After punk band The Birthday Party had collapsed in on itself, Nick Cave & Mick Harvey salvaged what was left and formed The Bad Seeds – taking their name from the last Birthday Party recording, The Bad Seed EP.Also joining them would be Hugo Race, Einsturzende Neubauten’sBlixa Bargeld and former Magazine member Barry Adamson.
From Her to Eternity was released in 1984 and it gets its name from the novel and movie entitled From Here to Eternity. I say without hesitation that this is one hell of an ugly album.While Cave’s lyrics have shifted from a form of expressionism to a more direct narrative, he still barks his vocals like a demon suffering eternal destruction in Hades. So despite the shift to a new band, the album is post-punk through and through, and there are still enough unattractive pieces of instrumentation to fool you into thinking that The Birthday Party lives on.
The album begins with a take on Leonard Cohen’s Avalanche.Now, Cohen’s original wasn’t exactly a barrel of laughs, but here it is beaten with the ugly stick ten times over and given the ‘Cave treatment’.The instrumental side of things is incredible bare, with only sparingly used guitar slides and drum rolls contributing to any sort of soundscape.I personally don’t find it a very good opening song and I much prefer Cohen’s original, which has far more character.Cave was obviously trying to make a bold statement but forgot about the music along the way. Cabin Fever is much better and would have made for a cracking opener.The spiralling thud of Adamson’s bass signals the start of chaos and Cave delivers one of the best rants of his career.It authentically recreates the imagery of madness taking place on a ship upon a storm-ridden sea. When Nick starts snarling, “(He)Slams his f*ckin’ tin dish down, Our Captain, takes time to crush some bloo-bottles glowin’ in his gruel, with a lump in his throat and lumpy mush, thumbing a scrapbook stuck up with clag, and a morbid lump of love in his flags”, you are left spellbound by his competence at being truly revolting.Bless you Nick.
The title-track is a work of art and the most complete recording on the album.It was co-written with Cave’s romantic interest, Anita Lane. The sinister crashing of piano notes recalls early horror shorts starring Boris Karloff, and one must acknowledge the storms of sporadic guitar feedback, which are used to great effect.Nick’s a most convincing psychotic when he starts roaring the lyrics, “O Ah hear her walkin', walkin' barefoot cross the floor-boards, all thru this lonesome night, ah hear her crying too. Hot-tears come splashin’ on down, leaking thru the cracks, down upon my face”.It is certainly one of The Bad Seeds’ best early compositions.
During 1984 The Bad Seeds released a single which was a cover of Elvis Presley’s In the Ghetto.The CD release of From Her to Eternity features In the Ghetto and its b-side, The Moon Is in the Gutter.Due to the fact that Nick sings it really well and that it’s produced in a very clean way, In the Ghetto sticks out like a sore thumb.Having said this, The Moon Is in the Gutter is wretched and it seamlessly fits in amongst the original album material.
There are a couple of moments on the album which pass you by without being too impressive. For example, I do feel that Well of Misery is unnecessary.I actually really like the theme of the song and you can imagine a group of slaves singing along to it while working. To give them their credit where it’s due, The Bad Seeds do just that and provide great backing vocals, but I just have this nagging feeling that it could have been executed better. Wings from a Fly has an intro where Nick tears the wings from a fly to the popular game, she loves me, and she loves me not.It’s little more than a failed experiment due to the inconsistent nature of the lyrics and the truly unlistenable din that the band is making.
Things are brought to an end by A Box for Black Paul.It is a 10 minute epic in which Nick is at the top of his game with regards to both his ghastly narrative skills and use of horrific imagery. The instrumental side of things is made up of nothing but a lone piano, yet it is a truly intimidating and claustrophobic listen. The song’s greatest attribute is that it so capably leaves the listener enthralled by the gruesome portrayal of events that have befallen ‘Black Paul’.I couldn’t possibly imagine the lyrics being any better from the chief laureate of the elegy.
At its best, From Her to Eternity is a prime slice of Nick Cave and a marvellous debut album.Sure, there are a few moments which don’t work as well as others, but I put this down to Nick’s refusal to write anything even remotely attractive. As a final word, I’d advise you to not make it your first Nick Cave purchase, but it is well worth checking out after you have become familiar with some of the man’s later work.
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The Firstborn is Dead (1985)
9/10
Producer: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Flood - Mark Ellis
Tupelo
Say Goodbye to the Little Girl Tree
Train Long-Suffering
Black Crow King
Knockin’ On Joe
Wanted Man
Blind Lemon Jefferson
The Six Strings That Drew Blood
The Bad Seeds’ debut, From Her to Eternity, was one hell of an unattractive recording. It had its fair share of highlights, but it definitely came across that Nick was finding his feet again after the disintegration of The Birthday Party. It was as if he was chucking a select bunch of ideas into the fray and seeing which of them would stick. Bearing this in mind, I find it all the more surprising that The Firstborn is Dead is a much stylised album and actually sounds nothing like I would have expected it to, had I been patiently waiting for the release of this album in 1985. It is a straight up blues album. Not blues in the way that BB King and Eric Clapton play the blues, no, this is a primal and primitive interpretation of the blues. This is Nick Cave’s blues.
The album sounds ancient in places and gives the impression that it could have been recorded at any time during the start of the 20th century. It sounds as if it was captured live in a little shack out in the Deep South, where the only company you keep is the deadly scorpions in your boots and the howling coyotes of the witching hour. Tupelo is the opening song and the only single to be taken from The Firstborn is Dead. You know it is going to be good from the moment the crack of thunder pierces the speakers and the monotonous, repetitive drone of the bass kicks in. No more than a few notes cycle continuously throughout the song’s 7 minute running time. Cave sounds positively demonic as he preaches, “Oh go to sleep little children, and the Sandman’s on his way… but the little children know, listen to the beating of the blood!” When the chorus kicks in the Bad Seeds are on fire, and the guitars tease the listener while the backing vocals mimicking Cave’s, “ Tupelo-o-o-!” are genius.
Second track, Say Goodbye to the Little Girl Tree, continues things in a fine way. A bluesy and discordant slide guitar lurks in the background, all the while the primary guitar plays a spidery set of notes. Nick Cave is in fine voice and he keeps the listener engrossed with his superior narrative skills, right up until the closing moments. Train Long-Suffering is a plateful of Nick Cave brilliance. The Bad Seeds play with a raw intensity and the song is so thoroughly capable of creating a commotion that it makes Cabin Fever from their debut look tame in comparison. The chorus is magnificent and Cave sounds as if he could raise hell with his anguished vocal performance. Essentially it is just about women being evil, causing him pain and Cave being left on his lonesome, but hey, if it sounds this good, then I’m all for the end of the relationship.
Every so often in his career Nick Cave will write a dirge which has the weight of an anvil and the potency of 20 year matured moonshine. Knockin’ on Joe is just such a song and makes for an astonishing half way point on the LP. The song details the all encompassing misery which has engulfed a prisoner on Death Row. He is crying out to be taken to his end and that there is nothing else that can be done to cause him harm. Sick of life, ruined by the tortured wait, Cave tells his story beautifully. The piano notes are so mournful and full of hatred, that I would swear it to be a recording of genuine authenticity, had I not known that Nick is merely an artist.
