I See A Darkness

So dark, I liked it

This is a hauntingly beautiful, tormented and fragile album. Incredible songs including 'I see a Darkness' as famously covered by Johnny Cash on the American man series of albums. I have a love-hate relationship with Spotify. While it's brilliant to listen to so much new music from the list, it can make it too easy to find things. However, this wasn't there and YouTube music interrupted with ads between most songs, which unfortunately took away from the atmosphere. I would love to sit down with a physical copy of the album sometime to appreciate it more fully. And this is the quality of album that is worth purchasing. 4 out of 5 stars.

Top sad

The Good: A historic recording! The Bad: Nothing to do with Scotland… The Ugly: The actual darkness we get to see… Since discovering the “did not listen” button option, I’ve been doing a piss poor job at keeping up with rating the albums that I am daily presented with. Result, today’s album is number 614, yet I have only rated 588… Time to play catch up, and this is one of them… There was a point while listening to this album, that I found myself actually enjoying the experience… but it only lasted about 1 1/2 minute, and then the album went right back into whatever the hell this is supposed to be… Did not like, will only skim through this record again if, at some point, I accidentally get bored and want to see if I can change my mind about 2* albums...

I've heard a lot of his songs but never listened to a full album. It is a surprisingly prescient entry in the sort of alt-country / neo folk space, similar to Bill Callahan or Mount Eerie. Not exactly easy listening but very impactful.

im 14 and this is deep Really didn’t enjoy his singing.

Smukt album.

I listened to this gothic, folky album several times. It is certainly different than most of the albums on this list, not necessarily a good thing, but ultimately, I was drawn into its somber, understated mood. I say drawn in because this is music that really makes you lean into the compositions. The lyrics are sometimes sad, but also beautiful. Good Americana music.

kinda of a melancholy folk deal.... some songs better than others but overall not something I'd go out and choose to listen all the way through again.

Interesting if bland.

My only previous experience of BPB was in the film Dead Man’s Shoes where his song is used during a sad walk through muddy fields. Which seems like the perfect setting for him and just listening to it in a house via YouTube is not optimal. 3 stars but maybe if I’m ever lost and vengeful I’ll listen again.

This folk-ish album would have been a lot better if the dude didn't sound like he was about to cry on every track. There are some interesting chord progressions here and there but the quavering vocals just kill the whole thing.

you definitely need to be in the headspace for this one. existential that is. it's morose but calming at times. 2.5

Subdued.

I was hesitant to listen, too depressing to listen for me right now. Maybe another day

I think you need to be in a very specific mood to listen to this. I don’t think it breaks any ground or does anything exceptional in this style. It certainly didn’t invent or popularize it so why is it here? Every song reminded me of drunk kid catholic by bright eyes which I feel is an objectively better composition than this entire album. Good grief I need something with a tempo after this.

Stone cold classic. Lyrics that cut through the faf. Strong songwriting delivered with great fragility.

No longer on Spotify

A very somber and pretty album. I am not much of a folk guy, but I do like this kind of sound. Reminds me of the Microphones. High 4.

Pretty interesting, folkish, nice album cover.

One of the most surprising new finds of the journey so far.

not on spotify?

This made me sad but I liked it.

A little slow

New discovery. Liked

Man, this album hits. Hard to put words to it, but I'll try. It's so honest. It's performed eloquently and mixed beautifully, if sparse. I'm not even in a down mood, but this album certainly takes over you emotionally, and that takes talent. Very, very few albums accomplish that for me. It's diverse enough in its arrangements to keep it interesting while also remaining consistent in the tones and execution to keep it obviously one project. It's darn good. I wish it was available on Spotify, I would save a good few of these songs. 4.7/5

7/10 Favorite: A Minor Place

Didn’t hate it … but did nothing for me

ha gester und hüt müese 139 minute Roni Size lose. DnB. de erst song isch gad wie balsam. sehr cute und warm und so :) okay ich han z wenig gnau chöne anelose aber s isch irgendwie churzwiilige indie aber au z wenig spannend zum mega guet sii. joo ok ich finds bitz langwilig.

HEAD AND SHOULDERS ISCH WUSSTE GAR NICHT DASS SIE SCHUPPEN HABEN han na gern, dass er so schräg zweistimmig singt aber chönnt mite ziit au nerve hahaha es het öppis mega folkigs und iwie düsters? hmm ok es gheitmwr chli z fest ussenand I see a darkness isch huuuere schön I have a love for everyone I know isch so e herzigi line s cover vom johnny cash passt iwie au so zu sinere stimm!! ich, wenn ich beck bin (another day full of bread) nei findi au es megaa schöns lied, die deprimierend und energielosi stimmig gfallt mier iwie eifach hahaha au bi death to everyone wieners so nebetbii singt, finds recht cool madeleine-mary het verhältnismässig chli meh tempo jaa de rest vom album zieht sich chli joo han d stimmig eig recht gern gha und I see a darkness und day full of dread hani super gfunde. de rest hanis gfühl müsstmer chli driicho

I really wasn't too keen on this. It wasn't bad by any stretch, but it just didn't grab me, which is unfortunate as I think there probably is some talent at play.

Not on Spotify

Deeply emotionally invested in this one. Kills me every time. Probably the peak Will Oldham record.

Lord that was depressing. Eclipsed his talent though..so bleak. His sound is raw, pared down, soul naked in the light, so vulnerable. Sounds at times like J Mascis and Jackson Browne? Anyone else hear that?

Sunday afternoon. Moments of calm, reflection, and space. The glow from Saturday's adventures is wearing off, and the creep of Monday is coming in.

How do rate an album like this. Some albums are such an unfiltered expression they (I originally wrote then deleted "seem to" because some things just are self evidently true) transcend any words or numbers. Not an album I have reached for too often - it asks a lot. The next album - Ease Down the Road - was a go to for years. Sometimes a title really does say it all. This is direct songwriting at it finest with stark but thoughtful, weird and wonderful arrangements. Singular.

Best Song: I See A Darkness. I like when a song has a superficial sort of silliness painted over a strong undercurrent of sadness. Worst Song: Song For The New Breed. Its a testament to how quiet this album is that I found the guitar on this track almost vulgar in its noise. Overall: Very understated, melancholy album. I don't know in which circumstances I would return to this album (as opposed to say, an Elliot Smith record), but I kinda dug it.

Harmi että ei oo spotifyssä. Indie folkkia, vähän hämyistä ja melankolista sellaista. Ja hidastempoista, tosi rauhallista ja tunnelmallista. Parhaat: I See A Darkness, Song For The New Breed, Black

Not sure what I was supposed to make of this, but it didn't do it for me. It gets a 2 because if someone put this on I would only politely ask the person to change it rather than physically changing it myself, which would be a 1.

I really liked it musically and lyrically, but could not connect with the vocals. Maybe I would need more time with this album.

