Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – The Letting Go (Drag City Records, 2006)
I don’t recall exactly when being folky got to be cool again, but I’m alright with it for the most part, save for Devandra Banhart. Charlie Parr, Iron and Wine and this gentleman, BPB, have been carrying on a tradition of old timey instruments with newer production and recording techniques to varying degrees. And regardless of what music one has encountered that has involved BPB before, his latest album, The Letting Go, comes across as not only more of a singular vision, but also one that is easily applicable to any and all that listen. A gloomy violin, which acts to almost recall a silent film score begins “Love Comes to Me”. The slight guitar figure compliment the voice of BPB as the hand drums add some motion to the song. This opening track sets the tone for the album and is recalled again on a few other tracks that also study the human condition. “Cold and Wet” has a pre-war blues feeling and the vivid couplet “Shoes are wet/Our skin is cold”. But this time it’s physical and emotional pain as opposed to simply the later. Finger picking isn’t lacking on this BPB outing and on “Big Friday” the listener gets a little sample along with a nice reverb soaked slide part. If you weren’t a fan before, or were a bit apprehensive, The Letting Go might be an open to door to begin falling in love with good ole Billy – swear.
Tracklisting:
01 – Love Comes To Me
02 – Strange Form of Life
03 – Wai
04 – Cursed Sleep
05 – No Bad News
06 – Cold & Wet
07 – Big Friday
08 – Lay And Love
09 – The Seedling
10 – Then the Letting Go
11 – God’s Small Song
12 – I Called You Back
