Oh,Nick. These are the sweeping, thunderous songs, mostly from the period of Push The Sky Away/ Skeleton Tree . When Cave and the band really let go, they’re mesmerising. Cave’s baritone seems coated in sulphur, and he’s not so much singing as spitting out ghostly ectoplasm. He roars, hollers, or menacingly takes it down to a near whisper, and it’s shiver inducing: one man transforming inexorable pain and loss into incredible musical diversions. Particularly sinewy and seductive is an extended, visceral Higgs Bosun Blues.Jubilee Street also impresses, building up to majestic, shimmering hedonism.
David Barnard’s film acts as a companion piece- or somewhat warped cousin- to the others from Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth )and Andrew Dominik (One More Time With Feeling). Here though, he’s more like he used to be, prowling the stage like a half unhinged preacher, half predatory panther. Either way, his blood’s up.
Here, the Unholy Trinity is not veterans Casey, Ellis and Sclavunos, but rather, incendiary versions of earlier classics From Her to Eternity, Tupelo and The Mercy Seat. Truly righteous fire indeed, and a reminder of why we fell in love with Cave in the first place. Wild God? Nah. The devil, as ever, has all the best tunes.
Hit The North 
I have to listen more. on some maybe spiritual plane I really feel him.
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He’s come a long way from The Birthday Party, who I also love.
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Really enjoyed this and the other piece on the latest album Lorelei. He’s one of those artists I know I should love, but it never stuck (I tried; should try again). First heard his song Red Right Hand but as a cover by that US band, Giant Sand. A funny band from around 2000, Howe Gelbe. I think seeing some Nick Cave video with a fake dead bloody baby freaked me out! But I’ve heard of his hard life in part through another artist whom I really like, Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters who has a song about Nick losing his son I think. Love your enthusiasm and all the energy you put into your work. It’s funny, I’m remembering now another blogger from way back whose blog was also named after a Fall song, Idiot Joy Showland. He sounded a bit unhinged (in a good way) but never interacted with me when I commented on his work. So be it, hit the north!
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Ahh, Giant Sand were great back in the day. Black Venetian Blind had some balls. Also liked Red House Painters and their exquisite melancholy. Nick is divisive, which is all to the good. A shame he appears to be going in a bland direction.
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He’ll likely come back from the bland. You have to go out of bounds periodically to be reminded of the boundaries.
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Hope so. I think Bowie said it best, re: musical direction: “Swim to where your feet aren’t quite touching the bottom. That’s where you need to be”
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That Bowie and his quotes, thank you for this Lorelei I’ll ruminate on it now for my pre-dusk stroll about the town! Be well.
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You too Bill. Have a great weekend
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