Great Watching: One More Time With Feeling by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Nothing really prepares for this even if you know what’s happened, watching it is another thing altogether. After listening to Jesus Alone all week, it was still unbelievable seeing it on the big screen. I guess you knew what was coming first and you ease into to the rest, not that easy is the right word really. It’s nothing like that.

It’s the poplar opposite to 20,000 Days with it’s full color. The Black & White 3D is unlike anything you’ve seen before, in the opening scene Cave calls it “ridiculous.” I read this ridiculous thing online somewhere, is that what you could call my posts too? Anyway someone was casting for the Nick Cave biopic, They picked Matthew McConaughey to play him which is pretty great really minus the Texas accent, could do a good Aussie one? I don’t know? Oh, Matt’s tan and semi-blonde hair too, he could dye his hair, lose the tan but I’m getting side track here. My point is I guess after watching 20,000 Days with the Black & White just cuts it all from the picture, it’s genius to film it in that. God I love a great Black & White movie too and you don’t get them anymore really, a handful get made now. The director Andrew Dominik to made it that way and he was so right to so even if was “ridiculous.” The 3D was like you were in the studio with the band performing.

It was genius for Cave to release it first as a film in a darken cinema. I always make a big deal about listening to new album maybe even more so The Bad Seeds album because I’ve a been following them for so long. So this make it like huge listening/watching party but it’s the poplar opposite to a party. I guess you couldn’t make it a bigger deal or more special by putting it in a cinema. It was totally amazing, heartbreaking off course too. The scenes with his family are, well I don’t think I would have right words to do it justices at all. Which what they do say. Words are some what useless when talking about something like this. The press has made a it clear he did it not to talk the press, that was main reasons to do this movie but he also let all his fans in closer now at the same time. Everyone can see the same thing. I always read/watch interviews after listening to it and then maybe a few reviews too but I already got it so it’s not going to change my mind about buying it or anything.

The songs themselves are really like The Bad Seeds tracks but at times nothing really like they have done before. He says not interested in narrative songwriter anymore, says he doesn’t know what he’s doing talking to a film crew and doesn’t the words to do him justice but his songwriting expressions it all so much better. Previous he goes on to say he was so very carefully with every single word and line but now he doesn’t know about it at all. There is a totally mellow, bleak, stark, minimalism to the words and music. It’s the most stripped back The Bad Seeds have ever been musically. You could draw comparison on his past work but I will skip that. After getting home I stay up because the album was available at midnight and have listen it a few times already now. I don’t really know how reviewers can write something after one listen or even a few but highlights for me so far are Rings Of Saturn, Magneto and Anthrocene. Distant Sky additional vocals by Else Torp are totally beautiful, it’s always great where someone else sings his words. I’ll write more about it at a later date, OK?

I really enjoy his spoken word, poet like, voice overs or whatever you call them in the movie maybe the album should have had them in between all the songs, that first one with Steve Mcqueen was so cool. The other ones too, they were almost as great as some of the the tracks on the album. At moments he’s more talking than singing on the album too but these were my highlights in the film. You do get to meet the family and they are trying to say something but can’t really, what could they say? It was the best way to re-enter the world and such a different experience as a viewer/listener but words are totally useless at times.

Those closing credited too with the song Cave did will Marianne Faithfull in 2014’s album Give My Love to London. The third time the two of them have worked together. They did two song in 2014 on that album, Late Victorian Holocaust and Deep Water. The latter is a iPhone recording of Arthur and Earl playing the same song. It was bit rude everyone just gets up as soon as film credits start rolling then some starting clapping too, I just want to say “shut-up, sit down I can’t hear the track.” There is a couple more showings now, I might just go again!

Skeleton Tree track listing and times are:

1. Jesus Alone – 5:52
2. Rings Of Saturn – 3:28
3. Girl In Amber – 4:51
4. Magneto – 5:22
5. Anthrocene – 4:34
6. I Need You – 5:58
7. Distant Sky – 5:36 (featuring vocals by Else Torp)
8. Skeleton Tree – 4:01

Skeleton Tree credits are:

Lyrics by Nick Cave

Music by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

The Bad Seeds are and they played:

Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals by George Vjestica
Bass by Martyn Casey
Drums by Thomas Wydler
Percussion, Vibraphone, Bells (Tubular Bells), Backing Vocals by Jim Sclavunos
Synthesizer, Loops, Electric Piano (Wurlitzer), Piano, Baritone Guitar (Baritone Tenor Guitar), Violin, Viola, Drums (Drum Treatments), Loops (Drum Loops), Backing Vocals by Warren Ellis
Vocals, Piano, Electric Piano (Wurlitzer), Synthesizer, Vibraphone, Backing Vocals by Nick Cave

Viola by Charlotte Glasson
Violin by Ellie Wyatt
Cello by Joe Giddey

Producer by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
Additional Production by Nick Launay
Recorded by Kevin Paul (Retreat) & Nick Launay (La Frette)
Additional overdubs recorded by Jake Jackson & Kevin Paul (Air)
Recorded at Retreat Recording Studios & La Frette Studios
Overdubbed recorded at Air Studios
Mixed at Air Studios

So what did you think about the film/album?