Darker with the Dawn

Nick Cave's Songs of Love and Death

Adam Steiner

$49.99

Hardback

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English

Rowman and Littlefield
05 February 2024

Music; Rock & Pop music; Punk, New Wave & Indie; Individual composers & musicians, bands & groups

From his early work with The Birthday Party to the future sounds of Ghosteen, Nick Cave has rewritten the language of rock ‘n’ roll.

Darker with the Dawn uncovers the history and deeper meanings behind Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ most well-known songs from “Tupelo”, “The Mercy Seat”, “Red Right Hand”, “Stagger Lee”, “Into My Arms”, to “Higgs Boson Blues” and beyond.

The book explores Nick Cave’s life in music drawing upon his inspirations of the Bible, Greek myth, and literature, as well as his enduring passion for gospel, blues, and progressive rock. Steiner reflects upon Cave's journey from his childhood in Australia, struggles with drug addiction, his young fascination with the nightmare landscapes of America's wild west and the southern gothic towards a reckoning with his own sense of Christian spirituality. In a career spanning four decades Cave's songwriting has moved from the saints and sinners of the traditional murder ballad to piano-based heartbreak songs, deconstructed garage rock and ambient fever dreams delivered through minimalist electronica. Adam Steiner dives into the world of a complex songwriter who, in his universal expressions of love and death, continues to speak to us of the light and shade of humanity.

By: Adam Steiner
Imprint: Rowman and Littlefield
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 236mm, Width: 159mm, Spine: 28mm
Weight: 676g
ISBN: 9781538160350
ISBN 10: 1538160358
Pages: 312
Publication Date: 05 February 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Adam Steiner is the author of Into The Never: Nine Inch Nails and the Creation of The Downward Spiral and Silhouettes And Shadows: The Secret History of David Bowie’s Scary Monsters. He writes about music, street-art culture, architecture, poetry, and transgressive fiction and lives in London, England. Visit adamsteiner.uk/.

Reviews for Darker with the Dawn: Nick Cave's Songs of Love and Death

"""This is a great primer on all things Nick Cave--a solid, deep dive into where Nick Cave started from and how he made it to the present day. This is a must read for any Nick Cave fan, whether a newcomer or veteran.""--Tony DuShane, author of Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk, former music columnist, San Francisco Chronicle Nick Cave has created a body of work across music, prose, and screen unmatched in its impact, depth, and erudition by few artists. At last, we have a critical analysis that does this achievement justice. Adam Steiner has set the benchmark for many years to come.--Mat Snow, former editor of Mojo, author of Nick Cave: Sinner Saint"