''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'' is the fourteenth studio album by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The album was recorded in June and July 2007 at The State of the Ark Studios in

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and mixed by

Nick Launay Nicolas Launay is an English record producer, composer and recording engineer. He is one of the most sought after record producers in the world due to his success with recent albums by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Anna Calvi, IDLES, Black Re ...

British Grove Studios British Grove Studios is a recording studio located at 20 British Grove in Chiswick, West London, and owned by musician Mark Knopfler. British Grove Studios was built by David Stewart, the studio's former manager, and commissioned by Knopfler as ...

in Chiswick, and was released on 3 March 2008. It was the last album to feature founding member

Mick Harvey Michael John Harvey (born 29 August 1958) is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist, he is best known for his long-term collaborations with Nick Cave, with whom he formed The ...

, who left the Bad Seeds in 2009, and organist James Johnston, who left the band before the support tour. It was also the second without founding member Blixa Bargeld. ''Dig'' features the same personnel as the '' Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus'' double album (though the involvement of both Johnston and pianist

Conway Savage Conway Victor Savage (27 July 1960 – 2 September 2018) was an Australian rock musician. He was a member of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, providing piano, organ & backing vocals from 1990–2017. Savage released solo albums entitled ''Nothin ...

is dramatically reduced). It is also the first to be released since the Bad Seeds side project

Grinderman Grinderman was an Australian-American rock band that formed in London, England, in 2006. The band included Nick Cave (vocals, guitar, organ, piano), Warren Ellis (tenor guitar, electric mandolin, violin, viola, guitar, backing vocals), Martyn ...

released their eponymous album. In several interviews Cave stated the album would "sound like Grinderman," implying a

garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...

sound. In line with this approach, the album was recorded in about five days, an uncommonly short period for a full-length album from the band."Interview With Nick Launay"
, '' HitQuarters'', 16 November 2009. ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'' features artwork by British artists

Tim Noble and Sue Webster Timothy Noble (born 1966) and Susan Webster (born 1967), are British artists who work as a collaborative duo. They are associated with the Post-YBAs, post-YBA generation of artists. Early lives and careers Noble and Webster attended fine art ...

. At the

J Awards of 2008 The J Award of 2008 is the fourth annual J Awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station ...

, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year.

Concept

On the band's official website Cave wrote about his inspiration for the album:

Singles and promotion

A series of viral video trailers for the album were produced by artists

Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard are British artists and filmmakers. Life and work Forsyth and Pollard met and began working collaboratively while studying Fine Art and Art Theory at Goldsmiths College, graduating together in 1995. They initially f ...

. On 18 February the title track "

Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'' is the fourteenth studio album by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The album was recorded in June and July 2007 at The State of the Ark Studios in Richmond, London and mixed by Nick Launay at British ...

" was released as the first single—on CD, limited edition 7", and as a digital download—with "Accidents Will Happen" as the B-side. The second single, " More News From Nowhere", was released on 12 May. It draws its title from ''

News from Nowhere ''News from Nowhere'' (1890) is a classic work combining utopian socialism and soft science fiction written by the artist, designer and socialist pioneer William Morris. It was first published in serial form in the ''Commonweal'' journal begin ...

'', an 1890

utopian socialist Utopian socialism is the term often used to describe the first current of modern socialism and socialist thought as exemplified by the work of Henri de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, Étienne Cabet, and Robert Owen. Utopian socialism is often de ...

novel by

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was a British textile designer, poet, artist, novelist, architectural conservationist, printer, translator and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement. He ...

. An extended promotional video for "Night of the Lotus Eaters" was also released along with a live studio video of "Midnight Man" and a promotional video for "More News From Nowhere", all directed by artists

. The "More News From Nowhere" video released in May 2008, features cameo appearances by journalist

Will Self William Woodard Self (born 26 September 1961) is an English author, journalist, political commentator and broadcaster. He has written 11 novels, five collections of shorter fiction, three novellas and nine collections of non-fiction writing. Sel ...

, singer Beth Orton, British TV actors

Karl Theobald Karl Julian Theobald (born 5 August 1969) is an English actor and comedian. He has played 'Landlord' in ''Plebs'' and Martin Dear in Channel 4 sitcom ''Green Wing''. Early life Theobald was born in Great Yarmouth, to Wendy Theobald. He grew ...

Michael Higgs Michael Higgs (born 14 February 1962) is an English actor best known for prominent roles in two long-running television series: Eddie Santini in ITV1's ''The Bill'' and Andy Hunter in '' EastEnders'', in addition to an 8-episode stretch as Dr ...

and

Caroline Catz Caroline Catz (born Caroline Caplan; 19 October 1970) is an English film, television and theatre actress and narrator. She is best known for her role as Louisa Glasson in ''Doc Martin'' since 2004. Her other major roles have included Detective ...

plus British artists

and socialite/ broadcaster

Peaches Geldof Peaches Honeyblossom Geldof (13 March 1989 – 6 or 7 April 2014) was an English columnist, television personality, and model. Born and raised in London, Geldof was educated at Queen's College after her parents' divorce in 1996, and later move ...

Critical reception

Critical response to ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'' was overwhelmingly positive, with reviewers acclaiming the album as both a return to greatness and a new side of the band. The album currently holds a score of 87 out of 100 on the review aggregate site

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

, which indicates "universal acclaim". A review from ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' described ''Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!'' as a "

gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

psycho-sexual apocalypse" and stated that "just when The Bad Seeds seemed content to settle into middle-age as a cabaret gospel showband – albeit an extraordinary one – they've bared their teeth again". Stephen M. Deusner of ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' stated that "this is how rock musicians are supposed to age". Alastair McKay of ''

Uncut Uncut may refer to: * ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship * ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997 * '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...

