Reviews (page 6 of 9)
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Weird concept album by a progenitor of the emo movement.
Tough to rate, I actually love the arrangements and concept and vibe. Some of the songs were cool, very dark and fucked up. I really liked the duet and the storytelling. But the vocals were so awful it kind of ruined the album for me. Such a shame bc it could’ve been a really cool album with a better singer. Someone like colter wall I think could’ve made this an amazing album. Idk 2.5?
Song of Joy // Henry Lee // The Curse of Millhaven // 2.5-3/5
The kind of thing you’ll like if you like this sort of thing. To others, this will feel an overcooked art project. There are a few moments – “Lovely Creature” and the new spin on “Stagger Lee” are interesting and“The Kindness of Strangers” and “Death Is Not the End” feel like authentic efforts. Everything else is contrived, though perhaps it can be said it's effective in what it sets out to achieve. The band is tight and Kylie adds some badly needed sparkle, but overall this thing dies slowly and the corpse is pretty bloated. Cant’ say we weren’t warned by the title.
Pretty unique theme. I got bored of the tracks without a female singer on them. Didn't really like the sometimes crass lyrics.
A reluctant 3
This is probably one of the darkest albums I have listened to. But then, with a title like "Murder Ballads," you should probably EXPECT that going in. I'm glad I listened to this with the family not around, because songs like "Stagger Lee," YIKES. I felt a few of the songs did overstay their welcome, like "O'Malley's Bar" (14 minutes, really?) and "Death Is Not The End." That last song could have lost at least a verse and its poignancy would not have been diminished. I think I liked "Henry Lee" and "Where The Wild Roses Grow" best. The duets worked well. I find it interesting that "Where The WIld Roses Grow" garnered so much attention, and I wonder how many people bought the album because of the song and were horrified by what they got. I think this was a good experiment, an album of these type of songs. But it's definitely not something I would find myself coming back to. It's way too dark and depressing.
I saw this is pure theatre; it felt like a dark rock musical. And it's either Nick Cave's voice or his face but I kept picturing Matt Berry/Laszlo the vampire from What We Do in the Shadows. Anyway, the heavy material just felt like farce / satire or tongue in cheek; not bothered by it at all and it felt like a unique combination with the musical stylings chosen (lots of piano and pomp). Very unique, and as a genre it's worth being on the 1,001 list to know it exists. Solid 3 and I thought about a 4. The Curse of Millhaven (uptempo) and Death is not the End (somber) were my favorites.
I romanticise the notion of Nick Cave. I get really excited to begin with. Then I'm done for a while.
I try and try but I can't get into Nick Cave. Saying that, there are some moments on this that are tuneful and interesting, especially the duets.
I have mixed feelings, it was dramatic then sweary then smooth then it sounded out of tune, it was a weird experience
Good!
I liked the idea, but I wished it was more musically flushed out throughout the album
No jes kaikki kuolee. Vitsihän tämä levy tarinankaarineen on. Mut joku mua kiehtoo kolmeen tähteen asti
Another album from the Harry Du Bois school of drunk, depressed, music. Murder ballads are an incredibly intriguing and compelling subgenre, but it's hard to pay attention to these stories when Nick Cave himself seems absolutely uninterested in whatever's coming out of his mouth. If only every song on this record spotlighted another artist, because hearing PJ Harvey, Kylie Minogue, and his other guest singers added so much life into the tracks they were heavily featured in. Too bad. Needless to say, the standout tracks here were Henry Lee, Where the Wild Roses Grow, and Death is Not the End.
Maybe songs about whole families being murdered just aren't for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
som diferente, vocalzao, instrumental mais de acompamnamehto
Uhh this was a really weird one. I enjoyed a part of it, the 12 minutes track was way too much though Saved songs: Stagger Lee, Crow Jane
I love Nick Cave’s tenth album, The Boatman’s Call, which is described on Wikipedia as “a marked departure from the bulk of the band's post-punk catalogue up to that point.” Murder Ballads is certainly… different from TBC. I didn’t hate it, but I don’t know if I’d listen to it again, and I may be concerned if I came across someone who was blasting this album or declared it their favorite album. 3/5
I didn’t hate it but I didn’t enjoy it either
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' Murder Ballads is not your average lullaby album. In fact, these songs are more likely to give your child nightmares than sweet dreams. With tracks like "Stagger Lee" and "Where the Wild Roses Grow," Murder Ballads is like a twisted fairytale come to life. Nick Cave's haunting vocals will lull you into a false sense of security, only to be shattered by lyrics that are equal parts beautiful and disturbing. So if you're looking for a way to terrify your child into staying in their bed all night, then Murder Ballads is the perfect album for you. Just don't blame me when they start having nightmares about "The Curse of Millhaven." Sweet dreams, and don't let the bad seeds bite.
Decent album from Dr. Nick
I love this band but some of these lyrics are unforgivable
Album 8 of 1001 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads "New and traditional murder ballads, a genre of songs that relays the details (and often consequences) of crimes of passion". I listened to this twice, the second time being as I dozed a bit. Made for some nice background music. Hints of Tom Waits for me. Worthwhile listen, especially if you like storytelling. This is all about the stories and the delivery. Favorite Track : O'Malley's Bar 3 / 5
I'll give this to Nick Cave: If I were going to ask someone to make an album of murder ballads, Cave would be my guy. That said, I don't particularly feel like I need a collection of murder ballads in my life. The concept is clever and musically the album is fine. It's just an unsettling listen and the substance of the music isn't enough to hold up the subject matter. Cave/the Seeds are capable of much better. Bonus star for creativity and a willingness to go pretty dark, but this is much closer to a 2. Fave Songs: Henry Lee, Lovely Creature, Where the Wild Roses Grow
Too moody. I'm glad Nick Cave exists, but it's too much most of the time.
