but without the rough, reptilian energy. This one is smooth yet thick, like blood. It's a bit boring in some places, but overall, it's quite a ride.
J'étais content d'écouter un album de Nick Cave and the bad seeds après avoir eu Abattoir Blues. Ghostseen and boatman call mon laissé un peu perplexe, car vraiment weird.. Cependant, Murder Ballads remonte la coche encore. Peut-etre pas au niveau de abattoir blues quie st plus de mon style. J'ai bien aimé Hendry Lee avec PJ harvey et les chansons plus traditionnelle de l'album. 4.25
Love a good murder ballad. Really love a whole record of them. I'm kind of so so on Nick Cave most of the time. Some of his stuff is great, some doesn't really impress. But I had a good time with this album.
7/10/2022 - ALBUM #164 Today's Album: "Murder Ballads" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Music is something that is supposed to elicit a reaction out of the listener and make them feel something. Happiness, excitement, sadness, and even tripping out are all common reactions in this regard. However, sometimes you come across a project that is intended to make you feel something you’ve never been made to feel before and in this album’s case, that feeling is dread. Now, you might hear me say that and think the experience was dreadful or that the music is overbearing, but by dread I’m talking about that combination of disgust and intrigue that you experience when witnessing something dark and gruesome. It’s almost like watching a car accident or a crime documentary and being unable to look away, and the ladder of which is very apt of this comparison as this album, “Murder Ballads” is exactly what it sounds like; 10 tracks depicting the murder of various people in various ways. Each of these stories feels like it explores murder from a different perspective and the product of that is a bunch of tracks that feel quite diverse in terms of their story, even if you know what’s going to happen at the end. For that reason, I really have to say the songwriting on this album very nearly approaches a state of perfection. The atmosphere of this album is also something that should be admired. The mellow bass and piano playing throughout the project provide a slow and melancholic backdrop and I think it really helps steer the attention to the fucked up imagery being created by the lyricism. I also give this album a lot of credit for breaking up some of the slower moments with more lively tracks like Lovely Creature and The Curse of Millhaven and I think it also does a good job implementing female vocalists into the mix on tracks like Henry Lee, Where the Wild Roses Grow, and Death Is Not The End to give the vocals more diversity. Now, with a description like that, how could I not be recommending this album to absolutely everyone? Well, a lot of the enjoyment to be gotten out of this record is up to whether or not you can handle dark imagery, dreary atmospheres, and deep vocals, and although I had a great time exploring this record and hearing these dark stories, I feel that it’s not something that warrants a ton of repeat listens. Additionally, despite everything working really well together as a cohesive piece, I don’t feel like many of the songs were able to stand out on their own or offer a solid tune in the face of the dense and often overloaded lyricism. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I think this album should have been presented any differently because I think for what it’s going for, it does a great job, but it does definitely lose some points for being generally inaccessible. Overall, this is a fantastic artistic piece with a dense and dreary atmosphere and really unique songwriting. Although it might not be immediately appealing to a general listener, I think it deserves to be experienced by anyone that can handle music with a bit of a narrative edge. Give this one a listen if you’re tough enough to handle some dark imagery and patient enough to sit through it all being told in a very laid back fashion. Highlights: Song of Joy, Henry Lee, Lovely Creature, Where the Wild Roses Grow, Death is Not the End Score: 7/10 Uniquely dark and twisted stories presented through some methodically-created atmospheric grooves.
4/5
Excellent Nick Cave & Bad Seeds album - was slightly disappointed when it was released due to their impressive previous album, Let Love In. ...25+ years later, I still find Murder Ballads a bit too uneven for giving 5 stars - a solid 4.
Impending death has never sounded this hectic, manic, romantic; Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds offered ten songs of grisly demise in the ways that only they can, finding new routes towards these ironically called ballads and giving them new life. This is, also, perhaps the only album that contains the talents of Kylie Minogue and PJ Harvey either on the same or different track. The only way for this band to go after this is up and up they will go. Favorites: Stagger Lee, Henry Lee, Lovely Creatures, Where the Wild Roses Grow, The Curse of Millhaven, O'Malley's Bar, Death is Not the End.
What a story ! It feels kind of like an audio book, but with songs. It was a nice experience.
Song Of Joy gets this off to a spooky start. Curse Of Millhaven is rad. Wild Rose is okay but not my favorite on the album. O'Malley's Bar is a long string of murderous delight.
Vissa sku kalla de ett album, personligen kallar jag det getat med såsen
Very close to giving this a five, It’s just so well executed all around. Even looking past the intriguingly morbid stories being sung (clearly being the focus), each song brings it’s own set of accompanying sounds, like organ, banging drums, strings, choirs, duets and more. A captivating listen
Älskar så gott som alla låtar och hur snuskigt, våldsamt och elaksinnad Cave är.... Crow Jane är kinda tråkig dock...
A wonderful, incredibly dark and morbid album. Cave's late '80s to early 2000s run was pretty exceptional and, while this isn't my favourite in there, it's got some standout songs and a very defined style
Dis my jam. Although, I did. It realise how many of these had been parodied by Mark and Lard so could not take them all seriously. Still loved it though.
Dark, brooding and overall fantastic.
I only vaguely knew of Nick Cave before listening, I had a hazy recollection of the duet he did with Kylie (on this cut). I wasn't looking forward to listening too much given the rather grisly concept of the album, and certainly this collection of songs channel a macabre, dark, grim essence. And yet, as much as it is quite a hard listen in places, I found this album oddly compelling; there are some really catchy tunes and Cave's growling vocals suit the subject matter perfectly. After listening, I found myself confused... had I enjoyed it? It certainly evoked feelings of disgust and yet also allure, and maybe that is the whole point of the album.
Seem like the algorithm picked up that I like the last Nick Cave album that came up (The Boatman's call). This too is good, although desolate as hell - but with a title like that what was I expecting? Hard times for Mr Cave with another of his sons recently having passed away. The man is already in a dark spot so can only think where this will take him
Just fantastic storytelling. One of the great captivating voices
Yes! Wanted some Nick Cave on here. Very atmospheric and emotive singing, I enjoyed the collaborations with PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue. The sombre tone wasn't what I wanted today, but the album is very good for the right mood.
Hey man Just remember that death is not the end. I really liked this one. It sometimes seems like gibberish, like old ass stories some dude would tell me while I'm sharing a pint with him in some fucking crusty pub. The backing vocals sort of forming this fucked up ghostly Choir. I don't know I liked it.
