The Birthday Party are known for their non-stop sonic assaults in the form of Tracy Pew's pounding and relentlessly heavy bass lines, Nick Cave's tortured and dissonant wail, and the overall synchronized chaos the band projects in their material, or as some like to call them 'songs'. The Birthday Party combined elements of Punk, New Wave, and Jazz to form their own brand of grinding ambiance that left no one unaffected, whether it be for better or for worse. Mutiny/The Bad Seed EP (which we'll just call 'Mutiny' for the sake of saving time) is somewhat of a departure from their previous material, with less focus on aural torment and more attention to traditional musicianship. Now, this isn't to say that this is The Birthday Party's "sell out" album, because it's anything but. This is simply the evolution of the band, moving away from the raw aggression of their previous albums, and into something more morose, darker, and arguably more meaningful than anything they had done in the past. The album was originally released as a compilation plucked from their last two recording sessions, but you'd never know it. The sound is seamless, and for newer listeners, easily the most accessible album from the band.
Running 40 minutes long, and spanning 10 tracks, the album quenches whatever thirst you may be having for something outlandish but not out of touch, strange yet relate-able. Mutiny show cases each individual member's best talents. Nick Cave's commanding voice, Tracy Pew's innate ability to control the atmosphere with his bass, and Rowland Howard's prowess and deadly precision with his guitar. But
Mutiny doesn't stop there, it even features a stellar performance by Mick Harvey on drums, something not seen on any other album from the group.
High-points of your listening experience will include "Wildworld", "Deep In The Woods", "Jennifer's Veil", "Say a Spell", and "Pleasure Avalanche". Some (like "Wildworld", "Deep In The Woods", and "Say a Spell") for their pounding bass and ability to evoke a sense of malaise and melancholy, and others for their sheer uniqueness (e.g. "Jennifer's Veil", and "Pleasure Avalanche"). If used as directed, Mutiny could produce many desirable results such as: out of body experiences, goosebumps, a creatively inspired mood, chain smoking, excessive grinning, and head bobbing. However, over dose of this product for new users could cause headaches, and irritability. The Birthday Party is an acquired taste for most, and should be treated as such by those unfamiliar with similar artists such as Captain Beefheart et al.
Review by Zia Loirrant
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