Davey
12-12-2004, 11:02 AM
I know I'm not the first to say it around here about this very classy new 2-disc set from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, but like my subject line says, wow! Beautiful cloth covered slip case that holds the 2 CDs, each in its own tastefully labeled heavy paper sleeve (thankfully they are also properly sized in this case to allow the disc to come out without having to grip it between your two fingers, as is usually the case), and a big heavy paper lyric book with recording session pictures and notes. Beautiful package even if the music did suck. But just the opposite, it's fantastic. The Abattoir Blues disc rocks hard and steady with lots of noisy guitars from longtime collaborator Mick Harvey. And a lot of choir-like background vocals too, mostly female. In fact, the London Community Gospel Choir is credited in the notes, along with a few others.
Anyway, haven't listened to it much yet, only a couple times on the first disc and once on the second, so don't take this as a Rave Rec unless you're already a big Cave fan like me. I imagine there are nice writeups on it all over the web but I've tried to avoid reading them until I got it in my hands and gave it a few listens. I did just glance at the writeup at AMG and it looks to be some good reading and they also gave it 4.5 stars.
Anyway, haven't listened to it much yet, only a couple times on the first disc and once on the second, so don't take this as a Rave Rec unless you're already a big Cave fan like me. I imagine there are nice writeups on it all over the web but I've tried to avoid reading them until I got it in my hands and gave it a few listens. I did just glance at the writeup at AMG and it looks to be some good reading and they also gave it 4.5 stars.