257) Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads

I have gone back a few times and tried The Birthday Party, but I can just not get into them. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds the odd song would jump out, I would think that’s excellent, and I had listened to a couple of albums that I enjoyed but I would not say I was a huge fan. I had the feeling that with Nick you are either devoted or not but then I remembered myself and realised that’s rubbish, sometimes I should think before I write.

Murder Ballads is one of the ones I have never heard but I am aware of the theme, the clue is in the title, clearly.

What we have here are stories, Stagger Lee has interesting shapes lurking in the background, a haunting bass and Cave’s voice fits the bizarre story of the bi-sexual Stagger who enjoys a killing or two and the song ends amid gun shots and screams, some quality swearing as well. PJ Harvey appears next on the duet Henry Lee, now PJ I have always loved, and their voices are beautiful together, briefly a couple there is a tenderness to this song.

Lovely Creature has a shuffling beat, and Cave talks us through the song with an enchanting female backing from Katharine Blake that seduces you. Cave and Kylie are not obvious but Kylie steps up on Where the Wild Roses Grow. If Kylie fans bought this, they may have had a shock and not shocked by the power of love (Kylie lyrics quoted in a Nick Cave review may be a first). The song is much better than Especially For You if you can believe that.

The swirling organ, violin and accordion and the manic chorus engage from the start on The Curse of Millhaven. The subject matter is of course about dying but the music is uplifting, a contradiction if ever there was one.

Remember I told you these songs are stories well for fourteen minutes we have O’Malley’s Bar where we hear the story of a man killing several people, clearly troubled with no remorse before the police come for him. It goes on to long, but the lyrics are worth reading along to and the piano throughout works well with Cave’s frequently deranged vocals, a performance, and a half from him.

Death Is Not the End, a Dylan cover, where PJ Harvey and Kylie return along with Shane MacGowan and Anita Lane to join Nick, it’s played straight and has no surprises but is beautifully played and sung.

An album about death and murder does not seem that appealing but Nick and his many collaborators produced a record of beauty and depth.

8/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: The Curse of Millhaven