Nick Cave &
The Bad Seeds
Skeleton Tree
It is a terrible truth in this unforgiving world: tragedy inspires the best art. In July of last year, Nick Cave's son, Arthur, fell from a cliff while vacationing and, sadly, succumbed to his injuries. A year later, Skeleton Tree provides a beautiful eulogy, a treatise on the transition between life and death, and a heartbreaking tapestry for the ripples of catastrophe.
Cave and company are no strangers to making excellent music; the man can find inspiration basically anywhere. But when given a tragic base on which to stand, the group's already well-built songs begin to tower into a skyscraper. This is their Automatic for the People, that album that proves a band, though already great, can become even greater, and make a lasting impact on the musical landscape.
Skeleton Tree is dark (it should be), but it's not just a passing mood or a thin veil; the pervasiveness of its tone is deep, sticking to your bones and making you ache. Few songwriters have that kind of power, the power of forced-empathy. With Skeleton Tree, as with all Bad Seeds (and Birthday Party, and Grinderman) albums, you don't just listen to Nick Cave, you are Nick Cave, his every word projected from your mind. He the emotive telepath, you the acquisitive conduit.
On a lighter note, I have been quite busy recently and have not had the time to write many of the reviews I would like, so here's a short list with other albums you should definitely check out...
Blank Face LP
This is better than anything Kanye's done in years.
Blonde
Yes, I know the cover doesn't have an 'e.' By the way, how have you not listened to this already?
Prima Donna
The rising star in rap creates another excellent album.
My Woman
A bracing mix of folk-country and riot grrrl rock. Strange, I know, but so very much necessary.
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