Already listened to it
Yeah I think I get Nick Cave now. "Ghosteen" was kinda dull but this is dark and captivating. Wonderfully textured atmospheres, dramatic vocalisations, theatrical lyrics, it's got it all. "Stagger Lee" is so fucking cool and disturbing and the culminating noise and screams at the end were haunting. Album really paints a vivid picture of tortured minds. Kylie Minogues feature on "Where the Wild Roses Grow" is beautiful. "The Curse of Millhaven" is a great catchy folk song about of murderous rampage.
Holy shit. Am I becoming a NIck Cave fan? Yes I am. 4
A R'n'R Bloodbath.
5 Bats subtotal, minus 1 Bat for a distasteful and flippant use of Stagger Lee.
I first encountered the term "murder ballad" when I was reading Wikipedia about Dwight Yoakam's album "Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room." There was a link to an entire article about them. I realized that I was familiar with them--just one of those things you don't really think about until you wonder why there are so many of these old murderous songs that are often beautiful sounding...like the title song from that Dwight Yoakam album. I also read that Nick Cave created this album as a home for "O'Malley's Bar," since on its own I think it would cause lots and lots of concern. (I was still concerned. It's a very concerning song.) But so now the album's title makes it very clear what to expect. Murder. And lots of it. Although, I'm not sure these all count as the sort of beautiful folk ballads that go with the second part of the title. Mind you, "Where the Wild Roses Grow" and "Henry Lee" are right there on point. Beautiful, but...oh! "Stagger Lee," however... not sure I could imagine an Appalachian waif of yore singing that one. But it's been a while since a song brought me so many jaw-dropping surprises after surprises. Whoa! Whoa! I haven't really been able to process this album yet. "The Curse of Millhaven" made me feel like I was hit by a Mack truck, driven by a 15-year-old. This was a trip to a very disturbing dark side. I don't know if I liked that, but it's definitely made an impact on me, and I can't say it wasn't absolutely fascinating. I don't think I'll forget this one soon.
Less a collection of songs and more a series of horror stories set to music. Upsetting and horrifying but beautifully mesmerizing. Lovely melodies belie their ugly lyrical content. The cover art is an eerie match to the tales inside. Unique and finely crafted. My only complaint is that O'Malley's Bar goes on and on and on. Death Is Not The End seems like it might be a nice ending to all the brutality but even its lyrics aren't particularly hopeful.
Excellent storytelling, interesting features.
Some great tracks. Great lyrics as ever from Nick Cave. Some tracks reminded me of early Pogues - not a bad thing at all.
Muy interesante
I actually really like a lot of modern "murder-folk" like Amigo The Devil, Tejon Street Corner Thieves, and the Bridge City Sinners. This feels like an interesting exploration of Grisly ballads long before that recent explosion in popularity. || Only a few songs really stuck out to me. Feels like a 3.5, but I'll round up.
4.5 - It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this record an artistic triumph. Cave’s voice is a deep croon that’s equally capable of frothing with rage, brooding with regret and choking with desperation. What an unmatched voice. Some songs unfold as poetic eulogies (“Where the Wild Roses Grow”) and others like dramatizations of grizzly crime scenes (“O’Malley’s Bar”). The instrumental backing adds subtle depth and amazing atmosphere. In particular, “O’Malley’s Bar” feels like you’re actually listening to the killer in the act. Great contributions by PJ Harvey and others to boot!
For the most part utterly depressing, but I did find myself getting into it more as the album went on. Especially like the Curse of Millhaven and O'Malley's Bar, "And with an ashtray as big as a fucking really big brick I split his skull in half" is a phenomenal lyric
Iconic
A good album this with some great songs, not least "Where The Wild Roses Grow" with the , then, unlikely pairing with disco/pop "Diva" Kylie Minogue. "Stagger Lee" "The Curse of Millhaven" and "Death Is Not the End" great stuff and rightfully here in my opinion!
Inimitable.
I didn't like this upon release, but it's really grown on me over the years
Heavy heavy album. Nick is such an incredible story teller, maybe the best in rock history. His talent for putting real meat on the bones of the characters that inhabit his tales of murder and mayhem is sans pareil. And the accompaniment and arrangements of the Bad Seeds enhance the drama. 4 🌟
dope! genau likas ally
Fantastic of course and probably more consistent than some other albums.
Exactly what it says on the tin. And it's fucking incredible. I'll admit that when I first listened, I accidentally had it on shuffle so it went from tracks 1->2->6 and I had quite the whiplash when I had to go back to track 3, the weakest track on the album, when track 6 is one of the strongest. I had to make sure that didn't cloud my judgement of the album as a whole, and thankfully most everything else on here is incredibly strong. All about murder, of course. Probably the best song on the album, which I really didn't expect, was a full fifteen minute long track called O'Malley's Bar, it doesn't develop much musically from front to back but the lyrical story and sheer strength of the music already there keeps you hooked all the way through. It's incredible. Great fucking songs on here, even if the album isn't consistent all the way through.
3.5 - CD gave me a chuckle so we will round up today :)
A near perfect album. An dark atmosphere of terrible tales told around a camp fire. At turns viscious, funny, sad and beautiful. Definitely worth a listen.
Dark and theatrical.
Not my kind of music at all, but songwriting is excellent
Nick Cave is like if a vampire was telling you about his day. Had a hard time getting through this, even though I actually enjoyed pretty much every track. Took me nearly three days! Don't know why. Nick Cave will always make me think of Wings of Desire/Himmel Uber Berlin.
Spooky, raw, indebted to history
Dark, dark tracks - in case the title doesn't give it away. Songs focused of death and murder and the vocals and music fits all of these songs perfectly. Best Tracks: Stagger Lee; The Curse of Millhaven; O'Malley's Bar
Jedan dosta dobar zimski album. Puno albuma gospodin Nick i njegova škvadra imaju ispod svog pojasa za koje bi se reklo da su fantastični, ovaj nije toliko baš, ali je jako dobar. Dakle nije mi u top 5, ali svejedno zaslužuje veliki rejting.
