Grinderman - Grinderman

Label: Mute
Catologue Number: CDSTUMM272
Format: CD
Date: 2007
Style: Alternative Rock
Rating: 8/10
Reviewer: Sidney James

Let’s cut straight to the chase, this isn’t a return to the sounds of The Birthday Party and that isn’t a bad thing at all. The Birthday Party were a necessary hormone fuelled blues punk blast, Mr Cave and companions are now almost dignified members of the rock aristocracy. A return to relive those youthful days would just be plain wrong and seem cynical in a time where post punk revialism has become defacto.

Instead Grinderman is closer the earlier sounds of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds; we’re talking a return to the grittiness of The First Born Is Dead and the swagger of Murder Ballads not the gospel limpness of Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus era Bad Seeds. Thank fuck for that.

Grinderman sees the Bad Seeds stripped down to a four piece, with Mr Cave now on guitar duties and strewth does its work. From the opening salvo of “Get It On” and “No Pussy Blues”, Grinderman kicks ass. Both are thrilling blasts of fuzz guitar and slamming rhythm topped off with witty and humorous lyrics. Nick Cave hasn't be so savagely funny in a long time and it again highlights why he is one of the best songwriters and narrators of his generation.

The rest of the album follows a similar pattern of raucous punk blues guitar and noisy bass and drums, only slowing down with the atmospheric “Man in The Moon” and the laugh out loud geek tribute “Go Tell the Women”.

Grinderman is the best thing Mr Cave has done in years, and shows that age isn’t a problem when it comes to rocking out. Shame the majority of new bands lack the bollocks and playfulness of their elders. Now I’m thirsty for the next instalment.