polaroids of androids

On Nick Cave's latest project he does what I think he does best - (musically) kicks the listener in the balls (hard) with blues-inspired rock music. He also occasionally rips at your heart strings (violently) before pulling out your hair and using it to restring his guitar, and at other times he steals your girlfriend right from under your nose with some well rehearsed sleazy lines and then plummets her deeper than she ever could have ever imagine being plummeted, stamping a big 'CAVE' branding on her behind before leaving her back at your place.

With a nice sentence with the extra descriptive words in brackets out of the way, it should be said that the true power of this album comes solely from the fact that Nick Cave as either a musician, songwriter, frontman or headbutting crazy drunk guy at a pub, is more believable than your average smo. The lyrics and music on this album, dance together beautifully, albeit on occasions in a toxic infused awkawardness. There is attitude album, but not in a Gucci sunglasses Eagles Of Dave Grohl kind of way.

Some songs don't hit the mark as a whole, and by themselves may come off slightly lazy and unmotified. Although these slower, more self-focused momenents make more sense as part of the complete picture, they do slightly kill the momentum of the album and provide unnecessary times for the listener to collect themselves and readjust their packages, before getting they get re-aligned again my the foot of Mr Cave. There are also some absolutely blissful moments (see the lead single No Pussy Blues and the closing number, Love Bomb as examples) where the rawness of Grinderman's sound is at it's best and the frontman has complete control of the song, and takes it exactly where he wants it go.

If you want the music equivalent of a dirty seedy bar that is sad, fun and smells like a turd factory at the end of the night, then this might be your perfect place to pull up a vomit-covered stool and slightly indulge yourself. Nick Cave, all of a sudden I don't think your just a crooning, depressed arty guy, you are my cock-rocking fantasy.