Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus

Nick Cave changed the sound of music as part of the seminal goth-punks The Birthday Party. With his band of 20 years, The Bad Seeds, his solo work has veered between poignant gospel-inflected ballads and the steamy thud of backwater blues and country. This double album showcases both these sides of Cave's songwriting, with The Bad Seeds rising to fine, even funky, form. "Abattoir" is more rock 'n' roll with gospel overtones and salacious grooves, while "Lyre" is rawer and more experimental with a lot of acoustic instrumentation.