Customer Reviews

Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nick Cave seems to have experienced an epiphany, drawing on gospel, rhythm and blues and earthy blues to piece together what is perhaps the most emotionally satisfying collection of his career. For those who are used to the preternatural scowling Nick Cave, this CD may be a disappointment. Why, Nick Cave almost sounds joyous! Yet, the haunting refrains still lurk beneath the surface which is what makes this 2 CD set so memorable.

I'm a new Nick Cave fan. I don't know how he's escaped me so long. I started out with _Boatman's Call_ and couldn't quit listening to it, especially the song _People Ain't No Good_ and _There Is A Kingdom_. His voice and his words equally resonate. The songs themselves read like Donne or Dylan Thomas and speak to a sort of belief that rocks and threatens even as it soothes. I had my doubts that this album could equal Boatman's Call in my estimation--but it equals and surpasses, in many aspects. So many of these songs gave me chills, either of pleasure or fear. C.S. Lewis once said "The business of Heaven is Joy". There's joy in these songs--joy and terror, and longing, and loneliness. Add to that a solid, tooth-rattling rock sense and lyrics that bite like cold iron, and you have a work of stunning beauty.

Well, Nick Cave certainly knows how to suck you in. The follow-up to 2003's "Nocturama" is a solidly moody creation, a two disc set called "Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus," courtesy of the ex-Birthday Party vocalist and his new band, the Bad Seeds. One minute mellow, the next bombastic -- and it's pretty good stuff.

Certain bands age well, and thankfully Cave hasn't lost his touch. Though only God knows how he manages to churn out an album a year without burning out like a blind moth. Let alone material that is decent in quality -- "Abattoir Blues" is a warped take on gospel music, complete with a thrilling choir in "There She Goes My Beautiful World."

"It's been a strange, strange day," Cave moans in the first disc. But "The Lyre of Orpheus" takes a slightly different tack -- it's sweeter and more playful. After the heavy rock of songs like "Get Ready for Love," the gentle pop of "Lyre" seems positively idyllic. The sprawling 10-minute finale, "O Children," is a spookily beautiful composition that sounds almost prayerlike.

"Nocturama" wasn't the best that Cave and the Bad Seeds could have done. Like a lot of good rock, it was good by objective standards, but not as good as he could've done. "Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus" fixes that -- it's just a resolutely solid album all around.

Whirlwind bass and murky percussion mask the songs of "Abattoir Blues," giving a sort of wild stormy sound. Even the lower-key songs like funky "Cannibal's Hymn" are spooky and weird. Things change quite a bit with "Lyre of Orpheus," such as the opener of "Breathless" -- it's dominated by a gentle acoustic guitar and a flute. In the background of "Carry Me," you can hear what sounds like a piano. The music sounds very textured and complete.

And despite such brilliant instrumentation, it's hard to tell just how Cave can keep from laughing during some of the songs he sings here. Like "The Lyre of Orpheus" -- he sings about Orpheus crafting a lyre that kills Eurydice, followed by "birdies detonated in the sky/bunnies dashed their brains out on the trees." Where do they get these wickedly deranged ideas from? But the lyrics aren't all goofy -- "Cannibal's Hymn" is morbidly creepy, with its "your heart that is bruised but bleating/And bleeding like a lamb."

What's best about "Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus" is that both discs work as individuals albums. But taken together, they feel like a wild night out, and the lazy Sunday morning that comes after.

First things first. It has been a decent amount of years since my last "review." The reasons surrounding this tiny truth have to do with time constraints and simple fatigue. I am a 20 year old college student. Those who attend "commuter" colleges can and will agree that, when faced with classes & homework and real work (that pays the bills), it is too easy to become tired. With that said, the sound of this new album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds makes it impossible for me not to review, criticize, and judge (Lest he be judged, yada yada yada).
This double-album is all at once brilliant, beautiful, chaotic, serene, weathered, challenging, murderous, Biblical, loud, fabricated, and true. In fact, it may be too true - hence the contradictions. While Abattoir Blues is manic, sharp fanged, and angry; The Lyre of Orpheus is anger turned into sadness. Together as one this album puts Murder Ballads to shame. The album has a live feel to it and Cave's vocals soar and the music stirs.

