Released 23rd September
Drag City Records
8.5/10
“It’s not who I am it’s who I’ll never be” sings William Oldham, or Bonnie Prince Billy as we have come to know him. And what we know for sure Oldham will never be is dull. Singer’s Grave A Sea Of Tongues is Oldham’s 13th studio album under the moniker, and doesn’t fail to disappoint. Reminiscent of the mournful melodic ‘I See A Darkness’, his first album under the name, Singer’s Grave is a return to form for the American singer.
The title song, the last of 11 tracks, is well worth the wait and hits you with a gentle force that builds into a powerful chorus that will make you want to smile and cry all at once. The album has a softness to it, but that’s not to say it’s background music in any way; it’s enthralling and heartbreaking all at once. The lyrics are a breath of fresh air in the somewhat stagnant music scene and the simple but effective arrangements work perfectly in an album that’s tipped to become one of 2014’s finest. The opening track ‘Night Noises’ gives a strong indication of what’s to come, effortlessly executed slide guitar with a soft bluegrass beat and husky vocals, Oldham delivers exactly what you would expect from the man once covered by Johnny Cash himself.
Things heat up for the second track ‘So Far and Here We Are’ with Oldham giving a brief to nod to his all American roots, with a resonating bass line and jangling guitar. ‘Quail And Dumplings’ is both sad and uplifting with a somewhat unnecessary female backing vocal providing an extra layer to already complex song. Such is the mesmerizing power of Oldham’s voice that I could quite happily listen to him sing the phone book and be blissfully content. The album is admittedly a little self-indulgent at times, with middle tracks ‘We Are Unhappy’ and ‘It’s Time To Be Clear’ showcasing more of his songwriting skills, but not exactly showing us anything new. This isn’t to say that the album is in any way tedious; it’s gentle and beautiful leaving you fulfilled and craving more. Inevitably comparisons will be made to lesser musicians as is always the way, but listen to this for Prince Billy and him alone.
