Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Tough crowd



Edit: page break !

Album Rating: 3.0

yeah it's a C- at best for Cave as things stand, many solid-ish cuts that would be looked more kindly upon if associated with lesser song-writers perhaps, but I know what he's capable of. Don't get me wrong it's decent, I'm just not exactly being wowed at this moment

I'll give it the edge over Nocturama, Lazarus, Boatman, Pricks and Ghosteen (although I really need to revisit the latter).

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

I've given this about ten full listens and it's grown on me a lot, but then I'm not really a trad Cave fan - some of his early material really isn't for me.



I'd take this style over songs in the style of 'Red Right Hand' every time.



As for The Birthday Party stuff or 'From Her to Eternity' - not really for me.

Album Rating: 4.0

I love 90s Cave, but not Red Right Hand - really annoyed me that THAT was the song that seemed to define him for so many people.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

yeah, mj, that pretty much sums me up with Cave - he gets into the groove in the mid '90s but that song and a few others gave me the wrong idea about his song writing for the longest time.

Album Rating: 3.0

Why does everyone hate on Boatman so much that’s probably one of my top 5

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Boatman is most definitely top 5

Album Rating: 4.0

Same. Maybe top 3 for me.

Album Rating: 3.7

Boatman forever bottom 1 Cave for me

Album Rating: 3.0

Johnny need I remind you Nocturama and Pricks exist. Don’t be glib.

Album Rating: 3.0

Boatman’s painfully drab lack of colour or distinctiveness is how I imagine gyro (incorrectly) hears Skeketon Tree, lol

Album Rating: 3.7

Nocturama and Pricks still in the big ol unknown for me unfort

Boatman is half a decent singer-songwriterly album and half a mediocre (sometimes outright bad) breakup album, and both halves are let down by a painfully dull palette compared to the records either side

Album Rating: 4.0

Imagine actually thinking Murder Ballads is better than Boatman's Call. Weird...

Album Rating: 3.7

Murder Ballads has its flaws, but it's too entertaining not to leave that record in the dust

Album Rating: 4.0

I found it a little too gimmicky with a lot of bloat. It does have some evocative lyrics and storytelling, but overall the weakest of the 90s albums.

Boatman's Call was transformative - on a personal level for me but also in the context of Cave's career.

Album Rating: 3.0

Murder Ballads is waaay better than Boatman’s Call, opener, Stagger Lee and Crow Jane are all jaw-dropping cuts. Boatman Call I can only listen to if I start with Lime Tree Arbour. Into My Arms stinks badly.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

again, agree with mj - Murder Ballads is my least favourite between 1994 and 2001



Into My Arms is award winning Cave cheese come on

Album Rating: 3.0

To me Into My Arms is the song where he started losing his edge. Cheese, yes, but not to my taste.

Album Rating: 4.0

"losing his edge" or "expanding his palette"?

Both are clichés, but I think the latter is more valid given the stunning quality and variety of his output this century. We may all disagree as to what his best work is post Murder Ballads, but we pretty much all have at least a couple of albums we rate towards the top of his discography from this period.

Album Rating: 4.0

First two tracks here are goddamn gorgeous.