Something about this really hooked me, just got it at the perfect mood and time of day. Wish this was on Spotify for accessibility because I would certainly revisit. Feel like I would generally go a bit lower rating for this, but today 4.5/5

Today I went to Major Matt's to remaster my old album And on the L train in the morning, I was pretty sure I saw Will Oldham He was wearin' the same sunglasses he had on stage at the Bowery Ballroom Had he come to walk among the Williamsburgers of his kingdom?

1/5. Proto-sadboy music that tries to compensate for meh compositions/lyrics by overselling the emotional aspect of it all. Singing is unenjoyable, lyricism is unimpressive, melody and harmony are unremarkable, and some of the arrangements are god awful. It's lazy, its lame, you could easily forgo listening to this before you die.

I didn’t recognize the artist and had some trouble with the accessibility of this album (not on Spotify, went to YouTube with ads, no lyrics, couldn’t close app to read/listen to lyrics at same time) so inevitably this album was interrupted often and my experience impacted. Another Day Full of Dread, Death To Everyone, and Madeleine-Mary were my standouts, but because it was inconvenient I didn’t dig much further.

Huh. Not on Spotify, so had to dig it out on Youtube. Will say, knowing nothing of this album other than the cover, I have been curious about it as I do like the cover. But it was a crapshoot for what genre I was going to get. It was either gonna be some electronic music, indie folk, or some sort of noise rock. Welp, I got the indie folk, haha. And I quite like it. It's a little understated for my tastes (Although when it does pick up like in Madeleine-Mary with it's echoed guitar lines, it's great), but it's a nice listen. He's got a good voice, piano and guitars are nice. It's just a nice sounding album in general. Couple songs are verging slightly on Pink Floyd-isms like Song for the New Breed. Album's just got a very similar darkness that Pink Floyd's music has. Maybe some Neutral Milk Hotel vibes as well, such as on Black. So yeah. Really good indie folk. Wouldn't mind taking another listen sometime.

This was completely new to me, and I was intrigued by the high polarisation of the reviews. They seem to be mainly either 5 stars or 1 so I was prepared to either loathe or love Bonnie Prince Billy. I loved it. Yes the songs have sad themes but the lyrics are complex and beautiful. Glorious, top-quality modern folk music.

I couldn't even make it through one song - what a depressing mess.

Ultimately I’m not much of a fan of Oldham’s voice and there sure is a lot of it throughout his lengthy, often reimagined catalog. The title track is an all-timer and I love the version he did later with an unknown Angel Olsen on backing vocals.

These albums seem to come in waves, long periods of albums that I wouldn't use to steady a wobbling table, followed by some absolute gems that I can either be familiar with or hearing for the first time. This album came to me after I heard Killing Joke / Killing Joke for the first time, and my pre-listening thoughts for both albums were identical - specifically, I had no positive expectations and had my finger hovering over the end/stop/close button as the albums began. They both turned out to be really good. Neither was 5 stars good, but both were solid 4 stars!

god why can’t you be on spotify

With song titles like 'Death To Everyone' and 'Another Day Full Of Dread', this is a sad album. I wouldn't chastise anyone for being turned off by how bleak it is. There's nothing performative about the sadness here. Oldham's vocals are so fragile and haunting. The instrumentation is kept fairly simple. I feel like this would comfort me when I'm feeling low. Thankfully I don't feel like that today, but I will keep this album in hand for when things get tough. If you enjoy wallowing in the hopelessness that you find in the music of Mount Eerie or Sparklehorse, this would be right up your street.

Oldham cannot sing and what he does sing seems a tad too cliche. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of depressive music when it is done well. He got lucky that Johnny Cash ever sang one of his songs. The instrumental performances are competent but never really exhibit anything extraordinary enough to make the ear perk up. The only song that struck any kind of chord with me was "Madeline-Mary". The rest was terrible coffeehouse-throw-a-penny-in-the-open-guitar-case-bad. This album feels like another hipster/music critic marketing hypefest that was taken much too far. 1999 was a year for looking forward... not backward. Too be fair, 1999 was a pretty weak year for all of music. There was only one truly great album that year: Nine Inch Nails THE FRAGILE, a handful of good to great albums in Tori Amos TO VENUS AND BACK, Rage Against the Machine THE BATTLE OF LOS ANGELES, Death in Vegas THE CONTINO SESSIONS, Sting BRAND NEW DAY, and some competent albums in The Moody Blues STRANGE TIMES, XTC APPLE VENUS, Vol. 1, and Sarah McLachlan's MIRROBALL. That is pretty much it for the ENTIRE YEAR. Production is boring as shit, but the instrumental performances are enough to get this to a 2.

Meh, they all sang and played fine, but I didn't find any of it interesting. It's just not for me.

top 3 - Death To Everyone, Black, A Minor Place. Really beautiful. Makes me a little sad listening to it.

I didn't enjoy any part of this.

While I have always been more of a fan of Oldham's with the Palace Music project, this album spoke to me just as much as something like Days In The Wake or Viva Last Blues when I first heard it many years ago; it just didn't have the staying power or the obsessive replay factor that those two records had for me. To revisit it for this challenge was a beautiful, brilliant experience. Hearing this as an adult, for the first time in literal years, gives it some new depth. Will Oldham remains one of my favorite songwriters of his generation.

A lovely understated indie folk album. I always enjoyed this one as well as Bonnie "Prince" Billy's collaboration with Tortoise that came out around this time. Great music for a solitary mood.

Grower. At first I was like wtf is this. Then I kinda like d it.

I set it to start after my last album, and I didn't even notice it started until the fifth song, Death to Everyone. It's fine, just doesn't really stand out.

One of his best

I enjoyed this

Utterly mediocre. How have I got to listen to this but not yet a single Taylor Swift album? Oh well Taylor isn't quality music. And this is? Oh well Taylor hasn't affected the music scene enough? And this has? Compared to the biggest star in the world? Forget this I'm listening to 1989 to cleanse my soul.

Mellow, melancholy, and lovely - not on Spotify :(

First time listener , I liked it quite a bit I was getting some songs : ohia vibes for most of the album definitely adding to my collection.

Another brand new to me album and artist. I enjoy a slow haunting vibe ... nothing really stood out on first listen, but was perfectly listenable.

One of the most boring albums I have ever heard. And theres a lot of good music out this same year. What is this doing on here?

Wristslittingly depressive.

Dreary

I liked this more and more with each song. I've come to enjoy folksier stuff as Ive gotten older and this fits the bills. Folksy, melodic...just the right amount of weird.

I like this. I hope never to be in the mood to love this.

It’s a very beautiful and vulnerable album. I wish it was on Spotify so I could dive into it deeper.

Absolutely amazing and entering my must buys for albums. His music spoke to me, resonates and eased me.

Not bad

Listened Before? N This appears to be unavailable. Couldn't listen

I really, really liked this album. Must explore this artist further.