Interesting stories in each song.
great to listen to with ya nan. a christmas album for the ages not in my top 5 cave albums, but solid ⭐⭐⭐
some of the songs were great and some were a worse version of boring dylan mumbling about stuff
Interesting listen. I like the old school Americana vibe, with a splash of goth here and there. I definitely prefer the traditional songs on here, so timeless. His voice can kinda get fatiguing tho.
good album but was slightly strange, felt like i was listening to a crime thriller. also sounded like the peaky blinders theme
I also really like Nick Cave, but this is a really weird album. Some great storytelling, but pretty bleak, it's in the title, it's almost all stories of murders, and he definitely gets into character pretty well as a murderer. O'Malley's Bar (just before the end) is the high (or low) mark for this, basically telling the story of a killing spree, then they bring it all to a close with a much more tender number, with Kylie, Shane MacGowan, and PJ Harvey all making appearances. Not his best album (out of the two that we've had so far!), but still worthy of a 3.
Love his voice!
Found this to be really hit and miss. The songs are so story focused that when they contained loads of details or back and forth conversation it sounded really forced, to the point of being cringey sometimes (stagger lee, o malley). On the other side, song of joy and curse of Millhaven were brilliant, think when it's just one character speaking the story flows more naturally and the music is given more focus. First time listening to Nick Cave, great voice, think I'll prefer other stuff.
I thought the prog rock sound aged quite well and the 2008 remaster I listened to was nicely balanced. Some of the songs go on a bit too long but it didn't spoil my overall enjoyment. Highlights were: Dancing With The Moonlit Knight Firth Of Firth The Battle Of Epping Forest
I really like what Nick Cave I've heard before, but this wasn't really what I was expecting. Not generally a fan of concept albums.... On first listen I didn't think it was that good, and I thought "o Malleys bar" was pretty terrible and tainted the album. However, I gave it another listen and enjoyed it far more knowing more what to expect. Where the wild roses grow, the curse of millhaven and henry lee were the best tracks imo. The Dylan cover with the guests on was quite good too. I still don't get "O Malleys bar", which apparently the album was written around.....Maybe I'm missing something? I'd have given it a 4 if this wasn't on the album! I hope there's more nick cave on this list
As usual, great vocal performance of emotion and passion and lyrical heavy songwriting. My issue is that I can’t get into any song due to the lack of catchy choruses and long runtimes. But always a pleasure to explore his discography.
Nick has the perfect voice and singing style to deliver murder ballads but even then, more than 50 minutes of them get a bit old quick
Tiene atmósferas interesantes. La onda está buena. Los temas son muy similares entre sí eso hace que resulte un poco denso por momentos.
Good stories, weird songs
I always found this album to be kind of overrated and unnecessarily vulgar compared to Tender Prey, Henry's Dream and Let Love In. It has some absolute bangers, that goes without saying, but I would put it slightly lower than some of the other greats from this era. It also reduced Cave's songwriting to be kind of one note with every song being about the same subject matter. Good album, but not top tier Cave.
Temat passar ju Nicke. Flera bra grejer men blir lite segt ibland.
Ännu en som aldrig nått ända in i hjärtat. Kanske lite för mycket manér för min smak.
not bad, a bit slow
This was weird. I actually really liked the music, the vocals, etc. The topic really made it hard to totally enjoy though, so I can't see listening again.
It was okay. Not really my type of thing I guess. 6/10
Instead of spending valuable time with a therapist, Nick Cave sang about murder for nearly 59 minutes, including a 14 minute murder song. I'm not saying I disliked it, more setting the scene for what you're about to hear.
first listen meh
Interesting idea. Some wild lyrics.
3+ I liked a lot of it, but not all of it.
For masse Nick Cave
Jú, mjög þétt band, og já, fottur stíll og einstök rödd, og vissulega platan með flott þematískt samhengi, og nei, ekki leiðinleg lög. Ég tengi bara ekki við Nick Cave hæpið, hann er ekki minn. Þið sem viljið Nick Cave, gjörið svo vel, ég leita annað.
Interesting narratives and theme, assuming many of these were covers, and the collaborations were surprising. Overall not my thing though.
I can get why people could really like Nick Cave and the concept of this album is very... Nick Cave. I can appreciate it, but not exactly what I'd wanna listen to.
This is probably the weirdest album I have ever listened to. Very disturding.
Tää oli mulle joskus eka Caven levy, joka aukesi kunnolla, mutta nykyään tuntuu vähän jääneen hänen muiden levyjensä varjoon. Biisi PJ:n kanssa toki upea.
Nick Cave has a super unique style and past albums I haven't been able to get into it, but this one has been different. This album has a sort of "Irish pub" feel where the songs are all catchy and singalong-able. That feeling that contrasts with the subject matter and makes for an interesting listen.
mehhhhh
Naff I can't stand Nice Cave's voice, the only redeeming features of this album are the tracks where someone else sings. A few good cuts (ignoring the voice) but nothing special, won't listen again
This was very interesting but I'm not sure if it was good.
Some songs I enjoyed, but some tracks made up for that.
Brutal murder ballads. Nice storytelling but gruesome and difficult to sit through the visceral tales at times.
The title of this album is v accurate. I guess this is what I should have expected.
