Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds ‎– Ghosteen

    Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds ‎– Ghosteen

    09 Feb

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    Label: Ghosteen Ltd ‎– BS016LP, Ghosteen Ltd ‎– 5056167114796
    Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album
    Country:
    Released: 08 Nov 2019
    Genre: Electronic
    Style: Ambient

    Heartbreak Hotel

    Ghosteen is the seventeenth studio album by the Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
    It was released on 4 October 2019 and is a double album— the final part of a trilogy of albums that includes Push the Sky Away (2013) and Skeleton Tree (2016).

    Produced by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Ghosteen was written in the aftermath of the death of Cave’s son Arthur in 2015. It was recorded primarily in Malibu and West Hollywood, California in the United States, with further sessions in Germany and England.

    Cave’s lyrics, which continue his deviation from his usual narrative-based writing, explore themes of loss, death and existentialism, as well as empathy, faith and optimism. Like Skeleton Tree, the album features extensive use of synthesizers, loops and ambient elements, particularly the minimal use of drums and percussion.

    Upon its release Ghosteen was met with widespread critical acclaim. The album placed in the top 10 album charts in several countries and was included in several publications’ year-end and decade-end lists of best albums.

    Described by Pitchfork as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ “most musically esoteric record”, Ghosteen is an ambient and electronic music album. Analog synthesizers and sparse piano abound.

    Choral harmonies and orchestral strings featuring a five-piece string ensemble (two violins, viola, cello and double bass) in addition to Warren Ellis’ violin. Other instrumentation on the album includes several woodwinds, gamelan chimes, an ondes Martenot and tablas.

    All of the music on Ghosteen was composed together by Cave and Ellis.

    Cave sings on several tracks in a falsetto vocal register.

    It is an intensely personal work which covers tragedy and loss and is for reflection and contemplation. Ultimately it shares hope and a desire to survive and find peace.

    Sonically it’s an all-enveloping experience like being swept up into a cloud. Where you end up will depend on where you entered.

    I ended up speechless!

    Track listing

    Part 1

    Spinning Song 4:43
    Bright Horses 4:52
    Waiting For You 3:54
    Night Raid 5:07
    Sun Forest 6:46
    Galleon Ship 4:14
    Ghosteen Speaks 4:02
    Leviathan 4:48

    Part 2

    Ghosteen 12:10
    Fireflies 3:23
    Hollywood 14:12

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