While a solid and at times excellent album, "Henry's Dream" doesn't develop a
distinction in Cave's discography: it's a mellower "Tender Prey", a harder "The Good
Son" or, most accurately, "Let Love In" set in a wild frontier past. Just as thorny are
Cave's lyrics, his most impenetrable to date that have set fans debating over whether or
not "Henry's Dream" is a concept album. 'Papa Won't Leave You Henry', 'Loom of the Land'
and 'Jack the Ripper' are the album's best showcases yet its finest song is
unquestionably 'Straight to You'. Marrying images of Biblical catastrophe to one of the
most sumptuous ballads of the Bad Seeds' new phase, 'Straight to You' is the masterpiece
of "Henry's Dream" but also stands jarringly from the broiling unease and violence of
the rest of the album.
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