Not great but also not terrible. Very mediocre in my opinion. The vocals are my least favorite part. The lead singer sings most songs with a very low growl. Sure it can add to the whole Murder aspect, but it does get very stale, pretty quickly. Guitars, piano, drums, and overall production all work very well on the record and help make the record much more pleasant. Favorite Track: Henry Lee Least Favorite Track: Crow Jane
It is possible that I’m missing something, but this album just doesn’t elicit anything in me. I can see why people might like it, but the vocal performance just feels off, like it doesn’t fit into the kind of songs being played. That unnerving dissonance is almost certainly intentional and might work for some people, but it is not for me. In addition, the storytelling lacks punch and feeling despite the subject matter chosen and the manner in which it is told. It is not the intimate yet relatable storytelling of someone like Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan; the majority of the songs are fictional tales of romance, bravado, and violence that would feel more appropriate in a hip-hop or country context. The standout songs for this album are the two songs with features, Henry Lee and Where the Wild Roses Grow, and The Kindness of Strangers. The songs with features mellow out the tone and harsh vocal performances of Nick Cave with female vocals and compliment the mood of the album quite well. The Kindness of Strangers has a much more subdued performance by Nick Cave which might remind the listener of Johnny Cash at his best.
Perfect for October, dark/sad
not my thing
I love Nick Cave. We all love Nick Cave. But you have to be in the mood for Nick Cave. I was sadly not.
Well it's a interesting album, glad I listen to it but doubtful I'll go back to it. I'll say a very interesting rendition of Stagger Lee that's for sure.
It's interesting. The song with Kylie Minogue is great. Not sure how to rate it.
I like Nick Cave, at times. And other times I don't. It is 100% dependant on mood for me, and I don't think I was really in the mood for this one, at least not this time around.
Always thought I want to like Nick Cave more than I actually do.
The concept is neat. The instrumentation is sparse, but it's not the main point: the lyrics, tied with Nick Cave's frightening baritone is. It's a solid album that (aside from all the murder) swaps up the music enough to stay interesting. Favorite tracks: "Where the Wild Roses Grow", "The Curse of Millhaven"
Another atmospheric story telling album from Nick Cave. The disturbing lyrics are matched by the jarring music and the grizzly subject matter makes it a difficult listen in places. There are about 4 or 5 songs on here that I really liked, and that have the hallmarks of classic Nick Cave tracks. The three with guest vocalists (Kylie Minogue, PJ Harvey and Shane MacGowan) are the stand out moments. The rest of the album didn't do much for me though and seemed almost unimaginative by Cave's standards. Also, stories of bloody murder don't offer much room for interpretation which limits the potential for getting more out of the album on repeat listens. As a result, I'm unlikely to return to this record. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Where the Wild Roses Grow Date listened: 05/08/22
Well, this answers the question: What do serial killers listen to in the car on their way to your home?
Irgendwo zwischen spannend und cringig.
Some fantastic tunes but some screechy, morbid, depressing stuff. Committed to the concept - for good or for bad. Conor - 3.75 Jane -2.5 Shannah - 2 Bill - 2 (2.6/5)
Cool!
Not my thing. I feel like this is music for refined north american alcohol drinkers, a sort of mix between folk, western, Leonard Cohen and Lee Hazlewood. Listening to this made me felt like I was in one of those road bars you see in American movies, with Harley Davidson bikes parked on the front, a billiard table, and animal horns hanging from the walls. It's not bad, it's just not my scene.
Not sure when the right mood for this one is but it wasn't when I was listening
Doing an album of murder ballads is quintessentially Nick Cave, but I wouldn't say the album itself is quintessential Nick Cave - it's too inconsistent. Where The Wild Roses Grow is a delight, and Stagger Lee is fun, but trying to stretch that same formula out over 14 minutes on O'Malley's Bar is a bit gratuitous.
Listened to at some point 3.5/5 Favorite song: where the wild roses grow The concept of this album is so fun with each one being a ballad about a crime and the artists were all very talented but it’s a very specific creepy vibe
Usually can’t stand nick cave but this one was kind of fun
Best wel prima
I always want to like Nick Cave, but usually I can't find much to like. This one is alright though.
Pretty cool
Great storytelling and vocals, but kind of monotonous towards the end.
Parts of this were boring and parts were interesting but overall it was just an alright dark storytelling album. Henry lee was pretty good
I had been a massive Nick Cave fan for nearly a decade leading up to this coming out. Murder Ballads marks a point where I started to lose interest in the Bad Seeds. For all the grime and murder than is sung about this album sounds as dangerous as the poser at the local shopping mall pretending to be a gangster. The days of the wild Birthday Party Nick Cave were long gone, replaced by a Nick more suited to parlour rooms and red wine. It is still a good album if what a little subdued and patchy in places
‘Where the wild roses grow’ worth a star on its own. Remainder probably get another couple. A scraped 3.
Decent album but overlong
Wacky but fun story-driven album Very unique
I think a single word to sum up this record is "weird". I really liked the music composition and arrangements. However, I raised my eyebrows a couple times during listening, due to eccentric lyrics (album title doesn't disappoint) as well as some of the sounds, especially unorthodox singing by Nick Cave. Album left me clueless whether I enjoyed it or not. Worth a listen, but I don't think I'll ever feel the need to come back to it.