If I had to pick one song from the album it would unquestionably be Blind Lemon Jefferson. No amount of words and pompous text could ever do this song justice. This is quite simply the embodiment of real blues and it makes for the most passionate recording on the LP. The instruments are used so sparingly that Cave’s voice is pushed to the fore and in itself becomes an instrument of some strength. The greatest moment is when Cave grimly recounts the future that awaits the ailing Jefferson, “Down fly two greasy brother crows…. They hop ‘n’ bop; they hop ‘n’ bop, like the tax man come to call”. Only the fragile guitar slides and booming bass crescendo keep him company in his last moments.
If you have the CD version of this album, and let’s face it chances are you do, then things close with The Six Strings That Drew Blood. It was originally a song from The Birthday Party’s penultimate EP, Mutiny, but given a re-recording, it was released as the b-side to Tupelo. It’s very similar to the other tracks on the album and fits in especially well, although I would have preferred it if the album had ended with the peak of Blind Lemon Jefferson.
The Firstborn is Dead is a Nick Cave album like no other and I cannot praise the stripped bare production values enough. One of the first things I pointed out in my review was that the blues theme runs throughout the entire album, and not once does The Firstborn is Dead compromise its steady resolve to fulfill Nick’s artistic vision. Sure, it isn’t an album I’d throw on for a party, but when I’m feeling miserable and I want a prime slice of preaching from Mr Cave, then I chuck on the Firstborn is Dead and relax in comfort, knowing that if nobody else understands, then at least Nick does.
I am certain that this album won’t appeal to everyone as it is even more determined to alienate casual fans of the band than From Her to Eternity, but in my opinion this single-minded attitude toward the song writing lands Nick with his first classic Bad Seeds album.
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Kicking Against the Pricks (1986)
8.5/10
Producer: Flood – Mark Ellis, Tony Cohen
Muddy Waters
I’m Gonna Kill That Woman
Sleeping Annaleah (Weeping Annaleah)
Long Black Veil
Hey Joe
The Singer (The Folk Singer)
Black Betty
Running Scared
All Tomorrow’s Parties
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
The Hammer Song
Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart
Jesus Met the Woman at the Well
The Carnival is Over
Kicking Against the Pricks is the third album by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and is made up entirely of cover songs.The title of the album is derived from a passage in the Bible, which reads in the King James translation: “And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” Some other translations (including mine) render the word for a prick (a sharp wooden object – no jokes, please), goad instead.
So what’s new for the Bad Seeds this time round? Well, they are joined for the first time by drummer Thomas Wydler, who I must say does an excellent job throughout.I also tend to think of Kicking Against the Pricks as the first album in which Nick Cave consistently sings in a conventional manner, rather than using his voice box as a rolling sea of inhumane noises.
The album starts with Nick’s take on Phil Rosenthal’s Muddy Waters (Phil Rosenthal is a singer-songwriter who eventually became a member of the band The Seldom Scene, who have been functioning since the 1970’s).From the off it is obvious to see how this album is going to go, as Nick turns the majority of songs into a unique and standalone experience, separate from their original counterparts; this opening song is no different. True, the song wasn’t upbeat in the first place, but Nick turns it into an anguished expression of grief and loss, or if you will a dirge of epic proportions.The opening vocals are truly terrorizing, “Mary, grab the baby, the river is rising… muddy water – taking back the land…”
The ugliest moment on the album is the cover of John Lee Hooker’s I’m Gonna Kill That Woman.This disturbed blues tirade is completely ‘Caved In’ and the lyrics are purged from Nick’s lips in an entirely psychotic and unhinged performance.How do the Bad Seeds sound?I don’t think that demonic and chilling is a fair representation of the sheer volume and density of what takes place, but I’m at a loss for better words. Cave’s take on Johnny Cash’s The Folk Singer is another top depiction of a familiar song.It is certainly the most rehearsed and restrained piece on the LP, as Nick sounds in complete control of his vocals as he recites the lyrics with next to no distance between his voice and the microphone – you can almost feel the microphone cowering under his forceful presence.
Nick’s take on Black Betty makes for a weird and wild rendition of this classic blues song. Even if you have no interest in purchasing this album, I still recommend that you look up this particular cover.It mimics the original version in that there isn’t any true instrumentation to speak of, just hand claps and minimal percussion.The quality of the song is open to discussion, but the confidence in Nick’s performance sources magnetism from within.
Roy Orbison’s love song, Running Scared, is given a make over in that it no longer features a happy ending and that Nick is left high and dry by his lover, as she runs into the arms of the romantic competition.In terms of the musicality on offer, it doesn’t stray too far away from the original, meaning that Orbison fans can still enjoy this classic.
There are a few moments which don’t work as well as others. For example By the Time I Get to Phoenix isn’t innovative in the slightest, and is downright disappointing after listening to Isaac Hayes’ legendary 20 minute adaptation moments before.It’s basically the same song you have heard many times before, but this time has the novelty of Nick’s karaoke croon.It could also be argued that an earlier track on the album, Sleeping Annaleah, was an out-and-out odd choice.Why on earth would Nick want to cover a Tom Jones song? However, the worst thing about the song is not its roots, but the horribly discordant musicianship.
We already know that Nick Cave loves the Bible - the title of the album gave that away, but a further indication is his rendition of the traditional song Jesus Met the Woman at the Well.The Bad Seeds do an expert job with the backing vocals and Mick Harvey in particular should be applauded for his sharp picking on the guitar. Nick cave goes back to Australian roots to close the album, with his interpretation of The Seekers’ The Carnival Is Over.The original is a thing of boundless splendour and one of my favourite love songs, so you’d have to be a fool to attempt to better it.Needless to say, Nick plays it a little safe, but still turns in a very respectful and appealing take on this classic, with the band managing to keep up appearances and flesh out the instrumentation.
So, is Kicking Against the Pricks worth buying? I’d say most definitely. I wouldn’t blame any of you for being cautious of any album of covers, as more often that not it show up the musicians’ artistic stagnation.But what we have here is very different and is truly the best all covers album that I have yet had the pleasure of hearing.And Nick Cave fans needn’t worry about the credibility of this album as he makes 90% of the songs his own edition. Buy with confidence and thank me later!
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Your Funeral... My Trial (1986)
9/10
Producer:Flood - Mark Ellis, Tony Cohen
Sad Waters
The Carny
Your Funeral… My Trial
Stranger Than Kindness
Jack’s Shadow
Hard On for Love
She Fell Away
Long Time Man
Your Funeral… My Trial is the fourth album by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.It was originally released as a double EP on vinyl, and has since been re-released on CD with a re-jigged tracklisting.Having said this, the 2009 reissue of Your Funeral… My Trial contains the original tracklisting, so that’s the one to buy (if you can afford it).I can be quite awkward about things like this, as I like to listen to things how they were originally intended to be heard; therefore my review is with regards to the original tracklisting.
So, Nicholas Edward Cave: Man or mortal?Because that is the question I am continually faced with while reviewing his back catalogue.In my opinion, Your Funeral… My Trial sets the perfect template for at least the next 5 years of Nick’s career with the Bad Seeds.Obviously on later recordings there would be alterations on the themes plugged here, but this is undoubtedly the inception of the devil’s advocate and where Nick Cave starts to carve out his own unique, distinctive niche in the music industry.
