Five Ways to Say Goodbye

by Mick Harvey

Overview

From 1977 to 2009, Mick Harvey was one of Nick Cave's most faithful and valued collaborators, from their early work in the Boys Next Door to their popular and critical peak in the Bad Seeds. While they no longer work together, Cave and Harvey still feel like kindred spirits, and Harvey's 2024 album Five Ways to Say Goodbye bears no small resemblance to the spare but elegant approach of Cave's albums Skeleton Tree (2016) and Ghosteen (2019), songs full of loss and longing married to arrangements that reflect the protagonists' search for grace with a mournful but genuine beauty. The biggest difference between the two is Cave is a master songwriter, while Harvey is talented yet not as prolific, and Five Ways to Say Goodbye is dominated by his interpretations of the work of other tunesmiths, while he contributes only three new songs to this project. Also, Harvey's gifts as an arranger allow him to dress these songs in strings and keyboards that are superbly evocative and graceful, and the skills that have allowed him to become a successful composer of film scores are on display here. The album plays like a mood piece, and a brilliantly executed one. Harvey may not have penned most of these selections, but he brings something fiercely individual to his performances: In his hands, Neil Young's "Like a Hurricane" is a bittersweet meditation on a love that didn't go the distance; Ed Keupper's "Demolition" ponders the dysfunctional bonds of family and loved ones, punctuated with a drum machine that fails to keep the beat; and the reworking of the Marlene Dietrich chestnut "A Suitcase in Berlin" becomes a chronicle of rootlessness and the curse of memory. Harvey has become an eloquent, thoughtful interpretive vocalist whose grasp on this material is as assured and nuanced as the work of a great actor, and the best performances are remarkable in their unforced but genuine power. If Mick Harvey isn't quite the songwriter his old boss Nick Cave is, as a vocalist, arranger, and producer, he's an estimable talent, and Five Ways to Say Goodbye is a remarkable work that's deeply moving and crafted with intelligence and heart. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	05/10/2024
Label:	Mute U.S.
UPC:	5400863156435
Rank:	50827

Tracks

1. Heaven's Gate
2. We Had an Island
3. Demolition
4. The Art of Darkness
5. Setting You Free
6. Alone With the Stars
7. Nashville High
8. Ghost Ships
9. Dirtnap Stories
10. When We Were Beautiful & Young
11. A Suitcase in Berlin
12. Like a Hurricane

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mick Harvey   Primary Artist,Keyboards,Bass,Drums,Guitar,Vocals

Technical Credits

Mick Harvey   Translation,String Arrangements,Composer,Producer
Louis Tillett   Composer
Chris Bailey   Composer
Ed Kuepper   Composer
David McComb   Composer
Pinelli   Composer
Peter Milne   Cover Photo
Bruno Adams   Composer
David McCluney   Engineer
Mikey Young   Mastering
Ralph Siegel   Composer
Lo Carmen   Composer
Amanda Acevedo   Cover Layout,Assistant Producer
Michele Postpischi   Composer
Francesca Bono   Composer
Tato Izzia   Composer
Lee Hazlewood   Composer
Neil Young   Composer