Bonnie Prince Billy / Singer's Grave A Sea Of Tongues
| Album: | Singer's Grave A Sea Of Tongues | Collection: | General | |
| Artist: | Bonnie Prince Billy | Added: | Jan 2015 | |
| Label: | Drag City | |||
A-File Activity
| Add Date: | 2015-01-23 | Pull Date: | 2015-03-27 |
|---|
| Week Ending: | Mar 29 | Mar 1 | Feb 22 | Feb 15 | Feb 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airplays: | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Recent Airplay
| 1. | Mar 26, 2015: | Mountain Music
We Are Unhappy |
4. | Feb 19, 2015: | The Sunset Life
New Black Rich (Tusks) |
|
| 2. | Mar 26, 2015: | Meow
We Are Unhappy |
5. | Feb 09, 2015: | Clean Copper Radio
Mindlessness |
|
| 3. | Feb 27, 2015: | The Sunset Life (Shayde Sartin and Sonny Smith are Cool Guys)
It' Time To Be Clear |
6. | Feb 08, 2015: | New Zoo Emergency Crew
Mindlessness, Ow Math |
Album Review
Pixel
Reviewed 2015-01-19
Reviewed 2015-01-19
Bonnie “Prince” Billy
Singer’s Grave a Sea of Tongues
Sleepy, reflective folk- and country-inspired 11th album from Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy. Listening to this release, one gets the sense that these are songs of novel meaning dug up from memories that Oldham has visited before. His voice is occasionally weary from his travels, through the loss of life partners and the coming of aging, but he manages to finish strong. Sonically the album is mostly acoustic and slower paced, featuring a backing choir, violins and minimal drums.
RIYL Wilco/Tweedy, Bill Callahan, Sufjan Stevens, Jenny Lewis
FCC warning on 4, Favorites(*): 5, 9, 10
1. (4:00) medium slow. bright, gentle guitar picking, clear vocals. sounds like sunny days despite the title “Night Noises.” confessional: “I drink without economy when I go out into the night.”
2. (3:17) mid. darker, defiant, driven. of steeling oneself to be alone.
3. (2:59) slow. nap time. peaceful, melancholy/uplifting combo. nostalgia soaked. includes the phrase “crazy thighs”…
4. (3:59) FCC WARNING (fuck): mid. great pace. opening picking more ominous this time, flanked by violins. choral “ooh”s and female backing vox. pretty.
5. *(4:05) slow. cheerful plucky banjo, group backing choir works great here. titled “We Are Unhappy” but he sings it with a smile.
6. (3:43) slow. understated. a delicate, affectionate, violin-filled lullaby.
7. (3:23) slow. lovely melody to open, a little dreamy. vox start out a little clunky but end up soaring and mellowing nicely.
8. (3:18) medium-slow. backing choir, country stuff. song about facing aging head on. musically more of the same..
9. *(3:52) mid. great intro! snare drums, comes at you quickly, subsides and then Oldham questions himself solemnly about existence. “the keys in my pocket, they don’t open a thing/of having no purpose will they crown me the king?”
10. *(3:36) slow. lovely, sad as hell, tinged in regret and picking at the heartstrings. violin tears and an electric ellipsis at the bridge.
11. (5:05) slow. piano, guitar in mourning. Oldham asserts that this is not his swan song, even though we may think “he’s had his day.”
Singer’s Grave a Sea of Tongues
Sleepy, reflective folk- and country-inspired 11th album from Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy. Listening to this release, one gets the sense that these are songs of novel meaning dug up from memories that Oldham has visited before. His voice is occasionally weary from his travels, through the loss of life partners and the coming of aging, but he manages to finish strong. Sonically the album is mostly acoustic and slower paced, featuring a backing choir, violins and minimal drums.
RIYL Wilco/Tweedy, Bill Callahan, Sufjan Stevens, Jenny Lewis
FCC warning on 4, Favorites(*): 5, 9, 10
1. (4:00) medium slow. bright, gentle guitar picking, clear vocals. sounds like sunny days despite the title “Night Noises.” confessional: “I drink without economy when I go out into the night.”
2. (3:17) mid. darker, defiant, driven. of steeling oneself to be alone.
3. (2:59) slow. nap time. peaceful, melancholy/uplifting combo. nostalgia soaked. includes the phrase “crazy thighs”…
4. (3:59) FCC WARNING (fuck): mid. great pace. opening picking more ominous this time, flanked by violins. choral “ooh”s and female backing vox. pretty.
5. *(4:05) slow. cheerful plucky banjo, group backing choir works great here. titled “We Are Unhappy” but he sings it with a smile.
6. (3:43) slow. understated. a delicate, affectionate, violin-filled lullaby.
7. (3:23) slow. lovely melody to open, a little dreamy. vox start out a little clunky but end up soaring and mellowing nicely.
8. (3:18) medium-slow. backing choir, country stuff. song about facing aging head on. musically more of the same..
9. *(3:52) mid. great intro! snare drums, comes at you quickly, subsides and then Oldham questions himself solemnly about existence. “the keys in my pocket, they don’t open a thing/of having no purpose will they crown me the king?”
10. *(3:36) slow. lovely, sad as hell, tinged in regret and picking at the heartstrings. violin tears and an electric ellipsis at the bridge.
11. (5:05) slow. piano, guitar in mourning. Oldham asserts that this is not his swan song, even though we may think “he’s had his day.”
Track Listing