time for some of the other Nick Cave albums
From Her to Eternity, 1984
I guess it could be natural that this debut album is unquestionably the most difficult in the catalog, hot of the madness of the late
Birthday Party. A bunch of elements still remain, with no-wavey guitar skronkage and a general form of formlessness, but also incorporated now is some off kilter blues and long and meandering, harrowing minimalistic bouts of terror and catharsis.
The Firstborn is Dead, 1985
The blues is in full effect on this album now. Raw and downtrodden atmosphere and among the groups best tracks with the constantly rolling drums and frantic guitar of
Tupelo
Your Funeral, My Trial, 1986
The first album where it became clear that branching out was indeed inevitable. Early in this transition more eclectic influences are surfaced, somewhat more of a gothic air, but still holding onto the early and menacing stylings. I think
The Carny is my favorite track here, for whatever reason. It's more of a tale of a song, in the way of older brooding ballads like
A Box for Black Paul. It goes strangely hard in a way I can't quite articulate. Gloom and crash.
Tender Prey, 1988
Logically the pinnacle of creativity thus far. This album of course expands their style to something quite original. It's got the gothic rock, the blues, the ballads, the intimidation, and now bundled together with art rock and industrial influences. All this makes for a very realized album. Plus it contains perhaps their best track, and one of the most badass and epic ever written by anyone, with
The Mercy Seat.
Let Love In, 1994
After
Tender Prey the band tried on a softer approach with
the Good Son, then another thorough and succinct and all around rocking go with the previously mentioned
Henry's Dream.
Let Love In just continues the logical evolution and is regarded often as a definitive work. It's quite lovely, if you will. Very full of it. It lets it in. Hypnotic and deep.
Murder Ballads, 1996
Stylistically still in the vein of its predecessor, with heavy focus on atmosphere and story telling. Opens heavily with the immense and cavernous
Song of Joy, it's deep from the start. A lyrical showcase here that demonstrates the versatility of the songwriting, from chilling and heartbreaking to humorous and ridiculous and generally vulgar, it all makes me happy.
Stagger Lee and
O'Malley's Bar are pretty much as gangster as it gets.
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus, 2004
No More Shall We Part is perfectly painful in all the best possible ways, another soft ballad oriented album with great writing all around. After that came
Nocturama, which is good too, surely, but it was followed by perhaps the group's most eclectic release in their entire arsenal with this double doozie. Overall an artsy and folksy bit of coolness with satisfying noise rock elements coming through over vast arrangements of instruments both acoustic and electric, and even some gospel here and there with choirs for days.
I luv