Bonnie 'Prince' Billy at Peace? Master and Everyone

The voices in Will Oldham's head that speak to us via his Bonnie 'Prince' Billy incarnation are not peaceful ones. This is an album of universal questions, asked on a personal level. What role does traditional love hold in the modern world? How does one reconcile the undeniable evil in us all? Heavy stuff - but all these questions relate to Oldham alone. The outsider looking in. It's a long decade ...

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Log #186 - Two Hermetical Geniuses - Hollis and Sylvian

Talk Talk - The Colour Of Spring Nitin Sawhney - Beyond Skin Talk Talk - The Party's Over Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden Bonnie Prince Billy - The Letting Go David Sylvian - Everything And Nothing (CD2) “I want to write stuff that you’ll be able to listen to in 10 years’ time”. Mark Hollis Notwithstanding the slightly overbearing ...

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Log #185 - A Wonder Of Mood, David Sylvian's Wandermüde

Last week, although I liked it, I bemoaned the fact that David Sylvian's experimental Manafon album might have been better without singing. This week my wishes were granted with his 2013 follow up Wandermüde which turns out to be a pure ambient piece, with indeed no vocals.  David Sylvian - Wandermüde David Sylvian - Manafon Bonnie Prince Billy - The ...

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Log #184 - Sylvian Span

Steeleye Span are another band, new to me, that cropped up through reading the excellent Electric Eden anthology of English music. A shout out on Twitter suggested Below The Salt was a good place to start.  At first it sounded a bit too folky for me but it gradually started to resonate as I tuned in to the Sandy Denny era Fairport Convention vibes. Steeleye ...

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Log #183 - Two Sides Of Bonnie Prince Billy

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Union Cafe Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Music From The Penguin Cafe  Bonnie Prince Billy - The Letting Go Soft Hair - Soft Hair Jerry Paper - Like A Baby Bonnie Prince Billy - Summer In The Southeast Bonnie Prince Billy's The Letting Go album fondly reminds me of his Lie Down In The Light album (which followed). Fairly down ...

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Log #179 - What Next? Heaven Or Las Vegas

Another clean sweep of the magazine this week: everybody out, new lot in please (often precipitated by a visit of friends over the weekend). Next is many fans' favourite Alex Harvey (SAHB) album. I have it at no. 3 in my personal rundown. Next from 1973 was Harvey's second album with the Sensational Band although he'd made solo albums before teaming up with the former Tear Gas band ...

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An Organic Ambitious Work Of Great Depth - Bonnie "Prince" Billy's Beware

Following hard on the heels of 2008's Lie Down In The Light, Beware is Will Oldham's alter-ego Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's eighth solo album. It is – unsurprisingly – an organic work of great depth and texture. The melody and sense of acute longing that has infused Oldham's work since his earliest days with Palace is very much present and correct. Beware is an intimate album, full of strong emotion ...

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Log #97 - A Gang Of Dead Bees

The Guardian's readers recommend series, which I only discovered two weeks ago, is now being withdrawn after 13 years! This was a disappointment for both new contributors like me who was hoping to curate a playlist myself in the future, and stalwarts who have kept the concept going all this time. They will now be congregating over at the similarly formatted song-bar.com . The final topic ...

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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 ...

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Log #95 - Another Year Of The Cat

A masterful album that seems to transcend all personal tastes - Al Stewart's 1976 masterpiece Year of the Cat is universally loved by all. 1. Black Sabbath - We Sold Our Soul For Rock 'n' Roll cd 2 2. Richard Hawley - True Love's Gutter 3. Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat 4. Roni Size and Reprazent - New Forms 5. Other Lives - Tamer Animals 6. Bonnie Prince Billy - Lie ...

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Log #11 - Who Were Those Roxy Music Cover Girls?

Back to some basics this week with some (mostly) unplugged Americana albums from The Felice Brothers and the incomparable Bonnie "Prince" Billy, plus a unique fusion of country and acid (yes, you read right) from Brixton's Alabama 3, and a look at the 70s album covers of a classic glam rock band. Last week I mentioned The Felice Brothers in the same breath as Wilco, Tom Waits and Bob ...

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