Bonnie Prince Billy

Alt-country's answer to Frank Abagnale, Will Oldham has recorded under noms de plume such as Palace Brothers, Pushkin, and Superwolf. Although his work under these monikers has gravitated toward eleventh-hour dustbowl despair and pre-ironic acoustic minimalism, Oldham has spent much of the 21st Century loitering as the warbling country-gent Bonnie...

By Andy Beta

November 17, 2005

What happens on the ground matters — Your support makes it possible.

We’re aiming to raise $6,000 by August 10, so we can deepen our reporting on the critical stories unfolding right now: grassroots protests, immigration, politics and more.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal

$6,000

$850

Audio By Carbonatix

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
            "component": "22004575",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
            "component": "22595215",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "Editor Picks",
            "component": "17482312",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18711090",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - 2x Rectangles Desktop, Tower on Mobile - Labeled",
            "component": "23181625",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18711090",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
            "component": "17720761",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          }
        ]

Alt-country's answer to Frank Abagnale, Will Oldham has recorded under noms de plume such as Palace Brothers, Pushkin, and Superwolf. Although his work under these monikers has gravitated toward eleventh-hour dustbowl despair and pre-ironic acoustic minimalism, Oldham has spent much of the 21st Century loitering as the warbling country-gent Bonnie "Prince" Billy. The changeling Prince is as laid-back as J.J. Cale or even Jimmy Buffett, and on Summer in the Southeast Oldham seems lost in his own private Margaritaville — albeit one reimagined by Southern gothic writer Flannery O'Connor. As ragged and loose as a pair of farmhand chinos, Oldham's band (headed by Superwolf compatriot Matt Sweeney) plays wobbly, wooly drunken shout-alongs of chestnuts such as "Wolf Among Wolves" and "I See a Darkness." But it's when the band grows menacing, as it does on sinister versions of "A Sucker's Evening" and "Death to Everyone," that it unleashes the beast that lurks beneath the inebriated sheep's wool.

Andy Beta

A message from Music Editor Flor Franceschetti: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of Miami's music, events and entertainment scenes.

Support Today