IN REVIEW: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

IN REVIEW: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - "Skeleton Tree"

Nick Cave has always excelled at expressing sorrow and grief. Until now, he's never had to channel his own so directly, as the characters in his songs grappling with their fates and minds have been there to take the brunt. Although Cave still prefers to wear the masks of his characters on Skeleton Tree, his deep and profound personal loss can't be concealed; the release of this album follows about a year after the tragic death of his teenage son and, while writing for Skeleton Tree started before that, the loss seems to inform the record's every groove and word. Backing band The Bad Seeds bathe the music in stark darkness, the songs sparse and gloomy. It does offer tempered hope, although getting there requires the listener to wallow with Cave as he expresses his darkest emotions. It's a very heavy record in the spiritual sense; it draws you into the horror of losing someone you love suddenly, and allows you to process all of his anger, sadness and loss. It could not have been an easy record for Cave to make, but it's undoubtedly the album he had to make. A haunted, harrowing masterpiece.

September 9, 2016 • Bad Seed Ltd./Kobalt
Highlights Jesus Alone • I Need You • Distant Sky

Comments

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Arctic Monkeys

ARCTIC MONKEYS Do I Wanna Know? From: AM Released: September 10 That Year in Rock 2012's Single of the Year R U Mine? ended up on this album is pleasing, and it fits the motif well enough. But R U Mine? isn't what makes Arctic Monkeys' fifth album an Album of the Year contender. Sweaty, sultry and pulsing with sexual energy, AM is the kind of record that's just as effective whether you're chilling out after a long day, staring into a mirror prepping yourself for a late night clubbing session or setting the mood for some escapades in the boudoir.

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up! What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...

SOUND BITES

Search This Blog