Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds have spent their career building songs out of dread and beauty in equal measure, and Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! is one of their most direct attempts to split the difference. Released in 2008, the album is a loose concept record about a man named Albert who has been brought back from the dead, and it plays like a funeral procession that keeps getting interrupted by a carnival barker. The music is sparse, heavy, and often funny in the way that only a band this serious can be.
The record opens with its title track, a slow crawl that sets the tone for everything that follows. It is not a statement of intent so much as a warning: this is a dark record, and it knows it.
Opening With Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
“Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!” is the mission statement. The song is built around a simple, repetitive piano line and a vocal that sounds like a man being dragged through mud. It is not a great song, but it is a necessary one. It tells you exactly what kind of record this is going to be.
The second track, “Today’s Lesson,” is a strange detour. It is a song about a lesson that is being taught, and it is delivered in a way that feels almost like a lecture. It is not a bad song, but it is the weakest moment on the record. It drags slightly, and it feels like it is trying to be cleverer than it needs to be.
“Moonland” picks things up again. It is a moody, atmospheric track that leans heavily on the band’s signature sound: Cave’s baritone, a steady drum pulse, and a bassline that feels like it is moving through water. It is not a standout, but it is a solid piece of the puzzle.
“Night of the Lotus Eaters” is where the record starts to find its footing. It is a slow, hypnotic track that draws on the mythology of the lotus-eating sailors. It is one of the more interesting moments on the album, and it shows the band at their most patient. They let the song breathe, and it rewards the patience.
Albert Goes West
“Albert Goes West” is the heart of the record. It is a song about the titular character, Albert, and it is the clearest statement of what the album is about. The lyrics are dense and elliptical, but they land with a weight that the rest of the record struggles to match. It is a great song, and it earns its place as the centerpiece.
“We Call Upon the Author” is a strange, theatrical track. It is the kind of song that would be a highlight on any other record, but here it feels like a detour. It is too theatrical, too over-the-top, and it breaks the mood that the album has been building. It is a fun song, but it is also a misstep.
“Hold On to Yourself” is a ballad. It is the most straightforwardly emotional song on the record, and it is the most accessible. It is not a great song, but it is a good one. It is the kind of track that will appeal to listeners who want something closer to a traditional rock song.
Lie Down Here (& Be My Girl)
“Lie Down Here (& Be My Girl)” is a cover of a David Lynch original. It is a strange choice, and it does not work. The song is too weird, too disjointed, and it feels like it is trying to be something it is not. It is a curiosity, but it is not a success.
“Jesus of the Moon” is a return to form. It is a slow, brooding track that captures the album’s central tension: the idea of a resurrected man living in a world he no longer understands. It is a good song, and it is one of the more memorable tracks on the record.
“Midnight Man” is a strange, atmospheric track. It is the kind of song that the Bad Seeds do best: slow, moody, and full of menace. It is not a great song, but it is a solid one. It is the kind of track that rewards repeated listens.
More News From Nowhere
“More News From Nowhere” is the closer. It is a sprawling, epic track that runs over seven minutes, and it is the most ambitious thing on the record. It is also the most uneven. It has moments of brilliance, but it also has stretches where it feels like it is going nowhere. It is a fitting end to the album, but it is not a perfect one.
The record is a mixed bag. There are tracks that are genuinely great, and there are tracks that feel like filler. The problem is that the filler is spread throughout the record, rather than clustered at the end. That means that even the best tracks are surrounded by songs that do not quite live up to them.
The album’s central conceit is a man brought back from the dead, and the music reflects that. It is slow, heavy, and often beautiful in a way that feels earned. But it is also a record that is trying to do too much. It wants to be a concept album, a rock record, and a collection of songs. It cannot quite hold all three together.
The Running Order
| # | Track | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! | 4:12 |
| 2 | Today’s Lesson | 4:41 |
| 3 | Moonland | 3:54 |
| 4 | Night of the Lotus Eaters | 4:53 |
| 5 | Albert Goes West | 3:32 |
| 6 | We Call Upon the Author | 5:12 |
| 7 | Hold On to Yourself | 5:51 |
| 8 | Lie Down Here (& Be My Girl) | 4:58 |
| 9 | Jesus of the Moon | 3:22 |
| 10 | Midnight Man | 5:07 |
| 11 | More News From Nowhere | 7:58 |
What Stands Out
The best tracks on Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! are the ones that commit fully to the concept. “Albert Goes West” is the clearest example. It is a song about a resurrected man, and it treats the idea with genuine weight. The lyrics are elliptical, but they are also precise in their ambiguity. It is a great song, and it is the kind of track that rewards repeated listens.
“Night of the Lotus Eaters” is another strong track. It is a slow, hypnotic song that draws on the mythology of the lotus-eating sailors. It is one of the more interesting moments on the album, and it shows the band at their most patient. They let the song breathe, and it rewards the patience.
“Jesus of the Moon” is a return to form. It is a slow, brooding track that captures the album’s central tension: the idea of a resurrected man living in a world he no longer understands. It is a good song, and it is one of the more memorable tracks on the record.
The Verdict
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! is a flawed but fascinating record. It is a concept album that is not fully realized, and a rock record that is too slow to sustain itself. But it is also a record that is full of great songs, and it is a record that rewards patience. It is not a masterpiece, but it is a worthy addition to the Bad Seeds’ catalog.
The best tracks — “Albert Goes West,” “Night of the Lotus Eaters,” “Jesus of the Moon” — are among the best things the band has ever recorded. The worst tracks — “Today’s Lesson,” “We Call Upon the Author,” “Lie Down Here (& Be My Girl)” — are not terrible, but they are forgettable. The record is a mixed bag, but it is a mixed bag with some very high highs.
The album is a 7 of 10.
- Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!4:12
- Today's Lesson4:41
- Moonland3:54
- Night of the Lotus Eaters4:53
- Albert Goes West3:32
- We Call Upon the Author5:12
- Hold On to Yourself5:51
- Lie Down Here (& Be My Girl)4:58
- Jesus of the Moon3:22
- Midnight Man5:07
- More News From Nowhere7:58
