B-Sides & Rarities [ENHANCED] [BOX SET]

Nick Cave

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 22, 2005)
• Original Release Date: March 22, 2005
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Enhanced, Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Mute U.S.
• ASIN: B00022LJH4
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,333 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
In the two decades since Nick Cave (with multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey, who co-ordinated this anthology) bolted the beloved chaos of his native Melbourne's Birthday Party to focus on a solo career informed in equal parts by Poe, Flannery O'Connor and Biblical goth-chic, he and the Bad Seeds have explored enough musical detours and career side projects to yield the 56 tracks that grace this set's three compelling discs. Variously anchored by the acoustic gospel intrigues of "Deanna" and "The Mercy Seat" and a fascination with American roots music that evinces itself with preternatural conviction on covers of Orbison's "Running Scared," Leadbelly's "Black Betty" and the traditional "Rye Whiskey," it's a forceful collection that further underscores the artist's ever literate, neo-cabaret charms. Fans will relish it as a trove of disparate riches, be they soundtrack cuts for Wim Wenders ("Till the End of the World," "Cassiel's Song" from Faraway, So Close) and others ("Red Right Hand" and "Time Jesum.." from The X-Files), cover project highlights (Leonard Cohen's "Tower of Song," Neil Young's "Helpless" and "There's No Light Out at the Jail," a loving, previously unreleased tribute to Australian country legend Chad Morgan) or such typically idiosyncratic Cave fare as the playful "That's What Jazz Is To Me" and murderous, three-part "O' Malley's Bar." --Jerry McCulley

Product Description
"THIS IS MY FAVOURITE NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS ALBUM." - NICK CAVE

Spanning the full twenty-one years of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds illustrious career, this comprehensive three CD set, entitled B-Sides & Rarities, presents a thrilling and eclectic retrospective collection of material by the band, some of which has been deleted, featured on a disparate number of soundtrack albums or has never been officially released before. From the menacing 'The Six Strings That Drew Blood', through the distraught 'The Girl At The Bottom Of My Glass', the fragile beauty of 'Little Empty Boat', the outlaw romance of '(I'll Love You) Till The End Of The World', the plaintive 'Bluebird' through to the murderous attack of 'The Ballad Of Robert Moore & Betty Coltrane', long term Bad Seeds aficionados, recent converts or the merely curious will find much to appreciate and enjoy in this landmark 56 track compilation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nick's own favorite Bad Seeds album ... and for a reason!, March 22, 2005

By	Troy Collins (Lancaster, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Twenty-one years in the making and totaling fifty-six tracks spread over three cds, "B-Sides and Rarities" sounds nothing like many other uneven career overviews. To Cave's credit it sounds more like one REALLY long album. A similar collection from a lesser artist would likely have all the hallmarks that a set like this would usually entail, the raw primordial early tunes leading up to the more refined but often overproduced later material. But with an artist of Cave's caliber, no such problem arises. As his egalitarian concept was formed early on, there is no obvious sea change to be found on the album. Despite its chronological order, it is still difficult to distinguish the earliest recordings from the more recent material.

Whether delivering gutter punk tirades, gospel hymns, folk blues, classic covers, torch songs or orchestrated pop ballads, The Bad Seeds acquit themselves without irony, despite the seemingly incongruous mix of genres. Cave's tendency to extol both the dark and light side of human existence is well documented and rarely so cohesively as it is presented here.

Almost all of the tracks are, as the title indicates, B-sides and are excellent studio recordings, with only a multi-part suite of Radio Broadcasts on "O'Malley's Bar" falling somewhere below the line audio quality wise. An added bonus is the inclusion of numerous compilation and soundtrack pieces that one would have to drop a fortune on to collect in their entirety. An orchestral version of "Red Right Hand," an acoustic version of "Deanna," and a duet with The Pogues' Shane McGowan on "What a Wonderful World" are highlights. Other than a few one off studio improvisations that go nowhere, the bulk of the collection are fully realized songs that sit comfortably along side their respective album counterparts.

Despite its three hour plus running time, one can actually listen to the entire collection straight through as the diversity of material is strong enough to hold ones interest. Newcomers may want to start investigating with something less daunting, but even the casual fan of Cave's work will find this collection indispensable.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extraordinary Collection, April 5, 2005