Dużo lepsze te ballady, niż Cohena. Słuchało się przyjemnie, opowieść wciągała i angażowała. Dobór wokalistek też nieprzypadkowy, dobrze zgrywają się z Nickiem i pasują do tych opowieści. Muzycznie - klasyka, lekki podkład, nie wysuwa się na pierwszy plan, a jedynie towarzyszy. Najciekawsze na płycie aranżacja "Death Is Not The End" Dylana i "Where The White Roses Grow".
Not my favorite Cave record. Solid, for what it is, but there's a lot on it that I don't care if I ever hear again.
I started to listen to this album as I crawled into bed last evening. It did a great job of lulling me to sleep, and from what I made out last night, I was not all that interested. Now, in the daylight, it has a curious appeal. I am not actually interested in the lyrical content of the murder ballads, but the over all auditory experience is kind of attractive.
Ok
Hmmm not sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it.
I really wanted to like this but could not get into it
Estilo peculiar. Del estilo de Leonard Cohen. Tipo cantautor sin mucho estilo añadido. Parecen historias contadas. Distinto de escuchar
Several terrible songs to be skipped. A couple decent ones though
couple of very good songs but the concept is a bit repetitious, and after the perfect Kylie song its downhill
Indeed, it's actually a collection of grisly, horrific, profane serenades like a vindictive villain. I get it, Nick Cave has a deep catalog of starkly vile dirges to back him up. That's all.
Genre: Alternative Rock 3/5 Well, Nick Cave has certainly listened to some Tom Waits in his day. Having listened to the album Rain Dogs just a few weeks ago for this here project, this sounds like somewhat of a knockoff. The concept is fun and different, and I think the instrumentation and arrangements were all interesting, but it's almost a total ripoff of Tom Waits. Songs like Stagger Lee take the Tom Waits growls and drunken storytelling nearly note for note, and the only thing that changes is how many times Nick Cave says motherfucker. This album is fairly star-studded (features fellow Aussie Kylie Minogue), and it all sounds rather expensive and technical, and I'm sure it was a labor of love. But this thing, while sounding nothing quite like its contemporaries, reeks of its direct influences. If you like this, listen to Rain Dogs, and this will all sound like its weird twin brother.
3.5
Love the fullness of his voice. Really enjoyed "Where the Wild Roses Grow". The rest of the album was good, but nothing special IMO. Liked, did not love. C+
Super cool eerieness to Nick's voice. Definitely will be listening to his other albums too
Some good stuff on this one. Interesting, unexpected. Felt kind of like a movie soundtrack, and I mean that in a good way. His voice kind of wore on me a bit after a handful of tracks -- not sure why; maybe because it kind of felt at times like a Leonard Cohen impression? the style of some of the songs added to that feel -- but it's well-written and very well performed.
A pretty good album, but I didn't love it or hate it. Very ballad-y, very murder-y, so it delivered on its premise. I guess I just didn't expect the premise to be so...literal. I'm not complaining, I was just surprised that every single song was a murder ballad. I like a dark concept though. Every track on here was SO hit or miss in terms of how enjoyable it was. Fave track was Where the Wild Roses Grow, just because it was so beautiful. Overall a very weird album. Definitely deserves to be on this list, though I have to admit I wouldn't listen to it start-to-finish again. Just some select faves.
Favorite track was Where the Wild Roses Grow
This album was alright, not my favourite but it was interesting for sure.
Not my vibe
a little loud
What a weird concept. Songs were fine, but just so out of left field I don't think I particularly want to listen to it again.
Dark, stories set to music. Not really a bop or a vibe as the kid say
Dark folky madness. Cool concept but also a bit one-trick-pony-ish.
cool concept, executed fairly well
7/10
So conflicted. I feel like I should love, love, love this with the darkness and mood, but did not connect.
Got interesting towards the middle but I wasn't a fan really
6/10
Note to self, try this one again. It was nasty and interesting. A little on the fence about its artistic merit, but it's definitely appropriate for this kind of list.
Great music and lyrics but super depressing..
Story
I like the idea of this album and had a good time listening to it. The songwriting style gets a little repetitive, but overall a good listen. I don’t think it’s something I’d put on frequently though, it’s just a little too out there for me to listen to much.
This one is somewhat weird and also rather a mixed bag. Sort of sounds like bad guy songs from Disney cartoon movies. The quality also widely varies. For most of the album I wanted to round this up to a 4 from a 3.5. But O'Malley's Bar went on for way too long and then the last song Death Is Not The End was horrible. The album was at least quite interesting and had some very good parts. So this could have been a really good one. But it is what it is.
