Nice Vadge Cover

MP3: Matt Sweeney & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Live In Muscle

Here's a track from the new Bonnie 'Price' Billy and Matt Sweeney collaboration. We're as stoked as you are for the return of the Superwolfsmen. Enjoy.

Bonny Billy & The Picket Line

MP3: Bonny Billy & The Picket Line - The Glory Goes/Wolf Among Wolves

Just released yesterday, "Funtown Comedown" is a bluegrass look at the grand catalogue of Will Oldham with 2 covers thrown in to boot. He totally pulls this off and the whole thing is a blast to listen to. Today's mp3 gives you a double shot peek of what you're in for as it starts as a song from "Lie Down In the Light" and segways into a song from my #1 album of the decade "Master and Everyone".

The Best Albums Of The Decade: #1 - Master and Everyone

MP3: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Wolf Among Wolves

#1 - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Master and Everyone
Drag City Records 2003

Joey On Master and Everyone:

"Master and Everyone" is the album I judge any Will Oldham record on. There isn't much to be said as a whole because the music really speaks for itself, but the time and place that created it birthed a bloom of perfection in my soul that probably can never be replicated, but that's okay: all I need is this, forever and ever.

The Best Albums Of The Decade: #14 - Superwolf

MP3: Matt Sweeny & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Blood Embrace

#14 - Matt Sweeny & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Superwolf
Drag City Records 2005

Matt On Superwolf:

Who knew of the most quiet and tense albums of the decade could be also be one of the most cathartic? Slowing plodding through a midwinter's field, our heros take a jackhammer to the permafrost to hibernate in.

Beware!

MP3: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I Don't Belong to Anyone

Holy shit, here it is: mp3 post #250:

We love Will Oldham and his Bonnie 'Prince' Billy records, so much so that I bought his newest record "Beware" on all 3 formats. Jeeeeez. Completely worth it though, and what an album it is. It certainly is his most accessible which would explain the massive press push Drag City is doing behind it, but accessible doesn't mean terrible. It's interesting to hear Oldham's definition of pop music and he shines all throughout "Beware", with his passion on it almost as strong as all of the pedal steel playing.

On a related note, I've got tickets to see him here in Lawrence on April 7th and am quite excited. The Granada is no Apollo Theater, but it'll do.

Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak...

MP3: Susanna - Jailbreak

I've been sitting on this song forever. Seriously, I've moved it down on my uploaded mp3s list on the server countless times, hoping to one day write a post to do it justice. I uploaded it on October 29th of last year... jeez.

So I don't know if I can finally fulfill my self impossed obligation to "Jailbreak", but it's time to dust it off. Here is what you need to know: Susanna has a beautiful voice and put out a beautiful record of covers from all the best bands. She opens with this song, which is by Thin Lizzy who is honestly one of my favourite bands ever. Finally (and here's where it gets perfect) she gets Bonnie 'Prince' Billy to sing on it with her. Fuck yeah. You can't beat it.

Have a great weekend everybody, it felt really fucking good to do a full week of posts again. It's been... who knows how long. Hope to keep up the momentum even a little bit. See you soon!

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy for everyone to see!

MP3: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - So Everyone

MP3: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - So Everyone (demo)

Who would've thought the new Bonnie 'Prince' Billy record ("Lie Down in the Light") would be so darned upbeat?

Well, I suppose there was a hint: last year's "Ask Forgiveness"covers opus was very sunny, and the one Oldham original was quite bouncy, so the signs were indeed there. Still, when hearing LDITL was recorded at the same place as fan-favourite "Master and Everyone", I very much expected a similiar tone; not so much. Drag City quietly released a demo to tease in "So Everyone", which possibly suggests a different direction, but in the end we are given a gift: a true summer record from Will Oldham. "Lie Down In the Light" is the perfect soundtrack for afternoon drives to the lake with baby in the passenger seat, hand in hand.

Now let's hope that sometime soon we can get a demos album, similiar to "Wai Notes", the demos from "The Letting Go". What do you say, Drag City?

Three tickets to Acapulco

MP3: Bob Dylan and the Band- Goin' to Acapulco

MP3: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Goin' to Acapulco

MP3: Jim James and Calexico - Goin' to Acapulco

"Goin' to Acapulco" is a song I never paid attention to that much. Sure, "The Basement Tapes" from Bob Dylan and the Band is an enjoyable affair, but it's not exactly a stand out track by any means.

So why have Will Oldham and Jim James, some of my favourite songwriters and two of the greatest living American artists currently recording and performing, covered this song? Perhaps it is the general challenge behind it: it is not short and the instrumentation chosen to illustrate it are only semi-conventional. It must be the lyrics. After all, who cannot relate to wanting to escape somewhere far to a sweet woman's home, who puts it to you "as plain as day" and gives it to you "for a song"?

Taking a song away from it's lp is and making it create a completely different mini concept is hard, and backing that song's single with 2 songs you didn't write is damn near impossible. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy did just that when he released his single for "Lay and Love" earlier this year, adding 2 Bob Dylan covers to follow the title track, and (along with the artwork) created a 3 track ep of love. I believe Will Oldham covered "Goin' to Acapulco" because of the song's character "Rose Marie", keeping the song sparse other than a commanding trumpet and a rhythm section, slowing down to make sure all the feelings and emotions conveyed have their time to be taken in fully.

Jim James' contribution to the soundtrack of the upcoming "I'm Not There" Dylan biopic finds himself being backed by the mighty Calexico (who does multiple duties all over the album), almost leading the song with strong horns and wonderful drums but as we all know, it's impossible to trump the stellar vocals of James. The wonderful thing about these mp3s are that they're all led by unique and fantastic vocalists, and if anything what makes this special is completely all Jim James. As a whole it works, but without him, it is just any other cover, destined to get lost in the shuffle of obscure Dylan covers.

So while I passed over "Goin' to Acapulco" initially, hearing these 2 great interpretations from the people I trust made me want to go back and take the song in fully. I don't know if I understand it any better, but the covers help make the song a lot more fulfilling.