How do you all feel about this album now that the dust has settled?

How do you all feel about this album now that the dust has settled?

First listen I thought it was a really cynical album made by a man who was trying to exploit his son's death in order to try and make an album about death that could rival something like Joy Division's Closer for example.
To top it off the music was incredibly bland to me and felt all the worst things Nick has done on his albums since Blixa leaving (all the swooning tracks which have never managed to be more impactful than anything on The Good Son or Your Funeral) had just taken over his music entirely

After multiple listens I have to admit there's some pretty good stuff on here (Rings of Saturn, Girl in Amber and Distant Sky are standouts) but I can't shake the feeling that this Nick's way of trying to get everyone to throw a pity party for him, in order to deflect the criticisms of him being a terrible father and make a tonne of money from gigs in the process.
On the other hand the ridiculous level of wordiness makes me think maybe he's trying to exorcise some demons...

idk I can't make up my mind about it even though its been three months
Is Nick really sad or just a shitty person?

I think if this album was really a cynical money grab it would have been more accessible and more explicit. In fact my biggest complaint about the album is that it doesn't really seem to deal with death very much at all, mainly just sadness in general. If you didn't know the back story you would never guess it is about what it is. Maybe that's intentional though

Wasn't a lot of the album done before his son died? Not his fault if people won't shut up about it

>would have been more accessible and more explicit
True - although I think there is some marketability in making an album that's difficult in the wake of a tragedy
That's what he says, I don't completely believe him due to my skepticism but its worth noting that the album came out at the same time as a documentary about Nick Cave's son's death, titled One More Time With Feeling.
The documentary takes place right after the death of Nick's son and partway through The Skeleton Tree recording sessions.

It's not hard to believe that in a cynical burst of marketing genius they decided to record the documentary in order to capitalize on his son's death.

idk though, I'm gonna watch the doc when it comes out (or maybe stream it on here) before I make up my mind completely

>felt all the worst things Nick has done on his albums since Blixa leaving
I agree, I prefer Blixa-era. The band lost its vibe after he left.

I liked it more than Push the Sky Away, tho

Yeah. OP's opinion is a stupid one to have. Artists of all kinds channel significant personal events and the feelings they trigger into their art all the time. That's like a big part of the reason to why many artists create.

This record was almost entirely written before his sons death. Stop conflating the two, its pure conjecture. Maybe on the next record, but we'll have to wait and see.

I don't care about the son stuff. The album is great and thats all about. I don't think Nick Cave would try to grab some money from his son death, fuck! the idea is disgusting.

Same, its annoying as well because they seem to have replaced him with Warren Ellis and that means Warren can't be in Dirty Three as much anymore and so my favourite band doesn't record albums since Warren's time is taken up by Nick's shit.
To top it off Warren is not good for the band, there are moments on the last album that were so Warren-esque that I felt like I was listening to Dirty Three for second only to be semi-ruined by Nick a minute later.
>This record was almost entirely written before his sons death.
There's still the possibility that he lied and also the possibility that he never actually sat down to write it.
Like fucking listening to it it sounds like he might have just built it up from scratch, instead of going into the studio and recording some songs he had written he could have gone in with some ideas.
>the idea is disgusting.
I know, that's why it bothers me.
If it wasn't for the documentary - maybe I could let it go
Obviously the press and critics are going to paint this album as a record about his son's death but the documentary and perhaps even the promotion all feel very cynical to me.

Go fuck yourself OP your speculation that this is a cash grab is solely based off the fact that his son died before the release of the album

You sound cynical as fuck yourself buddy

>If it wasn't for the documentary - maybe I could let it go

They were already going to make the documentary before his son died.

great, got it on vinyl for xmas

if you watch his film he addresses the fact he feels like hes exploiting his sons death but its clearly not his intention.

artists write about their lives and their experiences do they not? if youre an artist and your son dies, its inevitably going to find its way into your music and for some people its a form of release.

how could you lose a son and write an album completely unrelated. love stories and happy memories? anyway like others here said he started writing it before his son died. its following the same melancholy sound from push the sky away, its a natural transition

this

A major life changing event happened to this man and you expected him not to discuss it? You know artists are humans just like the rest of us?

Warren is ok, he has a decent impact on The Bad Seeds. I wonder what happens if Nick himself does one without any influence. Maybe he's just a talentless hack :^)

Something good about Blixa's departure: Neubauten makes more music!

Most of the album was written and record BEFORE his son died, you stupid fuck.

>could rival something like Joy Division's Closer
That's not hard.

>album was nearly finished when his son died
>documentary was already being made when his son died
>before his son died he was planning to do a big tour in support of the album
>"he's exploiting his son's death!"
Go jump off a cliff, OP. What was Nick supposed to do? Drop EVERYTHING and become a hermit?

I only bump this thread in that hopes that more people start shitting on your dumbass OP seriously go fuck yourself

You talk like losing a son is an easy thing, and exploiting it is what would come to mind.
Asshole

I hate all of you.

careful with that edge, partner

OP is most likely just some basement dweller with no actual basic for social reality, let's not all gang up on autistic people they have it hard enough