Showing posts with label Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Show all posts

Friday, February 19, 2010

Peaceville X



Legendary English label Peaceville Records put out this tribute compilation in 1998 to celebrate their ten years of forcing good music down the throats of the unworthy masses. For a label comp this is pretty cool. It's my understanding that all the bands were allowed to pick a non-metal song of their choosing to cover. The results were hit and miss, but the hits were dead on.

Anathema's re-envisioning of Bad Religion's Better Off Dead is breathtaking. The once up beat and sarcastic punk anthem takes on a new life all its' own. Thine's cover of the Nick Cave murderous epic Song of Joy is a pleasantly macabre surprise from a band who although underrated, normally deal in more of pop conscious style of doomy rock. Their effort is unique and admirable. Covering Nick Cave is not a task to be taken lightly. The highlight of the album though, is easily My Dying Brides version of the Portishead classic Roads. Somehow My Dying Bride has managed to make this ode to depression and self loathing even more self loathingerer. And I don't care if I just made that word up. There's also Tears for Fears, Nancy Sinatra, Joy Division, the Stones, Thin Lizzy among other covers that are worth a listen. So get downloading ya creep.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Henry's Dream



So I have just finished off Nick Cave's latest novel, The Death of Bunny Monroe, and am overwhelmed by the urge to revisit Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' classic 1992 album Henry's Dream. Always the egomaniac, I assume you share this desire as well.

Cave and Co.'s seventh studio effort showcases their coming of age as vivid and emotive musicians. While retaining their unique edge, they have also managed to create a very accessible album. The characters within have a penchant for the macabre and the twisted. There is blood, booze and bedlam. But there is also a presence which has been hinted at before, in earlier efforts, and would become much more prominent with future albums. It is Cave's masterful ability to pen the love song. "Straight To You" is an all consuming ode to love and desire told with a passion of Biblical proportions:

Heaven has denied us our kingdom
The Saints are drunk, howling at the moon

The chariots of angels are colliding
Well, I'll run, babe, but I'll come running straight to you...


For fuck's sake. I'm glad I never got into the business of writing love songs. I would have to quit.

Here's an after thought for ya' ... legendary producer David Briggs (Neil Young) manned the controls for this album... and Cave could not have been more displeased with the results. Cave and Mick Harvey re-mixed it themselves. But were ultiamtely still not content with the production of the album. Oh well...