Will Oldham has become one of the most elusive and prolific singer-songwriters Americana has encountered in the past two decades. The artist has been toiling away at his craft, combing through life, searching for the poetry in it all, and tracking his progress through an expansive discography filled with folksy storytelling and nimble acoustics. With every entry into his personal journal, Oldham seems to mark it with a release under his Bonnie “Prince” Billy moniker, a name the artist used to focus on solo material. For this next chapter, Oldham finds himself working closely with old friends to put his quaint twist on a more modern set of tunes.
The Purple Bird is Oldham’s Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s new album. The 12-song outing was recorded with David Ferguson and written during infamous Nashville writing sessions. Oldham finds himself surrendering to his surroundings as his typical sparse acoustics are replaced with rolling licks of twangy guitars and dusty thuds of infectious drum patterns. On the surface, it would appear Oldham is simply following suit. With Country music dominating modern pop charts, one could be fearful that the typically mysterious artist is just as hyper-aware of today’s trends as the next guy and can succumb to them just as quickly. The Purple Bird doesn’t sound modern, though. There is a nostalgic simplicity that showcases Oldham’s true intentions with this twangy sonic shift; this isn’t a daring leap into a commercial sound; It’s a revitalization of something lost in the shuffle of the modern musical bustle.
The Purple Bird is simplistic Country balladry that harkens back to the genre’s heyday when songwriting was king and twangy minimalism was its betrothed. Oldham captures a corner of the genre that was beginning to collect dust as his smokey vocals and vague poetry gently fall over arrangements that transition between Honky Tonk and slow-burning Americana; Oldham isn’t borrowing from country tropes, he’s blending them. The way the artist can deliver toe-tapping whimsy in the form of “The Water’s Fine” only to transition to the sentimental sway and heartbreaking writing of “Sometimes It’s Hard To Breathe” gives the tracklist a meditative feel. Rather than pushing through to find the best song, Oldham searches for the best words to describe the moment, allowing The Purple Bird to feel urgent but never in a rush.
Even during the slower moments of the album, like “New Water,” it sounds like Oldham is having fun shifting through sad memories. An air of relaxed creativity is at the heart of The Purple Bird. Oldham and Furgerson have nothing to prove; their discography and credits speak for themselves. What drives them throughout these twelve songs is a love for classic American songwriting and how its concepts can fit in modern times. The most successful attempts at this are “Tonight With The Dogs I’m Sleeping” and “Downstream,” two songs that capture passing moments and expand them into life-altering happenings. By attempting to capture the magic of the genre’s past, Oldham stumbles upon his own spark.
The Purple Bird finds a veteran creating soaring Americana balladry with child-like wonder. Oldham’s latest LP, released under his Bonnie “Prince” Billy moniker, contains twelve songs that prove the singer/songwriter is far from done toying with his sound. The highly collaborative LP has Oldham standing stubbornly in the present, taking in the scenery and penning abstract descriptions. The Purple Bird is a stunning effort from Oldham, a testament to his relentless artistry and how freely it allows him to roam.
