New songs
23 November 2023
American singer-songwriter Will Oldham released last summer
a new Bonnie “Prince” Billy titled Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You.
He recorded the LP in his Louisville home studio with local musicians.
Now he shared a new song with the same title as that album,
but wasn’t on it, with another group of friends.
A characteristic nostalgic BPB musing featuring a not-credited female singer.
SONG
ALBUM
13 August 2023
Prolific American folk troubadour WILL OLDHAM, better
known by his artist name BONNIE “PRINCE” BILLY released
his umpteenth album, baptized KEEPIG SECRETS WILL DESTROY YOU
yesterday.
AllMusic: “The open-air sound and restrained instrumentation — there are no drums, and some songs barely rise above the level of a whisper, add to the soft, contemplative air that breathes throughout. On every track, Oldham’s voice and ever-unique songwriting style are in the spotlight. Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You is slow moving, intentional, and mysterious, with Oldham’s long-practiced balance of menace and thoughtfulness at its peak. Like the best of Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s work that came before it, Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You is the kind of record that gets played over and over until it feels like a part of the listener’s personal history.” Score: 4.5/5.
Single ‘Bananas’
TUTV: BPB is an expert when it comes to writing/recording/releasing intimate
music that slows down busy states of minds and gets you in a tranquillizing mood,
away from our rat-race reality. His cosy, crooning voice is, as usual, the star in the middle, co-caused by the minimal, acoustic guitar/violin, sound approach. Most of BPB’s songs here have a bittersweet melodic and catching resonance and feature touching female vocals here and there. Soul-stirring record.
STREAM
.
BUY
.
BPB: All Albums – Instagram
(Photo BPB: from cover of his ‘Songs of Love and Horror‘ album)
Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy about his
long-time idol Jonathan Richman who turned 70 today…
Happy 70, roadrunner…
6 May 2021
Artists: MATT SWEENEY and BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY (Will Oldham)
Album: SUPERWOLVES
Released: 30 April 2021
Order info: here
Info via Domino Records: Where once was Superwolf, now roam
Superwolves, the new album and demon spawn of Sweeney and Billy.
The twin forces united to save up from the complicity of our own
distruction.
Artwork: Cover art was designed by filmaker Harmonie Korine,
also featuring a brand new portrait from world-renowned artist
Peter Doig.
(video still)
Pitchfork verdict: “16 years after Oldham’s tender singing and Sweeney’s cable-knit guitars made the original an underground classic, they return with Superwolves, an album that is, just as its title suggests, both a continuation of ‘Superwolf’ and something more. On the album, the duo let us in on a decades-long conversation, their respective instruments virtually finishing one another’s thoughts. Their bond is so deep, and their knowledge of one another is so profound, it’s essentially impossible to hear the boundary between them.” Full review here. Score: 8/10.
Turn Up The Volume: These two eternal troubadours do not have the masses of fans and mainstream success as master crooner Nick Cave, but they sure are in the same league of remarkable singers/songwriters. A duo made in purgatory making heavenly music for the afterlife. This record will last for a long time, a very long time.
Highlights: Good To My Girls / Hall Of Death / There Must Be A Someone /
My Blue Suit / My Body Is My Own
– HALL OF DEATH –
– MY BLUE SUIT –
– RESIST THE URGE –
Full album…
.
DOMINO: Website
New sonic impulses…
25 March 201
American singer/songwriters Matt Sweeney and Bonnie “Prince” Billy
(who seems to sleep with his guitar lately. He’s everywhere) joined forces
in 2005 for a longplayer called Superwolf.
They got together again to can another LP, titled,
eh… Superwolves. Out 30 April. More info here.
One of the 14 tracks is MY BLUE SUIT. A characteristic
troubadour ballad. Smooth, mellow, and romantic.
Enjoy…
9 January 2021
American crooners Bill Callahan and Bonnie “Prince” Billy already teamed up
last year for a couple of covers and in the early days of 2021 we get another one.
This time the duo picked a song called Miracles by the late Memphis soul and gospel singer Johnnie Frierson (1945-2010). In the sixties, Frierson was a member of soul
group The Drapels but also performed/wrote as a solo artist.
He had to leave music behind after being drafted and fighting in the Vietnam War
and came back traumatized. In the ’90s he sold home-recorded cassettes to pay
the bills. In 2012 a reissue of a collection of Frierson’s self-released songs saw the
day of light. Miracles is one of them.
Callahan and Oldham recorded their take with psych rocker Ty Segall.
Sing the blues, guys…
The original…
23 November 2020
Back in 2005 lone wolves Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney teamed
up for a collaborative album called Superwolf.
After all these years the pair returned last March with new music, a raw ripsnorter
called You’ll Get Eaten, Too (listen below) and also announced that a new Superwolf album was “fully rendered, awesome and now awaiting the new world order to be sorted.”
So far no further news, except for a brand new piece, titled MAKE WORRY FOR ME.
A puzzling humdinger with a spellbinding outcome. Stirring stuff.
Transfixing performance…
Previously shared track You’ll Get Eaten, Too…
.
17 November 2020
Bill Callahan and Bonnie “Prince” Billy are two of a kind. Two emotional American songwriters and crooners, each blessed with a characterful voice that stands out in
their emotive works.
The two teamed up, including some friends, for a series of covers. So far they gave
us their version of songs by Cat Stevens, Hank Williams Jr, The Other Years, Dave Rich
and ‘wish you were gay‘ by teenage phenomenon Billie Eilish.
And they just shared another one, featuring their pal Bill Mackay. This time it’s
a song by 70s jazzy art-rockers Steely Dan. Bill & Bonnie picked DEACON BLUES
from the duo’s 1977 masterpiece Aja.
Tune in here…
The original…
Going back in sonic history looking for memorable albums…
18 January 2019
Artist: WILL OLDHAM aka BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY
Album: I SEE A DARKNESS – Oldham’s sixth LP,
but the first one under his ‘new’ name
Released: 19 January 1999 – 20 years ago
ALL MUSIC wrote: “Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s album I See a Darkness seems to pick up where
Will Oldham’s 1997 album Joya left off. A more melodic style than the veteran Palace listener might be used to. Oldham definitely hasn’t abandoned his foundation of mordant lyrics and minimalist arrangements, but he has built a variety of different layers that make this album an emotional and pleasurable listening experience… Oldham has always given the kind of energy to his character’s voices that most people are afraid to relate to.”
TURN UP THE VOLUME! says: Deepening thoughts and
darkish pensiveness wrapped in affecting songs.
ALBUM in full…
.
BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY: Biography