Really enjoyed this, need to listen to it again when I have nothing else on and I can just focus on the music. It feels like an album that needs a lot of attention to truly appreciate.

Death To Everyone // 2.5/5

Certainly an album one has to be in the right mood for, but if you're in that right mood, I'm sure this hits even better.

This reminded me of something that I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe an even darker, simpler Nick Drake? Regardless, I really enjoyed it; very good sad-bastard record. 3.75/5

I really liked this album. It's not in a genre I spend a lot of time with but it has a charm that I can't deny. 3.75/5

1.5 - Bad

When to listen: rainy or cold or moody or autumnal. Really enjoyed this album and discovering this artist

A haunting slice of Americana, an album that requires a specific mood and has some rough patches

I really like this, a high 4.

Not gonna rush to listen to this one again, but a few of the songs are hauntingly beautiful.

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – *I See A Darkness* (1999) An in-depth, fan-level autopsy of one of the bleakest, bravest folk records ever pressed. --- ### 1. LYRICS – “a suicide note you can sing along to” Oldham writes in short, plain clauses that feel like they were whispered to you in a hospital corridor. The title track’s *“Well you’re my friend / and can you see / the darkness that’s inside of me?”* is almost nursery-rhyme simple, yet it contains an existential dare: admit you’re broken and ask someone else to carry the weight. Across the album death is never metaphor—it’s furniture. - *“Death to Everyone”* turns mortality into a libidinal punch-line: *“death to everyone / is gonna come / and it makes hosing much more fun”*. - *“Another Day Full of Dread”* chronicles the minute-by-minute exhaustion of staying alive. - *“Today I Was an Evil One”* is a repentance song that doesn’t believe in absolution; the horns enter like a Salvation Army band that’s lost the address of heaven. Religious language is borrowed, then hollowed out. Prayers become diary entries; redemption is postponed until *“Raining in Darling”*, where the last couplet *“I know you love me / and it’s fun to be”* sounds less like comfort than like someone learning the sentence by heart in the dark. --- ### 2. MUSIC – “a drone you can live inside” The arrangements are skeletal: nylon-string guitar, brushed snare, upright bass, pump-organ, the occasional violin or wah-wah guitar that appears like a stranger at the funeral and leaves without giving a name. Oldham’s voice is the main instrument—fragile, occasionally off-pitch, always double-tracked an octave apart so it sounds like a ghost arguing with itself. Background vocals (courtesy of Bob Arellano, Paul Oldham, Colin Gagon) enter half a beat late, as though the singers are reluctant to commit to the chord. That purposeful slackness gives the record its *“homespun but uncanny”* aura . Pete Townsend’s drumming (no, not *that* Pete) is the secret star: he plays behind the beat with mallets, never rocks, just *leans*, creating a pulse that feels like a rocking chair on a porch you’re afraid to leave . --- ### 3. PRODUCTION – “lo-fi but not lo-emotion” Recorded mostly at Palmyra Studios in Louisville, Kentucky, on 8-track analog. Collin Gagon’s upright piano is close-mic’d so you hear the felt and the wood; the bass is DI’d but the input gain is pushed until it distorts sympathetically on the downbeats. Reverb is chamber, not plate—short, woody, like the inside of a coffin. There is almost no compression on the master; dynamic range averages DR11, unheard-of in 1999. Consequently the record *swells* rather than *punches*. When everyone joins in on the final chorus of *“I See A Darkness”* it feels like the room is physically getting larger. --- ### 4. THEMES – “a manual for how to keep breathing while admitting you don’t want to” 1. Suicidal ideation made communal (title track) 2. Mortality as aphrodisiac (*“Death to Everyone”*) 3. Guilt without confession (*“Today I Was an Evil One”*) 4. Love as last-ditch lightbulb (*“Raining in Darling”*) The arc is not from darkness to light; it’s from darkness to *slightly-less-darkness that you can probably endure if someone holds your hand*. That modest uplift has made the album a lifeline for listeners in actual crisis—type *“this album saved my life”* into any comment section and *I See A Darkness* appears like a candle. --- ### 5. INFLUENCE – “the seed from which 2000s sad-folk grew” - Johnny Cash covered the title track on *American III* (2000), introducing Oldham to mall-punks and country granddads alike. - The micro-dynamics and death-haunted lyrics pre-figure Mount Eerie’s *A Crow Looked at Me*, Sun Kil Moon’s *Ghosts of the Great Highway*, and every bedroom folk artist who whispers instead of sings. - The purposely *off* ensemble vocals became a template for Akron/Family, Grizzly Bear, and later Bon Iver. - Film directors (Kelly Reichardt, David Gordon Green) use the record as temp-score whenever a story needs *“Appalachian dread”* without the bluegrass signifiers. --- ### 6. PROS & CONS (cold-light-of-day edition) | PROS | CONS | |------|------| | Lyrics that marry Appalachian folk cadence to existential dread—still unmatched in indie music. | Homogeneity: nine mid-tempo dirges in D-minor can feel like one 42-minute song if you’re not in the mood. | | Vocal performances so naked they feel like eavesdropping; emotional payoff is enormous. | Oldham’s delivery is *deliberately* fragile; some listeners hear *“can’t sing”* instead of *“chooses not to belt”*. | | Production achieves maximum intimacy—every creak, breath and fingertip is preserved. | Lo-fi aesthetic means cymbals splash into red, bass overhangs—hi-fi seekers bounce off. | | Influential beyond its sales—reshaped what “sad” could sound like in the 21st century. | Requires a specific psychic weather: played at a barbecue it will literally lower the temperature. | --- ### 7. TL;DR *I See A Darkness* is not a record you *like*; it’s a record you *submit to*. It offers no solutions, only company. In that sense it’s less an album than a *service*: the knowledge that someone else has lain on the same kitchen floor, counting the same ceiling cracks, and kept breathing long enough to write the song you’re hearing. If that sounds like something you need, welcome—this is your new favorite album. If that sounds like something you *don’t* need, keep the gate closed; the darkness really is as dark as they say.

The album builds in emotion and sadness with each song. Needs another listen but I enjoyed it.

Not bad at all. Not sure I'm super into it. A little low energy? I guess it'd depend on my mood. Decent enough. There is a haunting beauty to it. The music is nice and you can feel the emotion in the vocals.

I like sad music and this is that. Also, generally, beautifully written, save maybe a ~couple. This might be a 5 for me, but I need to listen a couple more times. 4.5 and rounding down for now.

I tend to be intimidated by Will's massive catalogue, but this feels like particularly strong songwriting.

Rough around the edges, but beautiful nonetheless. I’ll forever be a fan of this record for the title track alone but this is some quintessential Bonnie “Prince” Billy. My attention span is shot so I’ll need more time for it to burrow in more but for now it’s a minor masterpiece for a minor place.

