Albums to watch

Beware

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy

Beware

More offbeat lo-fi country folk from Kentucky's Will Oldham

ADM rating[?]

6.8

Label
Domino
UK Release date
16/03/2009
  1. 9.0 |   Scotland on Sunday

    A record of such melodic and emotional scope and breadth it is hard to define.
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  2. 9.0 |   NME

    This is pure non-homogenised, heart-on-sleeve, downright meaningful music... For that alone it’s worth a tenner of anybody’s money.
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  3. 9.0 |   The Scotsman

    A record of such melodic and emotional scope and breadth it is hard to define.
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  4. 8.0 |   Observer Music Monthly

    A cast of Nashville instrumentalists makes the case for Oldham as a country star rather than an alt-country one.
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  5. 8.0 |   Observer Music Monthly

    Beware of the Bonnie Prince, he seems to say, for he shall seek to pierce thine skin, cut it open like a hunter, climb inside and make it his own. And you will enjoy the experience.
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  6. 8.0 |   The Quietus

    Beware is all about light and shade, finding good things in bad situations and vice versa, and highlights Oldham at his very warmest and most content.
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  7. 8.0 |   Uncut

    A playful and intimate piece that lyrically and melodically invites you in.
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  8. 7.9 |   Pitchfork

    Oldham's ""big"" record (touring, promotion, etc.), but musically the album seems in many ways smaller-- or at least more level-- than Lie Down.
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  9. 7.0 |   Clash

    If not a whole new dawn for this artist, then at least an unexpected and unseasonably bright morning.
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  10. 7.0 |   No Ripcord

    Willingness to experiment only open his Appalachian-inspired records to greater heights, and the subtlety with which he employs these newly found techniques is (nearly) flawless.
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  11. 7.0 |   Spin

    An array of instruments -- marimba, cornet, banjo, and flute swirl around placid country-tinged ruminations.
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  12. 6.0 |   The Guardian

    The bleaker sounds on this album suit Oldham better... showing how less can say more.
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  13. 6.0 |   The List

    There are flashes of Bonny laid bare in Beware, but we’re largely left unfulfilled. We need him desperate, wretched, bruised.
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  14. 6.0 |   The Sunday Times

    If Oldham is happy to be just a song-and-dance man, fair enough — he’s quite a good one.
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  15. 6.0 |   Independent on Sunday

    Can only divide opinion further on an always difficult, challenging and intriguing artist.
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  16. 6.0 |   musicOMH

    He's not sure whether he wants to embrace a new direction or not, resulting in an album that is somewhat disjointed and ultimately unfulfilling.
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  17. 4.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    Every artist has a prerogative to change direction, and change mood, as much as they like; presenting so many throwaway songs as part of a major release is another matter.
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  18. 4.0 |   Evening Standard

    Oldham has never sounded this short of inspiration and feeling.
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  19. 4.0 |   PopMatters

    Sounds like loose, organic country, but sadly it's just another contrived piece to the Bonnie ""Prince"" Billy brand.
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