Grinderman - Grinderman

The Bad Seeds’ even badder offspring

Grinderman is Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Martyn Casey and Jim Sclavunos, borrowing a name from a Memphis Slim tune and cooking up a jawdropping unholy racket. Two singles, Get It On (limitededition one-sided 7” with etching by Cave) and No Pussy Blues, whetted the appetite with their groin-napalming surges and Cave at his most hilariously ribald. The album itself is astonishing, a Devilsent miracle for those craving sheer noise abuse, primitive garage riffs and malevolent humour. Even the muchanticipated Stooges album sounds polite in comparison (ironic, considering that they are quite clearly a prime influence. Sclavunos invokes the Fun House stomp and Cave morphs into friedup axe murderer on guitar). The foetid spirit of The Birthday Party writhes next to Skip James on an eponymous theme song that is pure arcane blues holler.

Grinderman seem hell-bent on getting the most unusual or disgusting noise out of whatever instrument is nearest but, thanks to the Bad Seeds’ sublime internal dynamics, an innate subtlety laces even madder romps the likes of Love Bomb or Honey Bee (Let’s Fly To Mars). They can also melt down for atmospheric testimonials and mournful ballads, with Man In The Moon even recalling the lostastronaut- dad scenario of Pearls Before Swine’s pre-Elton Rocket Man. Outrageously enjoyable.

Mute | ACDSTUMM 272

Reviewed by Kris Needs
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