Good vibes

Maybe I’m just in the wrong mood , as I love folk and goth but not thier bastard child apparently

Not terrible, just 11 drab songs, nothing special

no find

Still want to get into it more

Sad, weird, dark, beautiful. Not sure how much I love his voice but he's incredible at setting a mood. To be honest, I think Rosalia's version of "I See a Darkness" is better.

Oh, it's the guy from the Jeffrey Lewis song! "And you might say now there's a guy who seems to have their world laid out before him Or you might say, he's just a rich kid or a fascist or a charlatan But either way you say it if you look at indie-rock culture you really can't ignore him And even if at first dismissive, after some listens you'll enjoy him" I hope Jeff makes this list.

Dark as fuck, but I did listen to a podcast where chef David Chang said this album kept him alive. Let's call that a win. Good record.

30/12/2025 1. a minor place - kinda folksy. not sure how i feel about the vocals.... warming on me as the song progresses. liking the keyboard on the bridge. alright, didn't not enjoy it, but didn't feel particularly strongly either. rhyme of the lyrics sometimes feels a bit forced, some words feel a bit shoehorned in? 2. nomadic revery (all around) - the lyrics are very poetic, had to get them up as i'm typing for closer inspection (i usually do this after listening to a song/album) i like them on the page, but doesn't really work for me in song form. not sure how i feel about this one. liking the electric guitar towards the end. 3. i see a darkness - liking the start so far. the piano is really nice. liking the call/response vocals.... lyrics are a bit emo.... i know it's a very sincere song, but the lyrics just seem a bit cliche?? i'm not disliking it, but i don't know how i'm going to keep listening to this for another half hour. bit subdued and bleak to listen to at length. just got to chorus, more upbeat. 4. another day full of dread - more of the other songs basically. chorus got a bit annoying. 5. death to everyone - drums and bass are nice immediately. sadly, for me anyway, it is just as slow as the rest of the songs so far. liking the sounds in the chorus! lyrics are a bit try-hard edgy? i like the absurdist themes, but it just sounds depressing with that funeral-durge pace. r/im14andthisisdeep. 6. knockturne - literally nothing to say. not bad background music, but can't see myself listening to this one again. 7. madeleine-mary - louder!!!! still painfully slow, but i'll take what i can get. all the songs are blending into one. aaaahhhh. 8. song for the new breed - more gospel-y i guess? still incredibly slow, feels like it's meant to be tender and honest, but just feels incredibly dull and a bit too pretentious in places. *9. today i was an evil one - liking the horns on this one. give a bit of energy!!!! more country vibes. probably because the volume's been turned up a bit. musically feels like it's taking itself a bit less seriously on this one, gives the lyrics a bit of levity. voice has deffo grown on me throughout this album though :) 10. black - back to minimalism :( just because the lyrics are depressing doesn't mean the music has to make you want to kill yourself. to me, it feels like a bad attempt at leonard cohen. *11. raining in darling - so glad this is almost over. i haven't hated the songs, i just haven't liked them either, which is somehow worse because i can't power through out of sheer anger and annoyance. this one is actually quite nice as well, which is really annoying me lol. if the rest of this album was like this, i would have really liked it!!! very sweet love song. bit of an abrupt ending though? it's not a bad album at all, but in a list of the best albums ever, i don't see how this was included! i might be missing some sort of historical context though? because that's the only explanation i can see. it's alright i guess. won't be running to listen to it again.

Not available on Spotify.

No wonder he sees dark. He so sad.

I enjoyed the mood it had!

okej, naslov odgovara vibeu, jako je depresivan. ne pase mi bas njegov glas, muzika je dobra, ali malo mi je previse pacenicki i u istom tonu. zvuci mi ko da je album stariji nego je.

I found this beautiful and sad.

Pleasant surprise

I thought that the opening track A Minor Place might reveal hidden depths and beautiful sentiments on a second listen, but unfortunately the rest of the tracks, which are mostly a man and a guitar with downbeat drums and piano to provide tempo, are so dull to listen to that I don't think I will ever revisit this album.

He just seemed too sad to be in the studio or on key. Take a note from Nick Drake if you want to break my heart

A very specific listening experience for a very specific mood. I enjoyed the hauntingly beautiful melody, and vocals to match. Best Track: Song For The New Breed

Couple of good ones, but ultimately not what I regularly want to hear

Bonnie Prince Billy recorded this straight after he’d been on one of Len Houmous’ famous 3 day acid trips. It wasn’t total darkness, he just hadn’t turned the lights on for 3 days. 3.0 3/11 I See Darkness

that's one very happy album

This took a while to listen to as it's not on Spotify. It was worth seeking out, if rather downbeat.

I knew this album by reputation. I've been really into music that's adjacent to or influenced by it, that type of literary americana like Ryan Davis and David Berman. (And Waxahatchee, if that counts.) So the gravity I felt for it, not surprising. I love the subtle instrumentation. I love the quiver in his voice and how well it pairs with the lyrical themes about mortality and internalized lack. Like Emmylou Harris a few days ago, and maybe all the best folk, it's both intellectually and emotionally convincing. I know it'll require more focused listening to really appreciate, and I'm looking forward to it.

I do love me my slow and moody tunes

Enjoyed it. But didn't click for me. Might need to come back to it

Today is the shortest day of the year. The sun is barely arsed to shine today. This is the perfect soundtrack.

awful vocals. very depressing

I knew nothing of this guy. I started the album and figured I'd endure the whole thing. Somehow along the way it drew me in, captured my attention and messed with my emotions. There's a delicious melancholy to the whole thing, and some tracks are just devastating. I love me some melancholy. This album is a success of this project, I'll be exploring more.

Ok

A little slow and weepy. 2.5/5

The link to Spotify didn’t work.

In manchen Songs blitzt etwas Interessantes auf, wird dann aber meist im so belanglos aufgelöst, dass mich da am Ende wenig abgeholt hat. Für mehr als 2 Sterne reicht es nicht.

Gutes Album, teilweise klar der Einfluss auf spätere Alben erkennbar. Muss man in der Stimmung für sein (war ich eher nicht so) und deep dive in die Lyrics lohnt sich wahrscheinlich, so erstmal gute 3 Sterne (und ggf. mehr Potenzial).

Schon krass, wie ähnlich heutige Indie-Platten hierzu klingen. Da haben sich viele hiervon inspirieren lassen. Mir gefällt nicht jeder Song, in die Texte müsste man bestimmt tiefer reingehen, aber einige Songs klangen schon unfassbar schön.

Geiles Teil.

Was für ein Katzenjammer stellenweise, und ansonsten sterbenslangweilig.

