25% is pure musical fucking gold. The songs combine old school dark jazz with modern rock stylings, mixing piano, baritone vocals, reverbed /distorted violin and syncopation to form a viscous whole that just sticks in the ears. Your ears are being assaulted by distilled Awesome, and you are a better person for it.
There is no in between. NC+BS is either On or Off. Which is nice, in it's own way--you pretty much know right away if this is going to be a song worth listening to. If it is, oh, hey, look at that, boom. It's good. I know that. Oh, this song...
NC+BS are good when they have all the instruments working for them. The mixture of piano, guitar and drums, when executed well, is magical, in my opinion--regardless of the artist. Folks who can't handle the three should never attempt it. It could lead to permanent injury. Now throw in velveteen vocals and voila: Alliteration! Actually, throw in the vocals and throw in a violin and you've got yourself the basic building blocks of any Nick Cave & Bad Seeds
But like i said, there is no "good" with these guys. They're either great or awful. So it really depends on what role the piano plays. When the piano take a step back and just dances and darts along the top of the song the songs transcend. Drums and guitar fade to form a back pallet, a kind of British Wall of Sound meets Jazz 4/4 canvas against which the song is contrasted.
Easy Money exemplifies this. The piano is unmistakable, darting out a leisurely 11 note trill that ties the song together and sets the tone. 11 notes. It expresses sadness, regret and toil. 11 notes. Freaking. Amazing.
So, yeah, i'm a fan. Simple songs that speak should be cherished--even if the other 75% of the album is utter shit.
Artist: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Album: The Lyre of Orpheus/Abbatoir Blues
Overall: 8
Best Song: Easy Money or Spell (tie)
For Fans Of: Good Music and Jazz (in that order)
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