Fans have been reacting after Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released their 17th studio album, ‘Ghosteen‘ yesterday evening. You can stream the new album below.
Last week, Nick Cave surprised fans by announcing that a Bad Seeds’ new double album was on the way via a reply to a fan on his Red Hand Files website. Cave went on to describe ‘Ghosteen’ as “a migrating spirit” before adding that the songs on part one of the record were “the children” and part two are “the parents”.
The Bad Seeds have been hard at work on the follow-up to their acclaimed 2016 album ‘Skeleton Tree’ for some time now. During an event in Melbourne earlier this year, the frontman gave fans an update on their progress, saying he was “very, very excited about it” and that the band would soon be wrapping up the record. You can stream ‘Ghosteen’ below.
Since the album’s release, fans have been reacting. One fan said it was “the band’s best work to date”, whilst another described it as “hauntingly beautiful”. One listener said it was “a poetic mediation on loss and grief”, another added that it “moved them to silence.”
You can see some more of the reactions here:
This is stunning, otherworldly, poetic in a way only @nickcave and @warrenellis13 can be. Heartbreaking and devastating, with glimmers of hope and comfort. Am moved to silence. https://t.co/ov4oREO5Eh
— Niall Johnson (@NiallKeepsMum) October 4, 2019
Absolute delivery from nick cave, didn't expect an ambient pop album nor did I expect to enjoy it so much, a beautiful and stripped back cave with hard emphasis on his lyrical ability, Hollywood is the standout for me
— H.I.H.P.I.M.E. ☭ (@HIHPIME) October 4, 2019
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omg @nickcave new album Ghosteen is quite quite beautiful
— Johnny Fingers (@Johnny_Fingers_) October 4, 2019
Well, thank goodness for Nick Cave. Wondrous, haunting, stripped back and better than ever before.
— James Dacre (@James_Dacre) October 4, 2019
Nick Cave and the Bad Seed’s new album is just so dearly beautiful. Honest, heartbreaking and ever so serene.
— Luke McCarthy-Reed (@lukehmuse) October 4, 2019
Mesmerisingly beautiful #Ghosteen @nickcave @warrenellis13
— Carol Thornton (@carolthornton) October 4, 2019
I needed that new @nickcave cathartic #Ghosteen
— Gary Bell (@GaryBell36) October 4, 2019
Such a beautiful heartbreaking album #NickCave pic.twitter.com/Oze5qmUVi1
— Honor Cuthberson (@HonorCuthberson) October 4, 2019
For the last year, The Bad Seeds‘ frontman has shunned conventional media interviews and focussed instead on answering questions from fans via his website The Red Hand Files.
Responding to all manner of matters concerning the death of his son Arthur, inspiration, morality in rock, the “cultural sea change” facing women and his stance on the cultural boycott against Israel, Cave has been disarmingly open and honest with fans and their questions.
He recently made headlines by using the site to open up about his past relationship with PJ Harvey, and also by shooting down one “asshole” fan for sharing homophobic views.
Meanwhile, in another Red Hand Files post earlier this year, Cave teased that his band Grinderman have been working on a new album, almost a decade after their last release.