A pesar de que obviamente el estilo y género de canciones es muy conocido no tenía conocimiento de que se les llamara formalmente "murder ballads." La única vez que había escuchado el término pensé, sin darle mayor importancia, que había sido inventado para una presentación de los Tiger Lillies (que recomiendo ampliamente); todo esto no viene mucho al caso pero se me hace curioso que en todos estos años nunca me tope con el término formal. Al leer sobre el disco y el concepto pensé de entrada que iban a ser covers de canciones folclóricas clásicas del género y, aunque si vi que hay un par me pareció muy interesante que la mayoría son composición suya o al menos de creación moderna. A Nick Cave realmente llegué a conocerlo por la conexión de constantes colaboraciones con Blixa Bargeld (quien hizo quizá de las canciones más interesantes musicalmente en el disco a mi parecer - Lovely Creature, y quien debería estar en esta lista y lo más probable no esté btw) y se me hace un proyecto que varia mucho en sus discos pero siempre ofrece algo musicalmente interesante. En este caso también ofrecen a mi parecer algo líricamente macabro y delicioso con una cuenta de víctimas que si no me equivoco es como de más de 50 al menos si sumamos los muertitos de todas las canciones. Hace sin duda honra a su nombre, me agradó mucho y aunque siempre he pensado que Nick Cave suena a alguien imitando la voz de Leonar Cohen (que no digo que lo haga pero a eso suena) en este caso queda muy bien para el mood del proyecto. Las colaboraciones ya sean con PJ Harvey o Kylie o etc bien a secas, aunque buenas las canciones ni siquiera se me hacen las mejores del disco. Todo un disco que aunque al parecer surgió entre capricho/reto/broma terminó con algo tremendamente cohesivo de calidad, muy distinto y único.
4.5| que buen disco, noto mucho Leonard Cohen en su tesitura pero nada que moleste. La manera de contar las historias y de igual manera que el disco pasado de Lou Reed muy gris y macabro por hablar de muertes, me gustó mucho
En general el concepto del disco me gustó mucho y creo que valdría la pena dedicarle una oída a profundidad a las letras. Mi único (gran) pero, es que la voz de Nick Cave (especialmente combindada con lo largo de algunas canciones) me llega a fastidiar bastante.
Automatic 4 stars for Where the Wild Roses Grow
NSFW awesome
Great but not Nick’s best
Dark
This just gives me Edgar Allan Poe vibes and I don't know how to explain it but I love it. It has some questionable lyrivs, but well, the album is called Murder Ballads for a reason
nick cave królem jest
liked the sound, a little bluesy and seemed similar to some Johnny Cash I have heard before. Overall, unexpected surprise.
Loved this! Lots of great tracks
Oooh you're hard, Nick, talking about murder and death and dark stuff.
Aika kohtalokkaan kuuloisia biisejä tällä teemalevyllä. Kivasti oli erilaisia biisejä ja kaikissa kuitenkin samankaltainen painostava tunnelma. Where the wild roses grow on tietty se hittibiisi, mutta levyn viimeinen kappale death is not the end oli ehkä nyt ainakin tällä kertaa se paras. Sen verran kurkkasin wikipediasta, että Bob Dylan oli sitä biisiä ollut kirjoittamassa. Mielestäni moni muu biisi levyllä kuulosti enemmän Dylanin tulkinnalta, kuin tuo viimeinen, melodian omaava biisi :D
Matthias Sammer
Muy cool estás fases de Nick Cave darketo. Sobre todo la primera mitad del disco. Por ahí vi lamentablemente que uno de sus primeros discos, aún más oscuro que esto, está entre los que tienen las calificaciones más bajas de esta lista jaja. Anyway, los gritos con la carácteristica voz grave de Nick me parecen geniales, en Stagger Lee muy chido eso con su breakdown del final. La otra que me gustó fue Henry Lee, pues claro porque la que hizo con Pj harvey y pues Pj Havey = <3. The Curse of Millhaven me dio risa por las fuertes vibras de Aurelio Voltaire. Mood: steampunk baladista darketón.
Never heard anything by him before so thanks
Here we go! Back on the good stuff! I say this is a Nick Cave fan, that sometimes his music can feel faintly gimmicky; peer past his almost aggressive coolness and there's a great writer, still, but his scope is quite limited. Nonetheless, this one's right in his sweet spot, and in mine too if I'm honest.
I really wanted to like this album, but the stories that the songs told didn't really do much for me. The songs all kind of sounded the same.
Worth to hear again
Not my favorite Cave - I feel like some of the other records let the band shine as much as his voice - but I mean I definitely enjoy it. Does it need all these guest vocalists? I think I’d take a version of “Death is not the end” sung by Cave only over what’s recorded here. And I will stop picking those nits and get on with my life.
Wow, that was quite a ride. I've always like Nick Cave but haven't delved too deeply into his music, but that may be about to change. I feel like I need to sit down and read all the lyrics of these songs like I would a book of short stories. Intense, scary, and violent, but also beautiful. 4 stars.
Pretty interesting. A little too monotone on most songs. Stagger Lee was awesome.
Enjoyable, but a little weird.
A total gem! Timeless. Adding this to my Road Trip playlist.
Nice bit of nostalgia. Listened 21/1/21
First time listening to a Nick Cave album and really enjoyed it. Liked the macabre themes to all the songs, and the dark humour.
"The Kindness of Strangers" and "Where the Wild Roses Grow" are favorite. Another nice album by Nick Cave.
Great record
Very romantic!
Honestly? Decadent. I liked the theme that this album had going for it, and given everything I've heard about Nick Cave's voice being polarizing, I thought he sounded great! 4 stars.
2/8 Criminal audio adventure. Standout Tracks: Stagger Lee, The Curse of Millhaven, O’Malley’s Bar
Dark. Great lyrics.
Lovely PJ Harvey duet.
Never listened to this guy, partially because he’s a fucking pussy and partially because I started this before I could. I always knew he was noteworthy though. Anyway, this album! It’s a bunch of ballads about murder. Which is really a nice concept frankly. A lot of these songs are really great, especially on the first half. “Song of Joy” is fantastic, “Where The Wild Roses Grow” is astonishing, “The Curse Of Millhaven” (which is probably my favorite, either that or “Song of Joy”) is incredible. Sadly it falls apart right at the end, with “O’Malley’s Bar” being an excellent example of how not to do a 14-minute song about a massacre, and “Death Is Not The End” really drives home how much Mr. Cave is ripping Michael Gira off, with a straight pull from “Blind” (which is overrated as shit anyway). I don’t know. This could’ve, and should’ve, been way better than it was. 6.9/10
This was a wild one and the most Nick Cave thing I’ve ever heard that I had no idea about
***an ok album
Tää on just sitä Nick Cavea mitä sen aattelen olevan. Teatraalista, tarinallista, semmoista 1850 - 1950 hajuista rokkia. Vähän kuullostaa et jazzia olis kanssa mukana. Mää tavallaan tykkään tästä tyylistä ja pidän sitä siistinä, mutta sit kummiskaan nää kappaleet ei sillein ihmeemmin iske. O' Malley's Bar alko menee jo ihan vitsiksi. Parhaat: Where the Wild Roses Grow, Song Of Joy, Death Is Not the End
Only Nick Cave could release an album called "Murder Ballads" and have it be one of their funniest albums instead of one of their darkest. It is dark of course, with many fictional characters dying across these songs. The subtlest songs are the best, the ones where the story is open to interpretation: think the opener, "Where the Wild Roses Grow," and "The Kindness of Strangers." But much of this album is also overblown and knowingly goofy. On "Stagger Lee," it really works. On the overlong "O'Malley's Bar," it mostly doesn't, and the killings almost get boring by the end. I appreciate that this is an eclectic album, with some true ballads as well as rollicking rockers. But I wish there was a little more intrigue on some songs instead of protagonists who just walk around shooting everyone. That, plus a few weak songs, keep this just under a 4.
