Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds -- The Boatman's Call

This particular Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album seems more reserved and pure than its predecessors. Piano-based as it is, it seems as though Cave is humbly singing these ballads from an empty church, belting out his confessions and declarations of love. This album is a revelation. It is Cave opening his eyes and realizing that love is his religion, and he is breaking free of an oppressive God and embracing love as his savior.

Cave's disillusionment with the church is made apparent throughout The Boatman's Call. Cave makes it abundantly clear that his lover is the one who gets him though, not God. In Cave's documentary, "20,000 Days On Earth", Cave says his addiction was his main reason for going to church: to justify his drug abuse. Since getting clean, Cave has not been to church to worship.

In "There Is A Kingdom", Cave sings about being independent from God. The words "kingdom" and "king" are often used to describe God and his dominion over the Earth, but Cave uses these words to show how the "king" is himself, with his "kingdom" being his own independence and self-reliance.

Marriage is a theme which Cave interestingly entertwined with the theme of freedom. While some songs portray marriage as a restricting experience, Cave sings about marriage as though it will bring him freedom, surrounding him in the love that he praises so highly. The "sun would stream on the sheets / Awoken by the morning bird / We'd buy the Sunday newspapers / And never read a single word". Isn't that a nice picture? (Even though, in typical Nick Cave-style, it ends sadly.)

In "Into My Arms", Cave sings, "I don't believe in an interventionist God...I don't believe in the existence of angels...But I believe in love / And I know that you do too". It's all about the importance of love when compared to organized religion. The instruments used in this array of songs also convey this message. Even though Cave is an atheist, Boatman's Call is Jimmy Swaggart-like in its spiritual sound. Ironically, Cave uses the organ and piano (typical church choir instruments) to show the holiness and reverence he has in his love, while at the same time denouncing his belief in God.

That being said, listening to this album is a definite religious experience.

RELEASE DATE: March 2, 1997
LABEL: Mute/ BMG
RUN TIME: 52 min
TOP TWO TRACKS: "Into My Arms", "Idiot Prayer"
GRADE: A+
FINAL COMMENTS: This album is like sex in a church.