Sad Waters is an indisputably beautiful song, probably Nick’s earliest song of this ilk.I mean, you had Knockin’ on Joe from The Firstborn is Dead, but that detailed the warped beauty of a pained convict on Death Row; it’s just not the same.Sad Waters is Nick cave’s first pure love song with the Bad Seeds and it remains one of their best.Read into it what you want, but for me it is the ultimate tale of infatuation, “That rose out of the bitten soil, sound to the ground by creeping ivy coils.Oh Mary, you have seduced my soul… forever a hostage of your child’s world.”The Bad Seeds had shown noticeable diversity on their all covers album, Kicking Against the Pricks, something which is put to great use here, as gentle organ playing rolls along the scene, while crisp guitar tones set it apart from their earlier work.
As good as Sad Waters is, it pales in comparison next to the cruel account of The Carny.Playing out like some demented carnival festival, Nick relays the tale of Sorrow the Horse and the band of circus freaks which were forced to up and leave camp.Nick’s portentous spoken inserts are perfection, “And it was the dwarves that were given the task of digging the ditch and laying the nag’s carcass in the ground, while Boss Bellini waved his smoking pistol ‘round…” That’s probably my favourite Nick Cave lyric… ever.It seems that while suffering from chronic drug addiction and facing personal demons Nick Cave works at his very best, so you know, opiates can be good for you… just kidding.Don’t do drugs kids (not even the good ones).
And then you have the superlative title-track, which continues things perfectly, and I do mean perfectly.Without a doubt this is the best start to any Bad Seeds record as of yet and on the strength of this song and the two gone before it, it even manages to trump the mammoth quality of The Firstborn is Dead.Up until this point in his career, Cave’s vocals have never sounded quite so human or fragile, yet they maintain an intense amount of spite and intent, “I am a crooked man and I’ve walked a crooked mile… Night, the shameless widow doffed her weeds in a pile… Your funeral, my trial!!”The music brings with it a sense of approaching doom, primarily on the back of the sinister organ playing; the Bad Seeds never one step behind Nick’s authoritative presence.
The second EP kicks down the door, chucks away the remaining romantic sentiments of Sad Waters and throttles you with its hunger for the degradation of Jack Henry, from Jack’s Shadow.Nick relays Henry’s tale of humiliation and eventual loss, “He peeled his shadow off in strips, then kneeled his shadow on some steps and cried, “What have I done?” ” The gentle acoustic introduction leads you into a false sense of security, and before long Barry Adamson’s demented bass and Nick’s twisted piano playing block any light from permeating throughout the song.
The xylophone creeps up on you from the shadows during She Fell Away, perfecting a disorderly tempo of restlessness.In addition to this, Blixa Bargeld sounds as if he is having great fun with his trademark ‘ugly’ guitar riffs, while Mick Harvey provides the Ying to his Yang, with far more technically adequate pieces of guitar playing.
The Tim Rose written Long Time Man closes the set.Thematically and musically, Long Time Man is backwards looking when compared with much of the other material on Your Funeral… My Trial, as it seems to represent the Nick of The Firstborn is Dead, rather than the new Nick, who is concerned with both melody and artistic statement.But do not think for a moment that I am saying it is a letdown, far from it, it merely shows little progression by Nick as an artist.But hey, the other 7 tracks on the record do this for him.
So, again, I ask you, Nicholas Edward Cave: Man or mortal?Well, a man of course, but not one without regular divine qualities cropping up here and there, something which is showcased beautifully on Your Funeral… My Trial. I can safely say that at the time of release it was the Bad Seeds’ strongest recording.
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Tender Prey (1988)
10/10
Producer: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Flood, Tony Cohen, Chris Thompson
The Mercy Seat
Up Jumped the Devil
Deanna
Watching Alice
Mercy
City Of Refuge
Slowly Goes the Night
Sunday’s Slave
Sugar Sugar Sugar
New Morning
Released in 1988, Tender Prey is the fifth album by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.What we have here is one of the best representations of Nick Cave’s talents.At the very least it is a brutal culmination of the themes which their previous album, Your Funeral… My Trial, had only hinted at.These are strong words when considering the consistency and strength of said album.Upon hearing Tender Prey for the first time you realise that Your Funeral… My Trial was merely the rehearsal.Here, you are given front row, VIP tickets to Nick’s demented sideshow, and you do not miss a moment of its poetic and righteous grandeur.
Long standing as Nick Cave’s signature tune, The Mercy Seat tells the story of a man’s looming, imminent death by the electric chair.With regards to the Death Row theme, it shares a few similarities with Knockin’ on Joe from The Firstborn Is Dead.Like Knockin’ on Joe, The Mercy Seat is a painstakingly accurate representation of the emotional turmoil and horror of a man’s final moments.Having said this, differences can be detected between the two songs.For example, Knockin’ On Joe showed a man at the end of his wits due to his segregation and isolation from society, but on The Mercy Seat the character portrayed is defiant in his attitude, admitting to the crimes he has committed, and he sees his death as a form of deliverance, or a release to a better life. “And the mercy seat is melting, and I think my blood is boiling, and in a way I’m spoiling all this, all the fun with all this truth and consequence,” shouts our ‘victim’ in all his rebelliousness, with a measure of satisfaction behind his words of insolence.
Showing a man at the peak of his creative powers, Up Jumped the Devil is quite possibly the greatest ‘dark’ song Nick Cave has ever written.You can almost smell the death in the air as the hypnotic bass line swings to and fro, while the demonic, theatrical piano notes bring bereavement and demise hand in hand.“Oh my, oh my, what a wretched life, I was born on the day that my poor momma died!I was cut from her belly with a Stanley Knife, my Daddy did a jig with the drunk mid-wife,” recalls Nicholas, before he reasons on the nature of his failed life, “Oh poor heart I was doomed from the start, doomed to play the villain’s part… Up jumped the Devil and off with crept!”Also, the song features Nick’s best ever vocal performance.He has never sounded so downright ruined and evil.
“I aint down here for your money and I aint down here for your love, I aint down here for your money… I’m down here for your soul,” are the lyrics which signal the spiralling tumble of Deanna, Nick’s first danceable pop gem.Yes, Nick Cave producing a danceable hit.Oh yeah, I just went there, baby!Cryptic, destructive and positively brimming with energy, as ever it is Nick’s uproarious organ riffs which run wild throughout Deanna’s running time. Elsewhere, Watching Alice is beautiful.Of course, it isn’t just a simple love song, we have a running theme of voyeurism and crazed obsession.The harmonica which makes an appearance in the final third of the song is wonderfully implemented; enhancing the poignancy of the lonesome piano chords and broken guitar coils no end.
Joining Up Jumped the Devil as one of the greatest pieces of music Nick has ever composed, Mercy tells the tragic tale of a broken man.Nick cries from his dungeon cell, “The speaker would slide open, a viper’s voice would plead, a voice thick with innuendo, syphilis and greed!” This tragic set of events leads him to conclude, “My death it almost bored me so often was it told!”When taking into consideration how wrapped up the band was at the time with drug addiction, you can only conclude that this is a sincere appeal for help.Death has never seemed so attractive.
