Reviews (page 8 of 9)
Meh
not bad, a bit slow
Today's album is my second by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. This is the album once recommended to me by a friend. This is a very dark album, whose entire theme circles around death and murder. Listening to this album is like listening to a true crime documentary. Nick's writing style and vocal delivery gives an overwhelming feeling of dread and gloom. He pairs with female vocalists such as: Kylie Minogue and PJ Harvey to inject some beauty to his baritone voice. The whole record proceeds through so much death and murder, and finally ends with a song of hope (a cover of Bob Dylan's "Death is Not the End") to pull the listener out of the darkness. This album is beautiful in the most fucked of ways. Nick has a way of genre jumping between albums. The first album of his I reviewed was called The Boatman's Call, which was an intimate acoustic album which featured Nick singing with piano accompaniment. Very soft and mellow. This album was rock oriented (kind of goth rock in a way) and VERY dark. I loved this album. At first, the shock of the material kind of turned me off, but eventually, it won me over, and upon second listen, I really looked past that, and really listened. This is a piece of art! The only way to enjoy this record is by listening front to back. Favourite songs: Stagger Lee, Where the Wild Roses Grow, The Curse of Millhaven, The Kindness of Strangers, Song of Joy, O'Malley's Bar, Death is Not The End Least favourite song: Crow Jane 5/5
So far sppoooky. Accidentally did shuffle, ass. Where the wild rose grows is an easy listen, nice. Henry lee is a nice track, I feel as though this album is worth a re-listen as the sequencing may aid its flow. Stagger Lee is goood. Yeah, this ones in between a 3 and a 4. Probably a 3.6
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.
mid, too aggressive for me
I feel like I should like this album more, but I guess it’s just not my thing
Came into this with high hopes and it has some really solid tracks, but felt quite overindulgent at times.
Just kinda listened without listening. Nothing grabbed my attention
If you look up "tryhard" in the Urban Dictionary, there's a picture of Nick Cave (probably). Best track: Where the Wild Roses Grow
Murder Ballads is the ninth album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. As the title suggests, the album contains songs about crimes of passion - in fact every song except one has lyrics about a death happening. This album received widespread critical acclaim and was the band's biggest commercial success to date. I found the songs to be decent, but the theme of murder/death did get old after a while. Not a bad album, instead it was a unique one that I'm glad I was able to listen to completely at least once.
Dead is not the end is a good song I don’t like nick caves singing The girl was ok
I am not sure how one of this guys albums made this list let alone two. This album was filled with stories and songs that were so rough to listen to. The singer just talks and it’s mainly anecdotes that are supposed to seem cool or edgy. Overall it was terrible. 1.3/10
A bravura performance from Nick Cave, a dark, twisted, gothic album full of, well, murder. The imagination, creativity and storytelling is incredible and yet the tunes are still singalong toe tapping. PJ Harvey and Kylie join in for the fun. Cave can conjure such incredible imagery and stories from some fictitious past. Few albums as unique as this in this list.
It was okay. Not really my type of thing I guess. 6/10
Music for people who regret their Nightmare Before Christmas tattoo.
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.
Another album from the underwhelming Nick Cave. To give credit where it's due, this one has an interesting theme running throughout, although executed rather haphazardly. He really sounds like a tryhard here. Two very generous bloody knives for you Nick. 🔪🔪
PREFS : TOUT MOINS PREF : RIEN
Great album. A more modern Folsom Prison.
Me ha gustado bastante... ¿Tanto cómo para vinilo? ¡Sí!
first listen meh
I absolutely adored the quirky weirdness of this album. The vocals are a little off, but in a way that actually feels totally appropriate for the vibe they were going for and the music was absolutely amazing the entire time. I can't say O'Malley's Bar is a good song per se, but it was an absolute treat that only gets better on relistens, they absolutely earned that 14 minutes. Best tracks: Lovely Creature, Where the Wild Roses Grow, The Curse of Millhaven, O'Malley's Bar, and Death is Not the End.
na moral, primeira vez que eu ouvi achei uma bosta. pq o cara canta falando assim? e a mina que canta junto faz ficar pior ainda std. Não é minha vibe, não clickou
Couldn't get past the first two songs YIKES
Strangely liked this. Reminds me of going to Trans Siberian Orchestra or something. Gotta say Mr. Nick Cave is hitting the base notes pretty well.
not a big fan of the first few. The lyrics do rhyme and there is a story line through at least some of the songs. "Where the wild roses grow" and "Curse of Millhaven" are better. The latter being more upbeat.
