Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy - The Letting Go

The inspiration for much on ‘The Letting Go’ was from the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004. It tells tales of tragedy and hope. In spite of all this, it is still one of the most cheerful Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy albums. There is no doubt that it’s beautiful and excellent music, but the mood needs to listen to it.

From the introduction of opening track ‘Love Comes To Me’ consisting of a solemn string orchestra we realise it’s more of the same from Will Oldham. ‘Strange Form Of Life’ has an expertly crafted acoustic and electric guitar duo that sits perfectly alongside Oldham and Dawn McCarthy’s vocals. The two singers complement each other well; Oldham’s gruff voice is raised by McCarthy’s shrillness. The album shows there are two sides to everything through its words and its composition.

Therefore it must be inevitable that there are bad songs on ‘The Letting Go’. ‘God’s Small Son’ never really takes off with its howling and orchestral interludes making little effect. ‘Lay And Love’, ‘I Called You Back’ and ‘Wai’ are average songs simply because they are unlikely to be won over, but old fans should be content. ‘Cold And Wet’ is a slightly different track for Oldham, a new bluesy sound. Yet it’s so short it hardly detracts from the regularity.

The single ‘Cursed Sleep’ is one of the key tracks on the album, a stirring melody able to capture the attention and imagination of those unfamiliar with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. Another excellent addition is the following track ‘No Bad News’, which concentrates in particular on the tsunami. A poignant story of despair and hope around the subject of death, McCarthy’s vocals are especially strong in creating the sense of emotion; it’s as if she is a ghostly presence on the track.

‘The Seedling’ is the harshest sound on the record, and though depressing is a rousing effort of coarse instrument use and spirited vocals. ‘Then The Letting Go’ has a more upbeat but gentle sound, again dominated by McCarthy’s sensational voice.

A little-needed secret track at the end provides a satisfactory conclusion to the album. ‘The Letting Go’ breaks no new boundaries but is another astounding example of musical tour de force to add to Will Oldham’s expansive career. It’s an album that will be picked up every now and again, but will never be in the CD player for longer than a couple of plays.