Nick Cave - Abattoir Blues/lyre Of Orpheus

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 28 / 8 / 2004

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Review

'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus' is a two album set of new songs from Australia's Prince of Darkness, Nick Cave. It is his band the Bad Seeds' thirteenth album, and also the group's first double album. 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus'comes wrapped in a lovely cloth with a book of lyrics and photographs. 'Abattoir Blues' 'Abattoir Blues' kicks off with the clumsy and loud 'Get Ready for Love' which is sung like a church anthem by the roughest garage band you could wish to hear. It is typically God fearing. 'Cannibal"s Hymn, which is next, is pleasant enough, and familiar Nick Cave territory. The guitar intro on it sounds like the Beatles' 'Come Together'. The experimental 'Hiding All Away"is fairly aggressive,but features soulful backing which sweetens the load on the ear, while 'Messiah Ward' in contrast is reminiscent of John Cale with its elegant piano playing . 'There She Goes, My Beautiful World' is again church like but has a baggy 70's groove that oddly recalls James. The single, 'Nature Boy', follows, and is reminiscent of R.E.M's 'Don't Go Back to Rockville'. The title track is a moody beast in the usual Cave manner, while 'Let the Bells Ring' is more classy, and , moody and dramatic, with its guitar has a Coldplay vibe to it .The record ends with "Fable of the Brown Ape', which is again experimental in its approach, and brings this first disc to an affirmative close. 'The Lyre of Orpheus' The second album, 'The Lyre of Orpheus', opens up with the title track which has a spoken word intro. Its slow paced and poetic story telling lyrics are sung by Nick Cave with his usual dark elegance. 'Breathless' is softer in approach, and sounds like a mellow Tindersticks. 'Babe, You Turn Me On' has a classy Lee Hazelwood style, while Easy Money' is easy on the ears, and is reminscent of latter day Leonard Cohen. 'Supernaturally' features Charlatans-style, funky organ, and is followed by the orchestral and acoustic-led 'Spell', which mixes perfectly together piano, drums and dark bass. 'Carry Me' is again orchestral. It has similar church like leanings to the first record, but is less preachy. The second CD ends with the dramatic 'O Children' Neither of these records were what I was expecting. They are not indie at all, and, if anything, quite mainstream in their delivery. Nevertheless, as always with Nick Cave, they are a dear enjoyable experience all the same

Track Listing:-

1 Get Ready for Love
2 Cannibal's Hymn
3 Hiding All Away
4 Messiah Ward
5 There She Goes, My Beautiful World
6 Nature Boy
7 Abattoir Blues
8 Let the Bells Ring
9 Fable of the Brown Ape
10 The Lyre of Orpheus
11 Breathless
12 Babe, You Turn Me On
13 Easy Money
14 Supernaturally
15 Spell
16 Carry Me
17 O Children

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