I love Nick Cave so much, but this not actually a record I’ve spent an overabundance of time on. I really love his early work, with Henry’s Dream, Let Love In, and Murder Ballads being the real sweet spot in his body of work for me. I kind of checked out with him post-Boatman’s Call, so I’m looking forward to this one since I really haven't listened to it more than once in the past, and that was probably 20 years ago. Just finished. What a baller record. I can’t believe it’s taken me 20 years to come back and sit with this record. I checked out after No More Shall We Part. After the weepiness of Boatman’s Call (which was good, but not my favorite side of Nick Cave) and leaning more into that with NMSWP, I gave up the proverbial ghost with Nick Cave. I’d even listened to bits of late records where he just seemingly quit giving a shit about rhyme schemes and writing songs that were pleasant to listen to. But this record fits, probably most sweetly, into that sweet spot. It has balls and heart. It might be one of his most “front to back” listenable records. He has written a good many songs that surpass many on this record (though there a few that hang with the best of his songs), but this is one of his best records as a whole. I will be putting this in my regular rotation. 5/5