Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Let Love In (2011 Remaster)

Let Love In is the highlight of Nick Cave‘s 90’s discography. Released in 1994, the album’s dark pathos fit right into grunge scene but its cinematic qualities make it standout from anything mainstream going on at the time. 17 years after its original release, Let Love In gets the deluxe reissue treatment.

The reissue packaging includes a remastered copy of the original Let Love In as well as a DVD of the album in 5.1 surround sound. The DVD includes bonus tracks, music videos, and a documentary.

Without comparing the original version and the new remastered version side by side, it is hard to hear the sonic differences. My favorite track on the album is the sparsely instrumented, “Red Right Hand.” The remastered version sounds crisp with some of the instruments previously hidden in the mixed brought slightly more to the forefront. It makes for an interesting comparative listen but nothing the average Nick Cave listener would notice.

The real power in the reissue is the bonus materials. The DVD includes five tracks recorded at the same time period. The songs include “Cassiel’s Song” which was previously available on the Faraway, So Close soundtrack. The track is a great piano ballad but it has a slightly less dark feeling than much of the rest of the album. “(I’ll Love You) Till The End Of The World” has spoken word verses that standout from anything else on the album. The chorus is quite poppy, somehow negating the inaccessible verses. The most inaccessible of all songs is “That’s What Jazz Is to Me.” The track is a spoken word/free jazz experiment that border on being unlistenable at certain points.

Luckily, “That’s What Jaxx Is to Me” is a rarity on the reissue of Let Love In. For the most part, the reissue is an enthralling look at Nick Cave’s masterpiece.

Rating: 8.9/10

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