It sounds as though Nick Cave has brought more than a bit of the sweaty rock ‘n’ roll swagger that informed the Grinderman album home to roost with his Bad Seeds.  Fuzzed-out organs (”Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!”), wah-wah pedals (”Today’s Lesson”), psychedelic textures (”Midnight Man”) and stumbling rhythms (”Lie Down Here”)…this may not be the Nick Cave you’re used to.  Dig!!!  Lazarus  Dig!!! is neither the piano balladry of No More Shall We Part or The Boatman’s Call, nor is it the threatening outlaw music of Murder Ballads or Henry’s Dream.  Instead, it’s a noisy ramble somewhat less profound and less precise than many albums in Cave’s back catalog, but the album truly has a fire in its belly.  Of course, Cave always has a way with lyricism, but it’s good to see him play this one so close to the rough-hewed bone.  In place of the visionary poet, we have the wide-eyed corner drunk with a profound insight.  And he’s brought a band of fellow miscreants to stir up the dust and put forth quite a din while he rants and raves.  Put it this way: it’s more Beat Generation than Tortured Romantic.

There are no comments yet. You could be the first!