Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God

This LP reminds me of 15 years ago when a label would try to grab few dollars by pressing a super brickwalled CD master to vinyl. However, JNH I'm sure did the best he could with the files he got. Cave says of the mixing process " it's so compressed, and all our beautiful strings are sort of just crashed into all the synths and the choirs are all sort of crushed. And we listen to it again. And by the third time, we just loved this sound. It just leapt out at you." Well from my Linn/Lyra/Naim/Lyra/AudioPhysic system (which would run about $10k used), this is a flat sounding as can be. There is no spread, no dynamics, nothing is distinct from anything else, just a sonic blob, even drums. This dramatically reduces the musical impact. Unfortunately I preordered and didn't listen until the return window closed. But other than holding a monument to your love of Cave, there is no reason to own this LP. Maybe someday the music will be remixed propertly.

I have both Clear and black vinyl... No one to save the other unfortunately :(
Sound is distorted, there is sibilance in some parts, instruments are muffled (not the voice), a lot of static electricity impossible to erase (I use cork slipmat and special brush). I washed them with liquid gel (the best in my opinion) but nothing change. Still noisy and distorted.
One of the worst pressing in my collection.

(Rega P3 + 2M Bronze)

I agree with some of the other posters, the pressing quality if this release (clear vinyl version) isn't all that bad, in fact it's fairly decent. Surface noise is fairly minimal, and flat with only very slight warping on side one. Inner groove distortion may or may not be present, it's not obvious, and could just be the over-compression that's very audible on the louder denser tracks on both sides. The quieter songs are mastered fairly well, whereas the louder songs lack dynamics and the louder you turn them up the worse they sound. This is all a pity given that the music itself is exceptionable and this release is worth owning.

just came to confirm that the packaging is a pain in the neck, impossible to put the inner sleeve back inside, and larger than other records so it can be difficult to store.

the sound, however, is pretty good. most songs shine much more than on streaming.

Such a loud, but beautiful album, filled with love and understanding. It feels like you're listening to their whole discography (very similar to Skeleton Tree espacially), but at the same time it's a completly new world of sound you encounter. Really showcases the genius of Nick Cave and his band mates.

Such a loud, but beautiful album, filled with love and understanding. It feels like you're listening to their whole discography (very similar to Skeleton Tree espacially), but at the same time it's a completly new world of sound you encounter. Really showcases the genius of Nick Cave and his band mates.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have always been masters of dark, brooding narratives, and Wild God is no exception. From the moment the needle hits the groove, you’re pulled into a world of haunting melodies and introspective lyrics that feel like an exploration of the sacred and the profane.

The album opens with “Spirit of the Plains,” a slow-burning track that blends melancholic strings with Cave’s deep, resonant voice, setting the tone for an introspective journey. There’s a rawness to each song, as if they were plucked directly from the deepest recesses of Cave’s soul.

“Sacred Fire” stands out as a testament to the band’s ability to balance intense emotion with subtle instrumentation. The minimalist piano pairs perfectly with Cave’s yearning vocals, building tension that erupts in bursts of cathartic release.

Tracks like “Darkness Calls” and “Dust and Bones” show off the Bad Seeds’ versatility, weaving elements of blues, gothic rock, and folk into an ethereal tapestry. Lyrically, Cave is at his best here, musing on love, loss, and the divine with his characteristic wit and poetic prowess.

The title track, “Wild God,” is a climactic centerpiece—a haunting, almost hymn-like piece that lingers long after it’s over. It’s this spiritual yet defiant essence that makes the album so compelling; each song feels like a conversation with the divine, grappling with faith, despair, and everything in between.

Wild God is a bold and beautifully unsettling album. It demands your attention and, more importantly, your willingness to confront the uncomfortable emotions it stirs up. In true Nick Cave fashion, it’s not just an album—it’s a transformative experience.

The sleeve is larger than standard so that I cannot store it along with my collection. That’s disappointing.
After that quality of recording is pretty good, music is beautiful.

Unfortunately, my copy sounds very poor. Side B (Conversion - Cinnamon Horses - Long Dark Night) have really lots of noise. Ordered at official web site.

Agree with everyone that Side A sounds like one of the old cassettes I used to tape off the radio when young. It gets better about half way through Side B. I can get the record back in the sleeve though! As for the music, I have read quite a few reviews of the record, and they were obviously listening to something different to me. I cant hear the "joyous optimism" (and frankly, I wouldn't expect it) and more to the point, I can't hear The Bad Seeds. For me this is, at best, a Cave / Ellis record and maybe even a Nick solo album - one that marks the point where he sees himself morphing into Leonard Cohen. For me, the last Bad Seeds record was Push The Sky Away ... and I know others would place it even earlier, at the point Mick Harvey left. But this certainly isn't a Bad Seeds record; the fact there was "additional recording" at a studio in Fremantle round the corner from where Marty lives, suggests he didn't even turn up for the main sessions. Oh and... Its not even very good. Its probably unfair to expect outstanding creativity from Nick as 60 is further behind him than 70 is in front. There are a couple of decent tunes here and if he wants to wax elegiac in his retirement, fine. But yet somehow I do expect more of him. And don't start me on the artwork