The journey to creating ‘Wild God’ began with sweeping epic ‘Frogs’. The first lines Cave penned for the album were powerfully evocative, referencing the first murder in the Bible, Cain’s slaying of Abel. He wrote, “Ushering in the week he knelt down and crushed his brother’s head in with a bone/It’s my great privilege to walk you home.” This striking couplet became the opening lines to the song, and set the tone for the imagery and themes that followed.
Cave says, “The sheer exuberance of a song like ‘Frogs’, it just puts a big fucking smile on my face.”
Across ten tracks, the band dance between convention and experimentation, taking left-turns and detours that heighten the rich imagery and emotion in Cave’s soul-stirring narratives. It is the sound of a group emboldened by reconnection and taking flight. There are moments that touch fondly upon the Bad Seeds’ past but they are fleeting, and serve only to imbue the relentless and restless forward motion of the band.
Produced by Cave and Warren Ellis, and mixed by David Fridmann, Cave began writing the album on New Year’s Day 2023. With sessions at Miraval in Provence and Soundtree in London, the Bad Seeds added their unique alchemy, with additional performances from Colin Greenwood (bass) and Luis Almau (nylon string guitar, acoustic guitar).
‘Wild God’ will be released on Bad Seed in partnership with Play It Again Sam on streaming, CD, and standard and limited edition vinyl. The track listing is as follows:
- Song of the Lake
- Wild God
- Frogs
- Joy
- Final Rescue Attempt
- Conversion
- Cinnamon Horses
- Long Dark Night
- O Wow O Wow (How Wonderful She Is)
- As the Waters Cover the Sea
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds recently announced their first headline tour of the UK and Europe since 2017, across 17 countries this Autumn, starting on 24 September in Germany with UK shows from 2 November. Due to huge demand for tickets, the band have since added second shows in Berlin, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Copenhagen, Dublin and London. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are widely regarded as one of the greatest live acts in the world today, and these shows are some of the most hotly anticipated of 2024
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are:
Nick Cave Thomas Wydler Martyn Casey Jim Sclavunos
Warren Ellis George Vjestica