Not exactly the vibe for morning coffee, but there were a few songs I enjoyed on my commute. Wish "Red Right Hand" was on this one.
Nick Cave is in an infinite battle to out Nick Cave himself.
Not his best
Another artist where I just don't understand the obsession held by the book's editor. Cave is a very good poet but I don't think the music is that extraordinary, certainly not sufficiently to be featured SIX times. I'm proud of the fact that I have got through almost 900 albums without skipping a track but the 15 minute dirge of 'O'Malley's Bar' really, really tested my resolve.
Wanted to to kill me. It didn’t.
cool
Not really a fan of Nick Cave, he's all theater. Duets are better, but that's because those singers are better. It might just be me, but it sounds like he's singing out of tune and mostly spoken word, not really my thing. Its like he's trying hard to be Tom Waits, but just the songs, sonic qualities, etc just aren't at that same level.
Now I'm unsure if I've listened to the whole thing before. Definitely the stand outs are Kylie and PJ Harvey.
This album is certainly interesting, and the stories make for an entertaining listen. The whole murder-ballad concept is unique, and there are moments where it feels more like a collection of dark short stories than a traditional album. The problem for me is that, taken as a whole, it's more strange than enjoyable. There’s nothing bad or wrong about it, and I can appreciate what it’s trying to do, but I just can't imagine a situation where I'd think, "Oh yeah, let's put on Murder Ballads." More than anything, this album reinforced the idea that I'm probably just not much of a Nick Cave fan. I respect it more than I actually enjoy it.
interesting
Hated the first 4 songs. Then it got a little better. Had to skip a song with weird moaning in it - O'Malley's Bar. Death is not the End was nice. 3.5 stars.
Ballads-only is boring
This album was very good. Still not used to his music and way of singing, but it's so influential, and this album has some great collaborations, most notably with PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue. Would listen to it again.
I like Nick Cave so I enjoyed a lot of the songs on this album. Def one I will revisit
Liked certain somg but not a huge fan of it in it’s entirety Standout: stagger lee and wild rose
Really enjoyed 'Stagger Lee'
Pretty good. Didn't care for the cover of Stagger Lee.
Another Nick Cave. But this Nick Cave is Mr. Angry-Eyes Nick Cave. He still sounds like Leonard Cohen to me but this album is the better of the three on this list so far(Abattoir Blues & Boatman). I don’t know if three is necessary, but I will probably repeat this sentiment for the fourth. Come on, we know there will be another. I will say that this album had some big differences. This had more collaborations, culminated with the song-a-long Death Is Not The End, which was weird. Stagger Lee felt like he had been possessed by Gary Allen Coe (known for his country and shock value profanity). This album was more upbeat which once again made it feel like Leonard Cohen. Song of Joy started strong and just felt long after a while. I think my key track was Henry Lee with PJ Harvey, adding a nice contrast between their voices. I won’t come back here but I didn’t hate it. 2/5 with the PJ and Kylie .5 extra credit each….
Unique and poetic more of a statement than music
As much as I like the concept and all the fine work on this album, I must confess that it really didn’t grab me. It’s nice. Was hoping for something more.
Enjoyable but they have better albums
Kind of nuts. I've listened to this a bit before. This time it struck me how strange the whole thing is. Obviously the lyrics are insane and intense.. But I guess they're deliberately focused on the extreme and depraved. The vocal delivery is really something else. Even the instrumentation is a really strange mix of folky and theatrical and a tiny bit rocky. It's all just very intense. It kind of works I guess. I couldn't listen through it every day.
My only knowledge of this album was the duet with Kylie Minogue, which I like. That track is very much the vibe of this record - moody, atmospheric, and largely enjoyable. “Stagger Lee” was certainly something from a lyrical perspective, while “Henry Lee” is, quite surprisingly given PJ Harvey’s voice, a weaker version of “Where the Wild Roses Grow” - the standout track of the album for me, along with the juxtaposing “Lovely Creature”. The second half of the album isn’t as good as the first, making it feel even longer than it is - and the first half was already long enough.
I think Nick Cave may be starting to join my ever growing list of 'objectively terrible singers who I weirdly don't care can't sing for reasons I can't quite define'. I get why people wouldn't enjoy this, but I kinda did (apart from the Dylan cover, which I thought was an abomination). There is a slight issue for me though. Mark Reilly, ex-bassist of The Fall, and Mark Radcliffe (of BBC Radio fame) had a parody band in the 90's called The Shirehorses who "covered" two tracks on this album. On hearing Henry Lee, I was instantly stuck with the lyrics to Franny Lee in my head - and so instead of the brooding lyrics of death I was mentally singing a song about the relegation of Man City football team in the 90s: "Going down, going down little Franny Lee, Down to division three, With only one lad who isn't half bad And that's little Georgi Kinkladze" Away from that, I obviously loved Kylie's appearance on Where The Wild Roses Grow which was a surprisingly big hit in the UK. Lovely Creature is great and I really enjoyed The Curse of Millhaven (despite some of the worst examples of Nick's singing and it basically being an upbeat Henry Lee). I liked this better than the previous Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album, I think because I enjoyed the story telling, but not enough for an extra star, so: 3/5
5 - AVERAGE
A good album, I liked Where The Wild Roses Grow the most.
5.5/10
Dark, intense, poetic.
Seriously, what's Nick Cave's deal? Awesome storytelling, great musicality, compelling voice. But why hell is it all so disturbing? And no, the closing song does not give this listener a glimmer of hope, if that's what he was going for. I could go anywhere from 2 to 4 with him, depending on mood.
