With 'Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus' we have something that few could have expected - two albums that can both be regarded as self-contained masterpieces; two storming, driving, relentless, devotional, slinky, subtle, heartbreakingly beautiful records that, lyrically, switch from the cynical to the sanguine, the defeated to the defiant, dealing in love, war, beauty, children, romance, rejection, pethedine, poetry, panties, God, Auden, Johnny Cash, cold potatoes, too much money, not enough money, writers block, flowers, animals and more flowers. Nick Cave's 13th solo album is right up there with his best work despite the departure of longtime guitarist Blixa Bargeld.