Slowly Goes the Night reveals the broken heart of a man, tortured by the passing of his solitary love interest. It has a gorgeous melody and the backing vocals from the Bad Seeds are just dazzling. I love the way the song quakes under Nick’s convincing, lovelorn reading, “I just laid there watching the sun come down from the sky, not wanting to open the letter, but I opened it anyway and seeing those two words, ‘lover, lover goodbye.’ ”
Providing a sweet declaration of hope after all of the misery and despair, New Morning winds things down to a close with its authentic resolution. Gone are the harsh cries of help and crushing piano notes, they are all but replaced by an acoustic affinity with Nick’s optimistic meanderings.“There’ll be no sadness, there’ll be no sorrow, there’ll be no road too narrow, there’ll be a new day and it’s today, for us,” announces Nick, pointing to a far brighter future.
Improving on the already incredible achievement that was Your Funeral… My Trial, this record should go down in history as one of the greatest albums ever made.The song writing, the musicianship and Nick’s vocals have rarely been better than they are here.It is simply spellbinding.
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The Good Son (1990)
10/10
Producer: Flood, Gareth Jones
Foi Na Cruz
The Good Son
Sorrow’s Child
The Weeping Song
The Ship Song
The Hammer Song
Lament
The Witness Song
Lucy
Released in 1990, The Good Son is the sixth studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.Surprisingly, after the exaggerated theatrics and mayhem of previous studio album, Tender Prey, its melodramatic counterpart was released a mere two years after.The Good Son at first appears to be the polar opposite of Tender Prey in almost every way.
So what can be said for this sudden change in direction?And does it even need to be justified?Let us not forget that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had just put out two of the most downright evil records ever - the unkind Your Funeral… My Trial and the ruthless Tender Prey.Although, fear not, there is an explanation at hand.Nick Cave had put himself through a stint in rehab, detoxing himself and, at least for the time being, purging himself of the last of his inner demons (although this breathing space was short-lived and the Bad Seeds hit back with the malevolent Henry’s Dream in 1992). That’s not to say that The Good Son is a jolly album, full of feel good anthems, because nothing is further from the truth, and it actually contains some of the most beautifully depressing songs of Nick Cave’s long and illustrious career. It is simply a different shade of grey when compared with Tender Prey.Tender Prey was wielding mighty weapons and burning missiles, aiming straight for the balls!On the other hand, The Good Son could be likened to a stealth assassin, using deadly weapons of sorts, but those of a subtle nature, aiming for the mind and heart.In this case the weapons translate as intelligent lyrics and an understated implementation of lush orchestration.
In short, we should not settle for first impressions, as those prepared to scrape beneath the surface will find an anguished recording, full of Cave’s favoured Biblical overtones and pained laments.
The part-Portuguese Foi Na Cruz is how a true hymn should sound, with gentle backing and a slight arrangement of strings peppering the background.The way the Bad Seeds fully harmonize is beautiful, right as Nick leads us into the essential components of a working relationship, “A little sleep, a little slumber,” before he bears his heart, “a little love, a little hate babe, a little trickery and deceit.”If you are still a stranger in these here parts, now is the time to start listening to Nick Cave, my friends.
Rich with imagery and Biblical angst, the title-track is every bit as violent as its alleged origins, which could easily be an alternate reading of Genesis’ story of Cain and Abel, as it flips it on its side and proposes that Cain is infact the championed son of the two.Some may call it overlong, as the chorus is passionately repeated and taken to a fade out, yet I feel it is entirely necessary in these circumstances to drive home the point of this persuasive interpretation of a famed Bible story. The compelling melancholia of Sorrow’s Child is brought about by a powerful vocal delivery and a swaying melody, as piano notes twinkle and strings flutter around the listener.Take a deep breath and prepare to be taken under, as Nick confirms that the future shall bring no respite and that there is no light at the end of the tunnel, “Sorrow’s child grieves not what has past, but all the past still yet to come.”I’m almost falling off my chair while trying to contain myself before this awesome track.
Entrenched in misery and subsequent squalor, guitarist Blixa Bargeld duets with Nick on The Weeping Song, one of the record’s defining moments.A beautifully poignant dirge, Nick’s lyrics are easily some of his most contemplative, “Oh, Father, tell me are you weeping? Your face it seems wet to touch… Oh, then, I’m so sorry Father, I never thought I’d hurt you so much.”Lovely, isn’t it?Although, even more heart-rending is The Ship Song, one of Nick’s finest achievements.Released as a single to preview The Good Son, it pulls back the string on Cupid’s bow and aims straight for your weary heart.The production throughout the build up to and then during the chorus has been so well considered that its beauty has reduced me to tears on occasion, “When I crawl into you arms, everything, it comes tumbling down… Come sail your ships around me and burn your bridges down, we make a little history, baby, every time you come around!”I’m welling up and it’s time to move on.
Have you ever been to a Black Gospel Church deep in the Mississippi? Don’t worry, you don’t actually have to answer that, just take a listen to the marvellous The Witness Song instead, which has Cave in full preacher mode - the Bad Seeds his little flock and ourselves the great crowd of imminent disciples.The incredible organ breaks are genius, and the instrumental breakdown in the final act of this fable is a thing of beauty, as Cave effortlessly has you hanging on his every word, while the Bad Seeds intone from the shadows, “Who will be the witness??” I will be, Nick.You can take me now.
The Good Son closes with Lucy, which surpasses even The Ship Song in terms of poignancy.I find it so painful to listen to, as my eyes fill up with tears and my heart begins to ache, as Nick longs for the embrace of a fallen lover and a love which refuses to die, “Last night I lay trembling, the moon it was whole.It was the end of love, of misery and woe.Then suddenly above me her face buried in light, came a vision of beauty, all covered in white…I’ll love her forever, I’ll love her for all time, I’ll love her ‘til the stars fall all down from the sky!!”I have to go now; I’m writhing around in an empathetic fit of sadness.
Let me bring this review to an end with a final few words.At the very least, The Good Son furthers my popular opinion that Nick Cave is one of the most consistent artists to ever grace this planet and to pleasure us with his, ahem, talents.Along with Tender Prey it makes for two perfect albums in quick succession. Which other musicians can boast such a feat?If you have any suggestions I’d like to hear them.
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Live Seeds (1993)
7/10
Producer: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
The Mercy Seat
Deanna
The Ship Song
Papa Won’t Leave You,
Henry
Plain Gold Ring
John Finn’s Wife
Tupelo
Brother, My Cup Is Empty
The Weeping Song
Jack the Ripper
The Good Son
From Her to Eternity
New Morning
Released in 1993, Live
Seeds is the first live album by
Nick
Cave and the Bad
Seeds.As anyone who has seen
Nick
Cave
and the Bad Seeds live will testify, they remain to this day one of the most
thrilling and must-see bands around, thanks mostly to their tight musicianship
and
Nick
Cave’s ruthless and intimidating
on-stage performances.You see, the man
is scary, and he fully conveys the terror of his wretched tales, be it by means
of his frantic narration, his fevered pacing, or - more often than not - his seething
verbal tirades.Therefore, it kind of
made sense that the band would eventually get around to releasing a live documentation
of their shows.