Не фанатею от пения в стиле Том Уэйтса, за девушек на фитах округлил в большую сторону
6/10
The Kylie Minogue duet was nice, but it's my second Nick Cave album and I'm already wondering why he has so many albums on this list.
Es steht drauf was drin ist.
I listened to a lot of Nick Cave before and after this album, but never this one. It was fine, but for me unhinged Cave is the best Cave and there wasn't quite enough of that.
5/10 Catchy at best a little cringe at worst.
Décidément, Robert Dimery aime beaucoup Nick Drake. Et toi qui a décidé d'écouter les 1089 albums, tu vas en écouter jusqu'à-ce que tu aimes aussi, mécréant ! C'est donc le troisième que j'écoute et je dois admettre que même si j'aime pas trop cet artiste, il a une carrière plutôt intéressante, puisque chacun des trois albums étaient totalement différents les uns des autres. Si j'ai bien compris, celui-ci est l'un des plus représentatifs de sa carrière. C'est un album plutôt glauque, qui traite de meurtres en tout genre, souvent assez sordides. Je dois admettre que l'atmosphère sinistre de l'album marche très très bien et chaque chanson est plutôt variée. J'hésite encore entre un 3 et un 4, je suppose que je déciderai ça demain quand je pourrai mettre ma note.
If you like this stuff, I guess it's great. It was probably a real shot in the arm in the mid 90s when everyone wanted to be Soundgarden or TLC but that's not the only thing going on here. There's also this stripped down sound and overwrought writing and singing that might tickle your brain but it's just too much. Too much. It just wears on you. By the time PJ Harvey showed up (on the THIRD TRACK) I was like, oh god some relief. And it's an hour of that wearing on you. I don't think I enjoyed my time here at all. I said elsewhere that Nick Cave never did it for me: too theater kid, something I narrowly escaped. This was the first album I tried way back when during my attempt to Give Him a Chance. Still don't care for it. Not sure if this album is good and I just don't like it or it's annoying and I'm justified, but the middle third basically saves it from relegation. Would've made a good EP, probably.
3/5 Paar gut, paar nicht so Best: Where the wild Roses grow
A strong 3 stars. Goth and bizarre. 👍
I love Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and there’s some of their discography that should be here but this isn’t the one for me. Still a good album, still some standouts. But not my favourite, and not a must listen.
I love Nick Cave. His imagery and characters are always so vivid. I would hate to be inside his mind.
Väldigt bra texter. Musiken lät välgjord och konstnärlig, dock kändes den för mycket "samma" i många av låtarna. Svårt album att viba men den stark verkshöjd.
Surprisingly fun. Really enjoyed Stagger Lee, and I was shocked that O'Malley's Bar was almost 15 minutes long - it kept me engaged.
I’m pretty sure no album needs more than one gruesome murder ballad. Two tops. Didn’t mind the melodies and quite enjoyed Nick’s inimitable voice, but every time I focused on the lyrics someone was getting their head stoved in with a rock or suffocated with a plastic bag. The Kylie duet is great though. Mixed thoughts on this.
This is the only Cave-album I own, but after having listened to all his 5 albums on this project, it might actually be my least favourite. Of course, the duets might be some of the best songs in his catalogue, but many of them are too repetitive and go on for too long. Decent album but far from his best
This wasn't terrible and this is coming from someone sick of seeing Nick Cave on this list. 3/5
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.
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.
"Where the Wild Roses Grow" is an amazing track, the rest are ok.
it's fine
Very first thought was Dracula's Lament....
Not bad. Some enjoyable songs.
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.
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.
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...."
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.
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.
Not bad, but still not a big Nick Cave guy. Does he really need this many albums on the 1001 list?
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.
he loves his stories !
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.)
Nick Cave feels like a real life Cormac McCarthy character.
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!
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.
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
not my cupper
ja ganz cute. 3.5.
4 star if it ended with Crow Jane
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.
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.
It was a bit odd but it worked
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 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.
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.
It's Nick Cave
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 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
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
Gives me Andrew Bird vibes. Not bad, but I definitely need to be in the mood for it.
Some really gorgeous stuff.
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
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...
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.
5.5/10
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.
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.
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.
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.
Contemplative, storytelling folk
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
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.
The album title is definitely accurate
An interesting record. I’ve never heard of murder ballads before and it made me pay attention to the lyrics more. Pretty good
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.
This was a good listen. Interesting stories throughout but I'm not sure what mood id need to be to listen to it again?
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 😅
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.
Good
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
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.
this one was different, very creative
Not my jam... I tried but it was ok at best.
++: 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
This is one of the weirdest things I've listened to in years.
A perfectly fine gothic album, not Nick's best, not his worst either!
Decent, nothing bad nothing amazing 3/5
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
Weird crap, bad singing, pedestrian music.
Fine
Slasher film in album form. (Unfortunately, I don't really have the stomach for slashers.)
We have Tom Waits at home. And idk a surprise PJ Harvey wasn't what I hoped for a sunday
Standouts Henry Lee The Curse of Millhaven
Ok ... I'll give credit where credit is do - great concept for an rock album. For once I didn't mind Nick Cave's singing; it seems to suit the macabre.
I liked it more than other Nick Cave stuff on here. It was pretty good
By all accounts, I should love this album. I love storytelling songs, where vivid pictures are painted, and I love a good murder ballad. But then Nick Cave comes in and it just doesn’t do it for me. Nick Cave feels like the kind of guy I would meet in high school theater class, who would tell me he has a movie “too screwed up for the general masses” and then proceed to show me Repo! The Genetic Opera.
This was caught somewhere between Tom Waits and Modest Mouse but didn’t seem to capture the best of either for me. A bit of a strange concept album that came off a little strange. An OK listen but I was hoping for more.
I only know the one with Kylie Minogue, that was played to death on the radio. Nothing else reached my childhood bedroom in Europe. The sound is spooky. I hope it’s not all murdered women. Love hearing PJ Harvey. It’s a concept album, but I don’t like the concept.
Not for me. Hard to even rate because it’s mostly noise.
Слишком мрачно и нудно за исключением двух баллад. 5 из 10.
What a bizzare album this is, but I can't help but feel engaged by it. The music that sits behind it all is really interesting, and the storytelling from Nick Cave is dark & moody, each of which contribute to creating a hugely dark & unnerving atmosphere. There are times when the vocals feel more like ramblings, and I can absolutely see why this would jar with some people, but overall I enjoyed it… I think. Maybe 2-3 tracks too lengthy too.
Drôle d'expérience
This album was a Lovely Creature.
