What draws us back to Will Oldham after all these years? Is it the sense of warmth and familiarity that sets in with even the faintest whisper of his distinctive drawl? Perhaps it’s got something to do with the private universe that he’s set up for himself, all slow waltzes, dreamy guitars and creaking-floorboard subtlety. Whatever the case, here we are again.
Singer’s Grave marks the 16th album to bear the Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy name, and it has more in common with his Everly Brothers cover album with Dawn McCarthy from 2013 than it does the eponymous self-released LP that followed some months later. It’s richly textured and easy listening in the sense it settles into a certain groove early on and marinates there.
In essence, it’s the kind of album Oldham could make in his sleep. It pulls no punches, sets off no alarms and is out of your hair within the hour. If that’s something that works for you, you’ll have no problem getting into Singer’s Grave. With that said, for someone who created something as fragile and devastating as I See a Darkness, it’s a little disheartening to think he might not even be trying anymore.
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
Best Track: So Far and Here
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: BILL CALLAHAN, LAMBCHOP, SUN KIL MOON
In A Word: Breezy
