Pitchfork: Bonnie "Prince" Billy Splits EP with Brightblack, Records New Full-Length with "The Wolfman"

Bonnie "Prince" Billy Splits EP with Brightblack, Records New Full-Length with "The Wolfman"
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Despite Will Oldham's lasting popularity, his experiments with facial hair often seem to have had more influence in the indie scene at times than his music. (Cex, this means you. We saw those beard photos.) Still, the semi-reclusive Oldham remains undeterred-- heck, maybe he likes things that way. This year's polarizing Greatest Palace Music proved that the self-styled Bonnie "Prince" Billy's urge to play, record and release music wasn't the same thing as a need to please his audience.

And yet, with the solid slate of Oldham material headed our way, "pleased" will be the only way to describe Oldham fans in coming months (although the phrase "pig in shit" may also apply). The material is already pouring in: A previously tour-only split EP between Oldham and Alabama-based folk-rockers Brightblack has just been made available online at Drag City.

According to a post at Drag City's website, the Bonnie Prince made nice with openers Brightblack, and the two were so jointly inspired by the experience that they challenged each other to record a few covers of the opposite band's choosing. The resulting EP, entitled Pebbles and Ripples, features Oldham covering tracks by Bob Marley and The Grateful Dead, while Brightblack tackle Phil Ochs and George Gershwin. Tracklist:

01 Brightblack: I Kill Therefore I Am
02 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Brokedown Palace
03 Brightblack: Someone to Watch Over Me
04 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Babylon System
05 Brightblack: Love Me Tonight
06 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Lullaby

Greatest Palace Music, which, according to Drag City, will include a video and two B-sides: Also in the works are two CD singles. The first is for "Agnes, Queen of Sorrow", off the aforementioned "Pussyfooting", which is previously unreleased, and... something else, which for some reason they're remaining mum about. Release date? Fuck, your guess is as good as ours, unfortunately. The second single, which also is without specific release date (think fall) is for "No More Workhorse Blues", also culled from Greatest Palace Music, and will contain the video for the song directed by notable pretentious filmmaker Harmony Korine (Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy).

But the kicker to all this is a new full-length due out this fall. While the title remains a mystery, it's currently credited to "Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Wolfman." A new, even darker alter-ego for Oldham? Wolfman Jack? Bill Callahan in a furry suit? Actually, our friends at Drag City have confirmed our unconfirmed reports that The Wolfman is actually former Chavez frontman/Zwan guitarist Matt Sweeney. All the clues are there-- he's hirsute, large, and looks like he might eat you if you mouth off to him.

Meanwhile, as reported previously by Pitchfork, Will Oldham (change of moniker alert!) has reacquired the acting bug, and is presently shooting The Guatemalan Handshake, a peculiar "semi-real" flick in which he appears as a 10-year-old's vanished friend named Donald. On the film's constantly-updated blog, editor Craig Moorhead sez, "He IS Donald, inasmuch as he looks and sounds like the Donald that I saw and heard in my head since I read [the script]." Clear mantle space for your Oscar now, Will. You can always just stick some beer there later.