St George UT Newspaper | St George Weather Events Art Music Coupons

By Kyle England

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Push the Sky Away” 3 out of 5 stars

Since forming his band in 1983, Nick Cave has always had one constant: Mick Harvey. Other Bad Seeds members came and went, but Mick Harvey was always there as his guitarist and right-hand man – and had been even when Cave and Harvey were starting out way back in 1976 in the now legendary and highly influential post-punk/goth-rock band The Birthday Party. But in 2009, suddenly and seemingly without warning, Harvey, citing the ever popular “personal and professional reasons,” decided to leave The Bad Seeds, leaving Cave as now its only original founding member.

Nick Cave’s newest album “Push the Sky Away” (his first Bad Seeds release in nearly five years and the 15th Bad Seeds album overall) almost feels like a funeral of sorts to Mick Harvey’s departure. Gone are the heavy guitar arrangements that have littered past later-era Bad Seeds records (such as the stone-cold brilliance of 2008’s “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!”) and, in its place, are stark arrangements that almost feel like the film scores he’s worked on with current Bad Seeds member Warren Ellis over the years. Ellis, along with Cave and other Bad Seeds members Martyn P. Casey and Jim Sclavunos, have gotten the bluesy-punk blasts out of their system with their side project Grinderman over the past few years, so “Push the Sky Away” feels like a very stark contrast in its wake.

First single “We No Who U R” with its sparse keyboards feels like something that would have come off of Cave’s late ‘90s album “The Boatman’s Call,” and “Water’s Edge” is more spoken word poetry than song, with Cave sermonizing over Casey’s jagged bass lines and Ellis’ haunting violin bits scattered throughout.

“Push The Sky Away” is a good album to be sure, but after the out and out brilliance of the last couple of Bad Seeds and Grinderman records, it almost feels like a little bit of a deflated disappointment at times. Older diehards that have followed Cave for decades will surely love this new album, but younger fans that have only known Cave for his Grinderman records over the last few years might find “Push the Sky Away” just a tad tedious.

Jamie Lidell – “Jamie Lidell” 3.5 out of 5 stars

British electronic/neo-soul artist Jamie Lidell wears his influences on his sleeve like a badge of honor. On his 2008 album “Jim,” it sounded like he was paying tribute to ‘70s-era Stevie Wonder, and on his new self-titled album, it feels like Lidell is paying tribute to all of his ‘80s influences.

Opening track “I’m Selfish” feels like it could have come right off of Prince’s 1999 album, and “Big Love” feels heavily indebted to Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall.” “Do Yourself A Faver” with its bouncy bass feels like an homage to Bootsy Collins, those cheeky synths on “You Naked” and “Blaming Something” feel inspired by a band like Cameo or very early Bobby Brown records, and I’ve never wanted to go back and revisit my old Rick James records more than when I heard “You Know My Name” for the first time.

Jamie Lidell isn’t reinventing the wheel with his self-titled album, but it is a very amusing and entertaining album from someone you wouldn’t guess is British – or a white guy. If you’re a fan of Justin Timberlake or even Maroon 5 and are looking for something of that ilk to cure your winter blues, then Jamie Lidell’s newest album is recommended.

Nataly Dawn – “How I Knew Her” 4 out of 5 stars

Some of you might know Nataly Dawn for her work in her band Pomplamoose, which shares similarities to other indie-pop guy/girl bands such as Mates of State, Matt & Kim and The Bird & The Bee, but most people will remember her from those adorable Christmas Hyundai commercials a few years back where she was singing “Deck The Halls” and “Jingle Bells” and looking cute as a button. “How I Knew Her” is her debut solo album, and it is so good that hopefully it will do well so she won’t have to do any more car commercials to pay the bills.

Funded by a Kickstarter campaign, only taking her three days to raise enough money to get it made, “How I Knew Her” showcases Dawn’s talents for melody and knack for clever arrangements. With hired guns such as David Piltch on bass (K.D. Lang, Bonnie Raitt) and Matt Chamberlain on drums (Fiona Apple, Tori Amos), “How I Knew Her” will definitely remind listeners of some of the quirkiness of artists such as Regina Spektor and the wide appeal of a Sara Bareilles or Ingrid Michaelson. It’s her likeness of an artist such as Feist, though, that I think will keep audiences intrigued. The title track with its slide guitar, huge sweeping strings and the haunting beauty of Dawn’s voice will make fast lovers out of Feist’s fans. But then there are tracks such as “Back to the Barracks,” where just an acoustic guitar and Dawn’s powerful voice are more than enough to keep listeners captivated.

An artist on the rise and one to watch out for to be sure, Nataly Dawn and her “How I Knew Her” album deserve your attention.

Veronica Falls – “Waiting for Something to Happen” 4.5 out of 5 stars

Veronica Falls members Roxanne Clifford and Patrick Doyle made a splash with their 2011 debut, paying tribute with their music to all of their influences such as My Bloody Valentine, The Pastels, The Wedding Present and Teenage Fanclub. But it’s their follow-up, “Waiting for Something to Happen,” that’s got me gloriously giddy.

Taking their penchant for harmonies to a whole other level, Clifford and Doyle have smoothed out the rough edges from their self-titled debut and made something so shiny and polished that it may antagonize some of their fan base, but it’s going to get them a whole bunch more new fans in the process. Taking cues from some of the best twee-pop ever crafted, “Waiting for Something to Happen” sounds like the best elements of bands long forgotten, such as Talulah Gosh, The Field Mice, Orange Juice and The Shop Assistants. It’s also reminiscent of later-era, happier-sounding Belle & Sebastian, The Magnetic Fields and the jangle-pop of bands such as The Feelies and Luna.

Roxanne Clifford, with “Waiting for Something to Happen,” seems to be applying for the job of greatest front woman of a current band, because her vocal deliveries on most of this new record are the stuff of instant legend. When she sings the line “Everybody’s crazy, what’s your excuse baby? Standing in the middle, waiting for something to happen!” on the title track, I can’t help but get goosebumps up and down my arms with that back beat of the drums and the Johnny Marr-style jangle of the guitar. It’s not often when you hear the perfect song and you know it’s perfect the first time you hear it. And this album has many songs like that. When Clifford’s voice goes up a full notch on the chorus of “My Heart Beats” and Doyle’s backing vocals come in right behind it ... or on “Bury Me Alive,” when Clifford and Doyle harmonize during the romantic chorus “I wanna get sick, I wanna catch everything you’ve ever caught” (sigh…) it’s just pure pop perfection. I know, I’m gushing – but seriously, it can’t be helped.

I know it’s early, but I just can’t see how this album doesn’t make it near the peak of my top 10 list at the end of 2013, it’s THAT good.