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Rating: I must be honest, it is much easier to write the review of a bad album: for this reason, I find it challenging to talk about this work.
An album that one doesn't like can be easily dismissed with a few punchy words such as: "it gives no emotion," "the arrangements are repetitive," "nothing new under the sun," etc... but when a work touches the strings of the soul and heart, then expressing the feelings we subjectively experience becomes a daunting task unless we are excellent speakers or writers.
I don't consider myself part of these last categories, so I will try to set aside the personal feelings that this Nick Cave album gave me and attempt to talk about it objectively: released in 2001, the work considerably deviates in sound and themes (religion above all, understood in the most intimate sense of the term) compared to previous works.
Objectively speaking, therefore, I will try to avoid dealing with the lyrics of the songs, as the themes seem very "intimate" and difficult to interpret, especially for those who are not familiar with the author. From this, you will have understood that if the lyrics can be overlooked, what stands out in this album is especially the music with its wonderful orchestration and the feelings it gives, regardless of what the author wants or does not want to communicate with words.
It begins with "As I Sat Sadly by her Side" where the guitar base and the subsequent entry of the piano take us on a very exciting journey, which continues with the Title Track, a sweet and poignant swing, then proceeds with "Hallelujah" the most Gospel song of the album, and reaches "Love Letter", a love song that leaves one speechless with its beautiful melody. The fifth track shows us the most "bad Seeds" side of the album: "Fifteen feet of Pure White Snow" is a concentrate of energy and poetry at the same time. "God is in the House" takes up the themes of "Hallelujah" while "Oh my Lord" sees the same theme treated in a much harder and tight version. "Sweetheart Come" is very soul and has a very "poignant" chorus.
The album's peak is achieved with "The Sorrowful Wife" where the repeated piano note leads us towards a very rock and intense finale that leaves one breathless until the track ends, continuing with "We Came Along This Road", where the ticked notes on the piano provide the structure for a song with a wonderful orchestration and where Nick's and the choir's voices blend perfectly. The same can be said (except for the ticking) for "Gates of The Garden", while "Darker with The Day" shows us once again that Nick, besides being a great songwriter, is also a pianist with exceptional sensitivity.
The album is over, I don’t know if I have convinced you to listen to it, surely no one will convince me not to let myself be carried beyond the "gates of the garden" that Nick has opened with this excellent work.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 As I Sat Sadly by Her Side (06:14)
As I sat sadly by her side
At the window, through the glass
She stroked a kitten in her lap
And we watched the world as it fell past
Softly she spoke these words to me
And with brand new eyes, open wide
We pressed our faces to the glass
As I sat sadly by her side
She said, "Father, mother, sister, brother,
Uncle, aunt, nephew, niece,
Soldier, sailor, physician, labourer,
Actor, scientist, mechanic, priest
Earth and moon and sun and stars
Planets and comets with tails blazing
All are there forever falling
Falling lovely and amazing"
Then she smiled and turned to me
And waited for me to reply
Her hair was falling down her shoulders
As I sat sadly by her side
As I sat sadly by her side
The kitten she did gently pass
Over to me and again we pressed
Our different faces to the glass
"That may be very well", I said
"But watch the one falling in the street
See him gesture to his neighbours
See him trampled beneath their feet
All outward motion connects to nothing
For each is concerned with their immediate need
Witness the man reaching up from the gutter
See the other one stumbling on who can not see"
With trembling hand I turned toward her
And pushed the hair out of her eyes
The kitten jumped back to her lap
As I sat sadly by her side
Then she drew the curtains down
And said, "When will you ever learn
That what happens there beyond the glass
Is simply none of your concern?
God has given you but one heart
You are not a home for the hearts of your brothers
And God does not care for your benevolence
Anymore than he cares for the lack of it in others
Nor does he care for you to sit
At windows in judgement of the world He created
While sorrows pile up around you
Ugly, useless and over-inflated"
At which she turned her head away
Great tears leaping from her eyes
I could not wipe the smile from my face
As I sat sadly by her side
08 Sweetheart Come (04:58)
Come over here, babe
It ain't that bad
I don't claim to understand
The troubles that you've had
But the dogs you say they fed you to
Lay their muzzles in your lap
And the lions that they led you to
Lie down and take a nap
The ones you fear are wind and air
And I love you without measure
It seems we can be happy now
Be it better late than never
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come to me
The burdens that you carry now
Are not of your creation
So let's not weep for their evil deeds
But for their lack of imagination
Today's the time for courage, babe
Tomorrow can be for forgiving
And if he touches you again with his stupid hands
His life won't be worth living
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come to me
Walk with me now under the stars
For it's a clear and easy pleasure
And be happy in my company
For I love you without measure
Walk with me now under the stars
It's a safe and easy pleasure
It seems we can be happy now
It's late but it ain't never
It's late but it ain't never
It's late but it ain't never
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