10 Almost Perfect Alternative Rock Albums
7. Let Love In - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds (1994)
This is the sound of industrial landscapes and apocalyptic relationships.
The instrumentals are harsh and grating, and Nick Cave's lyrics are his most sinister. The opening number, Do You Love Me, contains a guitar smothered in so much reverb that each strum sounds like steel striking steel. Nobody's Baby Now is a romantic waltz through Cave's musings on love. Jangling Jack is one of the more erratic takes on the album. Cave aggressively regales us with the tale of an unfortunate tourist who ends up being murdered in New York. It's classic Cave, straddling the line between humour and tragedy.
The themes of the devil and spiteful revenge are just as prevalent as god and love - exemplified by Cave's most celebrated song, Red Right Hand. It's the perfect combination of sinister biblical references and the sound of clanging metal. The Edwardian industrial core of the record, then makes way for the western-style ballad, I Let love in.
The entire experience is one of murky character stories, pained love, and looming doom. You're left in two minds; one has you thinking the record could have used a few more breaks from all the destructive guitars, and murderous lyrics; the other, wishes there weren't as many tender love ballads.