Interesting idea. Some wild lyrics.
yeah, not my favorite. Kinda interesting stories and vocals but not really my thing.
Horrifyingly bad. Listened to all the tracks and they all sounded like songs from a really bad play. Never again…
The most Nick Cave album Nick Cave has ever made. Every aspect, from the choice of guest stars to the copious use of "motherfucker" in his take on Stagger Lee, feels so Nick Cavernous it's almost parodic. As such, is this an album made for an audience of one, that one person being Nick Cave himself? 1996 saw Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds reach their summit, in terms of commercial success and critical cachet. In retrospect, it also saw Nick Cave transition from gothy cult artist to respected elder of rock. The conceit of this album exemplifies this change of status: long besotted with grisly subject matter and its visceral impact on the listener, Nick Cave gathered his Seeds and recorded an album of murder ballads, some covers but mainly from his own pen. The most famous song on this album proved a little left-field: Nick Cave got fellow antipodean and remarkably tenacious popstar/wank-fodder Kylie Minogue to duet on Where the Wild Roses Grow, a sombre countryish number with Cave as the killer in unhealthy love with his victim Kylie. Nick Cave doing an album of murder ballads is not so much predictable as the logical conclusion to his work, like Eric Clapton's album of Robert Johnson covers or Rod Stewart's series of the Great American Songbook. And like those two examples, Murder Ballads has the odour of a passion project that just happened to appeal to other people. Nick Cave just wanted to do an album of murder ballads, which incidentally is exactly what his fans wanted him to do. If you don't want to hear Nick Cave sing about slitting an unfaithful lover's throat, then you weren't listening to Nick Cave anyway, and there's no point in you listening to Nick Cave in the future. Now, I quite like Nick Cave. I accept that he's done excellent work. And on paper, this should be the ideal Nick Cave album for me. I'm warped enough to adore violent art, from Georges Bataille to Paul Verhoeven. For me, a film improves Everestally if there's a close-up of someone's head exploding (that spectacle is one of the oldest special effects in cinematic history, with one of Georges Méliès' shorts featuring an exploding head way back in 1901). And there is greatness on this album. The relish and obscenity Nick Cave brings to his take on Stagger Lee, a American folk song based on a 19th-century African-American pimp, is a true hoot. How can you not embrace a line like "I'd crawl over 50 good pussies just to get to one fat boy's asshole"? But there are minor slip-ups in the delivery. Tragically, the general excellence surrounding these flaws magnifies them, like Jet from Gladiators with a nasal carbuncle. Returning to the version of Stagger Lee, it ends with some very clunky lines that forget to use metre correctly. Have you ever accidentally headbutted your partner at the moment of climax? It's a bit like that. Such awkwardness doesn't happen often on the album, but it happens often enough to be awkward. Yet what really prevents this album from achieving greatness is the totality of murder ballads. I am criticising an album of murder ballads for just containing murder ballads. Yes, the duets with PJ Harvey and Kylie have their pleasures, but by track 7, The Kindness of Strangers, you begin to fidget and wish for some bubblegum. When I was wondering what the audience for this album was, I should have clarified that I was wondering what the audience was for the entirety of this album. If it could leave a gorehound like me wanting to hear Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) halfway through, maybe the motive of a murder ballads album was better than the execution. That's murder for you. NoRadio, signing off.
Used to like Nick Cave but his recent comments about Palestine have shown him up for the tosser that he is.
I like some of their stuff but was really not into this. It all kinda ran together.
I remember seeing this gothic giant for the first time ever when he and pop Princess Kylie performed Wild Roses on TOTP. I couldn’t believe my eyes, but my ears were mesmerised and have been ever since by Cave’s voice
not my cuppa
Great side A. Side B less strong.
Was not really a fan. I thought the obsession with murder was weird. I did listen to it while studying so maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I was able to listen to the stories more
The album's true to its title, but it's that one-note focus that makes this record a tiresome listen. I'm especially not fond of the guest singers who seem to spring up on every other track. All that being said, Nick Cave's a captivating performer and poet, a talented visionary. I'm a big fan. (And 'Stagger Lee' is really fun).
