TryGOLD- Free

A Kinder and Gentler Nick Cave

Newsweek US|September 06 - 13, 2024
After a period of personal upheaval, the famed Bad Seeds singer returns with the vibrant and optimistic 'Wild God'
- DAVID CHIU
A Kinder and Gentler Nick Cave

AT FIRST, THE WORD "JOY" SEEMS INCONGRUOUS when mentioned in the same sentence as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. For a good part of his career (now going on 40 years) as the band's singer and namesake leader, Cave famously inhabited the persona of a dark, intimidating and tortured artist whose turbulent lyrics tackled topics such as religion, relationships and mortality. For instance, on "The Mercy Seat," one of his most famous songs, Cave sings from the point of view of a prisoner on death row: "And my body is on fire/And God is never far away." His distinctive baritone singing further enhanced his reputation as an intense performer with a worldview that lies somewhere between heaven and hell.

But in the last 10 years, the Australian artist's perspective has matured along with the Bad Seeds' sound, especially amid tragic circumstances in his personal life: in 2015, Arthur Cave, one of the singer's twin sons, died at age 15 after he fell from a cliff in England. Then seven years later, Cave announced in a statement that his eldest son Jethro Lazenby, 31, had passed away. The Bad Seeds' last two albums, Skeleton Tree (2016) and Ghosteen (2019), along with 2022's Faith, Hope and Carnage, a book Cave co-authored with Seán O'Hagan, were released during that period of introspection.

This time around, however, the Bad Seeds' new studio album, Wild God (August 30) reflects a more uplifting and hopeful outlook. As the affable Cave, 66, tells Newsweek during a recent visit to New York City, Wild God signals the end of a particular chapter in his life. "This one feels like we brought the Bad Seeds back," he says. "It was a sort of explosion of activity and life. It's joyous. There's a song [on the new record] called 'Joy.' I do have a particular understanding of what that word actually means, and it's a deeper word than it appears to be."

This story is from the September 06 - 13, 2024 edition of Newsweek US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 06 - 13, 2024 edition of Newsweek US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEWSWEEK USView All
Ncuti Gatwa
Newsweek US

Ncuti Gatwa

NO MATTER HOW LONG NCUTI GATWA PLAYS THE DOCTOR IN THE LEGendary sci-fi series Doctor Who, he still can’t quite believe he gets to play the part.

time-read
2 mins  |
April 11, 2025
'It's Just Straight-Up How I Felt'
Newsweek US

'It's Just Straight-Up How I Felt'

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus returns with a new solo album—her first since enjoying major success with boygenius

time-read
5 mins  |
April 11, 2025
Flight of Fancy
Newsweek US

Flight of Fancy

Boom plans to roll out Overture models in two years and aims to have planes passenger-ready in four years, meaning supersonic flights could resume by the end of the decade.

time-read
6 mins  |
April 11, 2025
A Bruising Diplomatic Ballet
Newsweek US

A Bruising Diplomatic Ballet

Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski is known for not mincing his words. This report from Newsweek Poland describes how his style has affected relations with the Trump administration

time-read
6 mins  |
April 11, 2025
Michael Angarano
Newsweek US

Michael Angarano

AS WE GET OLDER, DO WE BECOME VERSIONS of our parents? And if not, how did we evolve differently?

time-read
1 min  |
April 11, 2025
ALL SYSTEMS GO
Newsweek US

ALL SYSTEMS GO

DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO SEND A U.S. CREW TO MARS BY THE END OF HIS PRESIDENTIAL TERM, A PLAN SPACEX BOSS ELON MUSK SAID IS 'DOABLE.' ASTRONAUTS NEWSWEEK SPOKE TO QUESTIONED THE TIME FRAME BUT AGREED A FLIGHT TO THE RED PLANET WOULD SOON BE POSSIBLE

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 11, 2025
MOST TRUSTWORTHY COMPANIES IN AMERICA
Newsweek US

MOST TRUSTWORTHY COMPANIES IN AMERICA

TRUST IS THE FOUNDATION OF ANY STRONG RELAtionship. While it's one of the most valuable assets a company can have, it's also one of the hardest to measure. Trust shapes the choices consumers make, the confidence investors place in a business and the loyalty employees feel toward their workplace. Yet, trust is not always as strong as companies assume.

time-read
2 mins  |
April 11, 2025
Journalism: Unplugged
Newsweek US

Journalism: Unplugged

With traditional media declining, journalists are turning to Substack for independence, direct audience engagement and financial stability

time-read
7 mins  |
April 04, 2025
Bob the Drag Queen
Newsweek US

Bob the Drag Queen

WHAT IF HARRIET TUBMAN CAME BACK TO MODERN-DAY AMERICA TO MAKE A hip-hop album in order to continue her work as an abolitionist?

time-read
2 mins  |
April 04, 2025
Chile Backtracks on China's Space Observatory
Newsweek US

Chile Backtracks on China's Space Observatory

Following a Newsweek investigation, Santiago is reviewing ajoint university project with Beijing

time-read
3 mins  |
April 04, 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more