Sunday, July 05, 2009

898. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I See a Darkness (1999)

















Track Listing

1. Minor Place
2. Nomadic Revelry (All Around)
3. I See A Darkness
4. Another Day Full Of Dread
5. Death To Everyone
6. Knockturne
7. Madeline Mary
8. Song For The New Breed
9. Today I Was The Evil One
10. Black
11. Raining In Darling

Review

Finally, after the creative desert of the last three albums, we return to albums which reflect the vision of an author. Truly a rare thing in these past few "list-years".

Bonnie "Prince" Billy's album is a work of bleak folk which manages through all that bleakness to be a really beautiful work. It might be the case that it sounds better in contrast to the albums that surround it on the list, but that not the sole explanation.

This is an album which reflects a definite voice, a sense of purpose and a message to transmit. We need more of this, and together with Le Tigre it also takes a big cake for the overall dismal year of 1999.

Track Highlights

1. Nomadic Revelry (All Around)
2. I See A Darkness
3. Minor Place
4. Death To Everyone

Final Grade


10/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

Johnny Cash would later record the title track on his album American III: Solitary Man (2000). Oldham provided background vocals for Cash's version. Steve Adey also covered the title track on his 2006 LP All Things Real.

Nomadic Revery:

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey at least you've given four 10's in 1999. You only gave one in 1998 to a recording from 66. That's pretty sad.