LA based British producer Nick Launay is best known for his work with PiL, Talking Heads, Gang Of Four and The Slits. He first worked with Nick Cave and Mick Harvey when he produced The Birthday Party's classic 1981 single, 'Release the Bats'. His input to the "Nocturama' sessions brought out the power and energy in the band, exploiting the combustible potential of the musicians. The band's sheer pleasure in playing together built on the intention to loosen up the process and "Nocturama" emerged with rawness in both the driven and the gentle songs.

"Nocturama" spans emotional surrender to venomous black humour and engages in a wide range of themes. There is a tender sunset song of hope; an elegant piano song of longing; a yawing, dark violin waltz; a swaggering pledge of love; a raucous abominable tale; a sorrowful evocation of loss; a nostalgic meditation; a fragrant love epiphany; and one final, lustful demonic epic.

Some of the loveliest, most compelling songs are the gentle ones like the opening 'Wonderful Life', or the simple rendering of nostalgia in 'There Is A Town'. Forthcoming single 'Bring It On' sees the band hitting a bold, superfly noir groove and features an outstanding duetted vocal from Chris Bailey, formerly the singer with Brisbane's glorious pre-punk nihilists The Saints. 'Dead Man in My Bed' further raises noise levels as Cave takes the perspective of a woman afflicted with a useless partner. The album's most spectacular song is saved until the end when The Bad Seeds unleash the flaming, fifteen minute epic, 'Babe, I'm On Fire'.

"Nocturama" might well be the complete Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds panorama.

Producers:  Nick Launay and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds