Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus

2004-11-09

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are back with another disk....no wait, that's two disks!!! They are a set. The first is Abattoir, which is definitely the more rock 'n roll album of the two, and it really packs a punch! Unbridled gothic post-punk passion!!! At times I hear cynicism and joy radiating from the same songs, as he mocks the Western take on God and religion and yet yearns to discover God's will.

The second disk is a softer more carefully theatrical disc. It's also slightly more experimental in nature. The quest in Cave's songwriting seems to be "to explore his obsessions with religion, death, love, America and violence with a bizarre, sometimes self-consciously eclectic hybrid of blues, gospel, rock and arty post-punk"(allmusic.com). If you are familiar with Cave's work, you know that part already. The music making itself accentuates the passion and gritty focus of those obsessions.

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Rock

  • reviewed 07/2012

    WACO BROTHERS AND PAUL BURCH
    GREAT CHICAGO FIRE

  • reviewed 11/2006

    TEDDY BEARS
    Soft Machine

  • reviewed 10/2003

    Grandaddy
    Sumday

  • reviewed 01/2006

    ROB DICKINSON
    Fresh Wine for the Horses

  • reviewed 07/2011

    WASHED OUT
    Within and Without

  • reviewed 11/2013

    THE GORIES
    The Shaw Tapes: Live in Detroit 5/27/88

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.