[pepper_green]

Originally Posted by Severian

And yeah, I really like Skeleton Tree as well. Think I prefer it to Push the Sky Away. Nick Cave is pretty much always on point. I really like the lyrical dynamic of Skeletrom Tree... the classic Cave character narratives are gone for the moment, replaced by something both more personal and more elemental. It's a damn powerful album.

I'm very grateful for Nick Cave musically too. He's one of the few punk personalities who has successfully evolved into just an out-and-out great rock/folk artist with the help of Mick Harvey and Warren Ellis. He has aged in style and grown to represent something much bigger and broader than "just" punk, without losing his edge so to speak. You look at the musicians who managed to do something similar to that, and you have a very short list: SY (and Thurston, Kim, Lee solo), Lou Reed, John Lydon, Joy Division > New Order (and others of course, but not a ton of them). Aging gracefully over the years to create a legacy that breaks genre restrictions. Maybe Iggy Pop too, though he's certainly had his missteps.

You'd think "modern" aging punk types would look at these musicians and strive for the same kind of reinvention. But... nah. Green Day just wants to be "the Green Day of yesteryear" forever. Blink 182 just wants to find new ways to get away with wearing baggy shorts and Hurley shirts into their '40s. Pretty much a staunch refusal to grow or evolve in any way.

'Course these butt shits didn't grow up listening to Sonic Youth or the Birthday Party/Bad Seeds. I'd wager they don't even consider Joy Division "punk" or punk adjacent, if they have any feelings on JD whatsoever. And I've heard nothing in their music to suggest that they've ever payed much attention to anything Lydon did post-Pistols, or anything Iggy did post-Stooges.

Nick Cave has successfully grown into a kind of classic baladeer and troubadour. More than just about any of his peers. And The Bad Seeds are just a great band, so it's not just the Nick Cave show. I really appreciated the minimalism of Push the Sky Away, and the synths and atmospherics, and I'm stoked to hear that sound explored more on Skeleton Tree. Thinking about "Anthrocene," "Jesus Alone" ... it's a great direction, and makes for some really captivating moments.

I now see yr secret weapon is spouting yr nerdiness all over everyone. good job man! thumbs up to yr thumbs.