Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!

Well Mr. Cave…I’d say you’ve been on a creative tear in recent times. Between the expansive, pretty-at-times Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus and Grinderman, which was a refreshingly gritty affair—as well as the apparent jump-off point for the new recording with the Bad Seeds.

Now with Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!, Nick Cave keeps proving he’s got something interesting to say into his 50’s (as if we had any doubt). He’s aging and a little pissed off, which suits him perfectly. Although the reality of the situation is that he sounds renewed and Bad Seeds are as tight as ever. The album is simply a great effort.

Moonland

We Call Upon The Author

Silver Jews

After breaking his long-standing moratorium on playing live, I had the pleasure of seeing David Berman and company live in March of 2006 at Webster Hall in NYC (snapped this picture with my cellphone). They most certainly did not disappoint. And being on the receiving end of all that pent-up fan love seemed to have medicinal powers in healing the fragile psyche of Dave.

That tour went well from all accounts, and now there’s a bunch of upcoming European dates that will support the release of the Silver Jew's sixth release called Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea due out from Drag City sometime in late April. No rogue tracks from the record yet, but here’s a listing of the goods to come, and 4 of my favorites from albums past:

TRACK LISTING: Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea

01. What is Not But Could Be If

02. Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer

03. Suffering Jukebox

04. My Pillow is the Threshold

05. Strange Victory, Strange Defeat

06. San Francisco B.C.

07. Open Field

08. Party Barge

09. Candy Jail

10. We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing

Starlite Walker - Trains Across the Sea

Bright Flight - Slow Education

American Water - People

Tanglewood Numbers - How Can I Love You (If You Won't Lie Down)

Gary Numan & Tubeway Army – Replicas

To celebrate Gary Numan’s 30th year in music, Beggars Banquet has just re-issued Tubeway Army’s 1979 synth masterpiece Replicas as Gary Numan & Tubeway Army – Replicas Redux. What’s more, Gary Numan has set off on a 15-date UK tour through March where he’ll be performing the album in its entirety.

I can only hope he’ll throw in some US dates, like NYC, because I’d be so there. Here are a couple of my favorites off the original Replicas. But apparently there’s extra stuff on the re-issue, so a great time to snag this incredible album if it’s not already in your collection. It still completely holds up 30 years later.

You Are In My Vision

Are Friends Electric?

Hefner / Darren Hayman

I discovered Hefner in the late 90’s, and was immediate drawn to the offbeat vocal style of Darren Hayman. After putting out many EPs and a couple full-length records, they released Boxing Hefner in 2000, which was a compilation of all kinds of stuff from across their catalogue, including new song called “The Science Fiction.“

I lost some interest with the band’s last couple releases, and missed out on Darren’s solo projects and The French. But, I’m back on board now after picking up his latest, Darren Hayman and the Secondary Modern, a few months back. Nothing quite compares—thus far anyhow—to height of the Hefner days, so here’s a couple from then… and one of the latest.

Hefner – The Science Fiction

Hefner – Hymn for the Cigarettes

Darren Hayman and the Secondary Modern – She's Not For Me