'' wrote that "the band has never sounded better, and Cave seems to have relaxed into the hysteria of his vocal style; like

Elmer Gantry ''Elmer Gantry'' is a satirical novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of America in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. The novel's protagonis ...

singing

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...

at a tent-revival." In his Consumer Guide column for ''

MSN Music ''MSN Music'' was a part of MSN's web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. The website also served as a digital music store from 2004 to 2008. History I ...

'', Robert Christgau cited "We Call Upon the Author" and "More News from Nowhere" as highlights and called Cave "almost Dylanesque for blessed moments", later giving the album a two-star honorable mention rating. In a five-star review, ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

''s Graeme Thomson praised ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'' as "a triumph from first to last". David Harris of

Tiny Mix Tapes ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, ...

said that "rock, country, blues, and post-punk rhythms meld with Cave’s lyrics on sex, death, God, and America to create what could be one of his most perfect albums yet", while Matt Fink of '' Paste'' called the album "vintage Cave." Jason Heller of ''

The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...

'' said that ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'' "bears little concept or nuance, but it more than makes up for it in raw, oozing passion." ''

Hot Press ''Hot Press'' is a fortnightly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. History ''Hot Press'' was founded in June 1977 by Niall Stokes, who co ...

'' critic Paul Nolan wrote that the album "is a less sonically abrasive affair than the album Cave released last year with his side-project

, but it teems with as many musical and lyrical ideas as ever." '' Drowned in Sound'' noted that "while there are inevitable parallels what with one album following the last so soon", ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'' was nonetheless "a bolder creation that its predecessor." In a mixed review, Tim Perlich of ''

Now Now most commonly refers to the present time. Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to: Organizations * Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization * National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization * Now ...

'' wrote that the band's tendency "to revert to familiar structures and grooves" meant that it was "not surprising, then, that a number of the tunes on ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'' sound familiar", though he acknowledged that "this probably isn't all that troubling to Bad Seeds fans, for whom more of the same is a welcome prospect." In May 2008, the album was announced as the first nomination for Australian radio station

Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broad ...

's 2008

J Award The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J and which are judged by the music and on-air teams from radio stations Triple J, ...

s. The title track was ranked at 35 in the Triple J 2008 Hottest 100 Countdown.

Awards

* 2008 MOJO Awards: ''Best Album of 2008'' (''Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!'') * 2008 ARIA Award: Nick Cave ''Best Male Artist of 2008'' (for ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'') * Certified Silver for UK sales."British certification for ''Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!''"

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...

. 21 March 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2009. * Certified Gold for Irish sales.

Track listing

All songs written by Nick Cave unless otherwise stated # "

" – 4:11 # "Today's Lesson" – 4:41 # "Moonland" – 3:53 (Cave, Ellis, Casey, Sclavunos) # "Night of the Lotus Eaters" – 4:53 (Cave, Ellis) # "Albert Goes West" – 3:32 (Cave, Ellis) # "We Call Upon the Author" – 5:11 (Cave, Ellis) # "Hold on to Yourself" – 5:50 (Cave, Ellis, Casey, Sclavunos) # "Lie Down Here (& Be My Girl)" – 4:57 # "Jesus of the Moon" – 3:22 # "Midnight Man" – 5:06 # " More News from Nowhere" – 7:58 (Cave, Ellis, Casey, Sclavunos)

Singles

* "

" (MUTE 377) (18 February 2008) ** b/w: "Accidents Will Happen" * " More News From Nowhere" (MUTE 390) (12 May 2008) ** b/w: "Fleeting Love" * " Midnight Man" (MUTE 403) (28 July 2008) ** b/w: "Hey Little Firing Squad"

Personnel

* Nick Cave – Vocals (1–11), Organ (1,2,6,7), Piano (3,8,9), Tambourine (3,5,11), Sleigh Bells (3,11), Toms (5), Harmonica (5), Electric Guitar (9), Vibra-Slap (11) *

Martyn P. Casey Martyn Paul Casey (born 10 July 1960) is an English-born Australian Rock music, rock bass guitarist. He has been a member of the Triffids, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman. Casey plays either his Fender Precision Bass or Fender Jazz Ba ...

– Bass (1–3,6–11) *

Thomas Wydler Thomas Wydler (born 9 October 1959), is a Swiss musician best known for being a core member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, of which he has been a drummer since 1985. Prior to joining them, he was a member of the experimental German band Die Hau ...

– Brushed Snare (1), Shaker (2,10), Tambourine (2,5,10), Drums (4,8,9), Hand Drums (7) *

Warren Ellis Warren Girard Ellis (born 16 February 1968) is a British comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-creator of several original comics series, including ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002), ''Global Frequency'' ( ...

– Viola (1,6,9,11), Loops (1,4,6,7,10,11), Fender Mandocaster (2–4,7–10), Tenor Guitar (3,5,8,10), Maracas (3) 12 String Lute (5), Drum Machine (6), Piano (8), Flute (9), Mandolin (9) *

– Electric Guitar (1,4–6,10,11), Acoustic Guitar (2,5,7–9), Bass (4,5), Organ (10) * Jim Sclavunos – Drums (1–3,5–7,10,11), Bongos (1,5), Cowbell (1), Cuica (3), Congas (3,4), Finger Cymbals (4), Shaker (5), Maracas (7), Tambourine (8,9), Sleigh Bells (9) * James Johnston – Organ (2,5,9), Electric Guitar (5) *All backing vocals and handclaps by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds;

is listed as a band member but does not play his usual keyboards on the album

Chart positions

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links

Official website
*
Nick Cave Online
{{Authority control 2008 albums ARIA Award-winning albums Nick Cave albums Albums produced by Nick Launay Mute Records albums Garage rock albums by Australian artists