I think the SQ is OK (not fantastic) but his voice is often a bit strained. On Carnage and Ghosteen it was a bit lower and more textured. I think he sounds better with that almost-talking style.
I am working at it growing on me!
Bruce
I listened to some of his output a year or so ago and I found it rather miserable.
Where have I gone wrong, or maybe where would you/others recommend starting in the discography? Maybe his style just isn’t for me, though I seem to manage to enjoy all manner of what many would consider to be rubbish as well as more sophisticated music and miserable output from other bands.
I like miserable music, and find it much more interesting than shiny happy stuff. A couple of albums to try are Let Love In and The Boatman’s Call. If you don’t like either of those, Cave is probably not for you, and there’s nowt wrong with that.
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‘Boatmans Call’ and ‘Push The Sky Away’ are great (and quite different) without being as complex and perhaps challenging as ‘Skeleton Tree’/‘Ghosteen’/‘Carnage’. "No More Shall We Part’ is another good intro to accesible early Cave.
Bruce’
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Grey vinyl for me and it sounds good, impeccably pressed too, not one ‘click’.
I do get why some are saying the production is poor but I don’t think it is. The sound he’s gone for, IMHO, is what I ‘gritty and edgy’, I know that’s not particularly helpful but just my impression.
The orchestra’s put to the front on many tracks and this can come over messing with the Bad Seeds instruments. His voice is closely miked but you can hear every nuance & texture of his unique singing/spoken voice.
It’s similar in sound to Ghosteen & Skeleton Tree to me.
So that’s my take, gritty, & dirty (sometimes a little ‘busy’) but not poor production!
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Many thanks for the suggestions @HungryHalibut and @BruceW, will check them out.
There’s also of course the fact that a lot of music simply doesn’t resonate on a first listening. With artists you know and like you give new albums a chance. There must be so much music out there that people would actually enjoy if they had the time and motivation to liaten to a few times before deciding.
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And there’s lots of music that some just don’t like (I never say “don’t get” as to me that always sounds patronising), and thats fine.
There’s plenty of artists/music that I don’t like that lots of others do & that’s what makes our hobby so interesting.
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Absolutely. And to dismiss something just because the ‘sound quality’ isn’t what you like seems a bit silly. Not everything should sound like Brothers in Arms.
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His music has changed dramatically from the first bad seeds album through to Wild God. It’s possible to enjoy his first album and get nothing from his last. My personal favourite is still The Good Son. His music becomes more sophisticated as time moves on. His 2 Grinderman albums might suit anyone looking for rocky stuff. The First Born is Dead (2nd album) is terrific. He’s in a run of samey stuff just now I think. If you like 1 of his recent albums you’ll likely enjoy them all.
As for the ‘production’ it’s a bit odd I think. It’s not hifi demonstration quality for sure, neither is it detrimental to my listening pleasure. It sounds like the seeds and the orchestra were in different studios (they were) and the two bits haven’t been slotted together perfectly. Cave produced it himself so he must be happy.
I have every Seeds album. Love them all. This one’s also great for me.
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It’s well worth listening to Tender Prey, which contains the incredibly powerful song The Mercy Seat, about death on the electric chair. And if you haven’t heard it, Johnny Cash’s cover is just as good, albeit very different.
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When I hear the phrase ‘it’s growing on me’ I can’t help but think that it’s pretty much rubbish but I don’t know how to admit it… I once bought a Bert Jansch album in a panic as the shop was closing. Took me many painful hours of enforced listening before I could accept I’d bought a bummer 
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Yes, and as ‘Hurt’ it’s one of the two covers that I prefer Cash’s versions.
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I am sure the SQ is exactly what Nick Cave intended and 99% of buyers will not give two figs about it either way. Only the 1% of us with “real” music systems will expose the harsh edges and distortion. As I said, I do love the album but I would have preferred a more dynamic range and less distortion.
But then it would be a different album. Surely the point of a good stereo is to be able to hear the music as the artist intended? Do you look at a Cézanne and wish the brushstrokes had been a little less defined? It’s art.
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Also try “Idiot Prayer” and “Murder Ballads”…
Andy
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Those with unreal systems will be so spaced out, goodness knows what they’ll hear 
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“Only the 1% of us with “real” music systems“ hopefully you didn’t really mean how you came over with a statement like that 
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Murder Ballads ‘Stagger Lee’ is especially dramatic. (Not suitable for children)
I think there’s a few people here that seem to listen to their electronics rather than the music. I played it again yesterday (louder) and haven’t changed my mind.
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I bought the vinyl. Long time Cave fan from way back to the The Birthday Party days.
I have to agree there is something amiss here in the mixing and mastering. It’s very thin sounding, bright and heavily compressed. Reminds me of all those awful “loudness war” CD of the 90’s