There aren’t enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe the impact Mick Harvey has made on music. As a founding member of seminal and legendary bands, The Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, his contributions to indie music are self-evident, his ability to write and co-write some of the classic songs of these bands have only been matched by his cool and collective demeanour – a steadfast hand at the tiller in bands containing the most explosive personalities (Tracy Pew, Rowland S Howard and of course Nick Cave). Since leaving Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Harvey has not been idle – releasing solo albums (including a luminescent Gainsbourg series), writing screen music and playing live .
Harvey has just released a new single – a translation and reworking of Marlene Dietrich’s ode to the lure of Berlin and an updated take on the classic ‘Ich Hab’ Noch Einen Koffer in Berlin’ – and announced the release of a new solo album with Amanda Acevedo, as well as extensive tour dates. This is his first solo material for ten years.
In addition, Harvey has announced reissues of earlier work – ‘One Man’s Treasure’ and ‘Two of Diamonds’ are being released together in a double album package on gold and red vinyl respectively. For ‘Two of Diamonds’ it is the first time the material has been available on vinyl. ‘Sketches from the Book of the Dead’ will also be available on gold vinyl and ‘FOUR (Acts of Love)’ on silver. So much joy ahead.
Harvey’s reinterpretation of ‘A Suitcase in Berlin’ is stately and ethereal – backed by weeping strings and a fin de siecle glamour with hints of bacchanalia and excess, underpinned by a sonorous rumble that ebbs and flows under Harvey’s baritone vocals, with a heavenly choir in the ether.
The track is available now below and through all the usual streaming and download sites including here.
Harvey has also announced a comprehensive live calendar for the year covering both Australia and Europe.
Australian dates:
19 February – St. Kilda Festival, Melbourne (Mick Solo show with band)
Free entry event
Shows with J.P. Shilo set
25 February – Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne (tickets here)
https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/tickets/malthouse-outdoor-stage/mick-harvey-j-p-shilo/
26 February – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine (tickets here)
European Shows:
With Amanda Acevedo, J.P. Shilo and Sometimes with Others
4 May – Leipzig (DE) – Moritzbastei
5 May – Wroclaw (PL) – Akademia
6 May – Wien (AT) – Porgy & Bess
7 May – Munich (DE) – Rote Sonne
9 May – Bologna (IT) – Locomotiv
10 May – Montecosaro (IT) – Mount Echo
11 May – Torino (IT) – Spazio 211
13 May – Belgrade (RS) – KC Grad
14 May – Zagreb (HR) – Mocvara
15 May – Ljubljana (SI) – Gala Hala
17 May – Geneva (CH) – L’Usine
18 May – Martigny (CH) – Caves du Manoir
20 May – Paris (FR) – Petit Bain
21 May – Kortrijk (BE) – Wildewesten
22 May – Liege (BE) – Reflektor
23 May – Hamburg (DE) – Kampnagel
24 May – Copenhagen (DE) – Loppen
27 May – Brno (CZ) – Mersey Gathering 4
28 May – Berlin (DE) – Lido
More details and tickets here.
[…] With gems like this, Harvey’s music is still beautiful and young. This follows earlier single ‘A Suitcase in Berlin (reviewed by me here) […]