Is Grinderman now the guiding force in Nick Cave’s life? With the departure of Nick Harvey as both perennial Bad Seed and Cave’s right hand man, what are the Bad Seeds now but just Grinderman with a new name and a new lease on life, without all the trappings of three decades journeying to hell [...]
Ipso Facto Pure Groove Records, London 31st July, 2008 Having caught our attention last year with their goth and garage graces, Webcuts ventured down to Pure Groove records in East London to catch Ipso Facto launch their latest single “Ears and Eyes”, the follow-up to last year’s highly impressive debut “Harmonise”. Unfortunately and incorrectly aligned [...]
Mute/EMI, 2008 The passing of time has done nothing to dampen Nick Cave’s spirit or soften his tongue. In the preceding decade spent mostly strapped to the piano like a bible-addicted lothario, it gave the impression that this is where the story ends: in ebony and ivory theology. Those Leonard Cohen years that gave [...]
“Take my hand and pray with me”, and how we’ve prayed, patiently awaiting the arrival of Deerhunter’s 4th album Halcyon Digest. For the dimly remembering, the monumental Microcastle was Webcuts album of the year for 2008, and expections have already been set. “Helicopter” is the second track to be previewed from the album and it’s a loop-based, plink-plonk synth-led Deerhunter meets The Littlest Mermaid undersea adventure with Bradford Cox revisiting his usual themes of isolation and escapism, and well you know the rest, drugs and paranoia. Unlike those ‘slacker’ bands out there like Wavves and Best Coast who talk about getting stoned and making music, Deerhunter is the real fuck-with-your-head deal. The collage of visuals for the clip (Deerhunter’s first ever video) is unsurprising for them, but there’s something about “Helicopter” that feels like it will have its greatest effect while being paranoid, trapped and on drugs.
