#43 - Ryan & Steve

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

2004

So this is what a successful double-album looks like. I've always preferred short records because really, who has enough to say to fill an hour? This record is my glaring exception to that rule. "Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus" is a colossal 1 hour 22 minute double album that finds Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds backed by the triumphant and grandiose London Community Gospel Choir, a risky choice that they've handled with grace and appropriate restraint. The pairing of his pounding, teeth-clenched rock backed by a choir results in some of the most thrilling work of his career. His ever-present theological wandering only makes the choir all the more inspiring.

"Abattoir Blues" contains the hardest-hitting stuff on the album, and subsequently some of the most explosive stuff Cave's done. Whereas the albums other half, "The Lyre of Orpheus", pulls the sound back into a shuffling storytelling. With a scope such as this, it's purely unfair and unreasonable that Cave could release something of this quality and magnitude. Brilliant record. -S.R

One of the most popular criticisms of double-albums is that they often contain lots of filler. Miraculously, there is very little of that to be found on this album. Abbatoir Blues kicks off with some fantastic rock n’ roll tunes to get the listener’s body moving. As the first disc progresses, the tunes gradually slow down – perfectly leading into The Lyre of Orpheus which remains a more drawn-out effort. It’s not until I get to about the 70-minute mark of this 80-minute album that I feel a bit exhausted by it. All things considered, that’s remarkably impressive. - Phil