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| I See a Darkness | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 19, 1999 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 37:56 | |||
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| Will Oldham / Bonnie "Prince" Billy chronology | ||||
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I See a Darkness is the sixth album by American musician Will Oldham, released on Palace Records on January 19, 1999, as the first album under the name Bonnie "Prince" Billy. The album features appearances from Bob Arellano, Colin Gagon, Paul Oldham, David Pajo, and Peter Townsend.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Clash | 9/10 [4] |
| Drowned in Sound | 8/10 [5] |
| The Independent |  [6] |
| The List | [7] |
| NME | 7/10 [8] |
| Pitchfork | 10/10 [9] |
| Q | [10] |
| Uncut | 10/10 [11] |
I See a Darkness received widespread critical acclaim from music critics. Samir Khan of Pitchfork described the album as Oldham's "consummate offering" and the "type of record that demands solitary reverence". [9] Gregg Rounds of AllMusic wrote that it showcased "a more melodic style than the veteran Palace listener might be used to", while at the same time noting that Oldham "hasn't abandoned his foundation of mordant lyrics and minimalist arrangements, but he has built a variety of different layers that make this album an emotional and pleasurable listening experience". [3] The A.V. Club's Stephen Thompson remarked that I See a Darkness was the "most appropriate synthesis yet of Oldham's vocals and backing band". [12] Simon Williams of NME was more reserved in his praise of the album, advising listeners that "patience is a virtue" while nonetheless calling it a "delicate, intelligent record". [8]
I See a Darkness has been ranked in several publications' lists of best albums. Pitchfork ranked it the ninth best album of the 1990s. [13] In 2004, Stylus Magazine placed I See a Darkness at number 171 on its list of the 200 best albums of all time, [14] while in 2006, Mojo deemed it a "modern classic" and the twentieth best album released during the magazine's lifetime. [15] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [2]
In 2002, Matt LeMay of Stylus Magazine wrote that "by addressing concepts so grand with such sincerity and skill, the album is incredibly powerful under even the most mundane of circumstances". [16] Reviewing its 2012 reissue, Aaron Lavery of Drowned in Sound called I See a Darkness Oldham's "finest achievement thus far" and the "essential release" in his discography. [5] Q cited the album as "his masterpiece, ushering in a direct and less mythic style of songwriting". [10]
Johnny Cash recorded the titular track on his 2000 album American III: Solitary Man , with Oldham providing background vocals. [17] Steve Adey also covered the title track on his 2006 album All Things Real . [18] Rosalía covered the song on her first album Los Ángeles in 2017.
All lyrics are written by Will Oldham, except "Song for the New Breed" by Dianne Bellino; all music is composed by Oldham
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Minor Place" | 3:43 |
| 2. | "Nomadic Revery (All Around)" | 3:58 |
| 3. | "I See a Darkness" | 4:49 |
| 4. | "Another Day Full of Dread" | 3:10 |
| 5. | "Death to Everyone" | 4:31 |
| 6. | "Knockturne" | 2:17 |
| 7. | "Madeleine-Mary" | 2:31 |
| 8. | "Song for the New Breed" | 3:24 |
| 9. | "Today I Was an Evil One" | 3:52 |
| 10. | "Black" | 3:46 |
| 11. | "Raining in Darling" | 1:54 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "I Am Drinking Again" | 5:33 |
| 13. | "Ode #2" | 4:07 |
Credits adapted from liner notes.
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC) [19] | 151 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [20] | 25 |
Slint was an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky, formed in 1986. The band consisted of Brian McMahan, David Pajo (guitar), Britt Walford, Todd Brashear, and Ethan Buckler. Slint's first album, Tweez, was recorded by engineer Steve Albini in 1987 and released in obscurity on the Jennifer Hartman Records label in 1989. It was followed two years later by the critically acclaimed Spiderland, released on the independent label Touch and Go Records.
Joseph Will Oldham is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded in collaboration with dozens of other musicians under variations of Palace. After briefly publishing music under his own name, in 1998 he adopted Bonnie "Prince" Billy as the name for most of his work.
