Wolfroy goes to Town is Will Oldham's 19th studio album since 1993's There is No-One What Will Take Care of You, and his 13th Studio album under the moniker Bonnie “Prince” Billy.

After a year of upbeat 10” slices of Americana, download only singles and charity records I was expecting a return to the sound of 2009's Beware album. Lead single 'Quail and Dumplings' seemed to suggest that this was to be a full sounding big band affair. The album has been recorded with his current touring band including long time collaborators Emmett Kelly and Shahzad Ismailly, and new backing singer Angel Olsen adding country tinged hollers.

Nothing could be further from the truth, Wolfroy goes to Town is a low-key intimate record. Whilst lo-fi classics like Arise Therefore were lo-fi tape recordings of Oldham and acoustic guitar with minimal backing and the sound of thunder in the background, and Master and Everyone had the same stripped back acoustic sound but higher fidelity. Wolfroy goes to town has a full band playing on it and high recording quality but it's probably his quietest and most understated record. The album is full of silences and hushed whispered vocals, musical flourishes used sparingly. The sound overall is that of Americana roots music but at its folkiest extreme. When the lead single, 'Quail and Dumplings' does come on it's a real jolt and Angel Olsen yelping “F*ck birds in bushes! Let's take em in hand!” is one of the highlights. The record could do with more of these moments to contrast with the low key and rather sombre overall mood.

Lyrically too, the songs are stripped of the previous swagger and display an introspective fragility and doubt. Particularly the track 'New Whaling' whose lyrics echo 1995's 'New Partner', a track that's featured on the many live albums with different bands. Now BPB looks back on the days of promiscuity and skirts in the bedroom that are pleasantly low, from the viewpoint of now living as a king and being through with partners. The theme running through the songs is a shedding of his former self and an almost spiritual rising to a new level.

This record feels like the ending of something and I'm sure the next album will take off in a completely different direction as Bonnie “Prince” Billy becomes reborn again. He's recorded some songs with Matt Sweeney this year and maybe that means a Superwolf 2.

Wolfroy goes to Town is a good record but it takes time for the music to get its hooks in and it's just a little too quiet and insubstantial to be up there with his classic albums. Listened to on headphones even at full volume it becomes drowned out by the ambient sounds of the world around. For a newcomer to Oldham's music I'd go for I See a Darkness, Wondershow of the World, Viva Last Blues or Superwolf instead before this. For fans of course it's essential.

7

Richard A Bennett