Let Love In

Ten or so albums into their careers, if not sooner, artists tend to subside into laziness, self-parody, or fruitless second-guessing of the musical climate. It is entirely in keeping with Cave's willful obstinate character that at roughly that point he started making his very best work. Let Love In is a masterpiece. It sounds both like a summation of everything Cave and his peerless band the Bad Seeds have ever done well—string-laden ballads; gothic blues; brooding, gospel-tinged rock & roll and is a cohesive collection in its own right. "Do You Love Me?" might even be the single best thing Cave and the Bad Seeds have ever come up with: here he's passionate, literate, and funny; they are muscular, sensitive, and menacing.