I’m not sure what the expectations for Carnage (the 2021 album by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis) should be.
Released in the new release dead zone of February, it is the first release credited to the duo that hasn’t been motion picture related.
Of course, the lockdown created havoc for many things. Would this have been the germ for a Bad Seeds album or is this meant to be thought of differently as say Grinderman was.
Inevitably, music journos can overthink such stuff. Carnage has come out to near universal acclaim and it may be all of the above.
While there are no killer single cuts (where would you start-the opener “Hand of God” some sort of perverse dark jazz meets goth electronica is certainly the most arresting) or particular theme, Carnage seems a continuation of Ghosteen. While at the same time, it’s not a million miles removed from the duo’s soundtrack work (which I suppose as atmospheric as Ghosteen was, that’s no surprise either).
There are a few truths to unravel. First, even as prolific as he has been throughout his career, Cave really has never suffered much in terms of quality. Second, the listeners preference will determine enjoyment. Just read reviews to see what Cave albums are favorites. You will see a wide variety. While you would hardly consider Cave a Neil Young personality, there’s an incredible depth in his albums.
So, Carnage is a worthwhile album by any definition. Admittedly, it’s another step away from what I like best about the Bad Seeds. I doubt I will revisit it often. Yet, undeniably is still an arresting piece of art. Ultimately, it’s not for the fans to speculate, but for the artist to make their art, and this surely feels like the piece that Nick wanted to make now.
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