Extremely uncomfortable but also very good. I am torn. Might go back to this. 3 for now
ну это не смешно уже, братцы!.. Да, понятно, что это самый коммерчески успешный альбом Ника Кейва, за счет того что он, видимо, поёбывал Кайли Миноуг и заманил её спеть сингл вместе. Но ёбаный рот, сюда-то это пихать зачем? Человек, который послушает этот альбом, охуеет и к творчеству Кейва, вероятно, больше не притронется, решив, что это какой-то ебанутый реднек со сказками уровня Короля и Шута. Ну окей, послушали. В целом, настроение похоже и на другие альбомы Кейва, но из-за того, что он тут перепевает какие-то старые народные песни про ковбоев и чертей, а там обычно куча текста - музыка отходит на второй план. В итоге мы получаем просто невыносимо затянутые номера Stagger Lee и O'Malley's Bar. Последний - это пиздец просто, он идёт почти 15 минут, и там буквально нихуя не происходит, один и тот же квадрат по кругу (простите за каламбур) и заунывное нытьё Кейва. История, конечно, интересная (нет), но всему предел же должен быть, мы тут не Русское Поле Экспериментов собрались слушать. Касательно остальных песен - ну так-сяк, есть милые балладки, фит с Миноуг мне не сильно зашёл, на фоне общего мрачняка он сладенький какой-то. Как и кавер на Дилана - чето это чересчур уже. Некоторые песни порадовали атмосферой, схожей с таковой у Lake of Tears (на наиболее мифичных песнях), но я в любой день лучше LoT и послушаю. Да и вообще сам Кейв говорит, что сочинил этого 15-минутного мутанта и не мог придумать, куда его вставить, поэтому написал целый альбом, чтобы ему было не одиноко. Ну так оно и звучит, написали чтоб было просто. Я хуй знает, господа, зачем этот проходняк было сюда проталкивать (мне напомнить, сколько охуенных альбомов не попали сюда даже в редакциях двадцатых годов?), ну пусть будет 6/10 за атмосферу и фиток с Пиджи Харви. Лучшие песни: Henry Lee, Lovely Creature, Stagger Lee (при всей затянутости песни я всё равно кекаю каждый раз, когда Кейв кричит "YOU BETTER GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND SUCK MY DICK") Не очень интересное: O'Malley's Bar, Death Is Not the End
Mostly found this overwrought. Certainly interesting, but I can’t matinees sitting down and choosing to listen through this for pleasure.
I guess you have to give him credit for sticking to a theme and carrying it all the way through. Definitely story-time song in the Nick Cave style about death. They range in gratuitousness, but are generally consistent and though the last song is probably weaker than the rest, they keep a steady balance through the album. if you're in the mood... this will do it.
I didn't try to listen to this too hard. Maybe there's something there, but I couldn't find it on one pass... and frankly spent a lot of time listening to my favorite dental hygienist, Jane Weaver this weekend.
This album is a hoot! Super theatrical, great storytelling, decent musicianship. I'd keep it around for kitsch value, but probably wouldn't do much "pleasure" listening. The Kylie Minogue duet is clearly an outlier as the most accessible song on the album, but I also dug some of the earthier, more raw tracks too.
Good but not my favourite Nick Cave album.
Oli siinä biisejä ainakin
Non tutto quello che fa mi piace, ma comunque trovo Nick Cave un personaggio interessante. In quest'album la sensazione è la stessa: è interessante ma non tutto quello che ho ascoltato mi è piaciuto. La cosa che non mi spiego è come, nonostante sia spesso incompatibile con i miei gusti, riesca a non farmi schifo e anzi, rimanga ad ascoltarlo. Tranne Where the Wild Roses Grow che ho trovato troppo banale e al secondo ascolto ho skippato. Tra il 2 e il 3. Ma 2 mi sembra troppo poco.
Not my cup of tea, but very well made for what it is. Last two songs, though a tad repetitive, are the highlights for me. “Death Is Not The End” is a perfect darkly optimistic finish in both concept and execution for this mostly bleak album
Exactly as the title suggests. Super vivid stories told in each song. It was definitely something different, I don’t know if I would listen again
Był okej
Loved it! Loved the style, loved the variety of voices and styles, the use of irony, loved all the murder and death and darkness. I thought it was brilliant. Didn't appreciate the message that we should all keep our daughters at home because of the big bad world, but I don't think he'd get away with that now so I'm going to overlook it.
Actually quite good fun, notwithstanding the subject matter. Fairly eclectic covering much of Cave/Bad Seeds styles.
Saved Prior: None Saved Off Rip: Song of Joy, The Curse of Millhaven Cutting Edge: O'Malley's Bar Overall Notes: Was a LOT better the third time compared to the first and second. Great storyteller, but I prefer it when my music does something beyond telling a good story. Similar to Marvin Gaye in that I need to be in the mood to enjoy it.
Nice, very moody.
I’ll pass on “stagger lee”. I don’t hate the music style but I don’t think I love it either.
Me ha sorprendido un par de canciones chulas. Buena cadencia y ritmo.
I don't love albums that really demand my attention lyrically, but I did enjoy this more than the ABC - Love album we listened to earlier. Favorite track - The curse of millhaven
Meh. It's violent and depressing.
Murder Ballads is an appropriate name for this album. I didn't hate it, but it's not something I would listen to on the regular. I appreciate the artistry of it.
Haven't listened to an album this dependent on narrative song structures in a while. Some tracks definitely overlong, but this is an LP meant to be taken in as a whole.
Decent album with good story telling, it's an album of murder ballads
Only listened to first few songs
Tämä levy oli joskus ensikosketukseni Nick Caveen hittibiisi Where the Wild Roses Grow:n kautta. Hieman vaikeampi lähestyttävä kuin listalla aiemmin ollut Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus. Työnteon taustamusiikkina välillä jopa häiritsevän poukkoilevaa menoa. Rauhassa keskittyen kuunnellessa tämä toimi paremmin, mutta silti preferoin hieman rauhallisempaa Caven tuotantoa. Death Is Not The End oli miellyttävä päätös levylle.
3.0
Cool vibes. Love his deep voice. Works well with the album. Fav track is the duet with Kylie Minogue
Strange album. I kinda liked it but only out of amusement. Does it belong on this list?
