"I don't believe in an interventionist God, but I know darling that you do". As opening lines go, it's not going to appeal to everyone. So begins Nick Cave's miserablist masterpiece THE BOATMAN'S CALL. This is his 'Blood On The Tracks', an outpouring of remorse at his doomed courtship with one Polly Jean Harvey.
There's no attempt at hiding the identity of his muse and at times you do wonder how PJ felt when Cave sung so freely about embracing "her palpitations" as he does on 'West Country Girl', or on the following song 'Black Hair' where he reminiscences about playing with her "beautiful, beautiful black hair" like a lovesick teenager.
Unlike his previous albums this is a sparse, minimalist record, entirely piano led with the barest of support, there's none of the explosive garage blues and punk of the Bad Seeds or Birthday Present. Musically it's closest to the soundtracks Cave wrote with fellow Bad Seed Warren Ellis for the period Westerns, 'The Proposition' and 'The Assassination of Jesse James'. Both excellent by the way.
When Cave's quasi-biblical language and dour delivery is set against such traditional arrangements, it gives him the air of a sad, aloof parson from a rural-set 19th Century novel. The mournful whine of folky violin evokes images of him trudging over wild moors, scowling heavily as he does on the cover. With the words of 'There Is A Kingdom' or 'People They Ain't No Good' and the frequent use of a church organ it's not hard to imagine Cave intoning warnings to his devout, rapt congregation.
'Are You The One I've Been Waiting For' and 'Into Your Arms' were the singles, both mournful and performed with an achingly heavy heart. The latter being the song Cave played for his friend Michael Hutchence, at his funeral.
Unrelentingly gloomy, these 12 mournful laments may leave you low. But sometimes there is beauty to be found in sadness.
'INTO MY ARMS'
'ARE YOU THE ONE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR?'
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