Concept
I'll never look for this kind of music, but the 1001 list teaches me how (and maybe why) I like Nick Cave. It's not my kind of song, but it's always impressive how much I enjoy their albums.
U OK hon?
is this album any good? that would be an ecumenical matter. actually, pretty sure they would say this was pish. giving it an extra star for annoying the church.
Long ago, I knew someone who yakked on and on about his love for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. That someone was a horrible person, and I mostly found this to be a horrible album, so a few things have at least fallen into place. This might have earned a 3 if the producer had deleted all of Cave's vocal tracks... it's no coincidence that the most listenable songs are when he's joined by female guest vocalists, who bring some much needed balance. I can just about get why Nick Cave is regarded as some sort of creative genius, but it's just no fun to listen to.
Yeah, no. A star for Where the Wild Roses Grow otherwise I'm out.
3+ I liked a lot of it, but not all of it.
Super album, murders good…
Again, not a fan. However, I think if I was exposed to NC&TBS more, I might learn to like them. For now, meh.
Best Song: Where The Wild Roses Grow. Excellent contrast with Kylie Minogue. Worst Song: Henry Lee. I think PJ Harvey is a nice counterpoint to Nick Cave, but I find the la's a bit annoying after a while. Overall: Lyrically very dense. Clearly poetic, which I think will require several listens to extract their meaning. Cave knows how to use his voice within the confines of what it's capabilities. Definitely feels like it is striving for (and succeeding at) being Art with a capital A.
For masse Nick Cave
Not really a fan of Nick Cave, can't see what the fuss is all about. Got a feeling I'm gonna have to struggle through a couple more of his albums on this list though.
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.
Nick Cave is amazing. I think I prefer Boatman's Call but still a brilliant album
very good writing, very spooky
Equal parts dark/violent and hilarious. Probably not Nick Cave's most acclaimed album, but it's my favorite of what I've heard over the years.
Ah yes, "Music To Be Murdered By"
Zeker een album wat in mijn ogen iconisch is. Toen ik het voor het eerst hoorde was ik onder de indruk en dat is zo gebleven. Lekker Nick (en jij hebt het ook zeer goed gedaan Kylie)
Nick en zijn slechte zaadjes hebben best veel goede albums uitgebracht. Ik snap eigenlijk niet waarom ik dit toch niet veel draai.
Mjah, het duet met Kylie is uiteraard prachtig. Maar verder is het me toch iets teveel dronkemans gelal
Op dat rare polka-nummer na vond ik dit fantastisch!
Geen prettige plaat. Nummers lijken op andere nummers en ik vind z'n stem hier vervelend.
Murder ballads sound cool, but I dreaded listening to more Nick Cave after the execrable Ghosteen. I find his "quirkiness" irritating, and I had to skip the Wild Rose song because it was on the CD that my abusive former workplace used to play on repeat.
At times gorgeous, lovely collaborations, hilariously funny, and awesomely performed on one hand, at times a bit dragged out and a bit dated production wise. It’s a great album just not perfect.
Weird talking music, kinda neat tho but not good
Interesting narratives and theme, assuming many of these were covers, and the collaborations were surprising. Overall not my thing though.
Very difficult to get through this, I hated almost every minute of it. The concept is grotesque, and the repetition of it is like getting bludgeoned. I also hear the influence of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits in a ways that makes me embarrassed for him.
I find the concept generally repellent, and the execution just seems like some kind of half assed inside joke. Put this on the stereo and I'd be out the door before the first song was over.
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.
I do not like this style of music. His voice is annoying, the "spoken word" style of music doesn't hit me. The songwriting seems like its trying to be deep but I cannot take it seriously
Another rainy day album that was nice to listen to in the background of working.
I remember hearing about Nick Cave for the first time in 2008 in college... for some reason he wasn’t a name that I grew up hearing but kept meaning to give him a listen. I’m happy I had an introduction now. I enjoyed this! It didn’t need to be as long as it is and I think that it should’ve ended before O’Malley’s Bar. There is no way that song needs to be 14 minutes long… silly lyrics and a woman with my name got killed. With that said, happy to have heard it and overall it was enjoyable. No complaints.