Like a rock opera
Väldigt creepy, inget jag skulle lyssna på annars men gör det den är till för. Instrumenten är snyggt byggda kring Nick och han gör en sjuk insats
växte på en
Brutal, Morbid and Cartoonish. This album feels like listening to "Tales from the Crypt: The Musical - 18+ Edition". My favorite track is the opener "Song of Joy". It tells of a mysterious family murder while leaving who did the deed open. It is implied that the culprit is the poor soul telling this story, but we cant be sure. Now they are asking us to open our doors for them. Probably a bad idea, but their morbid story was so exciting and the prospect of them telling us more of his tales is too enticing ... I couldn't think of a better introduction to an album of this kind. The following tracks are a mixed bag. Strong tracks are "Where the Wild Roses Grow" and "The Curse of Milhaven" which engage due to their drama and interesting reveals. "Lovely Creature" and "Death is not the End", are also to my liking, letting their horror unfold between lines. However, most of the tracks are more "Show, don't tell" and focus on blatantly describing gruesome acts of violence. Worst offender is the 14 minute long "O'Malley's Bar" which feels like a school shooters power fantasy. "Stagger Lee" is extremely profane for no reason. "The Kindness of Strangers" concludes that trusting strangers will only get you raped and killed. It is dark humor that aims for nothing more than shock value. To some this might be distasteful, for me it's just boring. The music in this album couldn't stand on its own without the lyrical content. While the musical ideas presented are interesting enough, they are repeated over tracks that are often a bit longer than they should be. Ultimately, I can appreciate what this album is going for, but for me it is too blunt. I prefer ghost stories to be subtle, mysterious and eerie. This has too much splatter for my taste. It's a light to decent 2.
"Have mercy on me, sir" --> my exact reaction to refreshing this website and seeing I had yet another Nick Cave album. It could be worse (it could be more Bob Dylan) but I am just never going to be excited about Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Even Kylie and PJ Harvey couldn't save this one.
Review - so unsure about this guy. When his music hits it's great. The first song here is incredible. The Kylie Minogue duet is actually pretty good! The 14 minute sort of reggaeish thing oof what a waste of time. And then ending in a bit of a sarcastic cover of a born again Christian era Bob Dylan song could've been great... on paper it sounds great. But the singers on it are all fuckin shit, they didn't bother learning to harmonize with each other so it's just a sloppy pile of ugly dissonance, and not in a cool way. Interesting concept, some good performances occasionally, as I so often find with Nick Cave though, let down by his self indulgent egoism. Score - 4.5/10 Need to listen? YES
I don't need to listen to any more Nick Cave. This is fine. His voice gets on my nerves at times and the style of music kinda just goes on and on. Some of these songs were decent, but they just kept going and his voice irks me. Liked Songs: "Stagger Lee" , "Henry Lee" , "The Curse of Millhaven" , "Crow Jane"
still doesnt do it for me 2/5
Dude I just can't stand his voice
Ironically, I imagine this is what serial killers listen to. Actually listenable when Nick Cave isn't the main "vocal"
This was not an easy one to get through.
I couldn't connect with this one. It's not the subject matter: Willie Nelson's "Red-Headed Stranger" was another album of murder ballads, and I liked it a lot. Ditto many Johnny Cash songs. I think it's down to Cave's voice, which is just not for me, and to the sing-along-ability of the songs (there is none). I can sing along to Willie Nelson's and Johnny Cash's songs in the car with friends, but this one, not at all. I liked the duets on "Henry Lee" and "Wild Rose" more than the rest, but 2 stars is all I can muster for this album as a whole.
Creepy and off putting. I get that it tells and story and so on, but this is not something that I would choose to listen to in just about any context.
There was a homeless guy who would get kicked out of the local shopping center for yelling at people with a guitar.. This reminds me of him. I'll give an extra star for that.
I didn’t need to hear this before I died. It was “ok,” but tedious, especially the second to last 14-minute track. Whole album feels like a Tom Waits ripoff.
The title of this album should’ve been “Murder Me Ball AIDS” because I would literally rather be killed with malice aforethought by testicular Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome than listen to this shit. Murder ballads are like sports. I know a lot people like them but I just don’t see what it is about them that people find appealing. I haven’t liked any of the murder ballads I’ve heard by artists whose music I actually enjoy, so there was no way I was going to like a whole album of them by Nick Cave. A third of the way through “O’Malley’s Bar,” I was moving my Wi-Fi router to what I hope is a better location for signal strength, and that caused my Alexa to lose its connection to the internet and stop playing music for ten minutes or so. That was my favorite part of this album.
I mean… this album is just straight up not for me. I was hoping I’d get out of this list without ANOTHER Nick Cave album but no such luck. I just do not get the appeal of this guy. Deep voice?
Too dark for me.
Pretty weird
This is the 4th album by this artist that I've had to review. Only one of the previous three was halfway decent, the other two were various shades of dogshit. The music is painful, the vocals are worse, there is nothing interesting here, nothing that I'd want to hear again. And I've still got the 'pleasure' of one more of their albums to come, based on the information on this site.
After an early morning background listen, I'm not blown away. He's got a particular tone of voice which can suit the music pretty well, the idea of a glum ballad is just an interesting one for me. This is definitely for the people who enjoy a good poet singer-songwriter, and maybe people who seek out horrific stories. I'd be a lot more impressed if these were more original, instead being traditional pieces that Cave's working ontop of to prove his mission. It's the most emo record I've gotten so far on this albums generator. Legitimately. I have no need to listen to it again. 2.2/5
Argh, another Nick Cave album. I suspect this will be the same story as my other reviews: Nick Cave is more style than substance. I I don't know... maybe this would have worked better if someone _other_ than Nick Cave sang on all these songs? I'm just spitballing ideas here. Jeez, "O'Malley's Bar" is nearly unlistenable. Nick should be ashamed of this recording.
