Nick Cave

I didn't see anything in my search, except for threads on specific albums.  

I see that more than one person thinks that NC has a couple good songs on each album at best.  

I'm pretty impressed by Cave's Red Hand Files, so I'd like to dive back in.  

I do like Your Funeral My Trial, Murder Ballads, and really not into anything else I've heard by the Bad Seeds or Mr. Cave proper. 

I do like Grinderman and Birthday Party.  

I am prompted now to know what out of all his songs I like, so it's time to go down that rabbit hole.  

I also liked his cover of "Cosmic Dancer", and in general am a huge fan of Marc Bolan.  

I wrote an article on The Red Hand Files:

https://vocal.media/beat/nick-cave-s-red-hand-files-and-their-redeeming-quality-during-quarantine

I realized I did like some of his soundtrack work, have to look into how many films he did.  

Only ever heard a few songs of his. Which albums/ songs should I start with if I wanted to get into his sizeable back catalogue?

He’s written some incredible songs. In the past I went through a phase of investigating the tunes within his albums because there would be guaranteed killer tunes. But there was only ever 2 or maybe 3 which blew me away. I think the last album I listened to was Push The Sky Away. I think he’s an artist you either worship or feel indifferent about. Or hate. I’m in the middle. 

  On 2/26/2021 at 7:40 PM, milkface said:

Only ever heard a few songs of his. Which albums/ songs should I start with if I wanted to get into his sizeable back catalogue?

I am not an expert, but the song "Your Funeral My Trial" from the album of the same name is great, the whole album is not bad.  

Murder Ballads is good for the most part.  Has a guest appearance by Kylie Minogue, singing a song about murder....  

I love Grinderman, that is a louder, more rock-oriented side project.  

But I'm basically in the same boat.  Want to investigate for some deeper cuts that are good.  

a lot of the albums are hit and miss imo, few great songs and some okay ones. The Boatman’s Call is probably the most consistent imo.

He’s an artist who has a very loyal, hardcore following. I know a few of them. Though it’s a old fashioned phrase he ‘never sold out’. Though like Aphex he definitely dabbled in the pop charts and then would then reverse out of there as quickly as he appeared. Takes unique skill to do that. Release records that appeal to both hardcore fans and pop fans. I’m thinking of his duet with Kylie Minogue and I remember seeing it on Top of the Pops!

Dig Lazarus Dig and all the Grinderman stuff is A+.  Man also writes a mean murder ballad.  The meanest.

I like this one

Nick Cave is the man. I like the rockier more unhinged stuff. Hopefully another Grinderman album comes to fruition. 

For albums, Let Love In and Dig, Lazarus, Dig! I would recommend strongly. Abattoir Blues double album as well. These are good starting points if you want the rock side of things.