1. Get it On

2. No Pussy Blues

3. Electric Alice

4. Grinderman

5. Depth Charge Ethel

6. Go Tell the Women

7. ( I Don’t Need You to) Set Me Free

8. Honey Bee (Let’s Fly to Mars)

9. Man in the Moon

10. When My Love Comes Down

11. Love Bomb
    
     

Grinderman seems to be the latest incarnation of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. They were never exactly shrinking violets, but, in this guise, they take on a wholly more ferocious stance.

This debut album features almost exclusively long-haired, raucous rock, that so-called heavy-metal bands can only tiptoe around. And, unlike heavy-metal, it is never relentless. In any case, the wonderful songwriting skills of Mr Cave make every track a delight — the music is always unpredictable (and sounds as if it were recorded live in the studio), and the lyrics are full of the sardonic humour  we’ve come to expect.

Here we have aggressive rock at its very best — loud, imaginative, dynamic, and intelligent. In any case, how can anyone resist songs with titles like “No Pussy Blues” or “Depth Charge Ethel”?

(Those with cheap ears should read no further. This album sounds best in its vinyl LP version).

©  Straight Words, 2007