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***Official Album of the Year 2016 Thread***













Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
I'm listening to the recent Nick Cave album on my own at the breakfast table. I think I'm going to start crying into my coffee.
 






M

Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
17,770
Fiveways
Herr Tubthumper said:
I'm listening to the recent Nick Cave album on my own at the breakfast table. I think I'm going to start crying into my coffee.
Click to expand...

I'm not picking a fight (honest) on this board, but:
-- I'm not entirely convinced by it or, at least, the first five tracks which while emotional, I feel are somewhat pedestrian; that said, the last three tracks are utterly stunning
-- I don't view this is a return to form; I think I preferred Push The Sky Away, and I certainly prefer Lyre of Orpheus
 






Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
Machiavelli said:
I'm not picking a fight (honest) on this board, but:
-- I'm not entirely convinced by it or, at least, the first five tracks which while emotional, I feel are somewhat pedestrian; that said, the last three tracks are utterly stunning
-- I don't view this is a return to form; I think I preferred Push The Sky Away, and I certainly prefer Lyre of Orpheus
Click to expand...

I agree on the return to form point. I got tired of the midlife crisis old perv rut he was stuck in during the Grindeman/Dig Lazarus era; I saw Push The Sky Away as the return to form. I don't agree about pedestrian though. I love the droney atmosphere of the opening track. The second track reminds me of an 80s US song I can't put my finger on but I love the slightly spoken vocal and again the atmosphere gets me. It's all good.
 




spring hall convert

spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
Herr Tubthumper said:
I agree on the return to form point. I got tired of the midlife crisis old perv rut he was stuck in during the Grindeman/Dig Lazarus era; I saw Push The Sky Away as the return to form. I don't agree about pedestrian though. I love the droney atmosphere of the opening track. The second track reminds me of an 80s US song I can't put my finger on but I love the slightly spoken vocal and again the atmosphere gets me. It's all good.
Click to expand...

Have you listened to any of Ellis and Cave's soundtrack work? It's very much in the vein of that. If you're liking the sparse instrumentation of Skeleton Tree, I guarantee you, it'll be up your street.
 




Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
spring hall convert said:
Have you listened to any of Ellis and Cave's soundtrack work? It's very much in the vein of that. If you're liking the sparse instrumentation of Skeleton Tree, I guarantee you, it'll be up your street.
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I'll second that. Just avoid the Lawless soundtrack. It tries to be another O Brother Where Art Thou but fails. I'd especially recommend The Road, Proposition, White Lunar and Loins Des Hommes as their best soundtrack work to date.
 


spring hall convert

spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
Buzzer said:
I'll second that. Just avoid the Lawless soundtrack. It tries to be another O Brother Where Art Thou but fails. I'd especially recommend The Road, Proposition, White Lunar and Loins Des Hommes as their best soundtrack work to date.
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The Road is the one that I was trying to recall but couldn't remember it. Cracking piece of work.
 


Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
spring hall convert said:
The Road is the one that I was trying to recall but couldn't remember it. Cracking piece of work.
Click to expand...

You're spot on. It captures the mood of the book brilliantly. Track 2 (also called The Road) is sublime. Reminds me of Silver Mt Zion/Godspeed You Black Emperor in a lot of ways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gT6AnrDwew

I do have a big soft spot for the Proposition too. There's a couple of traditional folk songs on there that Ellis and Cave have arranged so beautifully.
 






Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Machiavelli said:
I'm not picking a fight (honest) on this board, but:
-- I'm not entirely convinced by it or, at least, the first five tracks which while emotional, I feel are somewhat pedestrian; that said, the last three tracks are utterly stunning
-- I don't view this is a return to form; I think I preferred Push The Sky Away, and I certainly prefer Lyre of Orpheus
Click to expand...

For me, I found this album quite cathartic as a Nick Cave fan. I felt the same way as HT and others about Nick Cave's perviness/mid-life crisis and the way it was shaping his albums and how boring all this was. Unlike many though, I thought Push The Sky Away was more of the same. I also think he was far too prolific over that period and certain projects such as the Bunny Munro book could have been best left alone, I suspect vanity played a big part in this.

The complete departure from rock god to introspection with Skeleton Tree has re-ignited my love affair with his music and perhaps because of this I put this album up there with the best he's done and certainly it's the first album of his that I feel like I want to listen to the whole album every time I play it rather than individual songs, since probably The Boatman's Call or Murder Ballads.

Saying that, if he tours the UK with this album, I'm not sure I would try to get tickets. I think I would feel extremely awkward watching him do "I Need You" live and what other songs from his back catalogue would he also play that wouldn't sound inappropriate to the mood? I know - I dwell on these things far more than I should!
 
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M

Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
17,770
Fiveways
Buzzer said:
For me, I found this album quite cathartic as a Nick Cave fan. I felt the same way as HT and others about Nick Cave's perviness/mid-life crisis and the way it was shaping his albums and how boring all this was. Unlike many though, I thought Push The Sky Away was more of the same. I also think he was far too prolific over that period and certain projects such as the Bunny Munro book could have been best left alone, I suspect vanity played a big part in this.

The complete departure from rock god to introspection with Skeleton Tree has re-ignited my love affair with his music and perhaps because of this I put this album up there with the best he's done and certainly it's the first album of his that I feel like I want to listen to the whole album every time I play it rather than individual songs, since probably The Boatman's Call or Murder Ballads.

Saying that, if he tours the UK with this album, I'm not sure I would try to get tickets. I think I would feel extremely awkward watching him do "I Need You" live and what other songs from his back catalogue would he also play that wouldn't sound inappropriate to the mood? I know - I dwell on these things far more than I should!
Click to expand...

That's all fair play. I'm obviously in a minority on many things Cave particularly amongst you, HT and SHC, all of whom spend a lot longer listening to music than I do -- I liked the Lawless soundtrack a lot (especially the Granddaddy cover), and thought the film was a fine caper too, and I really was in the minority on that one.
On soundtracks, the one that you didn't mention is the Jessie James one which, from memory, is on a par with The Road quality-wise in my view.
That's a good point about him live with Skeleton Tree: it seems somewhat distasteful. Are your gigging days becoming rarer (you don't feature on the Live Music page, whereas you're very prominent on the albums thread)? Mine are. Things conspire to get in the way: work, family, energy levels, logistics, etc.
 


spring hall convert

spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
Machiavelli said:
That's all fair play. I'm obviously in a minority on many things Cave particularly amongst you, HT and SHC, all of whom spend a lot longer listening to music than I do -- I liked the Lawless soundtrack a lot (especially the Granddaddy cover), and thought the film was a fine caper too, and I really was in the minority on that one.
On soundtracks, the one that you didn't mention is the Jessie James one which, from memory, is on a par with The Road quality-wise in my view.
That's a good point about him live with Skeleton Tree: it seems somewhat distasteful. Are your gigging days becoming rarer (you don't feature on the Live Music page, whereas you're very prominent on the albums thread)? Mine are. Things conspire to get in the way: work, family, energy levels, logistics, etc.
Click to expand...

Just for the record, I think I'm in the middle. I was fine with Grinderman, not so cool when the mid-life crisis spilt into Bad Seeds on Dig Lazarus Dig (it was ok...) and Bunny Munro is a bloody embarrassment.

As time has gone on Skeleton Tree hasn't become quite the go to record I though it would. I like the idea of it, not so sure I really want to listen to it any more though.

Really enjoyed the film though as I recall.
 








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