★★★★★
Five Stars
Cave, having reached his fifty-fifth birthday, may be considered part of ‘rock royalty’ to use clichéd term, an ‘elder statesman’ if you like, but this is definitely not reflected in his own musical creativity, even if he may be showing a few more wrinkles on the cover of the Seeds’ latest release than the bands debut From Her To Eternity in 1984.
In the album’s press release Cave notes that “if I were to use that threadbare metaphor of albums being like children, then Push The Sky Away is the ghost-baby in the incubator and Warren’s loops are its tiny, trembling heartbeat.” It appears that Cave’s phrasing is as evocative as ever, both in a lyrical and musical sense, and his subject matter is as relevant as ever.
From the opening notes of ‘We No Who U R,’ supported by the bass of Adamson, gliding effortlessly below the expansive texture, Push the Sky Away is presented as an epic, which is entirely accurate. The sonorous quality of
Cave’s voice reminds me of Leonard Cohen, even Jonny Cash in ‘Jubilee Street’, released as a single last year. As with Cohen and Cash, the maturity in Cave’s voice suggests experience, a man who has lived life and has a story to tell. This is successfully achieved without becoming preachy.
Whilst these references may suggest an album that is out of touch with the modern era, the songwriting remains free, rhythmic and melodious throughout, comparable to Alt-J, Dry the River and similar newcomers. Here,
Cave employs a developed style whilst maintaining a modern edge. It is almost social and cultural suicide to criticise Cave, his albums have consistently attained five star reviews, but this album is genuinely listenable throughout. The tension created by Cave is met by frequent moments of relief, such as in my personal favourite track ‘Mermaids’, with the refrain of “all the ones that come, all the ones that go”, hopefully Cave is here to stay.
