The Thousands

When I saw the video clip for Grinderman’s new single ‘Heathen Child‘, I was a little worried. The vision of Warren Ellis and Nick Cave awkwardly dressed in Roman leathers, superimposed against a backdrop of the universe had me quaking – it might work for Die Antwoord and Tim and Eric, but not for crusty supremo rockers such as Cave and co.

However, I come heralding good news. The music writhes more than ever on Grinderman 2. One aspect I’ve enjoyed about Cave’s latter projects, and which is offered in abundance on this album, is the incessant experimentation with the sound and feel of the Bad Seeds – tortured wah wah’d guitar, washed out organs and feedback run in reverse feature prominently throughout and contrast with the throbbing pop heart of the songs on offer.

Of course, Cave punches you in the head with lyrics about girls, religion (particularly Buddha and Krishna), damnation, hell, sin, preaching etc. He always makes these recurring themes work. Grinderman 2 is an indicator that Cave and the Bad Seeds are on a yellow-brick paved road that no other Australian band has been on before.