Album of the Day-April 29

The Birthday Party — Prayers on Fire

The Birthday Party — Prayers on Fire

The Birthday Party — Prayers on Fire

29.April.2020
The Birthday Party
Prayer on Fire
1981

Living in NYC in the early ’90s, my roommate returned home after scoring some LSD. Naturally, we decided to drop some acid…and he also took it upon himself to introduce me to The Birthday Party.

A word tot he wise — this is not the best way to be introduced to this band.

Before Nick Cave became Nick Cave, he was the lead singer in this band.

The Birthday Party was only active for five years, but in that time created a sound that was so unique that it culminated with Prayers of Fire — an album that sounds as refreshing today as it must have in 1981…only less jarring.

This band was a sonic bouillabaisse of genres — rockabilly, free form jazz, blues, avant-garde while Cave’s lyrics were much darker. The Birthday Party would become a large influence on the growing gothic music scene.

More recently bands like My Bloody Valentine and LCD Soundsystem have cited The Birthday Party as an influence.

Prayers of Fire is not an album for everyone or for the narrow mind. It’s an assault on your auditory senses, but not in the same way Lou Reed Metal Machine Music or any Yoko Ono album is…this is more coherent and embraces song structures. That said, the lyrics are dark as shit…which tracks for gothic music.

Some critics have said this album is like listening to a Jackson Pollack painting…and, to be honest, I can’t find a better description. That works.

I survived, but I must suggest that you avoid strong psychedelics if you’re going to drop the needle or press play on The Birthday Party’s Prayers of Fire for the first time— it’s a challenging, yet rewarding, album and best heard with a clear head.