For the uninitiated, the
band’s previous album, Henry’s Dream, had contained
Nick
Cave’s
most phrenetic and agitated set of songs yet, as he had developed an eye for
detail which was almost bordering on the neurotic.Problem was,
Nick
Cave
wasn’t impressed by the production of said album and felt that producer David
Briggs hadn’t given the songs room to breathe, let alone the freedom to take
off and reach their full potential. This
resulted in
Nick
Cave and the Bad Seeds booting David
Briggs off the project and mixing the album themselves.Even then,
Nick
Cave
felt that the album had been ruined and that the damage was done.
Enter Live Seeds.The band decided that the best thing to do
would be to gather a series of recordings from their live shows while touring
Henry’s Dream from 1992 through 1993.Hopefully, this would capture the songs from Henry’s Dream as
Nick
Cave
had originally intended, while giving their old favourites a breathe of fresh
air.However, the biggest qualm I have
with Live Seeds is that, in my opinion, there was nothing wrong with Henry’s Dream
in the first place, and if the Bad Seeds weren’t as effortlessly captivating as
they are here, I’d swear down that Live Seeds was purely conceived to prove a
point and to lay Nick’s borderline doctrinaire ruminations to rest.That said, Live Seeds actually features only
a handful of songs from Henry’s Dream, and the ones which are unleashed terrorize
you as intended.
Nick
Cave’s signature tune, The Mercy Seat, starts the set
off.In comparison to the Tender Prey
album version, it is a much more manageable piece of music, as its running time
is lopped in half, and while the song does gain momentum as it cracks on, it is
a far more subdued and acoustic affair to that which we may be used to.Nevertheless, Nick’s vocals and written word
are as attention-grabbing as ever.This
is swiftly followed by the rising and falling dancefloor swagger ofDeanna.“We would eat out of their pantries and their parlours”, confesses
Nick, “we’d leave ash all over the place,
and wrap their heads in pillow cases.”
Papa Won’t Leave You,
Henry is Nick’s first unveiling from the freshly interpreted Henry’s Dream
set.As expected, it’s an all or nothing
performance, as Nick menacingly spurs the audience into cheers and woops at
regular intervals.Come the violent
breakdown in the final act of the song, you’re eagerly visualising the whole
infernal and unholy episode for yourself.“I woke so drunk and full of rage
that I could hardly speak, a fag in whale-bone corset draping his dick across
my cheek. Well, it’s into the shame, it’s into the guilt and it’s into the
f*cking fray! And the walls ran red around me and washed me all away!”
In a surprising move, the
band covers Plain Gold Ring, which had previously been given a haunting
performance by Nina Simone.It’s not
going to win the band any new fans, but if nothing else it proves the
remarkable dexterity of this era Bad Seeds, as they can very ably turn their
hand at reworking soothing minimalist pieces into harrowing minimalist pieces.
The only proper ballad to sneak
into the set is The Ship Song, from The Good Son.The main reason why it had been so poignant
the first time around was chiefly due to the powerful chorus, which had been
impeccably produced, while Nick’s voice had been accentuated in all the right
places, resulting in perfection.So it
goes without saying that something is lost in the live translation, and when
the emotional comedown charges forth in its final moments, you wonder what all
the fuss is about.Still, the crowd
seemed to enjoy it.
From Her to Eternity is as
good live as it ever has been.Nick’s
perverse and nerve-racking performance commands your full attention, while the
Bad Seeds thrash around as a fish out of water fighting for air.After the dust has settled, New Morning
follows to close the set, as it did Tender Prey five years earlier.After the delightful terrors which we have
been subjected to, it is a well needed subsidence in energy levels and finds
the entire band in musical harmony.It’s
strange to hear the Bad Seeds trying their very hardest not to scare the living daylights out of you.
To conclude, you’ve heard
all of these songs before, and in my opinion they are still best heard on their
respective albums.That said,
Nick
Cave
and his merry men are on fire for the duration of the set and they put many
other live acts to shame.
Nick
Cave
in particular seems largely worked up and shaken, as he at times almost returns
to the flea-bitten and defiled levels of evil which he had conjured up throughout
his punk years in The Birthday Party.All in all, Live Seeds is a great listen and a fine documentation of a
band in their prime, although, I recommend you only make a purchase after
becoming acquainted with their studio albums.
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Let Love In (1994)
8/10
Producer: Tony Cohen
Do You Love Me?
Nobody’s Baby Now
Loverman
Jangling Jack
Red Right Hand
I Let Love In
Thirsty Dog
Aint Gonna Rain Anymore
Lay Me Low
Do You Love Me? (Part 2)
Let Love In is the eighth studio album by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and was released in 1994.After Nick Cave had been somewhat unnecessarily distressed at the production work found on their previous studio album, Henry’s Dream, he had all but condemned that record to the watery depths.An odd decision, as in my eyes the production on Henry’s Dream was second-to-none and impeccably captured his merciless tales of horror.
The production on Let Love In is a very different affair.It is a far more polished effort, in fact everything seems exceedingly well rehearsed and the songs themselves are recorded to within an inch of technical perfection.Even the likes of Thirsty Dog -a track if found on any other Bad Seeds’ recording would inspire only the greatest of fear - seems unusually tight and willing to call itself commercial. Ah yes, that word - commercial.I can definitely say that Let Love In is the Bad Seeds’ most commercial record… ever.So, I guess that this makes for the perfect place to start a Nick Cave collection.But ye olde fans of Nick needn’t be afraid that he has somehow sold out, as this LP contains more than its fair share of classic Nick.
The opening Do You Love Me? is suitably sinister, with the cold-hearted rumble of Martyn P. Casey’s bass introducing things remarkably well.Before long Nick’s bitter piano lines and frenzied organ tuning seem to stir fear deep into the heart of the listener.“She had a heart full of love and devotion, she had a mind full of tyranny and terror”, pronounces Nick, in one of his most self-damning routines yet. Elsewhere, Nobody’s Baby Now is extremely poetic, as Nick questions the nature of love, religion and faith – some of his most popular topics.Nick sings, “I travelled this world round for an answer that refused to be found… I don’t know why and I don’t know how, but she’s nobody’s baby now!” I absolutely love Mick Harvey’s playing of the organ, it truly lays a great basis for Blixa Bargeld’s to add to with his guitar work.
Metallica covered Loverman to reasonable success on their album Garage Inc.Of course, Nick’s version is better.It follows a suitably straightforward arrangement, in which the song goes through a quiet and subdued bar of music, before exploding during the chorus, in which Nick turns in one of his most iconic vocal performances, “I’ll be your lovermaaaaaaan!! Here I stand, forever Amen! For I am what I am, what I am, what I am!!”Add to this Bargeld’s twisted vocals during the verses, whispering, “How much longer”, and you have yourself a sure-fire classic. Probably the most famous track from Let Love In is Red Right Hand.It has been used in many movies over the years and was given a remix/re-recording for the soundtrack of Scream 3.This is where the glossy production techniques really shine, as Nick performs his vocals in an unusual manner, aiming above all for technical excellence.If you have only heard the single version you are truly missing out, as the album version lasts for over 6 minutes and has an awesome, re-occurring oscillator solo throughout.I’m afraid I’m going with the masses here and declaring it the best track on Let Love In.