By	Juan Mobili (Valley Cottage, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Usually, when a record label released a boxed set, I expect -when it comes to an artist I revere- to spend a large amount of money for those few songs that were unreleased or belonging to EPs I did not buy. In general, I am resigned to the fact that the rarities and occasional collaborations will be few and varying in quality, And I if buy these collections is due to my heart being hostage to my passion for having the complete works of someone I respect.
This could not be farther from the truth, when it comes to this collection. The material selected throughout this 3CD set -by the band's Mick Harvey, by the way- finds Cave and his esteemed Bad Seeds show a wealth of great songs. The quality of what's goes from very good and interesting to superb. Actually, some of these songs are inexplicable exclusions from his albums, given their depth and beauty.
On Disc 1, you get a thorough sample of Cave's fiercer output, when a certain "literate Punk" spirit reigned over the Bad Seeds' material. Selections like "The Moon Is In The Gutter," "Rye Whiskey" -which sways like you might, if you ever drank the stuff- or "The Girl At The Bottom Of My Glass, are great examples of such period.
In addition, there are some rare beauties like the stunning acoustic version of "The Mercy Seat," the tender melody of "The Train Song," the somber "Blue Bird." Also noteworthy are his version of Neil Young's "Helpless" and "Cassiel's Song" from the movie "Faraway, So Close."
Disc 2, in my opinion, is dominated by the mood, if not the songs, from Cave's "Murder Ballads" period, in which the acoustic rendition of "Jack The Ripper," the raucous multi-part "O'Malley's Bar," and "The Willow Garden" and the gorgeous "Where The Wild Roses Grow" with the original guide vocals by Herr Bargeld.
And then comes, to my taste, the best of the three CDs which is infused of Cave's most recent material, ranging from the "The Boatman's Call"s atmosphere of "Little Empty Boat," "Right Now I'm A-Roaming," and the band version of "Black Hair," to the moving outtake of "Sheep May Safely Grace," anticipating the hymn-like ballads of No More Shall We Part."
Speaking of this last mentioned album, if you've been moved by the work contained in it as much as I have, you are in for an abundance of gems. Both, "Grief Came Riding" and "Bless His Ever Loving Heart," are Cave's poetry and melodies at their dramatic peak ("where beauty lies exhausted on the streets").
The great songs don't end there, with Nocturama being represented through the B-sides of several singles. Actually, if you already like Cave's most recent album, you may be further enthralled with it when listening to these songs. "Shoot Me Down" is stunning, and "Everything Must Converge" is the band at their most hopeful, a call to hope that has always been part of Cave's vision side by side with his dark denunciations.
All in all this is superb collection of songs that, to many, weren't known nor recognized. It is a tribute to a great band that three CDs worth of more obscure material can hold such depth of graces.
Whether you are a faithful worshipper already or a curious beginner, this collection is an excellent retrospective of an artist who has written some of the most remarkable material recorded over the last twenty years.
Cave's name does not only deserve to be mentioned along Tom Waits, or even Leonard Cohen -both obvious musical comparisons- but also it must be included in any list you may compile of those singer-songwriters whose music may shape your life.
I can't imagine any other future releases this year that can surpass this one, for reissue of the year.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars close to perfect..., March 30, 2005

By	Bryant Burnette "Bryant Burnette" (Tuscaloosa, AL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

...and the only thing that keeps this collection from being perfect is the exclusion of a few songs that ought to (in my opinion) have been included. Where is Cave's awesome cover of "Mack the Knife"? How about "Let It Be" and "Here Comes the Sun"? I also greatly miss "To Be By Your Side," a song Cave did for a French movie (which is titled something like "Le Pueple Migrateur," but please don't quote me on that). I also really wish the piano songs from "Secret Life of the Love Song" were included, since that disc is one big long track, and you can't directly access the songs.

Ah, but those are just carps, really. What's here is great ... and there are THREE discs of it!

Disc One begins with an awesome acoustic version of "Deanna." I think my favorite song on this disc is "Rye Whiskey," a Cave arrangement of a traditional song, but there are several standouts, such as "God's Hotel," "(I'll Love You) Till the End of the World," and "What Can I Give You?"

Disc Two has Cave doing a cover of "What a Wonderful World," and while that's an idea that threatens -- in theory -- to tip over into ridiculousness, it's actually quite good; not sufficient to make me (or anyone else) forget Louis Armstrong, but fine in its own right. If you ever wanted to hear Nick doing country music, check out "there's No Night Out in the Jail"; you won;t regret it. The two classics on this disc, though, are "The Ballad of Robert Moore and Betty Coltrane" (which is as good a b-side as any I've ever heard) and "Time Jesum Transuentum et Non Revertentum," a marvelously gloomy song that originally appeared as a hidden track on an X-Files-inspired compilaion.

The third disc is easily the best, representing the last four of Cave's albums, three of which are what I would call his best three. And the b-sides aren't much less good, which means that this one disc is better than most bands' greatest hits collections would be. "Little Empty Boat," "Opium Tea," "Grief Came Riding," "Good Good Day," "Everything Must Converge," "She's Leaving You" ... these are all classics. There's not a bum track on the disc, though.

Needless to say, if you're a Cave fan, you HAVE to own this. But if you're not, give this collection a shot, and you may well become a fan.