It's only an artist supremely confident in his art who can begin an album with the string-band hoedown that is "Beware Your Only Friend" (complete with rustic handclaps and a mixed vocal chorus). But Bonnie "Prince" Billy is certainly an artist comfortable in any surrounding, from the Baroque isolationism of The Letting Go and the laid-back charm of Lie Down in the Light to the smooth countrypolitanism of Sings Greatest Palace Music. Musically, Beware has a bit of everything; although nothing is as spare and haunted as The Letting Go, Billy moves from modern string band to smooth strings-and-slide to ragged alt country without batting an eyelash -- and that's just the first three songs. Oldham also has no fear in his lyricism, which intersperses clear, direct thoughts about relationships with metaphors or language that cloud the issues just as the sun was beginning to shine (that's just his neo-primitivist take on "the old, weird America"). Simply contrast his divulging lyrics on "You Don't Love Me" ("You say you like my eyes only, or just the way I giggle/Sometimes you like the smell of me or how my stomach jiggles") to the fatalist cipher that appears in "Death Final": "In a pit of bodies, I am loved by all/ By hamhock and by handkerchief, by damsel and by dall." Befitting the title, there are many cautionary notes to be found, such as the opener "Your Only Friend" ("I want to be your only friend/Beware of me") and "You Are Lost" ("Well you are bound to be put down at any cost, and if you listen to me you are lost"). The band, anchored by guitarist Emmett Kelly, bassist Joshua Abrams, percussionist Michael Zerang, and violinist Jennifer Hutt, provide close accompaniment, sometimes hesitating after a verse to pick up on Oldham's next declamatory phrase. A few arrangements may turn even the staunchest alt country stomachs, with a loose-limbed gawkiness that any musician under the age of 50 would have trouble pulling off; Oldham does indeed pull it off, but that won't make it any easier for some listeners. Oldham's brand of folk music is certainly old enough and weird enough, but there are noticeably fewer moments of beauty and fewer lyrical revelations than on his best material.
The recent interview with Will Oldham in The Wire is coyly revealingabout his approach to the Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy moniker he has beenmaking music under for around ten years now. He describes it as quiteliterally another being he inhabits, often blending seamlessly with“Will Oldham” and not just present for his role as songwriter and performer.
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Remember the Beatles tune "Hello Goodbye"? Lyrics go something like "You say hello, and I say goodbye."Adding to his music catalog another song that starts with "I am..." (see "I Am Cinematographer" and "I a\Am Sky"), indie singer-songwriter and Allen Ginsberg beard thief Bonnie "Prince" Billy has invented his own 21st century folk version of the Beatles classic with "I Am Goodbye." Layered wit...
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The prolific Bonnie "Prince" Billie aka Will Oldham strikes again with a video from the upcoming Beware, out 3/17. The video is just him walking down the street singing, smiling, and bouncing, but looking like he does, that is pretty entertaining. Stereogum labels this song an "Americana march" pretty accurately. I don't like everything that Bonnie does, but he does a lot. I would say he has mo...
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Will Oldham, the man behind Bonnie "Prince" Billy, did an interview today with WNYC, to promote his forthcoming album, Beware. Speaking with WNYC's John Schaefer, Oldham says he called his album Beware because he likes to warn people before listening that he "can't tell you if this is good for you or not." Oldham also performs a brand new song called "You Can't Hurt Me Now," that reminds me of ...
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Hey, girls, you can stop making food in the kitchen and washing clothes now — boys, stop playing with your nuts: Bonnie "Prince" Billy is back on the attack! On March 17, Drag City will release a brand new album, Beware, which is being described as his "most ambitious" by his publicist. In fact, the press release is all kinds of colorful: "It blooms in low light and cold but thrives in the sun.
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Our favorite folk singer Bonnie "Prince" Billy ready to release another big album of him...
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Troubador, Will Oldham (aka: Bonnie "Prince" Billy) has performed and released albums under various different pseudonyms including, Palace and Palace Music. His music is beautiful and honest; so honest that, at times, some may even consider it vulgur. His fans vary as much as his monikers, which may be explained through his range of collaborations. Oldham has released musical projects with ...
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The recent interview with Will Oldham in The Wire is coyly revealingabout his approach to the Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy moniker he has beenmaking music under for around ten years now. He describes it as quiteliterally another being he inhabits, often blending seamlessly with“Will Oldham” and not just present for his role as songwriter and performer.
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Today's video comes to us from Will Oldham aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Tiny Mix Tapes has news of a new Bonnie "Prince" Billy album set to be released on March 17th of 2009, called Beware , an LP that is being described as his "most ambitious" to date.Anyway, in keeping with the tradition of featuring simple animation videos, here is an old one (Hullo, from two years ago!) for the song Agnes, ...
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 "Beware")