Exactly what it says on the tin. Despite seeming like something I’d enjoy - I like Nick Cave, and a bunch of murder ballads feels fitting a week before Halloween - I found this tedious. Maybe it’s too soon after the last Nick Cave album (just over a week ago), or - more likely - an entire album of murder isn’t actually that fun to listen to. O’Malley’s Bar was the nail in the proverbial coffin. Favorites: Henry Lee, Lovely Creature, Where The Wild Roses Grow 3 - 3.5
Ehh it was all right but repetitive. I kept wanting to hear "Red Right Hand." This gets a three on atmosphere alone. Top tracks: "O'Malley's Bar," "Lovely Creature"
--Song of Joy...menacing. oh boy, this might be a slog --Stagger Lee...nice bass groove. interesting lyrics, to say the least --Henry Lee...PJ Harvey joins the party. meh --Lovely Creature...the background "la la la" brings this one together. this track also has a swing that earlier tracks lack --Where the Wild Roses Grow...Kylie! My Queen! cheesy melodrama but it's nice --The Curse of Millhaven...sounds like Gogol Bordello. It's a little repetitive oh god there are four more minutes --The Kindness of Strangers...more cheesy melodrama but where's Kylie? --Crow Jane...this one has a nice groove --O'Malley's Bar...14 minutes? really? this better be good. it's not. this entire album would improve immediately if this track got cut --Death is Not the End...PJ, Kylie, and Shane MacGowan join us for a simple and sweet bar closer
Fun but got old
Ryan Murphy should turn this into a show
Really gets you in the mood for wonton violence. Nick Cave sometimes sounds like Shane McGowan of he sang of harming others instead of himself.
Hated the first track...just plain grim Some of the duets are better
Teenage me probably would have liked this album. Middle-aged me felt uncomfortable and sad. I did enjoy a few songs but enjoying murder for murder's sake is no longer my jam
Not my favorite. Feels like soundtrack music for Peaky Blinders or some such. "Death is not the end" did stay with me for a while. Three stars.
Closer to 3.5
71/1089 a very intense, folky album. Which was cool and atmospheric for the most part but it went on a bit too long for me. I’m so here for the Kylie features though. faves: Where the Wild Roses Grow, Lovely Creature, Song of Joy 3 stars or 62/100
Good stuff, somehow the Song of Joy sets the tone: grim content, but a joy in the making of it
Spotify calls them “one of the world’s most influential, innovative and compelling bands.” I don’t get completely it. A couple musically impressive and catchy songs. Three stars because I get they’re talented but I wouldn’t listen to again.
3.5/5 01.03.2026
Fine, but not very special
An interesting series of songs but I have a hard time really vibing with Nick Cave. 6/10
We've had a decent amount of Nick Cave on here. Damn this first song is dark af and not a song of joy! Stagger Lee is deranged in a great way. O'Malleys Bar is a fun one with the story over the sprawling bass line. Like most Nick Cave albums the story telling and production is on point. Don't think it was my favorite on here by him. Really liked some songs and really didn't care for others (Death is Not the End). Solid 3.
Overall, this is a very original, poetic, and musically skilled album. I’d describe it as a blend of goth rock and folk rock, with a Southwestern flair running through its atmosphere. There are some notable guest appearances, such as PJ Harvey which makes sense given their history, but I was honestly surprised to see Kylie Minogue’s name attached. Like I said, it’s a good album, and I can definitely see why it’s so highly praised. That said, I personally prefer some of Nick Cave’s other albums over this one.
Het kan met Nick Cave albums altijd alle kanten op. Maar dat is wat vreemd wordt, is een zekerheid. En soms lukt het om in zo'n album te komen, soms helemaal niet. Murder Ballads vond ik wel sterk. Volgens mij moet je al die verhalen niet te serieus nemen en probeert Cave vooral een sfeer neer te zetten. En daarin is hij natuurlijk ongeëvenaard. Daarop draait de hele Peaky Blinders serie. De duetten vind ik wel de hoogtepunten. Die vrouwenstemmen laten je (in combinatie met zijn stem) echt even op het puntje van je stoel zitten. 7/10 Highlights Stagger Lee Henry Lee Where the Wild Roses Grow
it was spooky! and there was a song with kylie minogue on?? word
Powerful sense of mood and strong in its concept. It’s not as riveting front to back as the other Cave record I’ve gotten, but it has its moments. The addition of featured artists helps keep things fresh and introduce other perspectives. It’s also very serious and more than a bit indulgent. It’s a dense record and I’d need to revisit to really take it in, but it’ll be a bit before I get around to it.
3/5
Lige til den edgy side (jeg synes den var SÅ fed som teenager) men stadig pissegroovy. Hvis der er plads til den her på listen, håber jeg dælme også at der er plads til Tender Prey og Let Love In.
There are times listening to Nick Cave where I’m all in: the dark crooning, the often grotesque imagery - I find it incredibly effective and moving most of the time. But then you get to a song like Crow Jane and the fun stops. It’s indulgent, and I exclaimed when I glanced at the runtime to see I was only a third of the way through. That aside, I’m a big fan of all of the guest vocals on the album, and I think Cave largely accomplishes what he set out to do here with a somber lineup of dark and moody murder ballads. It won’t be for everyone, but I’ve enjoyed what I’ve heard of Cave so far. Hopefully he shows up again on this list. ✨
Another Nick Cave record? This guy's got some steep competition (with himself). Very rambly, yet oddly intense. Almost like little Nicky is possessed by something sinister. I love the duet with PJ Harvey. The Pajama Harvester (as the neighbourhood calls her) really shines when she's battling it out with assorted kings of 90s rock (see: collaboration with Thom Yorke on Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea). The Kylie Minogue song is also very strong. Lots of medieval-fantasy allusion in the lyrics. (Probably. I don't take much notice of lyrics.) The instrument arrangements are a little bare-bones, which is not necessarily problematic by itself but can get tiresome if it's done consistently. Most tracks here read like slicked-up jam sessions, more so than other Nick Cave records, which tend to be more deliberate in their structure. Though O'Malley's Bar is definitely too long (no excuses here, it's not prog rock), it still features some fun lyrics, such as the swanky "And with an ashtray as big as a fucking really big brick / I split his skull in half / His blood spilled across the bar / Like a steaming scarlet brook". Me too, Caveman. But the track's length and relative monotonicity, ugh... it takes a solid 4/5 rating (up to that point) and drives it into the ground. A jam session interrupting what was well established to be a fairly high-calibre studio recording is not cool, yo. Fourteen and a half minutes of one chord, nigh one melodic note, and what is (by Nick Cave standards) relentless incoherent babbling. On the bright side, the final track Death Is Not the End comes as a blurred yet sweet relief from (ironically) the clutches of death. It seems Cave works well alongside other vocalists, particularly female ones. 3/5 Key tracks: Henry Lee, Where the Wild Roses Grow, Death Is Not the End
Listenable.
