The weeping songs

Writing about Nick Cave's new LP Ghosteen for the New Statesman, Tracey Thorn declared that "it has floored me. In a good way". I know how she feels. From its first note, it's a jaw-dropping album, one that's hard to take in a single sitting. 'Waiting For You' is particularly incredible. Having found his last two records (Push The Sky Away and Skeleton Tree) impressive but quite hard to love, I'm already smitten with this one. Fingers crossed I'll be there when he and the Bad Seeds call in on Cardiff next May.

Thorn's article is wonderful in its own way - not a review as much as an unapologetically personal appreciation, in which she writes beautifully about the experience of listening to the record on early-morning autumn walks.

Cave, meanwhile, continues to post fascinating, thoughtful and sensitive responses to fan questions on his site The Red Hand Files - such as on harbouring regrets and saying goodbye (he admits to having had difficulty with the latter over the years, often preferring "to cut and run and not look back", without reflection or regret) and on negative self-image and vulnerability (a reply to a troubled teen that is a million times more eloquent and touching than that of your average agony aunt/uncle).