In January of last year, Nick Cave wrote in his newsletter The Red Hand Files, “My plan for this year is to make a new record with the Bad Seeds.” 2019’s Ghosteen was their last LP (which we discussed with Warren Ellis), and today they finally announced its follow-up, Wild God. The title track is out now.

“I hope the album has the effect on listeners that it’s had on me,” Cave said in a statement. “It bursts out of the speaker, and I get swept up with it. It’s a complicated record, but it’s also deeply and joyously infectious. There is never a master plan when we make a record. The records rather reflect back the emotional state of the writers and musicians who played them. Listening to this, I don’t know, it seems we’re happy.”

Cave began writing Wild God on the first day of 2023. It’s produced by Cave and Ellis, and mixed by David Fridmann. It has contributions from Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood as well as Luis Almau.

“Wild God… there’s no fucking around with this record. When it hits, it hits. It lifts you. It moves you. I love that about it,” Cave added.

Hear “Wild God” below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Song Of The Lake”
02 “Wild God”
03 “Frogs”
04 “Joy”
05 “Final Rescue Attempt”
06 “Conversion”
07 “Cinnamon Horses”
08 “Long Dark Night”
09 “O Wow O Wow (How Wonderful She Is)”
10 “As The Waters Cover The Sea”

Wild God is out 8/30.