Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
B-Sides & Rarities

THE REVIEW

Everything is relative

When I have to make a decision, I usually have the boring but wise habit of weighing in my mind the pros and cons related to the choice. It's a mental process applicable to many situations, including the purchase of a record. In this case, I had to decide whether or not to get this box set of "Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds," celebrating more than twenty years of career. On the scale, in favor of the purchase, were the artist's high prestige, the simple refinement of the packaging, and the affordable price (25 € for three CDs). Conversely, against it weighed the fact that apparently, it seems like a superfluous commercial operation, the kind that makes me wrinkle my nose, if you know what I mean. The box set, in fact, collects a series of songs, more or less known, which for various reasons did not get sufficient visibility in these versions in the Australian singer-songwriter's artistic history. As the most farsighted among you will have understood, in the end, the pros outweighed the cons. However, there was still one element to be placed on the scale, a knot to untie, the most important of all, the one that decides the fate of a record: listening. I couldn't know it beforehand, but now I can hint at something, so, to make your choices, you can weigh one more opinion, naturally if you like.

The box set consists of three CDs elegantly gathered in a cardboard-brushed box, boasting a very glossy black. However, inside, it lacks something I consider very important for this type of publication: an explanatory booklet of the content. The scant information about the songs is printed in microscopic characters on the sleeves that house the CDs. But never mind, high-level music is able to compensate for these "trivialities." And all things considered, it isn't bad. Maybe because I have a particular fondness for Cave's cavernous voice (let me have the pun), but I don't feel like entirely bashing this operation. Some acoustic versions - like "The Mercy Seat" - have great intensity, other tracks are captivating, such as "Where The Wild Roses Grow," perhaps also due to Blixa Bargeld’s voice; others, on the contrary, convince me a bit less. Among all, the cover of "What A Wonderful World" because it has an alcoholic and gratuitously rogue atmosphere that makes it a bit annoying to me. However, it's always a pleasure to listen to tracks like "Tower Of Song" by Leonard Cohen or the razor cuts of the acoustic guitar in "Jack The Ripper." Overall, in short, the listening experience presents both lights and shadows.

Aside from the first CD, the general sensation is, needless to say, of unevenness, and some songs seem superfluous, included more for the sake of quantity, but it is entirely understandable given the compilative-celebrative nature of the CDs. In summary, it's a collection, important, necessary, all things considered, well-done, pleasant, but not always at the same level. At this point, the hundred gun question must arrive: should it be purchased? It depends. Everything is relative to your degree of knowledge and love for Nick Cave. If you have his entire discography and a pinch of fetishism, if you're passionate long-time fans ready to forgive him any weakness, then this album is for you because it can represent the conclusion of a dialogue we hope continues. In this case, indeed, the box set might be to your liking because it will be like taking an excursion through the history of an artist you love and know, passing through a good 56 songs.

If, on the other hand, you have little to do with his music, then trust me and invest your dirty money in getting yourself some historic album like "Your Funeral... My Trial" or "The Good Son", postponing this purchase to another occasion. In other words, before tasting the jam, enjoy the fruit.