Bleep

Nick Cave’s fifth studio LP with The Bad Seeds was the moment when he really established himself as one of rock’s great songwriters. Of course Cave had had plenty of success in the past - ‘From Her To Eternity’, ‘Sad Waters’, ‘Tupelo’ - but 1988’s Tender Prey saw him take it to the next level. As well as the incomparable ‘The Mercy Seat’, the record also includes blood-and-thunder post-punk rages (‘City Of Refuge’, ‘Up Jumped The Devil’), twisted love songs (‘Deanna’) and some of his most original lyrics (‘Watching Alice’, ‘New Morning’). More than two decades on from its release this album remains a force to be reckoned with.