DVD REVIEWS
****
Brilliant *** Impressive ** Pedestrian * Lame
NICK CAVE
GOD IS IN THE HOUSE
***
DVD Mute Corporation
Recorded live in France during the summer of 2001, God
Is In The House offers a visual testament to the charismatic power of
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Usually praised for his songwriting, Cave is
also a stunning performer. Onstage he is intense, kinetic, gesturing and
pointing to the audience to emphasize his words, imbuing them with more
power than a studio recording allows. His work crouches on the extremes.
He slips from the quiet, hymn-like "Into My Arms" to the cacophonous
doom-and-gloom parable of "Saint Huck" and makes them sound like part of
the same aural landscape. Unfortunately, this tour was in support of No
More Shall We Part, one of Cave's weaker lyrical albums. Parts of the
show seem to drag, and though the dynamics of live performance helps, some
tedium sets in. The title track in particular feels interminable, making
one thankful for a fast-forward option. The DVD is most successful when
highlighting the rest of the band. While Cave is obviously the guiding
force, much of his success is due to the talent surrounding him. Guitarist
Blixa Bargeld and violinist Warren Ellis, both accomplished frontmen of
their own bands -- Einsturzende Neubauten and Dirty Three respectively --
are equally charismatic and compelling to watch. Mick Harvey, Cave's
right-hand man since childhood, comes off as a quiet presence, but one
senses he is the solid musical hub around which the others revolve. The
DVD includes a documentary, directed by John Hillcoat, filmed in the
studio during the No More Shall We Part sessions. Once again, the
influence of the band comes across. Cave is nowhere in evidence while
Harvey and Ellis arrange and direct the string quartet brought in for
overdubs. The band is revealed in all their humanity as tempers flare and
compromises are reached amidst a lot of smoke and laughter. Bargeld drops
his Teutonic God of Discord persona long enough to play with one of Cave's
sons, making boy-noises on the couch. Also included are three promotional
videos, unlikely to be seen anywhere else, that, while interesting, are
nothing groundbreaking. Compared to the live performance and the dynamics
of the studio, the videos seem almost like an afterthought. In the end,
the entire package makes this an essential purchase for fans and a good
introduction for nonbelievers.
-- WAYNE WISE
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