Stephen Mejias

DIG!!!

Stephen Mejias  |  Mar 25, 2008

I still sometimes forget that the year is 2008. It'll take me a few more months to get used to it. No doubt about it, though: 2007 is old news. I can tell by the copyright dates on my new CDs. It's 2008. The birdies are making all sorts of happy racket outside my kitchen window; the high temperatures are creeping up, up, slowly up; Opening Day is less than a week away.

Are you guys fans of Nick Cave? When I was younger, his music creeped me out. Maybe it was the spooky piano. Maybe it was the heavy brow and the dark, dark eyes. Maybe it was the wild hair, blacker than dread. Somewhere over the years, however, my taste and Nick Cave's music came together like a couple of strangers in a bar, like two loose pieces of string, like A minor and C major, like I don't know what. I know how it started:

Emily gave me his No More Shall We Part, and I loved it immediately. We listened to that album while driving through dark green mountains and under heavy black rain and it was like listening to I don't know what, like listening to god or some shit. Emily and I parted and parted and parted again, but that was okay: I still had the music.

I've loved every Bad Seeds album since, especially their last release, 2004's Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus. I selected the second half of that double album masterpiece, with such remarkable, timeless numbers as "Breathless," "Babe, You Turn Me On," and "Supernaturally," as one of my 2005 Records to Die For. It is great and sounds wonderful, too. It has been too long.

And so I'm happy to know that Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds will be releasing their fourteenth studio album, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, on April 8, 2008. I cannot wait. Critics are, of course, calling it "a return to greatness." But, those critics don't know what they're talking about. They just like to say stuff like that. As far as I'm concerned, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds never left greatness. Unless my old band decides to magically release something new, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! is my most anticipated album for 2008. I will also be looking forward to Sun Kil Moon's April, (April 1) My Morning Jacket's Evil Urges (June 10), Man Man's Rabbit Habbits (April 8), and the Mets against the Phillies (also April 8).

What new albums are you looking forward to? No Chinese Democracy jokes, please. That garbage isn't coming out. (Or is it?!)

Click on the external link to play around on the Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! website. It's silly and fun, filled with voodoo and those clever viral video trailers that seem so popular these days. Michael Lavorgna tipped me off to this. Dig you, Michael.

COMMENTS
Stephen Mejias's picture
Submitted by Stephen Mejias (not verified) on March 31, 2008 - 12:17pm

Home Theater editor Shane Buettner = closet goth punk?What in the world?!

mrlowry's picture
Submitted by mrlowry (not verified) on March 25, 2008 - 10:44am

The new Supergrass is tops on my list!

michaelavorgna's picture
Submitted by michaelavorgna (not verified) on March 25, 2008 - 11:06am

I can feel the spirit! If (when) they tour NYC we are there! Hey that video was somehow....spooky.

Stephen Mejias's picture
Submitted by Stephen Mejias (not verified) on March 25, 2008 - 1:50pm

I forgot to mention: The new Silver Jews album! I want it bad. Apparently, it's been leaked over the internet and people are going cuckoo over it, but I don't keep up with such shenanigans. I'll wait until it hits stores, and pay for it like a good music lover.

Drumguy48's picture
Submitted by Drumguy48 (not verified) on March 25, 2008 - 10:40pm

Many ,many moons ago,I lent my drum kit to the Birthday Party when they came to Adelaide for a show - when I got it back, the bass drum head had a big hole kicked in it! Maybe that's why I don't like Nick Cave & the Bad seeds !!!

Stephen Mejias's picture
Submitted by Stephen Mejias (not verified) on March 26, 2008 - 9:04am

That's a funny story, Drumguy48&#151though, I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time. Something like that happened to our old band, too. Afterwards, we imposed the "No Sharing Our Instruments" rule. Soon after, we just stopped playing altogether. It was easier that way. Bands: Those funny little plans.Oh yeah, that reminds me: I think Mercury Rev is coming out with a new album, too!

Charlie Jefferson's picture
Submitted by Charlie Jefferson (not verified) on March 27, 2008 - 9:04am

MMJ's Evil Urges!! Morrissey in September, Belle & Sebastian, hopefully this year and Neil Young's Archive set by 2010.

Douglas Bowker's picture
Submitted by Douglas Bowker (not verified) on March 27, 2008 - 1:19pm

Actually, when I was younger his stuff DIDN'T creep me out, but now it sort of does. Not creep me out exactly, but it somehow induces a little bit of depressed dread. That's not that fun for me anymore. I did my time as a moody, angry young art student, but ya gotta move or you'll end up old and grumpy. It's more fun to be happily awake. I still have all his old records though- maybe I should revisit some and see what I think.

Stephen Mejias's picture
Submitted by Stephen Mejias (not verified) on March 27, 2008 - 2:29pm

The recent stuff creeps you out, Douglas? But it's so full of little gamboling lambs and pink panties and happy things.

Christian's picture
Submitted by Christian (not verified) on March 28, 2008 - 8:20am

Most anticipated for 08? Hmm. well the Raconteurs album dropped this week. I haven't been able to stop listening to it since. Thankfully the anticipation was short lived I only found out about it last week. The Black Keys have one coming out soon...that should be good. Sera Cahoone is supposed to have something come out this spring. Lastly, I am looking forward to Canadian Sarah Harmer's next effort which I hear is soon forthcoming.

LPSpinner's picture
Submitted by LPSpinner (not verified) on March 30, 2008 - 7:07pm

"

Shane Buettner's picture
Submitted by Shane Buettner (not verified) on March 30, 2008 - 11:38pm

It's about time someone at Stereophile got high on my man, Nick. But better late than never.At the risk of sounding ungrateful, his earlier career was a lot more than aggression, and even for those who like only the post-Murder Ballads Cave, Let love In was the transition, with Boatman's Call serving as anchor.Anyone who finds himself responding to No More Shall We Part and the albums that follow know the contributions Warren Ellis has made to Cave's music. Check out the soundtracks Cave and Ellis have concocted for two recent westerns, The Proposition and last year's Assassination of Jesse James. Pretty, moody stuff.Last, what a live band. Don't miss them.

Shane's picture
Submitted by Shane (not verified) on April 3, 2008 - 3:03pm

And I play a lot of my goth punk on, argh, gasp, what the, who the-Wait for it...vinyl records!!Don't tell anyone or I could have my home theater audio cretin card jerked from me.

X