Bonnie Prince Billy live in France. 14 Minutes odd of great music.
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William Goode’s Journal – Bonnie Prince Billy: Live in Melbourne-Review
Posted on March 11, 2012
Bonnie Prince Billy – The National Theatre, St Kilda. Melbourne Friday 9th March 2012
Bonnie Prince Billy or Will Oldham to his family visited Melbourne once again, six years after his last visit.
This time he was supported by the beautiful voice of Angel Olsen, guitarist Emmett Kelly (Cairo gang) and drummer Van Campbell. No bass player.
On this trip the Prince is taking in a lot more venues around Australia including a Sydney Opera House show. I never thought years ago he would be playing at the opera house. He seems to be having a growing fan base which maybe tells a little of the times. Audiences are wishing for a more involved experience and a Will Oldham show is certainly that.
The National Theatre Melbourne
This is the third time I have seen a Bonnie Prince Billy performance and each time I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed it even though the performances have been varied and different.
The big difference this time are the vocals, the harmonies are much sharper and really are quite beautiful and the guitar work shamelessly magnificent. Bonnie Prince Billy still manages almost shambolic renditions of his alt country/folk, but tighter, so much tighter with this band.
The current line up adds even more depth and beauty to the songs. Will Oldhams voice just gets better and better, he soars and winds his way through tunes with abandon and almost at times you feel the song will fall apart but it never does. It’s a clever balancing act and one Will Oldham pulls off charmingly.
Inside The National Theatre St Kilda Melbourne - A bit fuzzy but you get the atmosphere
Bonnie Prince Billy is here we could guess to promote his new album “Wolfroy Goes To Town” and he performs tracks from this album and also memorable tunes from his past such as the magnificent and sad “New Partner”, performed to perfection. When will a live concert DVD appear?
On his 16 albums Will Oldham has covered alt / rootsy genres such as folk, the almost country and western and bluegrass adding his own touches, changing the genres, at times understated but always worth a listen.
He has the ability to totally strip a song down to it’s bare necessity, providing only just enough instrumentation to get his point accross. It’s this stripping down that at times makes you feel the tune will grind to a halt but it hangs in and Oldham drags it back to majestic heights taking you along for the thrill, brilliant, emotional highs that leave you gasping at times.
Bonnie Prince Billy - photo courtesy of Clash Music
“Quail and Dumplings” from the new album “Wolfroy Goes To Town” has a tendency to make, me anyways, hungry whenever I hear it. Strange as I don’t really feel like a quail with a dumpling, and of course the poor little quails. This song though once again has the eccentric Oldham written all over it, a strange tune but then quite a lot of his material is.
You need to work at times with an Oldham song and that is where the pleasure is, you are required to take part and should you choose this path you are rewarded and rewarded time after time. Not many songwriters manage this the way Oldham does.
The sun sets on The National Theatre in St Kilda and we await another Bonnie Prince Billy concert
At his best Bonnie Prince Billy can take you on an adventure, a thrill, the journey itself is what he is about, where you end up doesn’t really matter. It always is a wonderous place however, that is the pleasure of his performances.
The uncertainty, the eccentricities were all in tonights show along with absolutely beautiful renditions of older material aided marvelously by the vocals of Angel Olsen and guitarist Emmett Kelly, great vocal additions.
Inside The National Theatre St Kilda Melbourne
Will Oldham seemed to be enjoying himself more than in the concerts I had seen him perform previously.
The audience certainly showed their approval I can’t personally wait for his return, hopefully quicker than a wait of six years and in the meantime a live concert DVD would be nice.
Catch him at least once in your life.
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William Goode’s Journal – Bonnie “Prince” Billy: Wolfroy Goes To Town – Review
Posted on October 23, 2011
Well I always get excited when I know a new Bonnie “Prince” Billy album is about to be released and his latest is Wolfroy Goes to Town
Will Oldham under the moniker Bonnie “Prince” Billy has released his umpteenth album, sixteenth from my reckoning and what a joy it is.
