Log #96 - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - A Master For Everyone

I do love Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. Every album I have heard of his is class. This one Master and Everyone is short and soft - it's effortless lo-fi, mostly just acoustic guitar and his whispered voice with occasional fiddle, bass and backing vocal accompaniment. I would imagine the 'Bonnie Prince', real name Will Oldham, is an interesting chap judging by his lyrics and music videos. There is one video in particular that reminds me of one of the scariest scenes in the brilliant first season of True Detective. It's not a track from this album but I'm going to find that video now and compare it with what I recall in True Detective.

And then there's this beauty Hard Life from this album:

Youth and Young Manhood is the debut album from Kings of Leon released in 2003. It's a good rock album with 4 or 5 catchy numbers and a singer in Caleb Followill who possesses an unusually gruff and slurred vocal delivery sounding like someone twice his age. I guess that's the band's main USP albeit not being able to decipher most of the words leads to faint annoyance. They also looked unusual with their long hair and big beards recalling other Southern rock stalwarts like ZZTop and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Kings of Leon hail from Nashville).

Later on the Kings hit the big time, cut their hair, smartened up their look and sound, and lost a bit of their original mystic but with this debut album you can see why they made such an impact early doors.

We all know The Dark Side of the Moon of course, which remains a great listen even given its ubiquity. But less of us have heard the brilliant Easy Stars All Stars reggae cover of the album Dub Side of The Moon or this compilation of covers presented by Mojo magazine.

This Mojo compilation has some really interesting interpretations of these well worn classics like this one from Matt Berry...

Or this back to basics cover of Money by The Pineapple Thief...

Additionally the CD also collects covers of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here too... Lia Ices interpretation of the title track is particularly impressive breathing new life into this well known song:

Efterklang remain one of my favourite bands despite their latest album taking them a bit off the rails in my opinion. Tripper is officially their debut album from 2004 although it is now often twinned with the earlier (and now extended) EP Springer released originally in 2003. It is full of interesting electronic clicks and beats. Parades, their follow up album from 2007, I have always had trouble fully appreciating with it's ambitious arrangements. For new listeners I'd recommend the more fully rounded experimental pop they produced on Magic Chairs and Piramida.

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1. Kings of Leon - Youth and Young Manhood

2. Bonnie Prince Billy - Master and Everyone

3. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

4. Mojo Presents - Return to the Dark Side of the Moon with Wish You Were Here Again

5. Efterklang - Parades

6. Efterklang - Tripper