I was originally going to do a track-by-track commentary. Since the (double)album is a total of 17 songs I decided to mention the "most important" and, naturally, my favorites...

Abattoir Blues
1. "Get Ready For Love" - Off with a bang. There has not been this noisy of an opener since Henry's Dream. Twisted Gospel. A sure fire sign of things to come.

2. "Cannibal's Hymn" - Spider fingers on the guitar. Cave's vocals melt over this music. The drums remind me of how music used to (and should) sound.

3. "Hiding All Away" - The Birthday Party back from the dead. Anyone who said that the band lost their edge when Blixa left had better shut up and buckle up. To hear Cave scream, "All right now!" in his signature squeal is the greatest cacophony I have heard in a long while (besides "Don't Go Into That Barn" by Tom Waits.)

4. "Messiah Ward" - Another brilliant tune. Wonderful use of the female London Community Gospel Choir (LCGC). If you were hauling the bones of some long-gone lover out of a graveyard the air would probably sound like this.

5. "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" - The most attention is being put on this song by magazines and most critics. I am not surprised why. Thunderous. Gospel. Moving.

The Lyre of Orpheus
1. "The Lyre of Orpheus" - Title track. Cave being haunted by that one album Murder Ballads. A true highlight.

5. "Supernaturally" - My big favorite of The Lyre. Mick Harvey's guitar speaks for itself. Guarantee that you will be singing along with the chorus by the end of the song. Lots of sadness. Lots of fun.

6. "Spell" - Belongs somewhere on No More Shall We Part. Predictable Seeds but beautiful and brilliant nevertheless.

7. "Carry Me" - LCGC steals the song. The music reigns (and pours). Haunting and beautiful.

8. "O Children" - The "real" closer of the two albums. If it was not for "Supernaturally" this would be the favorite of Lyre. Same vein as No More Shall We Part's "Darker With The Day." If "Babe, I'm On Fire" was the setting sun burning a hole through us; "O Children" is the full moon high in the sky.

Do not get me wrong. All the songs deserve some kind of comment, but for all intended purposes I chose the ones that would persuade buyers. Music lovers deserve to hear this album. There is no big conclusion. The albums are beautiful, brilliant, and foreboding all at the same time. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are merciless and victorious. Bravo. I hope the best is yet to come.

Ever since the release of The Boatman's Call, Nick Cave has been subjected to a slew of criticism regarding his having "gone soft," "sold out," or what-have-you. I'll grant that the change from the demonic energy of Let Love In or Murder Ballads was pretty dramatic, but I've never had much of a problem with the "new" style -- and I find No More Shall We Part to be a work of absolute genius. However, it is certain that Nocturama was probably the tamest Bad Seeds album yet, dominated by ballads and only occasionally punctuated by outbursts like "Dead Man in my Bed." This is all well and good, but there is no question that the Bad Seeds are a very tight and intense group, and it makes little sense to rein them in too much.

All this climaxed in the departure of integral Bad Seed Blixa Bargeld, German avant-guitarist and frontman of industrial band Einsturzende Neubauten. Quite frankly, when I heard some pre-realeased sound clips from Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus, I couldn't hear much besides some gospel choir singing and a few segments of Nick going on about wistaria and juniper, and I sadly assumed that Bargeld was the only person keeping the band's "edginess" together, and that Abattoir/Lyre would be little more than Nocturama's weakest cuts spread out over two, agonizing albums.

