Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
No More Shall We Part

THE REVIEW

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.