It would have been entirely unexpected that fifteen albums down the line that the Bad Seeds would be able to remain as unwieldy and downright heavy as on ‘Push The Sky Away’. Few lyricists conjure up the images of Cave and few stay so consistently compelling in their output.
What is unanticipated is how the Bad Seeds have been able to maintain such an intensity in their music despite a constant evolution of their sound. Throughout ‘Push The Sky Away’ there is no ‘There She Goes (My Beautiful World)’ or ‘We Call Upon The Author To Explain’ and it could even be said that Cave’s lyrical talents take a back step to subtle and intricate musicianship in a greater sense than ever before.
Take ‘We Real Cool’. Cave’s crooning nestles into the bedding of restrained piano, somnambulant strings and a gentle and fragile pulse of percussion. It’s a mile away from the theatre of their grander works such as ‘Red Right Hand’ yet it feels just as important and vital, the devil truly is in the detail.
Lead single ‘We No Who U R’ is magnificently crafted throughout. There is very little in ‘Push The Sky Away’ that lends itself to a release outwith the greater context of the album itself. You can see why Cave wrote much of this album from his study overlooking the Brighton sea, the overall mood of the opening track matches the gentle ebb and flow of the sea. Guitars rarely feature on this album in any noticable form, the overall feeling of the album is far more fluid and tidal.
‘Push The Sky Away’ might not light the fire of casual Bad Seeds listeners: many would have been forgiven for the departure of founding member Mick Harvey to have sounded Nick Cave gripping the reins of this record even more tightly. This is far more a record that allows Warren Ellis to show his talents through uncompromising arrangements that convey a gripping yet controlled sense of drama. It might not be loud, but it’s possibly the Bad Seeds’ heaviest record to date.