Where the Viaduct Looms

わずか14歳のミュージシャン、ネル・スミスとザ・フレーミング・リップスによるニック・ケイヴのカヴァー・アルバム。

『Where the Viaduct Looms』はNick Caveのカヴァーを9曲収録したアルバムで、ヴォーカル/インストゥルメンテイションを14歳のNell Smith、インストゥルメンテイション/プロダクションをThe Flaming Lipsが担当。マスタリングはTarbox Road StudiosのDave Fridmannが行った。この感動的で心温まる物語は、イギリスはリーズ出身のSmithがカナダに移住し、12歳の時、家族と一緒に2018年にカルガリーのSled Island Festivalで行われたThe Flaming Lipsのヘッドライン・ショーで初めてWayne Coyneに会った時から始まる。
SmithはすでにThe Flaming Lipsのライヴに何度か参加しており、オウムの着ぐるみを着てバンドの曲を絶叫しながら、ステージ前方にいる常連だった。Coyneはすぐにオウムの着ぐるみを着た子供に気づき始め、カルガリーでのライヴでDavid Bowieのカヴァーを直接彼女に歌ったところ、Smithはすべての言葉を歌い返した。Smithがギターを弾けるようになると、CoyneはSmithや彼女の父親のJudeと連絡を取り合うようになり、音楽的な絆が生まれ、Smithが自分の曲を書き始めると、彼らのクリエイティヴな関係も作られていった。
当初、レコーディングはオクラホマで予定されていたが、コロナの為にキャンセル。代わりに、Coyne はSmithにNick Caveの曲をレコーディングして送り、バンドにプレイしてもらうよう提案した。「SmithはNick Caveを知らないので、歌い方について先入観を持たずにすむ」という理由で、CoyneはNick Caveを選んだ。

Even if its somewhat surprising for the Flaming Lips to record an album of Nick Cave covers with a previously unknown 14-year-old singer/songwriter, its not entirely without precedent. After all, the Lips have reinterpreted albums by the Beatles and Pink Floyd with flair, and their work with Kesha and Miley Cyrus shows their willingness to take young female artists seriously. In particular, their work with Cyrus revealed how striking the combination of a young womans voice with their layered psych-pop could be, and its a blend they take to new levels on Where the Viaduct Looms. After meeting young Canadian superfan Nell Smith at a 2018 show in Calgary, Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne ultimately arranged for Smith and the band to collaborate on a selection of Nick Cave songs, figuring that her lack of knowledge about Caves music would lend a fresh perspective to their renditions. Smiths soft-spoken soprano could hardly be more different than Caves craggy, powerfully enunciated baritone, and her guileless vocals are the bridge between his dark and deeply felt lyrics and the bands ornate sounds. Where the Viaduct Looms shares some of Oczy Mlodys desolate sweetness, particularly on The Ship Songs blissful electronic haze. The Lips seize every opportunity to re-create Caves songs with adventurous production, transforming the hymn-like Into My Arms into a lush track worthy of a futuristic Phil Spector. And, as Coyne had hoped, Smiths vocals help push Viaducts songs further into new territory. At times, the distance between her youthful tone and the world-weary lyrics almost sounds like shes singing in a foreign language. Smith and the Lips use that gap brilliantly on the albums most poignant moments. Their version of Girl in Amber -- which Cave himself praised -- distances itself from the lifetime of mourning he poured into the Skeleton Tree track, resulting in a lighter yet spookier reading thats just as powerful in its own way. Since Cave and the Flaming Lips both know a thing or two about trying to encompass the enormity of mortality and loss in their own very different styles, its not surprising that the simple, haunting versions of Weeping Song and We Know Who You Are are also among the albums standouts. Where the Viaduct Looms is a daring and mostly rewarding undertaking, especially for Smith. Performing the songs of one of alternative musics most acclaimed acts with another backing her, she uncovers meanings and feelings that werent fully present in the original material -- and that bodes well for what she might be capable of with her own songs. ~ Heather Phares