FESTIVAL - Nick Cave returns to preach the gospel with "Wild God"

Born in Warracknabeal, Victoria (Australia), with or without the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave continues to explore a spirituality that borders on the esoteric. With his 2024 album Wild God, the tireless artist proves he is far from done, showing no signs of slowing down.

This 18th album from the man in black with The Bad Seeds magnificently rehashes his eternal obsessions. The raw incandescence of his debut, however, has given way to (falsely) soothing orchestrations and emaciated ballads in which we struggle to detect an ounce of carefree joy. On"Wild God", for example, one of the rare love songs ("O Wow Wow Wow How Wonderful She Is") sounds like a heart-rending testimony to a relationship that's long gone. The voice heard at the end of the song is that of Anita Lane, an Australian artist who died in April 2021, and who was briefly (but apparently intensely) Nick Cave's partner in the early '80s. The relationship in question that had a lasting influence on the musical direction the Bad Seeds took after emigrating from Australia to London. Considering, she well deserved the singular epitaph.

One thing's for sure, the Australian is no laughingstock. One of his first bands was called The Birthday Party, back in the early '80s, but there wasn't much fun to be had around the cake. In those days, the five musicians didn't just run on spring water.

Since it's extremely difficult to sum up a career as extensive as Nick Cave's in just a few lines, let's play a little game. How many times does the artist use the word Godsour on his latest album? Then you'll be allowed to send a letter to the jury of the Nobel Prize for Literature in Stockholm, asking them why Bob Dylan won the ultimate award and Nick Cave didn't. Or Leonard Cohen, for that matter...

During his latest visit to Antwerp, the singer took the opportunity to discreetly visit the city's Notre-Dame cathedral to uncover some of the masterpieces of the painter and his work. These included "The Erection of the Cross" (1610) and "The Descent from the Cross" (1612), which subtly echo his latest personal album,"Faith, Hope & Carnage", concocted with Sean O'Hagan in 2022.

Live:

Sunday June 28: Live Is Live Festival - Middenvijver Park - Antwerp (Belgium) with Lykke Li, Johnny Marr, and Benjamin Clementine.

Info and reservations at www.liveislive.be. Tickets still available

Find all the dates of his long European summer tour here: https://www.nickcave.com/tour-dates/

Photo: Nick Cave closing the TW Classic festival in Werchter (Belgium) in June 2022