Long album. Cool but definitely odd and not quite for me
Pretty good I like the instrumentals but sometimes they take backseat during storytelling. I like Henry Lee, lovely creature and where the wild roses grow.
A lot of murders
I have no idea how I already ended up with three Nick Cave albums on this list, but somehow here we are. Out of the bunch, this one was definitely the least painful to sit through. I’ll admit it though, I’m a sucker for concept albums, and at least this one fully commits to the whole “murder” theme. The stories are dark, over-the-top, and kind of ridiculous in a fun way. Cave leans all the way into the theatrics, and sometimes it works, sometimes it feels like he’s trying way too hard. A few tracks drag and get stuck in their own gloom, which makes the album feel heavier than it needs to be. Still, I have to give credit where it’s due. Murder Ballads is ambitious and weird enough to stand out, even if it’s not something I’d put on repeat. Out of the Nick Cave stuff I’ve heard so far, this one at least made me crack a smile while shaking my head. Favorite song: Stagger Lee
I like Nick Cave and this is definitely an interesting concept but as a result it feels a bit one dimensional (despite the interesting guest singers). Had high hopes for Bob Dylan’s “death is not the end” given the supporting cast of Shane McGowan, PJ Harvey, Kylie Monique ?! But it didn’t move me. Fave track: “Stagger Lee”
1. -his voice is deep -i like the album cover art -i wonder if all these songs will be about murder -when will this song end -finally its ending -inception 2. -that guitar noise is kinda scary -cant believe this is from 1996 -why are all these songs so long -the next one has a lot of listens -i should get to bed soon -i dont really like this song so far this album is kinda boring -11:11pm -lots of swearing -song is going nowhere -what is this part -omg its almost over finally -i dont like this screaming noises -FINALLY ITS ENDING 3. -sounds chill -is the name related to the other song -omg a girl singing -why are the 2 most listened to songs the shortest (3:57, 3:58) -girl and guy singing? -this album is kinda boring -i really should get to bed -im gonna read 1984 in bed ill continue this tomorrow -i feel like ginny would like this song/album -its kinda like theatre kid music 4. -sounds pretty cool so far -nice bass -kinda cowboyish -deep voice guy again? -sing talking? -ambient noises cool -girl backup vocals -i get they are ballads but they are all kinda nothing -why is he breathing like that -ok spooky part -oh its over 5. -this is the most popular one -sounds cool nice violin -woah girl singer -and guy singer -im not excited for the 14 minute song -are these really about murder -i cant wait until this album is over -bruh the next one is almost 7 minutes -now i know i dont really like ballad albums -ew kiss? -oh cool i think these are all about murder -finally its over 6. -WOAH FUNKY noise -i like this one -upbeat -ska sounding? not really -silly but also evil -this one is my favourite so far -murder again!!!! english class reference -idc that this is 7 minutes -i like the "story" in this one its interesting -reminds me of mafia game -only halfway done?? -is the character a girl -a bridge?! kinda?! -reminds me of postal -its almost over 7. -chill piano -too chill? -murder again!!! -idk if i like this one too much its too slow -i mean they are ballads but IDC! -sounds like a 90s tv thing idk -ok this is from the 90s but -i dont like the crying sound effects -ive kindda been doing other stuff while listening to this one -booooooooringggggggg -ok i like the "duet" -ITS OVER FINALLY 8. -jazzy? -meh so far idk -santana guitar? what is that -cool intrumental thingys -vocal got harder -girl backup vocal again -trippy? whats the word -got freakier? -ive kinda been not paying too much attention again -why he doing that -ITS OVER 9. -OH NO 14 MINUTE SONG -woah ok whats this -kinda upbeat or whatever it is -freaky -i wonder what the next album is -ok got a bit freakier for a second cool -just get freaky already bruh -why he doing that -WHAT DID HE JUST SAY -i just want this to end bruh -i cant handle 14 mintues of this -OMG MURDER!!!!!!!! -vocals got louder? hes kinda yell speaking now -JUST GET FREAKY ALREADY -its getting a bit freakier i think? -cool bass -OH MY GOD STOP DOING THIS -ive been not paying attention again -booooorrrriinnnnnggggg -this is a doozy -idek whats going on anymore -murder -2/3 done!!! (9:11/14:28) -oh hey its 9:10am -now its 9:11 -coincidence? I THINK NOT -i should read more 1984 today -wth is he doing -3 minutes left!!!!!!!!! -im cold -this song has no climax bruh its kinda wack -wth is he doing now???? -ok -murder!!! -wth?! why he doing this -ITS FINALLY ALMOST DONE OH MY GOD FINALLY -last song next!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -ITS DONE wth is he doing 10. -woah this one is chill sounds coolio -too chill maybe? -idk it sound like a good ender -ONLY 4 minutes -what is this song trying to tell me -duet -this sound like a song papa likes or something -like the...chord progression -too chill? -i cant tell if this is happy or not -who is this guy -HALFWAY DONE!!!!!!!!!!! -i think ive been doing this wrong -WHO IS THIS GUY -ok back to normal guy -this song is so BOOOOORINNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG -DOOZY -i miss english class -OMG ITS ALMOST OVER YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS -20 SECONDS -IM SO HAPPY review: too chill, i mean i know its ballads, but SO BORING. DYING HERE. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA im glad its over but i think ginny would like it. the second half was doozy, first half was funky murdery. FAVOURITE SONG: The Curse of Millhaven
59 minutes of singing about murder is too many minutes singing about murder.
He's very effective at creating this cinematic film noire mood musically to convey the style and atmosphere to go with his dark storytelling songs. Dark bass grooves, clinking piano hooks, huge echoey drums, tremolo guitars and light orchestral touches. He's also very effective at using his voice to create the main character/narrator: a wretched debauched staggering low life inhabiting a nasty urban underbelly. Wierd mismatch between the album and the cover though. His voice is less grating than Tom Waits, but it's the same deal basically. This is the best of his I've heard so far.
Death may not be the end, but death definitely works better for Nick Cave. This album is so much better than The Boatman’s Call. Not me buying it better but I could listen to it again better. It’s actually pretty amusing.