Fortunately, I couldn't have been more wrong. The only thing Bargeld's departure seems to have done is convince Mick Harvey to add some chaotic Blixa-esque touches to his guitar work, and Cave himself is clearly at a songwriting peak. Chanelling the sense of bifurcation that made Nocturama seem a little unbalanced, Nick and the Seeds put most of the rambunctious songs on one CD (Abattoir Blues) and the ballads on the other (The Lyre of Orpheus). This is not nearly so bad an idea as it seems; there are no real problems with variety.

The first CD begins strongly with the gospel-tinged "Get Ready for Love." Nick doesn't introduce the gospel choir gradually, by any means; they're booming "Praise Him!" within the first couple of seconds. I have to admit, the gospel-choir sound is an acquired taste; fortunately, considering music of this quality, it's not terribly difficult to acquire. Not all the songs on Abattoir are quite so rumbustious as this opener (the excellent Cannibal's Hymn, for instance) but the tone is generally intense. My vote for best cut goes to Hiding All Away -- this brilliant piece of songwriting starts quietly, tension gradually winding as Nick's voice alternates with blazing guitars, the whole thing ending with Cave and the entire choir shouting "there is a war coming." Awesome stuff.

The Lyre of Orpheus is supposed to be the "quiet" album, but the title track/opener is anything but quiet. The song is funny in a dark way, but I can't quite tell what Cave is trying to say; the way in which he makes Orpheus into a figure of horror and destruction seems to question the validity of musical creation at all. Fascinating lyrics. Tracks 3 and 4 -- "Breathless" and "Babe, You Turn Me On" -- are my favorite from this CD until the closer, "O Children," which is probably the best song on either CD. It is perfectly paced, the lyrics are glorious, and the conclusion is absolutely transcendent. Don't miss this.

It's true, a few of the songs on each CD tend to sound like slightly less inspired versions of the better cuts; but this sort of thing is nearly inevitable on double albums. I don't know if Nocturama should be called a misstep, but even so, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus is an astonishing "return to form." At the price for which this double album is being sold, it ought not be missed.

Why so shocking? Well every year Nick keeps releasing material. You would have thought that the albums would have a couple of good songs and filled with well filler!

Not so...

Of the recent albums since Let Love In, I thought No More Shall We Part was a masterpiece, but this probably just beats it. Certainly with the exclusion of The Brown Ape Song and the Lyre Of Orpheus, the album is flawless.

Nature Boy whilst catchy and strong, does not even compare to the upcoming single "There She Goes My Beautiful World" which is one of the funkiest and hard hitting songs I have ever heard from Nick.

Some of the songs on Lyre of Orpheus are just "good" as opposed to brilliant, and if I could only take one album it would be Abbatoir Blues.

Fortunately you get two great albums. How they can better this I am not sure, but I look forward to finding out. Why Nick is not more popular as his talents in my opinion equal or surpass Coldplay is uncertain but I suppose his music does not have mass appeal. Which is a shame, as noone wants to ever go to the concerts with me! Oh well I will go alone, this album is amazing, and I recommend it highly.

Only three words: VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE! Highlights on both albums include 'There she Goes, my Beautiful world', 'Nature Boy', 'Get ready for love', 'Easy money' and the brilliant 'O children'. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds have again incorporated a group of brilliant background singers that really add something special to the songs. On 'No more shall we part' it were Kate & Anna McGarrigle, this time on 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus' it is the London Community Gospel Choir that does the job. With 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus' Nick Cave proves (again) why he is problably the only really great lyricist in todays music industry. The Bad Seeds prove (again) what great musicians they are. If you live in Europe i suggest you to buy this great album set right away, US release is on October 26th.