This is probably the weirdest album I have ever listened to. Very disturding.
Very interesting. Very dark. Very folky. Like a super dark version of the Corries. Some of it was good, some I was hoping it would end. Really liked Death is not the end.
After listening to the first song I immediately realised that Nick Cave wrote the Peaky Blinders theme tune and from that point on every song sounded like I was listening to the soundtrack. I probably should have listened to nick cave before this but here we are. Can't see myself putting this on ever again.
Not for me
One that I know surprisingly better than I realised. Nick Cave is polarising - some might say a bit Mr Marmite. Personally, I like him, but have to be in the mood - and this album seems to ooze autumnal / Halloween vibes, so perfect for this time of year.
Hieno! Aivan kuten suuri osa Nick Caven muustakin tuotannosta. Tämä lienee ainakin se suuri kaupallinen menestys. Toimii silti kokonaisuutena vaikka megahitin sisältääkin. 4/5
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.
Varsin nautinnollista synkistelyä maanantaihin. Jos Nick Cave olis syntyny tähän aikaan niin sillä varmaan olis True Crime-podcast. Onneks ehti alta pois!
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.
Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I was going to when the first track kicked off
I love a bit nick cave. Interesting concept for an album but the end felt a bit corny. Fav Song: Stagger Lee Least fav song: Death is not the end Fav quote: "I'm a bad mother fucker, i'll crawl over 50 good pussies to get to one fat boys ass"
Interesting album theme, but not my thing.
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.
Holy crap. How could an entire album of songs describing multiple murders be so entertaining? My first listen to Nick Cave, and I can see this is his forte. Sort of like Tom Waits in his genius, but gleefully darker. When Waits mourns it is with his whole heart and the remorse is terrible. When Cave mourns, as in the case of Mary Bellows in the song Kindness of Strangers, it’s almost matter of fact; the empathy of the mortician. A wild ride that makes you almost laugh at how grisly some of the songs are, with excellent guest appearances and fabulous performances by all the musicians. There may not be anything like this album.
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.
Meh!
interesting halloween music
Yeah pretty good
I just couldn't get into this one. I got the theme. The instrumentals kept to the theme and were complex enough to be worthy of praise. Maybe I just wasn't in a dark, murdery type places. If I am, I know where to go.
Definitely an interesting album, found myself really getting into its tales.
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.
Rock experimental. Aburrido.
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.
Man monologues over mediocre instrumentals
Literally the perfect mix of rock and country, could listen to this voice for hours
The title of this album is v accurate. I guess this is what I should have expected.
2/10. Stagger Lee was probably the worst Nick Cave song I've ever listened to, and that's saying something. Swearing in his dumbass wannabee-Tom-Waits voice for a whole song, and he just sounds like an edgy 12 year old, and that last statement goes for much of the album.
Well, Nick Cave, you did it! You took Bone Machine and made it worse! The day we are rid of his albums on this list will be in the top 10 happiest days of my life. 3/10
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
Listened to it twice so I must have enjoyed it. His voice reminds me of a pirate.
Excellent!
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
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.
to deppressing
Ik vind dit een saai album. Stem van de zanger staat me ook niet aan. **
Dog shit. Couldn't make it past the 5th track. No thanks
Couldn’t listen content made me uncomfortable
Disappointing and not good.
Exceptional. Sucks you into another darker world and holds you there.
Not a big of songs about murder
bloederig en grimmig. Te musicalachtig vind ik.
Wild rose is een goed nummer de rest was heel saai.
Best cool, maar voelt meer als een luisterboek. Niet echt voor mij
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.
not my thing
cool
I love Nick Cave. We all love Nick Cave. But you have to be in the mood for Nick Cave. I was sadly not.
Meh.
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.
Boring and/or horrible songs. Showtunes without a show.
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.
Underwhelming. It reminded me of Tarantino movie score, but forgettable. I've heard better ballads from the Avett Brothers. I didn't think the lyrics were all that spectacular either. If anything, they felt like parody of ballads. I audibly laughed at parts of O'Malley's Bar. This album stunk of a modern man trying to cosplay as an edgy, rugged cowboy. No real stand out songs from me... but I did think it was cool PJ Harvey was on some songs.
