By far the simplest of Nick Cave's albums with The Bad Seeds and rather a strange step forward from the album that preceded it. That album being Murder Ballads which contained Cave's rip-roaring rendition of classic folk song, "Stagger Lee", with some lyrics changed like, "I'm that bad motherfucker named Stagger Lee!" So thus you can see why it's a bit of a shock when he starts singing, "I don't believe in the existence of angels/But looking at you I wonder if that's true/But if I did I'd summon them together/And ask them to watch over you"
Understandably this was a shock to Cave fans but I'd say a pleasant shock. Cave has written one of the finest albums of his career here and the Bad Seeds come up trumps with perfectly fitting minimal backing. Most of this album is Cave at a piano with the Bad Seeds playing laid back arrangements around him, they can afford to do this as the pace is mostly gentle and balladesque. The songs focus all around love, life, religion and back to lassies and heartbreak and that, and to be quite frank Cave has brilliant tunes on this album but they're best suited to when that lassy that you've had yer eye on for a while has turned round and said you make her want to try being a lesbian despite the fact the smell of fish makes her feel nauseous... or the best other time to listen to them is when you're so in love that it hurts but that lovely lass just doesn't know!
If you're not in a particularly reflective or melancholy mood then I can't say that this is an album for you. There's not really an upbeat or fast moving song on the whole album but it's not trying to be fast or upbeat or mean and angry. It's gentle, reflective, melancholy and full o' sighs and meditations. Lyrically speaking Cave is always outstanding and this album delivers nothing less. If you want a faster paced album try Dig! Lazarus! Dig! or try delving into Cave's archives and listen to some of his Birthday Party stuff (which is so incredibly different to the Bad Seeds work that you'd be hard pushed thinkin' it's the same fella).
To summarise for all you folk who weren't arsed reading the rest: If you're crying into your Corn Flakes about a girl then you'll love it. If you're running around dancing the macarena then I think you're out of luck.
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