David Pajo is an American alternative rock musician. He has played a wide variety of music, loosely fitting into several other genres such as hardcore punk, math rock, post-rock, electronica, folk rock and indie pop. Though a multi-instrumentalist, he is best known for his guitar work, most notably with Slint. He is currently a member of Gang of Four.
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Sings Greatest Palace Music is a 2004 studio album by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. It features new recordings of songs from his Palace Music era (1993–1997), recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with a large group of country session musicians. Guest musicians include Eddie Bayers, Stuart Duncan, Mark Fain, Mike Johnson, Hargus "Pig" Robbins, Andrew Bird and Bruce Watkins.
Master and Everyone is a 2003 studio album by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. It was released on Drag City.
Ease Down the Road is the seventh studio album by American musician Will Oldham, and the second under his moniker Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. It was released on Palace Records on March 19, 2001.
This is a list of recordings by Will Oldham.
The Letting Go is a 2006 studio album by Bonnie "Prince" Billy. It was released on Drag City.
Joya is the fifth studio album by American musician Will Oldham. It was released on Drag City in 1997 as the first album billed to his name, rather than the Palace or Bonnie "Prince" Billy monikers. It also features Bob Arellano, Colin Gagon, and David Pajo.
Summer in the Southeast is the first live album by singer-songwriter Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. It was released in 2005 on Drag City.
Steve Adey is an English musician and singer-songwriter. His music is characterised by slow tempos, minimalist arrangements, underpinned by piano and a rich baritone vocal. As of 2018 Adey has released three studio albums and various EPs and singles.
All Things Real is the debut album by English singer-songwriter Steve Adey. The album was released on 6 March 2006 through Grand Harmonium Records. The album comprises original compositions, plus covers of Bob Dylan's Shelter from the Storm and Will Oldham's I See a Darkness.
Drag City is an American independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in the city in 1990 by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn, its first release was a Royal Trux single. It specializes in indie rock, noise rock, psychedelic folk, alternative country, and experimental music. The label has featured numerous critically acclaimed artists, including Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Bill Callahan, Joanna Newsom, and Silver Jews.
Peter Townsend is an American drummer from Louisville, Kentucky now living in Nashville, Tennessee. He has recorded and performed with Will Oldham in the bands Palace, Superwolf and Bonnie "Prince" Billy. He has also been featured on recordings and tours with King Kong, Nathan Bell, Human Bell, Nicolai Dunger, David Pajo, Brightblack Morning Light and many others.
The Wonder Show of the World is a collaborative studio album by Bonnie "Prince" Billy & The Cairo Gang. It was released on Drag City in 2010.
Wolfroy Goes to Town is a studio album by Will Oldham. It was released under the name Bonnie "Prince" Billy on Drag City in 2011.
Robert Arellano is an American author, musician and educator from Talent, Oregon. His literary production includes pioneering work in electronic publishing, graphic-novel editions for Soft Skull Press/Counterpoint, and five novels published by Akashic Books. His guitar-playing for Bonnie 'Prince' Billy is featured on 'I See a Darkness', which Pitchfork magazine named one of the Top 10 albums of the 1990s, and since the 1980s he has been writing and recording songs for solo projects and his group Havanarama.
The Tower of Silence is the second studio album by Steve Adey. The album was released in the UK by Grand Harmonium on 26 November 2012.
What the Brothers Sang is an album by Dawn McCarthy and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. The album was released on February 19, 2013. The album features covers of songs that appeared on albums by The Everly Brothers. The duo preceded this album with the "Christmas Eve Can Kill You" 7" single in late 2012, also featuring two covers of songs earlier performed by the Everlys. What the Brothers Sang was the first of three major albums released in 2013 to feature Everly Brothers covers in their entirety, the second being A Date with the Everly Brothers by the Chapin Sisters and the third being Foreverly by Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones.
I Made a Place is a 2019 album by Bonnie "Prince" Billy, the stage name of American indie folk musician Will Oldham. It was released to positive critical reception.
