Domino レコード& CD

Review: On his latest LP, Will Oldham aka. Bonnie "Prince" Billy dares to work with a producer for the second time: David "Ferg" Ferguson of Johnny Cash and Sturgill Simpson fame, whose attentive hand guides each of these idling songs through to their sinister, diminished conclusions. Led by the ingenious 'London May' - a lolloping Americana concept piece, illustrating the ostensibly lonely, isolated, suicidally ideating (but ultimately not) persona that is BPB - this sombre record ends up a difficult-to-pin one, touching on themes of self-loss, death and devilish deals. Unlike many other records by Oldham, this lilac lilter hears the convalescence of several composers' and vocalists' voices, reflecting a newfound collaborative opening for the artist, perhaps breaking from a common interpretation of his music as solipsistic.