Eh
Apparently they are 'exciting and innovative '. Really? I found them dreary and boring. The male singer makes little attempt to sing at all. They come from Australia. Please stay there...
Very cozy looking album cover tbh
This was pretty all right before the 14 minute long half way mark. Very tired of it after that. Too long for my delicate sensibilities and the absolute miss after miss this generator has proffered up this week. 2 of out 5 for me.
when i start signing to myself this is the kind of shit i'm saying.. hard to listen to but also a bit funny wait im kinda into it.. henry lee getting me
A very long time I was driving around with my partner at the time exploring ghost towns and other abandoned homes. We came across this house in Saskatchewan that was one of those trashed and everything left behind ones. We were discussing, as we often did, what could have caused this abandoment. A quick internet search to see if we could see a local event (closed factory, etc) and we came across a very sad murder in the area. We thought we found a podcast that talked about it, but it was a song. A song about the family getting murdered complete with the background sound of a young child crying her eyes out. I remember wondering why the f that decision was made in production. I had similar questions on this album.
mmmm
Enough with the damn Nick Cave already. The music is decent enough, but I can’t stand this cunt’s voice.
Sounded a lot like tom waits gag. I prefer my murder ballads to be in rap form and performed by eminem. Add star for that sweet kylie minogue song and because its the band i looked up when watching peaky blinders
loved the part when Mr. Cave says, "I'll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get to one fat boy's asshole"
Cool but idc
So far, my only experience with Nick Cave has been these albums where he sounds like Tom Waits-lite. Like, he's fine and all, but it doesn't give any great indication of why Cave is such a big deal in his own right?
I felt like I was going to enjoy it more than I actually did
I don't really get into his voice, thinking it tries for drama purely for the baritone depths, eschewing naturalness and musicality. Dude, I want to yell, just sing! I love the murder ballad and enjoy the duets, but not enough to get behind this.
I just can’t find it within myself to like him
I really don't like this dude's voice at all
I have really tried to like nick cave but I just don’t. 14 min shitty songs are a sign of Narcissism I swear to god.
Subject matter was just too macabre for me, but some of the songs were well crafted.
I'm currently in an electronic-pop mood right now so having another Nick Cave album in less than two weeks is pretty jarring to me. Felt unsettled by the intro, not because of the dark vibes but because of how wordy it is. It's giving Disney villain theme song but without the catchiness, just the storytelling. The duets are probably the most commercial sounding (2.5-3).
I get how this is good but no, it was not for me. Something about the melodrama combined with the subject matter absolutely rubs me the wrong way. Forgive me, but the cheesiness of Old Crow Medical Show comes to mind.
A 14-minute song? No. The songs featuring other artists were okay. 2.5
Naaa mate
I really did not enjoy this. A few small moments that saved it from being a one star, but not by much. 2/5
not my thing wouldn't say its the worst but man uff. every track remind of a some old school movies somehow
liked it, cool concept but a bit freaky/psyched me out
No lo disfruté para nada, en serio intenté escucharlo bien, pero no pude
ugh please stop
This guy deserves more than one spot on the list because…? Might I recommend So Runs the World Away by Josh Ritter?
Yikes. So far the most hit or miss album I had. I had high hopes for this; I always appreciate an artist that tours as relentlessly and as thoroughly as Nick Cave seems to, it's like I have the opportunity to see him every year or so relatively close by and that's saying something considering I live in an area that's typically very dry in terms of popular western touring musicians. That being said, this really did not impress. While I did enjoy some songs such as Curse of Millhaven and the duet songs with PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue, the other ones really did take me away from this. Take O'Malley's Bar: a more than 14 minute song which seems forced the entire way through, not to mention the gibberish at the end of it which I don't consider to be very cool for a group's 9th album (more if you count previous bands) and a man that was near enough 40 years old when this album came out. Not an album I'd consider necessary for this list considering how many other entries this group has, especially and hopefully if any are better than this one.
Stagger Lee was great, the rest was okay, except for The Kindness of Strangers which bordered on bad taste.
Not really "my cup of tea". The subject matter was a little off putting.
This album excels when the track has a guest vocalist. Nick Cave vocal style really doesn’t appeal to me save where it is contrasting with PJ Harvey or Kylie, even if these tracks just make me think of the Shirehorse’s versions (long live Mark and Lard). Other than these ‘The Curse of Millhaven’ at least offers some life, but does kind of feel like they’ve just sped ‘Henry Lee’ up. ‘The Kindness of Strangers’ isn’t too bad.
I'm so tired of being forced to listen to this guy by this list
Dislike
Not for me, sad, creepy…not my my thing
Sounds like Bob Dylan if he had schizophrenia and lived on the streets spouting non sense
I was a bit undecided on this one. It definitely kept my attention, but I probably wouldn't rush to listen to it again. I actually thought I'd like it more than I did. Nick Cave is clearly talented, but I don't think his vocal style is really for me. The album's concept is clever, and I don't have any issue with the idea of a collection of murder ballads. In fact, I think the storytelling is one of the stronger part of the album. When it works, it's genuinely engaging, although there were a few moments where it came across as a bit too theatrical or even a little cringey. The highlights were easily the duets. "Henry Lee" was probably my favourite track—Nick Cave and PJ Harvey's voices work really well together. I've also got a soft spot for Kylie, so "Where the Wild Roses Grow" was another standout. Honestly, I wish there were more duets because they were the best part of the album for me. "Stagger Lee" was... bizarre. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about it lyrically. I was reading some other reviews afterwards, and someone described Nick Cave as sounding like a Disney villain, which genuinely made me laugh—I can kind of see what they meant. Overall, I can appreciate the ambition and the storytelling, even if the album itself didn't fully click with me. It'll be interesting to see how I get on with his other albums. This one just wasn't for me.