56/100: Every song on this album is basically a worse version of “Ballad of Hollis Brown” and the best song on the album, “Death Is Not The End,” is just a Bob Dylan cover anyway. In fact, if you ever wondered what you get when you cross Bob Dylan with Ted Bundy, well here’s your answer. I can’t think of a bigger red flag than someone getting in their car and blasting the song “Stagger Lee.” Reading the lyrics of these songs while listening along was a deeply uncomfortable experience. I guess that speaks to the power of Nick Cave’s writing and it could be argued that’s what makes this album good, but it’s also the reason I’m rating this album so poorly. I can handle and even appreciate a troubling story in a song when it’s written well and has a thought-provoking moral like Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of Hollis Brown,” but this album is not that. I mean what type of message is “The Kindness of Strangers?” The final line is “So mothers keep your girls at home / Don’t let them journey out alone / Tell them this world is full of danger.” This album feels like murder ballads for the sake of writing about murder, which is the most troubling part to me. I can never see a situation in which I would want to listen to this album again, and if anyone ever hears me or anyone else listening to this, please call the police or a therapist.
Always thought I want to like Nick Cave more than I actually do.
this is ass
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.
I'm sure that musically, it has some merit, but I didn't enjoy this at all. Really was a "WTF did I just listen too" moment for me.
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"
There is a fine line between sounding like you are trying too hard, and sounding like you just don't give a shit. I honestly don't know where the hell these guys landed with this one.
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
Interesting. But feels slightly cliche in a way. But worth a listen
Well, this answers the question: What do serial killers listen to in the car on their way to your home?
Overall this was awful.
Irgendwo zwischen spannend und cringig.
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
Guest singers are great. Weird style for me but it feels like one of those albums that shock you at first and then you learn how to appreciate...not sure if it's worth more than 2-3 stars for me right now.
What a weird album. Some of the songs were entertaining. I had never heard of Nick Caves before. He sounded like Leonard Cohen a little bit. There is a 15 minute song on this album and that is completely unnecessary. I don't see myself listening to any of the songs again.
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.
Who goes out of their Way to listen to this moron. I did enjoy the fact that he knows he's ugly in the song's
Just found it all a bit boring, not much to it.
Someone had to make an album like this, I guess.
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)
I know an album will find it's way into my heart when it has a combination of excellent vision and excellent execution. This album knows what it wanted to be, and achieved that idea flawlessly. Not to mention, the dark vintage Americana vibe that runs through this album's blood is always an appreciated aesthetic. This is a new favorite of mine for sure.
Finally, this is an album with some gristle and grit by Nick Cave that I can absolutely get behind.
4/5
Super album. Can't wait to see the great man again later this year.
Cool!
This is like type o negative meets Michael buble
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.
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.
All I can say after this, is: "Wat kon Seedorf nou gebeuren toen hij van elf meter schoot? Er is leven, er is leven na de dood."
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.
Heel duister album, Ballads afgewisseld met af en toe iets steviger. En eindigend met een soort van positieve noot (al klinkt het licht ironisch) Topalbum wel
What a story ! It feels kind of like an audio book, but with songs. It was a nice experience.
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
Really odd and dark storytelling that was quite colorful. I wouldn’t really listen to this for the music itself. It was really just more of a narrative with a score.
Overall, not my style. Interesting concept overall, crimes of passion. Not a huge fan of the sort of talking over a rhythm section. There were a couple songs I liked: Where the Wild Roses Grow, The Curse of Millhaven.
PSA: I've loved, worshipped, and adored Nick Cave since I first heard The Birthday Party back in the early 80s. He can do no wrong for me. Every album is uniquely Nick, every album is magnificent, and this is one of his finest albums. Dark, brooding, expletive ridden, and hilariously funny. I often smile at the thought of the many people that bought the album because they liked Where The Wild Roses Grow. Oh to have seen their faces when Stagger Lee kicked in.
Wannabe Johnny Cash?
No
Usually can’t stand nick cave but this one was kind of fun
Best wel prima
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...
This is an awesome album. Is it gospel rock style? That's honestly the best I can describe it. Not gospel content, though. So much fun to listen to
2/5 too sobby
WE ARE SEEING NICK CAVE TODAY
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.
