album // The Good Son
Again in contrast to the previous album, Tender Prey, 1989's The Good Son is Cave's well-documented sorrowful album. Written following his move to Sao Paulo, Brazil with his then wife, The Good Son was actually intended as a - shriek - concept album. Or maybe that should be a stylistic album - Cave's lyrics were here written to capture the idea of suadade, near-untranslatable Brazilian word which is best approximated by mournful, sad and grieving writing. His stab at achieving this was criticised by native Brazilian Arto Lindsay when played one of The Good Son's nine tracks as part of a Invisible Jukebox feature in The Wire. Thematic inaccuracies aside, this is a powerful addition to Cave's canon.
Despite the style of writing that informed Cave's lyrics, The Good Son is far from depressing listening. Rather, its maudlin themes are strangely affirming and often uplifting. The album, tightly produced by the band, is rendered so by some of the best work to date by The Bad Seeds - Mick Harvey (bass, acoustic guitar, vibes, percussion), Blixa Bargeld (guitar), Kid Congo Powers (guitar) and Thomas Wydler (drums, percussion) - who are here precise and mellow, the fitting backdrop to Cave's Scott Walker tones. What also contributes successfully to this album is the use of piano and vibes - mostly by Cave and Harvey respectively - which are here much more prominent than on other Cave albums. Additional piano on the repreise section of the achingly mellow 'Lucy' comes courtesy of the late Neubauten collaborator Roland Wolf. The addition of a string section, orchestrated by Claudia Ferreti, also imbues these tracks with an emotional quality matched only by the stunning array of vocal harmonisations from The Seeds.
The album commences with the delicate beauty of 'Foi Na Cruz', partly sung in Brazilian (I'm guessing), which sets the emotional tone for the rest of the album. This is followed by the tense and edgy title track which features a rousing chorus that just sort of arrives out of nowhere. The album's two singles - 'The Weeping Song' (the legendary father-son duet between Cave and Bargeld) and the absolutely nerve-tingling 'The Ship Song' - follow in quick succession, leaving you welling with emotion.
Each and every song on this album is presented with a perfection so true to Cave's muse. 'Sorrow's Child', for example, is perhaps truest to the concept of suadade, and couldn't wear its heart more clearly on its sleeve if it tried. 'Lament' is another standout among standouts, a run through of a love interest's endearing characteristics presented in a poetic style that Cave has made his own (see also 'West Country Girl' from The Boatman's Call), offset with a violin soaked chorus that is incredibly moving.
Music this beatiful should come with a government health warning - with spirituality and sorrow entwined, The Good Son is yet another stroke of genius from these unique craftsmen.