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On the Boys Next Door debut Nick Cave comments: “It was a complete wet dream that record. I hate it. It wreaks of a band trying to be musically intelligent and write clever, witty lyrics. It’s a complete wank.” Harsh Nick, very harsh. Side one (rated 6.40) was recorded in June 1978, before Rowland Howard had joined. Here, the group play a Boomtown Rats style of pop-punk, complete with ooh-ooh-oohs and saxophones. The punky opening salvo “The Nightwatchman” is a clear highlight from this period. The improving Side two (rated 7.38) was recorded in January 1979 with Rowland, who contributes the classic suicide-ballad “Shivers” (although the band gets co-credit on all tracks). It’s the second side which sees the group take a clear turn for the better; towards the darkness that would soon envelope The Birthday Party, with “Dive Position” in particular laying down a kind of creep-waltz template that would become a peculiarity of The Birthday Party / The Bad Seeds later on. “Door Door” was a good start to the Nick Cave story. Which just goes to show – you should never let an artist do their own reviews…
The Jukebox Rebel
13-Apr-2008
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