"Stagger Lee" was pretty good. Otherwise, not worth listening to. On the bright side, this was the fourth Nick Cave album I had to listen to on this list so I think that's the last one.
Dark, brooding and overall fantastic.
I always want to like Nick Cave, but usually I can't find much to like. This one is alright though.
The depictions of violence in this album were legitimately emotionally distressing and I was not prepared for it.
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.
Pretty cool
10/10 it’s been a while since I heard a Nick Cave album, he has so an incredible sense of world building he really plays to his strengths and creates something phenomenal every time, one of the greatest artists I know and probably one of my new favorite albums
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
A long time fan, such a great concept and it's hard to imagine anyone pulling it off any better. Faves, all of them, but particularly on these listens, The Curse of Millhaven, O'Malley's Bar.
Boring.
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
Just fantastic storytelling. One of the great captivating voices
Exceptional. I obviously knew the duet with Kylie, but I loved pretty much all the other songs too. Not quite a concept album, but with a clear theme, and musically really interesting
AHH NO. no no no no no no. no. i wanted to rip everything and scream at this. everything about it made me absolutely angry. not one good thing came from listening to this. no.
do.not.like. awful. That's as creative as I can get. It seems unfair; there was clearly a great deal of effort and creativity given to the music - haunting. It's almost entirely his voice - awful, dry, in-your-face;literally impossible to get by. Hearing his lip smacks - this is the kind of thing that would have gotten me a failing mark in engineering school having left that garbage in the tracks. omg these lyrics. jfc. Might have been really interesting as an instrumental soundtrack. Lovely album cover tho 2/10 1 star
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
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.
No album title in this collection more accurately reflects its contents. While Kylie’s presence offers a nice break from the mostly tedious vocals, this is mostly gloomy and turgid (but one should have expected that). 2.5 > 2
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.
One of the worst albums I've ever had to sit through. Like a high school creative writing class set to mediocre music
Already listened to it
Couple of decent songs.
‘Where the wild roses grow’ worth a star on its own. Remainder probably get another couple. A scraped 3.
Decent album but overlong
Great album. I think on a single listen, I'd give this a 4. However, I suspect it'd grow on me with a few more listens even more, so I'm going to give it a 5/5.
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.
I try to hold out on giving out fives, especially so soon to each other, but man, I love this album. Some insane compositions throughout. A
Holy shit. Am I becoming a NIck Cave fan? Yes I am. 4
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.
Zdecydowanie nie zawiodłam się tytułem - pierwszy album od dłuższego czasu, który przesłuchałam uważnie zamiast tylko puścić w tle i generalnie takie 4.5/5, ale daję 5 za super teksty.
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".
Where the wild roses grow - fiu fiu fiu extra. Reszta poniżej przeciętnej, każda piosenka w formie ballady z historią która potrafiła się dłużyć. Niektórych utworów nie mogłem do końca przesłuchać bo zaczął wyć jak w Stagger Lee. 2.5/5
Znałem. Nick Cave jest świetny, mega klimat, faktycznie album ma sens głównie liryczny i słuchanie go ot tak w tle nie pozwala w pełni doświadczyć jego jakości. Wokalistki pasują do utworów, w których są. Album mroczny, brutalny, nietypowy. Highlighty - Song of Joy (świetnie się tam rozwija akcja) i Death is Not The End
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.
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.
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.
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.
Listening to the first three songs of this was a real slog. I struggled with the vocals. I hated the lyrics. As each of these songs ended my desire to continue listening kept plummeting. “Lovely Creature” was the first song where things started looking a little better... and after that I already was familiar with “Where the Wild Roses Grow” which continued along this line. I didn’t hate this song, in no small part to the performance of Kylie Minogue. But it sounded much worse than I recall on this album. From then on it all heads rapidly south again. I’m sure someone might enjoy this as some kind of satirical joke or something, but my only joy was hearing it end.
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
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.
I bet this album is very polarizing. I didn't particularly like it. It wanted to be moody and depressing but I just found it boring. I don't care for the rambling stories for lyrics.
Don’t mind his voice but not my thing otherwise.
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.
Muy interesante
During their hot streak.
Very good
There is just a ridiculous amount of Nick Cave on this list. This is another okay, slightly overly pretentious outing of his work..