I Let Love In is very beautiful.It’s one of Nick’s more direct tales of love and loss, as he laments the trials of unwittingly falling in love, “The door it opened just a crack, but love was shrewd and bold… my life flashed before my eyes, it was a horror to behold!”Nick performs these frantic tales of love better than anyone else in the business, so it is fantastic to hear him perform one of such magnitude.It is epic in every sense of the word, with The Bad Seeds delivering the performance of their lives.
I feel that the album loses its way a little towards the end of the tracklisting.Ain’t Gonna Rain Anymore and Lay Me Low are very pleasant and everything, but they lack the mighty weight of some of the earlier tracks.Having said this, I do particularly enjoy Nick’s throaty vocal performance on Ain’t Gonna Rain Anymore.
The album closes with the second part of Do You Love Me?, which is given a complete make-over.It now runs at the pace of a snail and is subsequently more downbeat than a manic depressive experiencing an all-time low.The verses are far more introspective in their lyrical content; in this respect it is an entirely different song.The only thing which allows you to trace it back to the first edition of the song is the chorus, “Do you love me?” But even that is now delivered with a sense of disdain for humanity.In my opinion, it closes things perfectly and gives the listener something to think about after the record has stopped playing.
While the previous four Bad Seeds’ albums – Your Funeral… My Trial, Tender Prey, The Good Son and Henry’s Dream – were all unmitigated triumphs and embodied Nick Cave’s obsession with love and religion, one has to concede that Let Love In is a slight disappointment.As my review has often stated, it is still an amazing experience, but it lacks the consistency which set some of his previous records apart from the rest of the crowd.Its crowning glory is that some of the high points available here are some of Nick’s career high-points.
So, all in all, this is probably the best place to start a Nick Cave collection and I’m concluding that Let Love In is a near essential purchase.
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Murder Ballads (1996)
8/10
Producer: Victor Van Vugt, The Bad Seeds
Song of Joy
Stagger Lee
Henry Lee
Lovely Creature
Where the Wild Roses Grow
The Curse of Millhaven
The Kindness of Strangers
Crow Jane
O Malley’s Bar
Death is Not the End
Murder Ballads is the ninth album by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. It is the album on which their truly malevolent style of song writing reaches an almost sadistic level of competency. As the name of the LP quite rightly leads you to believe, this is indeed a concept album built around a selection of murder ballads. During the album’s running time various members of the human race are dispatched in increasingly imaginative ways. Somewhat surprisingly, Murder Ballads has been the band’s greatest commercial success to date. There is no doubt that this is part due to the repeated air play that Where the Wild Roses Grow received. MTV even nominated Cave as Best Male Artist of the year, but at Cave’s request the nomination was pulled. It is also the second Bad Seeds album to feature violinist and Rasputin impersonator, Warren Ellis, who would later become a full time member of the outfit. received on channels such as MTV.
The best songs from the set are the ones in which a crime is caused in the name of passionate love. The aforementioned Where the Wild Roses Grow is the most publicised single from the album and it reached a peak of number 11 in the UK chart, making it one of the Bad Seeds’ most successful singles over here. Do not be fooled into thinking that a duet with a pop star such as Kylie Minogue is doomed from the off, as it proves to be one of Nick Cave’s strongest bodies of work. The orchestration is lush and carries you away on a wave of romanticism, as Cave relays his troubled love for Kylie Minogue’s character, Eliza Day. Things reach a gripping finale in which Cave declares with regret, “… and I kissed her goodbye, said all beauty must die, and placed a rose ‘tween her teeth…” The song features one of the most grief stricken melodies ever composed by the band and the violin in particular is most salient.
The other duet here, Henry Lee, is equally morbid. The gentle piano notes roll by blissfully and the chorus is a thing of understated beauty. PJ Harvey has a tremendous voice and it complements Cave’s baritone wonderfully. This time it is Nick Cave’s character, the Henry Lee of the tale, who is the victim of an over adoring love, as he is “plugged, through and through” by Harvey. Something worth noting is that Cave’s relationship with Harvey extended beyond a professional one. This was well documented on the personal set of songs on the next Bad Seeds’ album, The Boatman’s Call.
Stagger Lee is undeniably cool and full of grit. Nick Cave performs his very own interpretation of this classic tale with an ultra violent series of events, gratuitous swearing, and a homo-erotic spin on our good old friend Stagger Lee. If you are yet to hear this song then you are yet to live. Every time I hear it I have the largest grin on my face and I’m confident that you’ll be rendered similarly impressed. The bass line is instantly recognisable and you can almost see Stag strutting with each gentle strum of the bass.
Another highlight is The Curse of Millhaven, in which Cave takes great delight in carrying out the murders of 14 year old psychotic schoolgirl, Loretta. Some of the treats here include a circular saw taking out a handyman and a dog named Biko being stapled to a door! This song surely sets a new benchmark for demented fairy tales. The penultimate ‘ballad’ is the terrific O’ Malley’s Bar. O’ Malley’s Bar is a 14 minute epic in which a small rural town is brought to ruin when one of the inhabitants snaps and dispatches all of those unlucky enough to be in O' Malley’s Bar on this most fateful night. The verses are packed with Cave’s wry wit and full of his observations of the human race. The song is propelled forth by a demented organ section that loops over, lurking behind Cave’s schizophrenic character with menace.
Things end with a cover of Bob Dylan’s Death is Not the End. Minogue, Harvey and Shane MacGowan are just some of the musicians who turn up and provide vocals on this pretty resolution for all those who have just passed away. I think to call Murder Ballads an essential Nick Cave album would be a little too much. It is tremendous fun and a great listen, but naturally the source material will not appeal to everyone. However, if you are looking to try something new, you could do far worse than pick up a copy of this entertaining and often inventive piece of psychotic drama.
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John Kemp - November 23rd 2009
Comment: Great stuff Dan, keep on pushing!
The Boatman's Call (1997)
9/10
Producer: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Flood
Into My Arms
Lime Tree Arbour
People Ain’t No Good
Brompton Oratory
There Is a Kingdom
(Are You) The One That I’ve Been Waiting For?
Where Do We Go Now but Nowhere?
West Country Girl
Black Hair
Idiot Prayer
Far From Me
Green Eyes
Released in 1997, The Boatman’s Call is the tenth studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.In every way conceivable, The Boatman’s Call is – up until now - the greatest departure from the standard Bad Seeds formula of joining squalid narratives with a rhythm section capable of destabilising the entire history of popular music.Remember, their last studio album - the previous year’s Murder Ballads - had taken Nick Cave’s obsession with cruel, savage, twisted tales to its zenith, and for once an album did exactly what it said on the tin.Yes, ten songs about murder, impeccably written and performed.
