Cave must have one of the most unsuitable names in rock history. Not having heard them before, I was expecting some sort of dark metal sort of act, full of foreboding — so I was more than happy to uncover the sunny, funk-inflected psychedelic mantras contained within this latest album.
The band have expanded to a five-piece since 2013’s Threace, but who plays what is a mystery. All we have to go on is a photograph of some placid looking hippies surrounded by bicycles on a hillside, which is pretty suitable as there is a fairly laid-back feel to the proceedings here that is welcoming and addictive. Six tracks spread across the forty minutes of playing time allow these lovingly produced mini-masterpieces to work their magic, not just on your ears but on your hips as well.
Opener “The Juan”, with its supple, spare drums and beautifully rhythmic, buoyant bass, immediately spreads sunshine across your vision. The guitar is featherlight in the upper register, like those fluffy white clouds that sit above you on a lovely summer’s afternoon; but the band really do bring the funk with the bassist playing the cutest little runs to accompany the searching drums. A pastoral flute gives the track a spicy psychedelic tinge that brings to mind fellow travellers Bardo Pond, but with far less baggage. In fact, the band have that ability to subtly transform the track as it progresses, allowing the guitar line to drop a note or add another or two as the drummer injects some high-hat action. The sweetness of the organ and the funkiness of the bass bring to mind the soundtrack of a Riviera roadtrip, cruising in an open-top car past sandy beaches and harbours full of yachts.
It is a delightful start that only grows in funkiness on “San’ Yargo”. The staccato electric piano walks hand in hand with “Age Of Aquarius” style male/female vocals, but the driving rhythm section gives it a modern sheen that takes it away from hippy noodling. The beauty of the production and the relative simplicity of the playing means that everything can be heard and you really experience each track growing, not just in length but in the minute changes to each element and the interplay between all the musicians. Things turn a little slower on “Anarana” and with the addition of cowbells and hi-hat, we can fully appreciate the intricacies of the drummer who is totally the band’s secret weapon. He moves things along at the perfect pace and doesn’t overwhelm the sound, but the subtleties and intricacies of his playing are a joy. Every now and again, a band comes along who has a drummer with this kind of understated charm and they are lucky indeed. In fact, on the motorik groove of “Beaux”, things are stripped quite a way back, apart from the overamped guitar that changes the mood slightly with its fuzzy solos and the wind tunnel drone that drifts in the backdrop. But whereas the boys from NEU! may have nodded approvingly here, I think James Brown would have loved the clipped guitar lines and deep groove of ”Dusty” with its electric organ riffing over the top. Cave really don’t like to sit still and they certainly don’t want you to do so either while the music is playing. Drifting across continents and dipping in and out of different styles, they manage to make a sound of their own that is warm and not a little sensual. The dreamy vocals of “Shasha” envelop you in a haze as the bossa rhythm and gentle playing see the album out. I think Cave may have made the last great summer album of the year here. Put it on and allow it to sashay you gently to sunny shores with the kiss of the sun on your lips.-Mr Olivetti-