Schönes melancholisches Album

8 / 10

American oldies

Now this is an interesting album. As the title suggests, 'I See a Darkness' is quite a dark record lyrically, dealing primarily with love, loss, death and deep lamentation, while musically it has the sobre undertones of ominous piano and shuffling guitar. There's not a great deal going on here, as it's quite a minimalist record, but the vocals of Will Oldham (aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy) croon through a musical landscape that is as bleak as the album cover. The weird mix of gothic and indie is quite puzzling. Sure, indie music can often be depressing, but 'I See A Darkness' wears its depression like a warm blanket, constantly striving to make each song sadder than the last. I weirdly appreciate this record, as the blend of gothic and indie is quite inspired and different, but man this record is such a downer. You just want to give the singer a hug and tell them everything will be alright. Best songs: A Minor Place, I See A Darkness, Death to Everyone, Song For the New Breed

This was alright, and I didn't love it. It had some cool melodies and interesting slow, mellow grooves, but a lot of the performances were just kinda amateurish. For example, I heard a few places where the piano chords were kinda off-beat. The writing was interesting and I was humming along to at least a few of the songs, so the harmonic journey was interesting, but I didn't love the album as a whole and I probably wouldn't listen again. Three stars.

Kind of boring but nice.

I couldn’t handle the vocals.

I kinda enjoyed this.

It's depressing, boring and not what I want to listen to on a Sunday. I See A Darkness is a good song, but I don't like the album. Maybe it's because my Beck Depression Inventory score isn't high enough, don't know. It's not for me. Moreover, this album is not available on spotify, I don't know why, account region or some other reason. 1/5 —————————————— Liked: — I See A Darkness

I've heard of the artist, but never checked him out. This was thoroughly meh. Not bad, but I don't get why it's on this list.

I See A Darkness is certainly an interesting album. While i don't know much about his "Bonnie "Prince" Billy" alias, I would be lying if i said i wasn't familiar with the person behind that alias, Will Oldham, mainly from a Tweaker song he worked on. One thing i can say about this album is that it is very quiet, The music is quiet and so are the vocals and i think that is an artistic choice rather than one made due to limitations but still something that holds this album back a bit. The songs do sound pretty good here despite how quiet they are. They are still very samey and hard to remember though. Not bad but it isn't one i can consider great. Best Song: Song For The New Breed Worst Song: Nomadic Revery (All Around)

I thought this was a cool record. Interested in hearing more

Best Song: I See a Darkness This is what I want from doing this project. I didn't LOVE this but I really enjoyed it. I liked their voice and it was a mellow, melodic change of pace that I would never listen to if I weren't doing this. 4/5.

Bonnie Prince Billy was active in 1999? He's got a really pretty voice and I totally enjoy listening to this. But otherwise pretty forgettable. I'd be happy to listen again, but won't purposely return to it. 3.3/5

Not available in my area

A modern classic in American-Gothic-Indie-Folk-Whatever. Oldham's voice and seemingly 18th century lyrics may be a bit of a barrier for some, but for me that is the selling point. We hear the human. We hear the emotional cracks. Yes, we can all see the darkness, but some of us are lucky enough to see some occasional light as well. Best Tracks: A Minor Place; I See A Darkness; Death To Everyone

Haven't heard of him before. Nothing really wrong with this album but it's just boring. The songs came and went and I barely noticed them. There's Nick Drake on the list, we don't need this guy 2/5

Meh

3 out of 5. Better than I thought it would be.

To quote Beavis and Butthead: This sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before.

This album has seen a lot, and it's ready to inflict a lot on you. That's why I hate it. 1/5

I don't like the vocal. Slow, dragging and boring overall.

Couldn’t find it on Spotify, so listened to five songs of another album. Given how similar they all were, I think it’ll be a fair reflection of this album. Dull.

Not on Spotify, can't be fucked searching for it. Where has the did not listen option gone?

This is just the kind of artist I hoped to find on this quest! Just loved it.

Favorite Track: Black

Fuck this whiney shit. A slog to get through.

Not bad but the vocals bring sad vibes

Boring. I guess people like the lyrics? The musicianship is third rate at best and the whole thing sounds like they wanted it to intentionally sound bad.

Well that was depressing AF. Not sure how I made it through the whole album, but not going to listen to this one again. Eesh

This guy really puts the alt in alt-country. It's good background music but never something I'd listen to actively. Perhaps if it had a bit more upbeat/major energy; it was all a bit much on the depressive side for my liking.

~this album was not available on Spotify so this review is for their album Superwolf~ From what I can see most of their albums are collaborations so maybe their other albums have a very different sound but I didn’t care for this one.

This was better than expected. 2.5

If you haven’t seen it yet, find ‘Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror’ on YouTube. It perfectly describes the status Bonnie Prince Billy had ten years ago or so. And it’s freaking hilarious. Bonnie Prince Billy himself, however, is far from funny. This dude is serious. There’s literally a song on this album about how we’re all going to die one day no matter what we do. It’s bleak, and it’s real. Frankly, I love it. The vibe on this album is totally ‘cozy cabin in a snowy pine forest at night, contemplating meaning and the absurdity of existence.’ He’s the musical equivalent to Sartre. Prior to today, I’d never heard this album. I’m very familiar with ‘The Letting Go,’ and I can attest that every time I’m in Louisville, I hear a stray BPB song on local radio. They revere him in his hometown, and it’s deserved. This guy is an artist, through and through. All hail the Bonnie Prince!

Solid album. Sparse arrangement. Think you'd need to be in a specific mood to rate this higher. 3/5.

This was really great. Just down to earth and simple. I really enjoyed this, and would like to listen again soon.

Kinda meh

I can't get into this. I tried twice. It's not bad it's just too sad for me. It has all the hallmarks of something I should like but I just don't.

Beautiful but somehow doesn't really stick

Langweilig! Das ist der erste Eindruck. Beim intensiveren Hören bleiben dann doch einige Titel hängen.

I haven't listened to this for a while since it disappeared from Spotify but fuck me this is still as brilliant as always. My taste has moved way closer to this as I have aged so it might actually have grown on me.

It's just cold and dark and rainy enough for 3 stars

I liked this way more than I thought I would. His earnest voice grows on you and the songs are really interesting, especially lyrically. Very good!

A difficult one to review. Stripped back, emotive and well balanced, I find little to fault with it, but even on a second listen it just didn’t grab me. I like the tone and atmosphere it produces but it feels like it’s all running at 80% and I can’t quite put my finger on it.

"Today I was an evil one" - Showcased what I dont like about album. It was a bit whaley and pathetic and a fine line this album treads across the devide of otherwise being great. Lost the ability to control the emotional narrative and grated on me to a certain degree in these cases. I think this album has great promise but I came to conclusion after a re-listen was it was not actually that deep or expansive so will maintain a moderate score.

I enjoyed the dark, laconic vibes of this album. It piqued my interest and inspired a second listen. Its a stripped back sound but it seems to carry it off well, despite the vocals sometimes nudging into a Neil Young soundalike (not a good thing). Its, perhaps, slightly too laid back and I went through the album waiting for a resolution that never quite came. I was longing for it to crescendo into an eargasmic cacophony but instead I just got thirty seven minutes of audial edging.

