This is a good time to be a fan of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Not only is pop's Prince of Darkness as prolific as ever, he's finally got around to that rarities compilation he's been promising to release for years. Most odds'n'ends albums are effectively rip-offs; this is very, very different. Scanning all 21 years of the Seeds' career, the 56 tracks over three CDs are made up of covers, radio sessions, B-sides, soundtrack songs and the odd studio jam that's impossible to categorise. Listened to in chronological order, it provides a fascinating insight into the band's development. But flicking around at random is equally rewarding; this is like a lucky dip that doesn't contain any duds. Unless you genuinely can't stand Nick Cave, you have to own this album.
