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Rating: Beautiful. Truly beautiful, this fourth album by Bonnie "Prince" Billy, known in real life as Will Oldham, formerly a member of Palace. So beautiful that it is truly difficult to find the words to describe it.
Introspective and simple are the first adjectives that come to mind. All the tracks are, in fact, characterized by few acoustic guitar chords and the raw and dry voice of Will Oldham, as in the opening track, "The Way".
There are few exceptions to this pattern, designed with the complicity of Mark Nevers' production from Lambchop. In some songs, such as "Ain't You Wealthy" and "Hard Life," Oldham's almost painful voice is joined by the discreet and whispered voice of Marty Slayton. Occasionally, there are tiny (and beautiful) enhancements: a cello surfaces, a gentle organ, an accordion, or a hint of strings. Originality is certainly not its main virtue. We are, in fact, in the realm of well-established American folk.
However, in just 34 minutes, the Louisville singer-songwriter manages, without ever being clichéd, to move and bring to mind, with his melancholy and bitterness, artists like Nick Drake, Neil Young, and John Martyn. Excuse me if that’s not much.
Tracklist and Videos
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