Ummm.... music or spoken word? Either way not a fan
Understand why this album is titled “Murder Ballads” as I felt like murdering myself while listening. Then realized it was Nick Cave who probably should be murdered, and I felt better.
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.
Meh
Boring
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
Musically, this album is great to listen to, a throwback to Western-style compositions, transporting one's imagination to the Old West. Spoken word/story-telling is certainly captivating until the subject matter callously reminds the listener that this is not western music. However, where this album subjectively fails is in the literal storytelling. Explicit language, innuendo, etc., these things may further storytelling in other mediums, but here it feels more like an intentional means of cutting one's self off at the knees. Inserting explicit references for perceivably no real reason to tell a story that ultimately fails at telling anything is frustrating to experience. "Swagger Lee" being the first cringe-worthy song, we are treated to an incredible setting with an interesting set of characters, until all of that goes away with "Swagger Lee" being nothing short of a despicable villain. "O'Malley's Bar" doubles down on the poor story-telling topped with terrible singing, sort of asking the question if whether or not this is where Kanye West learned how to not hold a note. This album is incredibly disappointing in spite of its capability to be a good jam. All the makings and presentation of a great gift, lacking the substance of anything meaningful.
Is this music? I couldn't take it after 4 songs.
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.
Je peux vraiment comprendre l'attrait de cet artiste, mais pour moi on dirait une version plus rock alternative et moins bonne de Leonard Cohen. Des bonnes tounes par-ci par-là mais plusieurs dont j'avais hâte qu'elles finissent
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.
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!
Not my vibe
Yeah I don’t fucking get it. The instrumentation is pretty decent but his voice is almost purposefully boring. What lonely bastard picked this list?
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
Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Stagger Lee, Henry Lee, Lovely creature, Where the wild roses grow
Iconic
a little loud
Couldn't finish the album, Nick was just getting on my nerves. I apologize.Tried to like Nick Cave before but i just couldn't and i think i have to deal with it , i never will.
This was...something. Its definitely interesting but im not sure I'll ever go out of my way to listen to it again.
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.
realmente nao posso dar uma nota pra um tipo de projeto em que nao casa minimamente com o que considero bom. gosto é gosto
Dark, stories set to music. Not really a bop or a vibe as the kid say
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!
p788, 1996, 5 stars Nick Cave :) all the favourites: Stagger Lee, Henry Lee, Curse of Milhaven, O'Malley's Bar
Wow
This is one of the weirdest things I've listened to in years.
Inimitable.
I didn't like this upon release, but it's really grown on me over the years
Dark folky madness. Cool concept but also a bit one-trick-pony-ish.
I already adore this wonderful silly album. Stagger Lee deserves awards just for its ridiculous use of the word motherfucker. It's hilarious. Henry Lee with PJ Harvey and Wild Roses with Kylie are both darker and moodier - and have a nice balance - Cave is murderer in one and victim in the other. Curse of Millhaven and O Mallets Bar are the highlights for me. Gloriously dark silliness. The latter is 15 minutes long bat feels like three. And Death is not the End is like Band Aid but not for idiots. Perfect perfect perfect.
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 🌟
cool concept, executed fairly well
dope! genau likas ally
Just kinda cringey. It’s art but lacks a campfire quality that might make it sound like a western tale. There are a few Nick Cave moments I love, but none of them are here. The best part was PJ Harvey.
one of the weirder albums to add to this list 1.5
I just don’t get him ! 1*
Fantastic of course and probably more consistent than some other albums.
From reading the other reviews, seems like there are deeper meanings to each song, but musically I just don’t enjoy it, so I can’t get into it.
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.
7/10
Cool lyrics telling vivid stories, awesome style
So conflicted. I feel like I should love, love, love this with the darkness and mood, but did not connect.
weird. And weird in a bad way.
Got interesting towards the middle but I wasn't a fan really
6/10
Really not a big fan of this style of music. Reminds me of Tom Waitts.
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.
Other than the gimmick of comprising an album full of songs about murder and death, this is a pretty boring album
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.
Great music and lyrics but super depressing..
Dark and theatrical.
Story
Hard to listen to! If I didn’t know who Nick Cave was I’d have thought this was a spoof album.
Dark and bluesy but not inspiring
Not my kind of music at all, but songwriting is excellent