20. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away (2013)Nick Cave's previous three albums (two of them released under the name Grinderman and one under the Bad Seeds moniker) moved away from the piano and vocal-driven style of his more well-known work like Murder Ballads or No More Shall We Part and instead went more into a garage-rock direction. It worked surprisingly well, but the quieter side of Nick Cave has always been my favourite, making this album a pleasant surprise. This album is very stripped-down, with most songs being limited to piano, bass, drums and Cave's unique voice (which, I admit that, is an acquired taste). The lyrics, aside from the odd clunker (see the thread title, for example), are beautifully poetic, and Cave delivers them with such conviction that the vocals are easily the centrepiece of this great album. Be warned, though: this album doesn't click instantly, in fact, it's very much a grower and on my first listen, I couldn't really see anything special here, but with a few listens, what makes this album so amazing reveals itself: the way that Cave and his band use an absolutely minimalist approach to create stunning atmospheres. Take Water's Edge, for instance: the whole song is based around one unsettling bassline, but it works perfectly and it never becomes boring. Another example of this is the title track, which is probably my favourite and, at the same time, the most minimalist of all tracks. Highly recommended for anyone that enjoys Cave's earlier, more piano-driven albums like Murder Ballads or The Boatman's Call.
Favourite tracks: We No Who U R, Wide Lovely Eyes, Water's Edge, We Real Cool, Push the Sky Away