The Boatman's Call (1997)

The Boatman's Call is the tenth studio album by the Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released on 3 March 1997 by Mute Records. The album is entirely piano-based, alternately sombre and romantic in mood, making it a marked departure from the bulk of the band's post-punk catalogue up to that point. The Boatman's Call remains one of the most critically acclaimed releases of Nick Cave's career.

Background and production

Recording for the album began at Sarm West Studios in London, England in mid-1996, with "The Garden Duet", one of the album's outtakes, being the first song recorded. Though the bulk of The Boatman's Call was recorded at Sarm West, further recordings—including overdubs—were later done at Abbey Road Studios.

Musically, the album's tone is considered sombre and minimalist and marks a major departure for Cave and the Bad Seeds. Moving away from full-band arrangements and character-based narratives, the album's music and lyrics move towards the more intimate sound of Cave's solo voice accompanied by piano or a few other instruments. The tempo is also generally slow, reflecting many of the moods of the songs. The album is considered to be rock.

Many of the lyrics seem to reflect on Cave's personal relationships and spiritual yearnings at the time of writing. Some songs are thought to be directed at either the mother of Cave's oldest son Luke, Viviane Carneiro (in "Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere?") or singer PJ Harvey, with whom he had a brief relationship around that time (as referenced in "West Country Girl", "Black Hair" and "Green Eyes"). "Green Eyes" includes a line from "Sonnet 18" by the French Renaissance poet Louise Labé (Kiss me, rekiss me, & kiss me again).

Cave performed "Into My Arms" at the 1997 funeral of INXS vocalist Michael Hutchence, an old friend from Cave's youth, and requested that the TV cameras be shut off for his performance out of respect for Hutchence. The song "People Ain't No Good" was also featured in the film Shrek 2 (2004). The song "There Is a Kingdom" was featured in the film Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021). In October 2010, the album was listed in the top 30 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums (2010).

Critical reception

The Boatman's Call received almost unanimous critical acclaim upon release with many reviewers citing it as Cave's most poignant album. Writing in NME, James Oldham concluded that the album is "a stark look at all that he's been through, recounted with withering bleakness and arid humour", noting "Cave's magnificent lyrics, riddled with comic misanthropy and New Gospel humanity", and "their starkly beautiful accompaniments". The magazine rated it as the 23rd best album of 1997. The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2010).

Personnel

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Nick Cave – vocals (1–17), piano (1–3, 8, 11–13, 15), organ (2, 5, 10, 11), keyboards (casio) (4), vibes (3), keyboard (14)

Mick Harvey – electric guitar (6, 10, 13, 14, 17), acoustic guitar (5, 7, 8, 12), bass (2), organ (6, 13, 14, 16, 17), vibes (3), bass organ (9), backing vocals (14), xylophone (16)

Blixa Bargeld – electric guitar (4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17), piano treatment (8), backing vocals (13–14)

Martyn P. Casey – bass (1, 3–8, 10, 11, 13–17), backing vocals (13)

Conway Savage – piano (5–7, 10, 14, 16, 17), backing vocals (5)

Warren Ellis – violin (3, 7–8, 10, 11), accordion (9), piano (9), looped violin (13)

Jim Sclavunos – drums (6), melodica (12), bells (5, 14), percussion (13), organ (15), bongos (16), tambourine (17)

Thomas Wydler – drums (2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13–17), maracas (4), backing vocals (13)

• Technical personnel
• Flood – producer, engineer, mixing
• Chris Scard – co-producer, mixing
• Paul Corkett – engineer
• Paul Hicks – assistant engineer
• Paul Wright – assistant engineer
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – additional production
• Front cover photograph by Anton Corbijn
• Back cover photograph by Steve Gullick