"The Boatman's Call" was a great album, but it was almost impossible to follow up. "No More Shall We Part" and "Nocturama" had some great moments, but they were essentially disapointing attempts to expand the sound and ideas of "Boatman." Now Nick Cave has finally come out from under the long shadow of "The Boatman's Call" and you can tell he knows it. He feels loose and liberated on these two discs and the Bad Seeds play with inspiring power on the most lively and consistent set of songs Cave has ever written. Abattoir Blues is the more immediately gripping of the two discs. It's full of revved up garage rock and swampy blues while still retaining many the gorgeous melodies of Cave's more meditative work. "Get Ready For Love," "Nature Boy," and "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" are the three songs that will strike you the most on first listen, with their great lyrics, lightning fast pace, and transcendent choruses. "Hiding All Away" might be my favorite song on "Abattoir" however. With its crunchy, vaguely funky take on the blues and its surrealist lyrics, it wouldn't sound out of place on an album by prime electric-era Dylan. That is, until the end where the guitars get noisier, the gospel choir kicks into full gear and Cave leads the Bad Seeds through an apocalyptic rave up like only he knows how. "The Lyre Of Orpheus" is more mellow, but it has a similarly loose vibe that keeps it from being another "Boatman's Call" Redux. Cave is obviously having lots of fun here with the humorous, dramatic title story-song and "Babe, You Turn Me On," which functions as the folky flipside to disc one's "Nature Boy." Things get more serious on "Carry Me" and "O Children," but the playing is warm and sympathetic and Cave never sounds dispairing. This disc's greatest strength is the relaxed violin of Warren Ellis, which sets the tone for Cave's quietly engaging songs. It's rare that and artist approaching middle age, especially one often associated with youthful noise and fury, can create arguably his best album, but that's just what Nick Cave has done with "Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus." Highly recommended for fans and non-fans alike.

Nick Cave is a songwriter of a literary bent. Fair or not I categorize his body of work with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and, hmm, Mose Allison. Fair or not. I saw the Birthday Party ... twice in fact ... and saw the very first US shows of The Bad Seeds. So I've been following this Cave critter around for something along the lines of two decades. Creepy as that sounds, I've never idolized the fella'. I'd lost track of his work between "From Her To Eternity" and "The Good Son." But once I got my hands on "Murder Ballads" and "Let Love In" I've reflexively purchased every new release. This one's mighty good. Like Dylan, Waits and Mose before him, Cave continually finds new inroads into singularly-focused topics that motivate him to write more tunes. He's looking at a diamond and continually finding nuances in the glimmer of its facets. But ... in the end ... this music (rather the sound that comes out of the speakers) is noisy to some, obtuse to others and makes my wife yell at me to turn the freakin' record off NOW! As I said, Not for the unconverted.

If you pinned me to the ground and tickled my feet with boa feathers, I'd probably confess to not being that impressed by NOCTURAMA, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' previous album. It felt weary, conventional (those two dead, bed and burning songs aside) and washed-out. If a man as tirelessly self-creative and mythologising as Nick Cave could ever be accused of treading water, then NOCTURAMA would be the only evidence to present in support of such an accusation. Remarkable in a career spanning over twenty years.

Thankfully, the time has not come to bury Nick Cave, but to praise him. Over and over. ABATTOIR BLUES/LYRE OF ORPHEUS is a triumphant re-statement of Nick Cave's epiphany-rich pursuit of his creative muse. His lyrical facility is intact (in truth, that never deserted him on NOCTURAMA). What strikes on listening to the new album(s) is the texture of the arrangements. They are both more spacious and dense, cavernous and intimate, poured over with the richness of gospel choir backing and harmonising. Individual components emerge less often than in the past, in favour of a density of sound that harkens back to LET LOVE IN and HENRY'S DREAM, and yet manages to sound new. The maudlin Hamlet-like pose of the not-so-young man contemplating his mortality which Nick Cave exercised to such effect on BOATMAN'S CALL, AND NO MORE ... and even NOCTURAMA has largely been replaced by a tidal wave of passion. Passion for his visions, his words, the power of his voice, the love of his songs. He reconnects to his past whilst pointing the way forward. His muse should rest content this year: she's been well-served. It only remains for me to say, 'thank you'.