If you’re already a fan of Nick Cave then you really only need to ask yourself how much you dig his song The Mercy Seat before buying this 12” Single. I mean, you’re gonna have to really really dig The Mercy Seat if you’re gonna buy this cause you’ll be listening to it four friggin’ times in a row. Listen, the song was good enough for Johnny Cash to cover on “American III” (although I suspect Rick Rubin picked many of the songs for Cash)… but then again Cash also covered Depeche Mode so maybe he’s not the best gauge for whether or not this is a good enough song to listen to over and over and over and over again. That’s the thing about singles; they’re kinda ridiculous when there’s not a proper B-Side track. I mean idiots can listen to the same shitty Lady GaGa song all fucking day long (and if you listen to Top 40 radio you will) but people with discerning music tastes (like we here at The FSS) need a little variety. That’s not to say that I’ve never listened to the same song more than once in a day, but generally if I do it’s cause I’m listening to the same album multiple times.
This single was one of this year’s Record Store Day promos in the UK. Now it’s made its way stateside thanks to Mute Records and I’ve seen it in a couple shops already including Rebel Rebel and Vintage Vinyl. So it shouldn’t be hard to find. Mute’s website says it’s limited to 1000 copies but I’m not sure if that includes the ones being sold in the U.S. The four versions of The Mercy Seat include the original from 1988’s “Tender Prey”, an acoustic version, and two live versions (one of which is frenzied and one of which is slightly more subdued).
All right so music aside, is this worth buying? If you’re a fan of Cave the short answer is yes. The packaging is really nice with a simple white cover and a gold embossed electric chair (the song is about being executed if you didn’t know). The vinyl itself is a white heavyish stock 12”. And while it doesn’t come with a download code, four songs aren’t that much of a biatch to digitize your damn self if you really need to. So based on looks alone this will sit nicely in your collection. Again though, I doubt you’ll be spinning it all the time unless… awww shit The Mercy Seat is your jam.
I’m writing all of this of course under the assumption that you know who Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds are. If you don’t then I can’t really help you (but here’s a hint, he’s been in some great movies like The Rock and Con Air).
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