Of course, in the timeline of Nick Cave’s career – and indeed his personal life – Murder Ballads was most important.Without his duet on Murder Ballads with musician PJ Harvey, this monument to once sunnier times may have never seen the light of day.The evidence thus far suggests this… during the Murder Ballads sessions Cave and Harvey started courting one another (check out the sexual chemistry during the music video to Henry Lee), and without going into too much detail, things didn’t end very well.The result of their ruined romance, on Cave’s part, was The Boatman’s Call – a radical shift away from the Bad Seeds’ norm and an incredibly personal recording like no other.
While not having the honour of being my favourite album of all time, The Boatman’s Call does manage to produce my all time favourite opening to a record.From Into My Arms through to People Ain’t No Good, the listener is captivated, no, entranced and filled with a mesmeric wonder.The first thing to strike you is how slow and quiet everything is, the Bad Seeds barely heard at times.Indeed, Into My Arms is little more than the equal sum of Nick Cave’s voice, an assuage use of piano and Martyn P. Casey’s appeasing bass playing.You could even call it fragile, or perhaps a vulnerable recording, but its emotional punch far outweighs its fairly simple musical arrangement.As a storyteller Nick Cave is unmatched, and even when he dons this new outfit of a singer-songwriter he’s without peers:“I don’t believe in the existence of angels but looking at you I wonder if that’s true.If I did, I’d summon them together and ask them to watch over you.”And don’t even get me started on the svelte chorus, which will have your tear ducts begging for mercy.
Nick Cave perfects the once fickle nature of the piano twinkle during Lime Tree Arbour and matches it to funeral-esque organ backing.Again, here, Nick’s lyrics avoid the forte narration of yesteryear and read as well refined, debonair poetry:“The Boatman calls from the lake, a lone loon dives upon the water; I put my hand over hers, down in the lime tree arbour.When in the trees there’s a whispering, a whispering low that I love her, she puts her hand over mine, down in the lime tree arbour.”
My favourite song from the opening salvo, though, is People Ain’t No Good.If, like me, you love to wallow in sadness and test out its many facets, then you’re in for a treat.The mood of the song will happily suffocate you with its inexorable misery.Naturally, this would be infantile if it wasn’t for the phenomenal lyrics, which, in my book, are the greatest set of confessional lyrics ever written.“Seasons came, the seasons went, the winter stripped the blossoms bare, and a different tree now lines the streets, shaking its fists in the air.The winter slammed us like a fist, the windows rattling in the gales, to which she drew the curtains, made out of her wedding veils.”It’s just the saddest thing I’ve heard in my entire life.
Nick implements a reluctant use of placation to douse his spurning words throughout Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere?, a sombre tale of regret and desired repentance, unashamedly aimed at PJ Harvey and their doomed romance.Shot through with religious undertones and sexual themes, one calls to mind the efforts of Leonard Cohen.The song moves at a snails pace, willing you to break down in tears and fall at its knees.And make no mistake, Nick will take you down with him as he hits rock bottom.
“Last night my kisses were banked in black hair, and in my bed, my lover, her hair was midnight black,” remembers Nick, “and all her mystery dwelled within her black hair.”Suffice it to say, I’m talking about Black Hair.An accordion heavy recording, Black Hair provides further proof that The Boatman’s Call is, on the sly, dedicated to PJ Harvey.You see, it’s not all bad memories.Cave can bring the positive aspects of love to you with as much assuredness as he does the negative.As for the negatives, they don’t come much heavier and bearing more burdens than the extraordinarily encumbering Far From Me.The song works on so many levels that my appreciation is abound.Nick isn’t ashamed to admit the love he once had, “It’s good to hear you’re doing so well,”but will also make a point of keeping the love in the past tense, “but, really, can’t you find someone else to ring and tell?!”Far From Me is an anguished recording and so incredibly sad.
Green Eyes turns the final page on what feels like Nick’s personal diary.Carrying on in much the same manner as the rest of The Boatman’s Call, Green Eyes is a pessimistic and mournful expression of grief, only to be uplifted by Warren Ellis’ violin playing and Nick’s overdubbed spoken lyrics, which run seamlessly alongside his singing.
To conclude, The Boatman’s Call is the breakup album.It is the album to own if ever you’ve had your heart broken and never quite recovered.Call it catharsis, if you will, or Nick’s home prescribed therapy, but few albums have been as honest and as frank as this.Of course, none of us truly know just what happened between Nick Cave and PJ Harvey, and all this could be a mere prevarication on their part and nothing more.But, whatever, something happened, and The Boatman’s Call is the proof. If you had any doubt left in your mind, The Boatman’s Call is another classic, must have Nick Cave album.It’s just a different shade of grey.
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Nocturama (2003)
6/10
Producer: Nick Launay, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Wonderful Life
He Wants You
Right Out of Your Hand
Bring It On
Dead Man in My Bed
Still in Love
There is a Town
Rock of Gibraltar
She Passed by My Window
Babe, I’m on Fire
I love Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and I’ve never tried to hide this fact from you, the lovely public.I consider Nick Cave to be one of the greatest lyricists in the music industry and the Bad Seeds to be one of the tightest bands around.Over the years the band has successfully gone through several transitions to accommodate Nick’s ever changing ideals and to help aid him in matching his savage imagery to music.
But with Nocturama, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds dropped the ball.This album is without a doubt the sound of the Bad Seeds on auto-pilot, something which should have never been allowed to happen.Because when Nick isn’t drowning you with the total intensity of his music, he is letting you down.The Boatman’s Call and No More Shall We Part were both tremendous accomplishments for the Bad Seeds and showed a more vulnerable and mortal side to the Devil’s Sidekick, Nick Cave.But the music was still as dark and harrowing as ever.If their earlier albums were the equivalent of being chased around the house by a madman with a hatchet, the band’s last two albums were like having your bloodstream slowly poisoned by Mr Death himself.
The biggest complement I can pay Nocturama is that it is perfectly listenable.The main problem which I have with it, is that it just refuses to rise to the occasion and deliver; it is almost elevator music in places.I think the most telling fact about Nocturama is that it is my Mum’s favourite Nick Cave album. Nothing else needs to be said. It is simply too pleasant and over-indulgent in its commercial charm, so much so that even my own Mother likes it.
Wonderful Life starts the album off very strongly.It begins as a traditional Nick Cave piano ballad and then the slow groove of the bass kicks in.It has a loose jazz feel to it, something which is augmented by the subtle guitar work by Blixa Bargeld and the gentle keyboard playing in the background.The lyrics are perhaps more direct and less cryptic than some of Nick’s earlier work, but nevertheless they are still more than adequate. He Wants You continues things very well.In fact, on the strength of these two songs alone you could easily have believed that this was a classic album in the making.It recalls the soft-spoken balladry of God Is in the House from No More Shall We Part; the piano work is certainly as delightful.Nick sounds in fine voice throughout and gone are his occasionally hoarse outbursts, which some would have you believe marred the work on their previous studio album.
The biggest representation of what Nocturama is all about is probably found on Bring it On.It sounds like nothing the band has ever recorded before, but I don’t mean that in a positive way. The band sound very middle-of-the-road and have lost all sense of individuality, and while this ‘aiming for the charts’ sound would be acceptable from most recording artists, it simply sounds out of place on a Nick Cave recording.Also, the lyrics seem inappropriate and too simplistic for their own good, “The geraniums on your window sill, the carnations dear and the daffodil, well they’re ordinary flowers, but they long for the light of your touch.” What is this song about again? Gardeners World is on BBC1 once a week Nick, don’t you start too or I’ll shove my trowel in where it isn’t wanted.
