moviesandsongs365

The music of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (part 3 of 5)

Album: Henry’s Dream (1992)
The album is considered by some to have a vague "concept", i.e. song narratives overlapping and/or sharing characters. On first listen I'm not as passionate about the record as his fans seem to be. A few of the songs are just too intense for my taste, though I have a feeling the album will grow on me over time.

Favorite tracks:
I had a Dream, Joe
Straight To You
Papa Won't Leave You, Henry

John Finn's Wife

Favorite lyrics:
Well, the moon it looked exhausted
Like something you should pity
Spent an age-spotted
Above the sizzling wires of the city
Well, it reminded me of her face
Her bleached and hungry eyes

Album: Let Love In (1994)
While not as well-known as 1996's Murder Ballads, I feel Let Love In (1994) works better as a full album, with more variety.

Favorite tracks:
Red Right Hand (Subsequently included on the X-Files compilation Songs in the Key of X (1996). A remix was used on Scream 2 soundtrack)

Nobody's Baby Now
I Let Love In
Do You Love Me?
Do You Love Me? (Part 2)

Favorite lyrics, from I Let Love In:
“Despair and Deception, Love's ugly little twins
Came a-knocking on my door, I let them in
Darling, you're the punishment for all of my former sins”

Album: Murder Ballads (1996)
As its title suggests, the album consists of new and traditional murder ballads, a genre of songs that relays the details (and often consequences) of crimes of passion. "Where the Wild Roses Grow," a duet featuring Cave singing with Kylie Minogue, was a hit single and received two ARIA Awards in 1996. Murder Ballads was the band's biggest commercial success to date, most likely helped by the unexpected repeated airplay of the "Where the Wild Roses Grow" video on MTV. MTV even nominated Cave for their "best male artist" award of that year, though this nomination was later withdrawn at Cave's request. Entertainment Weekly rated the album an A and warned it was "Not for the squeamish, this is the rare pop record that resonates with the weight of the ages,"

Thoughts: Stagger Lee could be some of the most vulgar lyrics of his career. I love 2-3 songs from the album(see below), but overall I find the LP a bit impersonal and disconnected from reality. Granted the tribute to old-fashioned storytelling was the concept, and Nick Cave’s lyrics are well-written, but I don’t feel much about it, and I wouldn't listen to the album often. For me, slightly repetitive that all the songs are about death and murderers. Perhaps as with Henry's Dream (1992) repeat listens will win me over.
Fun trivia: The death count on the entire album comes to 65, or a mean average (rounding) of 6.5 deaths per song.

Favorite tracks:
Where the Wild Roses Grow (featuring Kylie Minogue)
Henry Lee (featuring PJ Harvey)
The Kindness Of Strangers

Favorite lyrics:
“And I've been known to be quite handsome. In a certain angle and in a certain light”

Any thoughts on the music? Have you listened to Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds? Or are you new to the band as I am? As always, comments are welcome. Part 4 of 5 coming soon.

2014 Blind Spot series: Castle in the Sky (1986)

Castle in the Sky (1986)

My contribution to Ryan McNeil's 2014 blindspot series blogathon, where I watch a film each month that I have never seen before.

Japanese animated feature. Certainly the most mainstream and action/adventure orientated of the Miyazaki films I’ve seen. The chase story is reminiscent of Indiana Jones.
There’s definitely a little social commentary, that we shouldn’t misuse the earth’s resources for selfish reasons, which in the film is in the shape of the powerful crystal weapon, which comes from the earth.
Pity about the overlong running time of over two hours, which is quite common for Asian productions.

While My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and The Wind Rises (2013) I was moved by emotionally and felt suitable for both young and old, Castle in the Sky left me unmoved, and I would say the target audience is younger than I am.
Wonderful animation, average characterization and story. The situation is really just goodies vs baddies. The film is not bad, but I guess I expected more considering it's ranked in the IMDb top 250. My least favorite Miyazaki film so far.
Rating 6/10

Have you seen Castle in the Sky or other Miyazaki films? Are you a fan of his style?

New music

Cosmo Black by Dynatron (from COLD IN JULY soundtrack. Reminds me of Refn's Drive)

American Dream Plan B by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Love the guitar)

Pickles From The Jar by Courtney Barnett (Album due in early 2015)

High Ball Stepper by Jack White (His new album has really grown on me)

Would You Fight For My Love? by Jack White (”But I can't kiss you 'til you lift up your chin. You have to want to stop being alone”)

Fever by The Black Keys

World Peace is None of your Business by Morrissey

Istanbul by Morrissey

The Pictures Of Sasha Grey by Kristeen Young (Sounds remarkably like Kate Bush)

Endless Sleeper by The Raveonettes

A Place With No Name by Michael Jackson (While a little similar to both America's "A Horse With No Name" and MJ's "Leave Me Alone", I still feel the new track holds its own. Can't get out it of my head.)

Wanderer Wandering by Slow Club

The One That Lives Too Far by John Fullbright ("Some folks make something out of nothing, some people have to cry too long. While others wait beside the window, wondering why the wind would blow so strong”)

5785021 by Jessy Lanza (From compilation album Hyperdub 10.2)

The music of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (part 3 of 5)

2014 Blind Spot series: Castle in the Sky (1986)

Top 10 viral videos of 2014 so far (2 of 2)

New music

Top 10 viral videos of 2014 so far (1 of 2)

LinkWithin