Originally Published: 2003-02-09

I don't listen to Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds as much as I used to, but I check out each new release out of some sense of loyalty to their great beginning and the live performances I've seen. I haven't bought into Cave's redemptive years, finding him lamenting at the Steinway like some sort of post-punk Elton John to be very sad (and a waste of a good band). This new studio set held a kind of promise of a return to their old energy, being recorded live and quick and in the presence of producer Nick Launay (who survived the blast of the Birthday Party's "Release The Bats"). But I had to wait a long time to hear the evidence of that, in particular track five which is a rockin' comedy about marriage ("Dead Man In My Bed"), and the closing 15-minute jam suitably titled "Babe, I'm On Fire." The rest of the tunes feature the older and wiser and unfortunately duller Cave singing songs of resignation with daft lyrics like: "he is straight and he is true/Ooh hoo hoo" ("He Wants You"). Some of these funereal love songs may however appeal to fans of alt-country (thanks to the violin of the Dirty Three's Warren Ellis), especially the hooky first single "Bring It On" which would be hit if done by Blue Rodeo.

	Printable Version	</ td>	Email to a Friend
	Voice Your Opinion		Letter to the Editor