Two covers on the program this week, based on the original “Avalanche” by Leonard Cohen: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Jean-Louis Murat.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Twice times this time, since Avalanche is a creation by Leonard Cohen in his third album in 1971. The version given by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on their first record, the very creepy From Her to Eternity, is much more demonic than that of the Canadian yogi poet. To Cohen's hypnotizing bare guitar playing, the Bad Seeds, where the “industrial” guitarist Blixa Bargeld and the faithful Mick Harvey on percussion stood out at the time, contrasted with a spectral and chilling din as Nick's funeral howls. Cave makes it terrifying. Having calmed down, Cave later gave another piano-violin-voice interpretation, much more faithful to the original. Choose your side, comrade.
Jean-Louis Murat
Lovingly defended by this newspaper and unfortunately becoming an almost underground artist at the end of his career, the mountain man who died a little over a year ago, was a unique composer, but also a very great singer. We can never emphasize enough the vocal level of his interpretations. Opening with the blowing of the wind and the song of a bird from the volcanoes that he loved so much, this version in French was recorded in 1991 for a magnificent “tribute” album sponsored by the Inrocks. Both powerful and tired, the Avalanche de Murat seems to float naked in the winter mist. In this icy natural setting, the way he makes words breathe is totally heartbreaking.
