Sunday 17 February 2008

NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS – (ARE YOU) THE ONE THAT I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR? (MUTE)


NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS – (ARE YOU) THE ONE THAT I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR? (MUTE)

A number of years ago my mother caught me listening to this song on Christmas Day morning and she appeared to become rather worried about me. The sentiments that were coming from the song appeared to be echoing my sense of loneliness and feeling unloved on such an important day in the calendar. I think what she failed to understand what just how reassuring the track being, serving as a reminder that melancholy can be universal and at a time when these emotions appear most it is good to acknowledge and indulge in these things in order to provide a sense of worth in existence. The value of such things can never afford to be underestimated.

There is a real vulnerability being displayed on this record. The level of humility and desired closure being aired serves as a rare gesture of guarded optimism and potential wish fulfilment. It is maturity at its most immature.

Musically the song glistens as it glides through proceedings at a downbeat pace with low notes and a suggested melancholy which eventually builds to a rising sense of grace. Taken on a bad day it might sound overblown and unnecessarily wondrous but if despatched to a sensible mind the beauty floods right out.

Lifted from The Boatman’s Call this is the most evocative of moments for Cave, where his muse is obvious to all he just does not care, seemingly happy to put it all out on the line and get battered in the process. This arrival at a new stage.

Elsewhere on the release “Come Into My Sleep” is a majestic romp with a gloriously humming pulse and yet another clear message even it is sounds sent from a swamp. Nice Hammond from Harvey.

Also from The Boatman’s Call, present here is the “band version” of “Black Hair”. It’s a very different vintage, surprisingly calmer and no longer necessarily reminiscent of Tindersticks.

The less said about “Babe, I Got You Bad” the better.

All this hard work is necessary.

Thesaurus moment: arrival.

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
Mute

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