Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Recommended Listening: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - NYC

A few years ago I went to see Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in New York. My seat was pretty terrible but the sound was great and my camera had a good zoom.
My love for Nick Cave started back in the early 2000s when I worked at a music store where Murder Ballads was on pretty steady repeat. I slowly moved from the dark, bloody revenge-filled songs to sweeping ballad-y love tunes.

This is my absolute favorite NC&TBS song (and definitely in my top ten of all songs)...



It gets me every time.

Not every artist can write songs (and books for that matter) about the darkest, scariest parts of humanity and then seamlessly transition to a love ballad so sweet it makes you breathless.
It's up in the morning and on the downs
Little white clouds like gambolling lambs
And I am breathless over you

And the red-breasted robin beats his wings
His throat it trembles when he sings
For he is helpless before you

I have to admit, in recent years my tolerance for violence in art has waned significantly (I couldn't even choose which dark lyric to include in this post). I find myself steering clear of the more murdery songs and cuddling quietly with the croony ballads.

Nick and his buddies are coming to Boston this spring and although our tickets this time are even worse than my ones in NYC, I'm excited. Bloody revenge tunes and sweeping love songs alike, I can't wait.

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