Grew on me, bit in the way a tumor does. Kind of cringe but okay if you embrace it
Cool concept, ok execution. I generally enjoy Nick Cave, but this one isn't his best.
Reminded me of tow waits a bit. Felt a little more like spoken word about some dark topics. I think it's something I'd need to be in the mood for
Eh, it was okay.
3.5
3.5
Generally minor shades of good but because of the majorly murderous main theme of the record it gets a bit much over the course of an hour. Could it not have been Care Bear Ballads instead? The PJ Harvey and Kylie duets and I guess the Dylan cover at the end are the main things that provide a welcome relative break from all the moany murdering monotony.
Finally, a Nick Cave album I think is decent! Love the duets the most. 3.5 stars.
Whew, what can you say about this album? They killed it! This album slays!! Imagine the sacrifice that went into this record. Ok, I’m done. Ooh, one more. The execution on this was amazing! This was, how shall we say it, an interesting album. At first, I just didn’t think I was going to get through an album full of songs about murder. But the more I played this, the more I appreciated it for the storytelling and how the songs were built. Is this something I would pick up and listen to over and over again? No. But taking it for what it is, this is a solid effort. Not sure I need five Nick Cave albums on this list, but at least this one got me intrigued to hear the other four.
It’s a little silly and I don’t know if I’d go out of my way to listen again but there is some charm here. He really does evoke someone reading spooky short stories at a campfire in the woods
Delightful. My girlfriend liked making out to it.
Generally speaking, I'm a fan of 90s Nick Cave, but I do struggle with these Murder Ballads. Some of them I really like, but others, I just hate. I don't mind the disturbing and weird feel of the album, and i quite like a wee murder ballad. I think Nick Cave's voice is a taste that I have acquired, and his style is a bit quirky which I enjoy. Tbe album is a grower, and I've listened to it a few times recently, prior to the albumator throwing it up today, and liked it a tiny bit more each time. This album is so long, and there are only so many times you can be battered to death with a fucking really big brick, which sometimes what this album is akin to. Nick Cave also has a tendency to sound like a depraved serial killer at times, which puts me off. All in all, there is as much that I like, as I dislike. I don't think the album is essential listening however. There are better Nick Cave albums.
This album is the epitome of a mixed bag. When it's good, it's really good. But when it's bad, it is quite bad. My honest rating is probably a 2.5 but in this rigid system of whole numbers, i'm torn about whether to go up or down with the rating. Why go down? Well... on several tracks, Nick Cave doesn't seem that interested in editing himself or honing his stories or sticking to a damn rhyme scheme etc. And that leads to some really really long songs and some really low moments for the listener. This album is at it's worst when it completely gives itself over to his rambling, improvised nonsense. It almost feels like some of these were one takers... or he wrote the story on paper and was committed to putting that story to the music whether it made sense or not. There are some poetic lines... but there are also a lot of blunt, unpleasant, mediocre lines. I love a good story track... but the story needs to be satisfying and have momentum and have a good rhythm to it. He really struggles with that. The opening 2 tracks are pretty brutal. O'Malley's Bar just can't hold interest for 14 minutes... it's fine for a bit but eventually I got bored. Even on a track I do really like, The Curse of Millhaven, he goes on like 2 minutes too long. Another issue I have is with one of the female vocalists.... Kylie Minogue does not work on this album. Any songs she's on, she drags it down for me, especially Where the Wild Roses Grow. That even includes the closer. I like the song at the core of the track but the mix of vocalists is just a mess. I wish Nick Cave sang that on his own... woulda been more of a highlight. Why go up? I love the concept of this thing. A collection songs telling stories about murder and outlaws... that intrigues me. And it's a big swing, which i like. I like that this album is weird and wild and ambitious and arrogant. It tries something and even though it doesn't always land, it goes for it and I find that admirable. It's better to make art that people hate than make art that people are indifferent to. For me, i felt hate and love towards this album. It's very interesting. And I was never bored. I also like the spooky, goth country vibes/aesthetic. His voice is very at home in it and it works for me. And I think when he reigns himself in and delivers a song of reasonable length with choruses and everything, he does a great job. I love Henry Lee with PJ Harvey (great, catchy little chorus), might be my favourite song on the album. Lovely Creature is haunting and driving. The Kindness of Strangers is a great piano ballad. Love the name (refrain) Marry Bellows. Makes me want to be in a room full of cigarette smoke. And then there's The Curse of Millhaven. If this thing was cut down a few minutes, it would be by far my favourite track. I love the driving bass and beat, the country rockabilly energy, the punk freakout at the beginning, the organ in the background and that la la la refrain is incredible. It just didn't need to be 8 minutes long damnit. 5 would have been perfect. Damnit Nick! You fucked it up. Anyways... I'm gonna round up... in spite of Nicky Cave.
Aptly named and kind of endearing in a creepy melodic collaborative way. I didn't want to like it but kind of did.
Atmospheric and haunting tracks. Grim lyrics and sharp piano. Very cinematic.
Nick Cave is the Radiohead of the folk-rock genre. The critics love him, but has anyone ever actually met a fan? This is tolerable, but not nearly as good as you might be led to believe.
Great stories backed by great instrumentals but I think the weakest part of this album is Nick Cave himself. Something about his voice / performance is not clicking for me on this one.
This deserved two stars, but the style and charm caught me.
I already owned Where the Wild Roses Grow. Interesting album. Much better than the other Nick Cave album I had to listen to. The songs were interesting and I liked the theme of the album.
на любителя. (парочка песен напомнила Гарика СУКАчева)))
Was so strange at the time to have a pop starlet and the devil on a song. Stands up. Mid 3s
I am surprised to see another Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album. I think this makes 3? They aren't bad but I'm not sure they are all worth being on the list.
Took a little bit to warm up to it but i ended up enjoying it after awhile. Quality isnt consistent but the good was pretty good
Pretty good
I enjoyed the parts when someone else was singing as I don’t enjoy Nicks voice.
Enough with the nick cave albums!!! This one was the best so far, at least lyrically but I can’t jive on his monotone voice and just seemingly lack of enthusiasm for everything he does
If there's a thin line between genius and insanity, Nick Cave straddles that exact line. Songs like Where the Wild Roses Grow show you the genius side; songs like Stagger Lee and O'malley's Bar show you, for better or worse, the insane side. I suppose one cannot exist without the other.
didn't connect with this at all, except maybe for "O'Malley's Bar" which I really liked. This came back to back with Abbatoir Blues - which I liked way better.