Oh great, another one. There’s millions of artists out there yet Nick Cave is on this list again. Somehow or someone thinks he is a better artist than even the Beatles. I highly disagree. This is still just poor poetry over top of half assed music . I’m disappointed that I’ve been forced to listen to Nick Cave more than twice. He and his albums are not that good
2.5 Idk man there’s just too many Nick Cave albums on this list. Idk if this is actually the worst one, I’m just tired of getting Nick Cave albums. We get it, guy who made this list, you like Nick Cave. Is there an argument for one or two Nick Cave albums? Absolutely! He IS important to music, and is well respected. Do all his albums, plus albums that he appears on, plus albums where people cover his work, plus albums he produced, plus multiple albums by the people in his band, do all THOSE also have to be on this list? It gets a bit silly, doesn’t it? The songs with the ladies are the best ones.
Heavy handed storytelling performed by a community theatre performer that takes themselves way too seriously. I really like some Nick Cave songs but wow this was a chore
I'm trying to get what Nick Cave is putting down as this is my third album from him and am still put off. My take on this one is he is intentionally making the juxtaposition of the clean rock band sound and his unstable off putting vocals represent the murders in the stories. I think he himself is the discordant nature that upsets the rhythm of life (the music) and that is kind of interesting from an artistic point of view but I still don't like listening to it very much. I'm glad to have heard it cause it informs me on music in the future but I would not go back to re-listen without external reasons. The instrumentation is solid and I would rate it higher without the singing but I'm also just not a "Ballad" kind of guy.
Too musical theatre for me unforch
I love the guy but the music is just mostly not listenable.
I tend to cut Nick Cave a lot of slack but this is intolerably grim.
Honestly just weird? It just skates past a 1 rating because it isn't unlistenable, but just not my cup of tea. I also take pause about someone who can find so many ways to sing about killing women but ok
I’ve listened to a fair bit of Nick Cave at this point, but I find his music to be like a really strong drink: I can only enjoy it in small quantities and very specific settings. I liked the production on “Stagger Lee” (which, strangely, reminded me of Sublime) and the closing “Death Is Not The End,” although it’s worth noting that these were two of the few non-originals on the album. Sometimes dark and morose subject matter can be a medium for entertainment or deep meditations, but in this case I found myself wondering at the writer’s inspiration. Overall it was a hard one for me to get through.
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.
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.
Just not a nick cave fan. Kinda weird and dark album.
Ei lähtenyt hirveästi itselle. Rankkaa tekstiä joo, välillä vähän cringeä omaan korvaan, puhelauluhommat on vähän vaikea laji
tired. boring. yawning.
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
Idk how this is on the list. 2
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.
The vocal delivery and much of the music ruin what, for me, could be interesting songs lyrically.
Not really my cup of tea, but the duet with Kylie Minogue was ok.
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.
Cool sound, but I don't like the songs. Or the cartoonishly dire vocals.
Wait, there are FIVE Nick Cave albums on this list? wow... just, wow.
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.
This kind of voices are not my thing
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.)
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
Found it fairly tedious and self-indulgent.
Id rather listen to tom waits
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.
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.
I don't appreciate this... I don't mind the stories, but the vocals make this an unpleasant listen. Also R.I.P Biko.
Mördarmusik?? Inte så nice.
yeah not my vibe. most songs sounded like theyd be on a disney villians soundtrack.
Coldplay left me well, cold
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.
Interesting but a bit bland
2.5
2/5
Weird somehow, 14 Minuten Song?!
Just a bit cringe honestly
Not for me. Found it kind of cheesy even
It's like Tom Waits but worse. Will I listen to again: 2%
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.
What a weird concept, not my vibe at all, but I ended up enjoying some parts of it.
Nick Cave and The Bad Album 2/5
No me cautivó en lo absoluto
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.
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.
Meh
This is NOT background listening. It gets a half point back for that 2.5
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
- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM
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.
I once saw Nick Cave at the bus stop, which was more exciting than this
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"
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.
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.
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.
Didn't care for it.
2. Nope
Weird album
This was kind of weird and was kind of like a musical in some ways.
point8.
Really too dark and empirical for me. This guy has popped up in a few movies (like Wings Of Desire) and he works there but his music is just not for me. 3/10
1.5
This is haunting gothic rock alternative turned up to 11. I still don't understand the appeal of Nick Cave, and so far this is the darkest of the three albums we've heard. I'll feel better once I check this one off as complete, never to visit it again.
I just can't find much that's enjoyable here or with anything by Nick Cave. I have honestly tried on this journey and it just consistently disappoints. The music is just a vessel for whatever poetry Nick Cave has brought to the recording sessions and is generally just haphazardly thrown underneath it. There's a certain type of human who enjoys this kind of music and more power to them for being able to hear it differently than I do. Enjoy it in my stead.
About like all Nick Cave. Meh. 2.5/5
jesus cristo eu quase bati o carro com esse vsf o colega que eu tava dando carona ficou até meio triste
ê vozerão, hein achei o conceito legal, mas algumas dão bastante soninho viu, apesar de terem outras legais. mas a música de 14 minutos lombrou o batalhão pra mim, que canseira!!
Interesting concept for an album but this just didn't vibe with me too much, unfortunately.