The Catalyst

By Rachel Davis, Reporter

In the case of many older musicians who ‘make a comeback’ and produce a new album decades after supposedly calling it quits, their age and assumed rustiness becomes a crutch that allows them to prop up mediocre albums. However, such is not the case for Nick Cave; now well into his fifties, the Australian king of goth rock has returned from his brief retirement with an intensity that many younger artists don’t even possess.

After touring with side project Grinderman, Cave and his long-time band The Bad Seeds have produced an album that proves they hold strong to the test of time. Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! is remarkably solid fare for both long-time fans and newcomers, a blend of new maturity and familiar grit and cynicism. While Lazarus seems to be something new and different, the band has retained the same versatile instrumental and vocal work. Cave has combined the lyrical tones of previous projects; the wry insight and lulling melodies of The Boatman’s Call are there, as well as the raw power and dark humor of Murder Ballads. The result is catastrophic and liberating, base debauchery mixed with bluesman’s sophistication.

The title track is a strong start, showcasing Cave’s wit and unparalleled storytelling ability. Against a steady, almost sleazy backing of toms and bass, he sardonically narrates the plight of Larry, a man raised from the dead only to revert to his old ways and end up “in prison, then the madhouse, then the grave” all over again. Though the obvious religious references and re-writes of the Bible might offend some, the story manages to carry itself as tongue-in-cheek as opposed to blatantly sacrilegious.

Another noticeable track is “Night of the Lotus Eaters”, an uneasy lullaby of creaking violins and off-kilter, distorted guitar. Cave weaves an ever-growing web of paranoia and consumer references throughout, crooning with all the conviction of a self-assured neurotic: “The dragons roam the shopping malls; I hear they’re gonna eat our guts/ if I had the strength I’d pick up my sword and make some attempt to resist.” It’s touching proof that Cave has managed to maintain the creepiness he used to such great effect in his earlier days, and the reader is strongly advised against falling asleep while listening to this song unless disturbing dreams aren’t a problem.

Overall, Lazarus has very few weak points. Though casual listeners might be bored by the eight minute-plus epic “More News from Nowhere” or jolted by the slightly abstract “We Call Upon the Author”, the album as a whole fails to disappoint. Even as Cave makes his music more commercially available to the general public, he stays true to his old roots and continues to impress.

Author Rating: 8.5 out of 10