Moby Emerges from Seclusion with “Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt”

Moby
Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt (Mute Records)

By turns Haunting and filled with despair, the latest release from Moby beautifully tackles the brokenness of humanity in these modern times. With subtext clearly criticizing our nightmare-inducing Commander-in-Chief, Moby explores ideas such as finding solace through spirituality and the spirit of individuality. Musically, he returns to his roots by bringing orchestral, soul, trip-hop and gospel sounds into his mixes. On the album’s definitive highlight, “Like a Motherless Child,” featuring LA-based songstress Raquel Rodriguez, Moby reworks a well-known spiritual of the American South previously reinterpreted by the likes of Odetta, Lena Horne, Mahalia Jackson and Van Morrison. And for those curious: yes, the title of the album is a reference to Billy Pilgrim’s epitaph in Kurt Vonnegut’s classic 1969 novel, Slaughterhouse-Five. Moby will be bringing the album to life for audiences at live shows throughout the year; for more on how you can attend, visit moby.com.

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