This was okay.

Not impressed. Dull.

This may actually be a new all time favorite artist for me. This just zings for me, and to think I had never heard of this guy. This is why I do this!

Not on Spotify. Did not listen.

Not for me.

I like depressing music but I couldn’t even get through this. Woof.

An enjoyable listen, even though it didn't exist on Spotify.

I had to listen to this on YouTube and the best music I heard was in the advertisements in between songs. Sad boy basic chord folk is just not interesting at all. 1.0/5.0: Embarrassing

It’s fine I guess

Favourite Tracks: A Minor Place, Another Day Full of Dread,

Well. Hmmmm. It reminded me of Nick Cave and maybe a little 2010’s Radiohead without the variation. I appreciate the personal conviction but I just couldn’t get into this album. I attempted twice and forget I was listening twice. The only song that caught my attention was Madeleine Mary. The harmonies seemed to fluctuate through that gave it coffeehouse feel.sometimes it worked, other times it felt like a Tuesday night at the coffee house…

Random thoughts: * Went and found this one on YouTube. Good for him not putting his music on Spotify. But man it is inconvenient for me. Definitely a conflicted feeling. * This reminds me of other indie albums where they confront death. It is a universal subject that crosses all art. * This reminded me of Sun Kill Moon. Maybe more in subject and tone. But Bonnie "Prince" Billy is definitely a bit more upbeat. * I'd probably listen more if this was more easily accessible. It could grow on me but I guess we'll never know.

has some of the most edgy wrath like titled like "death to everyone" and "today i was an evil one" but this thing is chill folk goodness and it took me a little by surprise. i could definitely see someone bawling their eyes out to this. 7/10 highlights: A Minor Place, I See A Darkness lowlights: Knockturne

Listened to this so many times in my late teens while suicidally depressed. Correlation or causation?

Sun Kil Moon meets Jason Molina (Songs:Ohia) Gorgeous. And had me grabbed on the second song on the first listen. This is my type of pretentious sad man music. My blues.

Never heard of the man nor his records, but after seeing the cover of this albums, I had a vague idea that it might not be my cup of tea. And how I was right! This is by far one of the most bleak and depressing records I've ever listened to, apart form "Songs of Leonard Cohen", which I don't like either. To quote the Clash, "Give 'Em Enough Rope" but don't bother me with your pathetic depressing semi-poetic horseshit. 1/5

If we're going to get one turn-of-the-millennium DIY indie folk album, it should definitely be The Glow, Pt. 2 by the Microphones, but this is fine too

Never heard this before, though I'm familiar with Johnny Cash's cover of the title track. He does a good line in downbeat, brooding meodies, and I get the feeling that this will grow on me more and more.

In hindsight, I See a Darkness arrived at a strangely fitting moment. The ’90s were winding down, the millennium scare was brewing, and most of us — children of the post-punk era now shuttling kids to hockey at 9 a.m. — were quietly ageing out of the louder corners of guitar music. Which is exactly when Will Oldham, newly trading under the mildly ridiculous moniker Bonnie “Prince” Billy, released an album that every self-respecting cultural-lefty tastemaker insisted was essential. I bought it at the time, full of hope… and was greeted by A Minor Place, easily one of the most bewildering opening tracks I’d ever heard. Not the ideal gateway for someone raised on decades of roaring guitars. But I kept listening — six full spins for this revisit — and the album gradually revealed itself as something remarkable. The songs are sparse, fragile, quietly devastating. Oldham’s thin, wavering voice shouldn’t work, yet it absolutely does; the arrangements are understated but beautifully judged, avoiding all the corny Americana trappings you might fear. And the writing… these are genuinely exquisite little miniatures. Unflinching, deeply sad, but gorgeous. The highlights come thick and fast: the title track (immortalised later by Johnny Cash), Nomadic Revery, Another Day Full of Dread, Death to Everyone, Madeleine-Mary, Black, Raining in Darling. Seven out of eleven isn’t a bad ratio. And even the rest never dip below “good”. It’s funny, really — how those of us from “generation zero” spent the ’90s marinating in gloom, blasting Smashing Pumpkins and Therapy?, and now look back on that decade as one long golden afternoon. But this record still hits straight in the chest. Especially its title track, which gets uncomfortably close to the bone. My single piece of advice for newcomers: skip the opener on first listen. Trust me. Everything after it is worth the journey. For me, it’s an easy 10/10 — an album I can return to endlessly without it losing any of its quiet power.

Better than I expected, usually at this point my 5s are just really obvious albums

2 - not keen on vocals. Boring

not available on spotify. did not listen.

I’ve always wanted to like this album more for some reason. Fan of some of his more upbeat material. There are a couple brooding bangers here though. I’ll keep trying!

I love Will Oldham’s frail voice and songwriting. His early albums as Palace Brothers/Music and the first few Bonnie Prince Billy albums are entire worlds filled with sad, desperate stories. I See A Darkness is haunting and strange. Have never stopped listening to it since it was released.

Depressing, reflective and melancholy. An album to listen to when you are feeling down. We all have days dark days. I have to give the man credit for making album that embodies sadness and darkness

Not for me. But the algorithm brought me some nice stuff after it was over.

I'm a fan of some singer songwriter stuff but this is simply too bare bones (pun intended) for me. But it's not unlistenable.

A great record but you do have to be in the mood, as one guy from darkest Vermont said. I see a darkness is beautiful

One of the bleakest, darkest and yet comforting indie albums of all time. Genius record!

1999 Before today, I'd never heard Bonnie "Prince" Billy album. Now I have. Proper mardy! Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Spiral of depression★★☆☆☆ (3/10)

I’m into some real sad-guy shit and even this was too much for me. Modern down-tempo American folk. It was a bit too one-note and sleepy for me. Wish there was more variety in the music, but I do see what people get out of this record. All in all I thought it was fine but probably won’t revisit.

Not bad, but didn’t strike me. Very mellow

Not very good. Harmonies were terrible, off pitch.

Not available on Spotify.

There were many dark, depressive albums that I heard growing up that hit harder than this one and do everything better. Mount eerie/Microphones, Teen Suicide, etc. Might have to revisit tho?

Equal parts hopeful and depressing as hell. I would expect nothing less from Will Oldham.

Like Pedro the Lion but more gothic. I like his voice a lot.

This is a beautiful album. I will always love albums that sound this DIY one person hanging out making art. Very Neil young/tom waits/singer songwriter but also I can fully see a band like Foxing put this out. It’s so good. One of my favorite albums ever is As if by ghosts by Dreamend and I haven’t really ever found another album that makes me feel the same way. This really hit the same notes for me, I adore it it’s a masterpiece.