Dead Man in My Bed adds further insult to injury.It tries to recapture the exhilarating pace which was a constant factor in some of the Bad Seeds’ work circa Henry’s Dream, but it ends up a confused and embarrassing mess.It just propels this entirely ridiculous wall of noise towards you, so that you end up sitting there looking bemused and waiting for it all to end. Still in Love is pretty good and is the best thing on the second side of Nocturama.Nick’s vocals are immaculately produced and the bridge into the chorus is very well thought out, creating a sense of loss and foreboding. The chorus is charming, “You might think I’m crazy, but I’m still in love with you!”It recalls the work of Roy Orbison, who Nick had covered on his Kicking Against the Pricks album.As expected, the song has a darker edge to it than any of Orbison’s work.
There is a Town and Rock of Gibraltar are steaming piles of you know what.They don’t challenge the listener in the slightest; they merely cause more frustration than they do pleasure.There is a Town is probably the worst out of the two, with a nauseatingly sweet performance from Nick. Not even the much-loved backing vocals from the Bad Seeds can help him here.You fell over Nick and there is no-one to save you! The closing Babe, I’m on Fire lasts for an epic 15 minutes.That’s a quarter of an hour people! What’s sickening is that I do really like the musical side of things, but still, no way should it last for as long as it does.I guess that is missing the point though, as it seems to have been intentionally made to test your patience.Maybe it’d be OK taking such a risk on a quality album, but on Nocturama it just seems as yet another misguided attempt to branch out.*Holds head in hands* - I pity the fools who make Nocturama their first Nick Cave purchase.
Yeah, so that’s Nocturama. It’s not an appalling album; it’s just unfortunate that an artist of Nick Cave’s calibre has been reduced to knocking out an album of such half-assed ideas.To be fair, the first half of the album isn’t all that bad and in particular the opening two songs are very good.But the second half of the album is almost a complete write off.
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Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! (2008)
8/10
Producer: Nick Launay
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Today’s Lesson
Moonland
Night of the Lotus Eaters
Albert Goes West
We Call Upon the Author
Hold on to Yourself
Lie Down Here (And Be My Girl)
Jesus of the Moon
Midnight Man
More News from Nowhere
Released in 2008, Dig, Lazarus Dig!!! is the fourteenth studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.It had been four years since Nick Cave’s last record - the double album Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus - had shown the world he had most definitely not lost his songwriting muse.That album had displayed a subtle shift in sound, combining the intensity of his earlier work with the singer/songwriter which he had become during 1997’s The Boatman’s Call (something which he had then carried on into subsequent albums).After 2003’s disappointing Nocturama had found Nick Cave resting on his laurels, AB/TLOO had felt like a musical revelation. Impeccably produced and electrifying, it showed Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at their very best.
Most musicians, when finding such a balanced medium, would stick to the winning formula for at least another album or two, milking it for what it is worth.However, as we are all well aware, Nick Cave is not your average musician, and if Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus had felt like a revelation, then Dig, Lazarus Dig!!! is surely going to change your whole perception of just what exactly Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds are capable of. This album doesn’t so much deconstruct the aforementioned winning formula, but rather knocks through it with a sledgehammer and decides to start all over again (although, some may argue that elements of this new sound could be traced back to Nick’s Grinderman side project).
It’s still Nick, of course, but this is a rock ‘n’ roll album, albeit a demented one.For the first time in yonks you can actually hear the band all playing together at once, while Nick’s lyrics have taken on a rather surreal edge (see the comical, yet domineering We Call Upon the Author, which is quite possibly the coolest thing ever recorded). At times, in the past, it has felt as if Nick was the leader of the group, as he commanded his band of merry men to fulfil his purposes.And yet, here, you find the entire group taking the form of one single entity.Indeed, it is Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
The opening title-track prances about with a knowing swagger, sounding like nothing else out there, with a viscosity running through the very lifeblood of its unrelenting chorus.It picks up the Biblical character of Jesus’ close friend Lazarus and places him in modern society, along with all the modern temptations which he is subjected to.It simply shouldn’t work but by Hell does it, in part due to Nick’s superior narrative skills, “Meanwhile, Larry made up names for the ladies, like Miss Boo and Miss Quick. He stockpiled weapons and took pot shots at the air; he feasted on their lovely bodies like a lunatic and wrapped himself up in their soft, yellow hair!”You cannot deny that this is how stories were meant to be told.
Moonland sees Nick Cave generously demonstrating the courageous power of the band’s new sound. Handclaps, R ‘n’ B organ riffs and soulful vocals ignite Moonland into a heartfelt reading of what it is to be alone, with a special mention going to the sheer self-inflicted vexation during the chorus, “It must feel nice… to know that somebody needs you. And that somebody is me, babe!” For me, the defining moment on the album is Hold on to Yourself. It is a vivid recollection of a lost love, while also of a love which is held dear to the character illustrated in the song. The love is revealed to be both tender (“I’m pacing up and down my room… does Jesus only love a man who loses?”) and at the same time perishable (“She rubs the lamp between her thighs and hopes the genie comes out singing”). I’ve been disappointed to find that critics do not often mention this classic addition to Nick Cave’s work.
Other songs do not work so well but nothing so bad I’d send Nick hate mail.Night of the Lotus Eaters is a tired rehash of the likes of Tupelo, from The Firstborn is Dead, what with its droning repetition and lament-like spirit.Tupelo evolved into a monumental beast, though, whereas the careless effort employed here begs for you to put your fist straight through the speakers and rip out Nick’s vocal chords.Lie Down Here (And Be My Girl) takes the rock ‘n’ roll thing a bit too far and Nick almost becomes a self-parody of what he has tried to achieve throughout Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!Like I said, nothing you’d hang anyone for, but these songs take away more than they add.
In an ambitious move Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds decide to close with the album’s longest track, More News from Nowhere.Essentially a detailed justification of one man’s multiple encounters with numerous women on a single night, More News from Nowhere matches only We Call Upon the Author for sheer variety and preposterous u-turns where lyrics are concerned, “Well, now, here comes Alina with two black eyes, she’s given herself a transfusion, she’s filled herself with panda blood to avoid all the confusion!”Oh, and it’s a danceable hit, too.Also, see Nick noting Deanna, who hasn’t been seen since a song of the same name cropped up on 1988’s Tender Prey.Awesome.Picking up the pieces from the past and looking forward!
A brave step forward for Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds in terms of both scope and achievements, Dig, Lazarus Dig!!! is a resounding success and is a completely unexpected recording.Honestly, who could have expected this thing?At this point I’d like to state that any way you cut it this is an inferior recording to Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus, but the very fact that Nick Cave has decided to re-imagine the entire sound of his outfit is worth an honourable mention, even more so because he managed to pull it all off with such panache.This, however, poses new questions for the future. The one resting on the tip of my tongue, is, where exactly do Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds go from here?Will we see them build upon this sound and fine-tune the formula, or will they attempt something completely new?It’d certainly be no bother to ‘endure’ this formula for another album.Maybe even another two.
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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
