The Firstborn Is Dead

After emerging from the unbridled chaos of the Birthday Party, Cave pursued the ominous, bluesy direction hinted at by his erstwhile band’s later work. 1985’s ‘First Born is Dead’ finds Cave perfecting the punk-blues world he began exploring on ‘From Her to Eternity’.

Combining manic, roots-influenced raving with decadent Brechtian Artsong, Cave comes off like the Australian Jeffrey Lee Pierce. Obsessed with the dark edges of Americana, he tackles the Presley myth (also referenced by the album’s title) on ‘Tupelo,’ delivers an ode to ‘Blind Lemon Jefferson’ and gleefully dismembers Dylan’s outlaw ballad ‘Wanted Man.’ On the artier side, the cabaret-ish ‘The Moon is in the Gutter’ displays the lyrical agility that would soon become a Cave trademark.