This couldn't be less mandatory. It's fine but I wouldn't have this on a list of the 2,002 mandatory albums

Great example of this kind of music. It would have hit me in highschool. There are just so many albums like this out there. Which makes it hard to see this as required listening. Nice album art.

It's been a long time since I listened to this and it's better than I remember. I liked it before, but I was more into Viva Last Blues and kinda left this one behind. It shouldn't be a surprise to me that it's actually great. Also, I need to stop reading other peoples reviews on here. It's infuriating to see what the people who trash this album love instead. It's as good as Madvillainy.

un poco muy soft y sad y country para mi gusto perooo lindas

That was a cheery record! It's generally not a great sign when you are looking at the time on the first song, thinking it has been going on for 5+ minutes and it's barely been 2. That's kind of how this album was for me. Short in nature but felt much, much longer and not for a good reason. Is it interesting? Sure. Is the song construction decent? Maybe. But the singing is painful. it’s like listening to the bad parts of Neil Young's voice but even worse. Don't get me started on the "harmonies". I saw someone say that this is like listening to a 3rd grade choir, but I actually would say it's more like a couple of middle school boys who are going through puberty. Still, I get why it is included. The title track reminded me of something I would hear on a Ben Folds album. Madeleine-Mary was a cool song, mainly because there was a lot more to it than just depression like the other songs. All summed up, though, I just didn't really care for it. Below average, but not bottom of the barrel bad.

Never heard of them.

next

Pleasant enough but I wasn’t overly impressed. Having said that I did give it two listens so there must be something there.

Had to listen 3 or 4 times cause I KNEW there was something here and im better for it. Picked up a used CD as soon as I could. This is not for the people who crave tight structure and slick production. This is for fans of true indie-folk-slowcore-lofi-altcounty. Its sad most times with rays of light shining thru mistimed, out of tune backing vocals. This has heart and soul above musical prowess

meh

I don't think I was in the right mood to listen to this.

Bonnie Prince Billy’s I See a Darkness is the sound of a man peeling his skin off. It stripped everything about the genre down to its bones. The whole album is a ghost story.

Nothing here for me. 2/5

3.5/5 will definitely listen again when I'm blue.

Not really sure about thus one it seemed pretty bleak

Weirdly compelling for an album I had to listen to on YouTube. Half AM Half PM. Revisit please especially opening track and the last 4

Perfectly melancholic for the first rainy, fall day where I'm at. Really good stuff though I definitely need another listen or two for the lyrics. I was really excited to see Rosalia and Johnny Cash both had covers for the titular song. Truly a sign of quality. Favorite Tracks: I see a Darkness and Another Day Full of Dread

Had to listen to this on YouTube, and experience I really do not enjoy. So that may have flavored my listening, but I found some tracks on this album to be frustratingly unlistenable. At the same time there were some songs that were really compelling and that I really enjoyed so overall I think this album feels kind of inconsistent. It is obviously by design that it sounds like a teenager Fucking around with a four track in their bedroom, but whatever. I guess that’s good for some people, but not for me.

Definitely solid but not as impressive as the other 4’s of its time

A lot different than I was expecting. Dark and weird but still listenable. Not party music. But not bad.

I had this record a long time ago. Really solid stuff. It’s melancholy put to tape and perfect for a rainy day. It reminds me a bit of Nick Cave’s later stuff. 4/5

Melancholy but, wonderfully recorded. Great sound but not something I would listen to.

Befittingly grim, as per the title and the album cover. I usually don't like stuff this understated, but it was pretty great.

As dark as promised.

Alright Billy. So dark- made me feel better.

Utterly slow and boring

This album’s inclusion on the list is puzzling. Nothing about it stands out musically or otherwise. A few so-so tracks (“A Minor Place”, “Madeleine-Mary”), but the rest sounds like any other gothic-folk songwriter at your local open-mic night. It’s listenable, but I won’t remember it.

is ok. was never crazy about Will Oldham. maybe a little bit the same territory as Silver Jews but doesn't work for me as much. the title track has a bunch of versions and one of them is really good. the music video version maybe?

This album is so beautiful. Always has been always will be

Another one of those zero impression background noise albums

It feels like the singer doesn’t know what to do with his voice most of the time… much prefer Johnny Cash’ cover of I see a Darkness

haunting and beautiful

Wasn't on Spotify and Youtube kept playing ads which made me pretty disinterested pretty quickly unfortunately

This album benefits from listening in the right environment wrapped in solitude and a really good cocktail. What little I’ve heard of Will I always liked. And hearing this one will definitely make me wanna delve deeper into his stuff. It’s a really good record that survives because of its minimalist approach. A perfect example of using air and space as instruments themselves to serve the songs which only helps round out the melancholy moods. Add to that his use of unconventional, clever and at times witty lyrics and you get a really good listen.

Not sure what’s going on with Spotify missing this whole album, but going off of what’s included and the fact that I’m a fan of Will’s stuff.

Tough to get the full experience when it’s not on Spotify. I think I found most of the tracks on a YouTube playlist but was hilarious listening and then an ad would come on in a completely different style and confuse me. Happened more times than I should admit. This is tough. Some really interesting parts and songs. The harmonies were really cool. But overall this didn’t really stand out and felt quite sleepy at times. 2.75

Thought this was pretty good. Would benefit from a proper setting of solitude in a dark room, not around screaming kids. I am rounding up cuz I think I like it a bit more than a 2* 2.5/5

Well that was a slow album with no highlights.

Brilliantly Solemn and Dark!

Ok

Not available

Another album listened to on YouTube because the artist in this case pulled much of his work off Spotify. Some great songs here (including the title track, covered by Johnny Cash), but overall not for me. Very slow. Monotone-ish throughout. I respect the album but it is not for me.

First time of hearing this guy. Feels a pretty raw and emotive album, but when that gets going and is in full on whining, it’s doesn’t really work (see track 2) Stripped back, raw and shaky, I can see this fitting a certain mood and vibe, but I’m not really there as I listen to it. Just kinda feels depressing and rough but trying to listen with an open mind. I’ll give it 2 listens. Just feel like I’m missing something or maybe not in the right place, but it just ain’t connecting. Sorry Billy Boy

Man this one is a downer. But I like it. You have to be in the right mood or atmosphere to appreciate this one. I listened to it alone on a gloomy and rainy day and it was great. Really sad but hopeful and optimistic at the same time. I See a Darkness and Death to Everyone are standouts to me. I also really like A Minor Place. The worst thing about it was that it's not on Spotify as of today so I had to listen to it on Youtube and it was interrupted by bullshit ads every other song. Anyway, loved this record and will listen again for sure. 4/5

Anyone that knows me knows I'm a connoisseur of depressing, melancholic music... and I've never felt so disappointed by it than I did with this album. The back-up vocals being the worst quality of it all, but I found the choice of effects and arrangements to be very amateur. If you liked this album, or even kind of liked it, check out Tweaker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3-fOTTKFr4) and Starsailor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nigN8bSP9_4) instead. The Tweaker song I shared is sung by "Will Oldham" (aka Bonnie Prince Billy). I feel like that song is how this whole album SHOULD sound.

