Bonnie 'Prince' Billie is simultaneously considered one of the most eccentric and successful singer-songwriters of recent decades. Over the years, his music has sounded wilder and less wild, sometimes absurdist, sometimes less so. With
Bill Callahan and other Drag City label mates, he recorded
Blind Date Party in 2020, which went in all directions in terms of its sense of adventure. The latter cannot
… be said of Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You. The upside is that Will Oldham - as Bonnie 'Prince' Billie is actually called - is also fine without adventure. His songs sound calm, are accompanied sparingly and his melodies are mostly dubbed with a female voice. Love songs like Bananas are interspersed with darker-sounding creations like Like It Or Not. Above all, Oldham seems to want to express his thoughts, feelings and all manner of concoctions with his songs. That he manages to create beautiful music while doing so makes him particularly close to the image of the ideal singer-songwriter. (JV)more