If you are looking for songs such as “Barcelona”, which I feel is one of the best songs ever written by anyone, you’ll be disappointed. However if you are a long time fan of Mr. Bonnie “Prince” Billy you will know that he can be more laid back than a lizard drinking water as it lies peacefully in the sun, this is one of those albums.
It would be too easy to dismiss at times Will Oldham’s laid backness for not trying hard and that would be a mistake. There are times when the acoustic intro to these songs is so quiet that especially listening in the car you wonder if your stereo has turned off and then of course all hearing is normally resumed as he sings with such majesty.
This album in all its quiet subtly has after many listens a multitude of nuances that surface each time you play the album. You listen and hear something, some build up in the song that never quite seemed to be there before, but obviously was.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy Performs “Quail and Dumplings” at the 2011 Calgary Folk Music Festival
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5LKuz7WL_k
The band consisting of superb singer Angel Olsen adds untold dimension to these delicate wonderful songs.
I’ve always had to listen carefully to what Will Oldham sings about and for awhile I’m not always sure of what he means and it takes a few listenings here too, but it comes and do we really always have to know anyways?
The God / religious theme appears from time to time and I’ve also been puzzled as to whether Oldham is religious or not. There are times when I think I have it pegged, and this includes past albums, and then he will sing a line that throws me, still that’s his business but it’s an interesting aspect that lies behind the man and his music.
The first track “No Match’ is very laid back with a slight country feel. There are lovely harmonies from Angel Olsen along with electric guitar and bass. Oldham sings of being no match, “I’m no match for those who love the Lord and they are no match for me”
“New Whaling” has a lovely acoustic intro, a reminder to me of a Crosby, Stills and Nash acoustic guitar style. Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s vocals are excellent here as they are on the whole album. He matures like a nicely stored bottle of red. The backing vocals echo the tune with “so far and here we are”. Quite a repetitive melody but done beautifully.
“Time To Be Clear” a reflective song where Will Oldham sings “got news of his passing” “God isn’t listening or else he is too late”. Another line that evokes religion but what a line. Angel Olsen’s vocal on this is exceptional and she is almost the solo instrument of the song, a nice touch where a guitar part would have been put in by another artist.
“New Tibet” has the opening lyric “as boys we fucked each other as men we lie and smile” well there is a line. This is what I love about Oldham. You are sitting comfortably listening to a subtle acoustic intro and then a line like this comes out straight from left of centre, he is never scared to stretch the thinking. This is another reflective tune “you think we don’t fight, birds fight birds hate” another remarkable song.
This album has enough of the clever lyrics that Will Oldham is known for and has made him one of America’s great storytellers. After repeated listens the album matures into a piece of work up there with many of the classic Will Oldham albums.
Throughout his career Oldham has immersed himself in that peculiar to America, not surprisingly as he is American, a folk and country style that reveals stories with characters that may be dark, may be joyful but at the same time have a peculiarity about them. There is always an interest for the listener, a world for you to enter and take on board if just for a short while.
The band is made up of what are at present his regular touring musicians, guitarist Emmett Kelly, a man of many instruments Shahzad Ismaily and the beautiful vocals of Angel Olsen plus Ben Boye, Van Campbell.
They bring a sparse presence to the album that is never overdone but at the same time is full of ideas amongst what at a first listening appears to be one of the quietest of the Bonnie “Prince” Billy albums.
There is an almost a theatrical sense of era to the songs which possibly is no surprise as Will Oldham also dabbles in acting. This is definitely a Bonnie “Prince” Billy album in the gist that there are no new directions, it’s what we have come to expect from an artist as great as Will Oldham.
Within the confinements of a song he has still managed to creek out with such subtly breaths of fresh air, stories to keep your interest for the whole journey.
Long live the “Prince” he lives another day.