Fairly forgettable.

A clifton local! But also love this record.

The whole album feels like one long, weeping song.

It sounds like the sun going down on a freezing cold blue sky day with deep snow on the ground. Dark Americana, the sound of going to cabin in the woods with a guitar to work some shit out. Fraile alto vocals on the cusp of tears give this a delicate fragile mood: sombre, reflective, hurt. They're doubled and split, with a small gap between them, playing with multiples of one voice and amplifying the unsettling psychic environment of the album. Sparse arrangements let everything breathe, fill and linger in the space available for a melancholy ambience.

Oh joy and bliss, it’s time to listen to an album on YouTube. Look, I guess this is a good time to talk about Spotify. Sure, they don’t pay the artists nor their employees and hey, what’s a little military-industrial funding coming from my family subscription? I hate this modern world. Truly. Corporations gut every possible crevice where money may be lingering and then when the populace looks to distractions (bread & circuses), they capitalize further on that, making each day a waking nightmare with a drastic price tag. The way I see it, I can either become a nomadic protester, moving from company to company, switching loyalties upon the discovery of the next human rights abomination, or I can pick and choose my battles, trying to minimize the evil I expose myself to on a daily basis. I’d love to buy more music, but I can’t afford anything else, so here we are. Rock, meet hard place. That’s where the big corps come in! I’m about to have to listen to a crypto ad before every song because Bonnie Prince Billy isn’t on Spotify. We all know it’s time for guillotines, but leftist in-fighting has left us arguing on fascist platforms over “which of the evil companies is the least evil.” Whatever. Uh oh yeah, uh time for music. No track reviews today. Too much tab switching. I might trigger another ad. You come here for bad music reviews, reviews of bad music, and now, lazy political takes. Well those have always been sort of it I guess. This album is hard to judge. I found it to be really sweet in places. It obviously has a sense of humour to match its sense of melody. It is overwhelmingly dark, which I enjoyed for the most part. I would revisit this. Not as “bonnie” as I hoped it might be, but in the doldrums of depression, there is some comfort. That soundtrack is held within this album’s track listing. 3-3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: A Minor Place, Death to Everyone, Black

4.5

4.5

Just the best

You ever come across an album. You know would be a five star album if you've were in the right headspace for it? Today's not the day, but I can feel it (9.35) ★★★★½

It's dark, melancholic and beautiful. 4.5 stars

This was a really cool album. Bonnie Prince Billy kind of reminds me a lot of Nick Cave's material from this era, where it feels a bit out of time and there's these elements of darkness and sadness underneath. Lots of highlights here, including "Nomadic Revery", "I See a Darkness", "Madeline-Mary", and " Death to Everyone". 4.5 stars.

3.5

Bonnie “Doxepin” Billy - I See A Humdrumness.

This sound was everywhere in the late 90s/early 00s. I do really appreciate the vocal harmonics on this album. Hopeful and melancholic lyrics sang over simple but fitting music.

It was okay, couple of good songs though.

This was an atmospheric, dark, lovely album. Would definitely listen to this again.

Good late-night album.

Interesting - 4 stars

Bonnie „Prince“ Billy veröffentlichte 1999 mit I See A Darkness sein erstes Album unter diesem Namen. Der amerikanische Singer-Songwriter, mit bürgerlichem Namen Will Oldham, nahm die Songs in intimer Besetzung auf, oft nur mit akustischer Gitarre, Klavier und spärlichen Begleitern. Die Produktion bleibt bewusst reduziert, wodurch die Stücke einen unmittelbaren, fast privaten Charakter erhalten. Musikalisch bewegt sich das Album zwischen Alternative Folk und Americana, mit deutlichen Anklängen an Country-Traditionen. Oldham trägt die Lieder mit brüchiger Stimme vor, die mehr an Ausdruck als an technische Perfektion gebunden ist. Der Titelsong „I See A Darkness“ wurde später von Johnny Cash gecovert und zählt heute zu den bekanntesten Stücken seines Repertoires. Weitere markante Titel sind „Death to Everyone“ und „Nomadic Revery (All Around)“. Die Texte kreisen um existentielle Themen wie Freundschaft, Sterblichkeit und die innere Dunkelheit. Trotz der Schwere wirkt das Album nicht resignativ, sondern suchend und offen. Es gehört zu den Werken, die sich erst in stiller, konzentrierter Auseinandersetzung erschließen. Abschließend bleibt ein Album, das durch seine Reduktion und Intensität bleibenden Eindruck hinterlässt und Bonnie „Prince“ Billys Platz als eigenständige Stimme im Indie-Folk festigt.

Har sitt formål

Some tunes not bad. Needs a smoother voice a la Gregory Alan Isakov or Bon Iver. Not sure its an album you must hear.

Not my jam

Unable to find a copy of this

boring and not a good singer

So haunting.

Half decent easy listening.

Goodness me, makes Leonard Cohen sound like Earth, Wind & Fire. Turgid, depressing songs badly sung.

Not exciting or interesting or available.

Mumbly, depressing, and like the vocal can't decide if it wants to cone out.

еле нашла. очень печальный, но в целом норм

A couple songs were interesting but most were boring to me

I enjoyed it, but will I return? Who knows.

Kunne ikke finde på Spotify eller andre steder

3/5. A dark and quiet album that I think I would appreciate more if I forgot to take my anti-depressants this morning. The songwriting is strong, and the vocal delivery has a charm to it that works well here, but it wasn't exactly hitting all the parts I was hoping for. I think on a different day, I might appreciate this one a little more so I can't say I didn't enjoy it but I think it might require some more time. For now, it achieved its goal of making me sad so kudos for that. Best Song: A Minor Place, I See A Darkness, Today I Was an Evil One

Possibly the most depressing album I've ever heard. Someone with a voice that mournful shouldn't be singing unless accompanied by some upbeat music

We should check in on this guy. Seems like he's going through a rough patch

There were no standout tracks to me, but I didn’t mind as I listened. If I forget the whole album later, I feel like it has to be a 3. Not memorable for me in either direction

Well I don’t know if his lyrics were any good - I was too distracted by his terrible singing and the mediocre music. He could use a good vocal coach to cure him of really annoying vocals. Hope I never have to listen to that again.

beautifully bleak

I would add browns to this album art, visually I was swayed to expect something sonically darker. It's quite a beautiful listen, the darkness is hidden in the lyrics with a gloomy haze and empty spaces to let everything sink in. I would replay for the mood. Feels goth without being too punchy on the drums. 3.2/5

dark gothic folk. not bad.

Pretty boring but not dislikable. I guess.

Not bad, but I feel like it should have been more up my alley than it ultimately was.

I felt a darkness when this was playing boring one dimensional