Artist: Young Widows / Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Title: King of the Back-Burners / Poor Shelter
Format: 7" Single
Label: Temporary Residence
Catalogue Number: TRR151
Year of Release: 2009
Tracklisting
A King of the Back-Burners by Young Widows
B Poor Shelter by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Listen to King of the Back-Burners on Young Widows' Myspace. It's a short and shouty number, based around grungy near-metal guitar chords, and only really threatens to get interesting when the vocals echo out and an up-tempo proggy-instrumental section starts, but comes all to quickly to a close. I think if I was younger and angrier I'd probably like it.
Later contributors to this series apparently include Melt Banana, which makes sense if you want a split single of 'like minds'. On the other hand if you want something completely different on your flip side, then Bonnie 'Prince' Billy has certainly delivered. Poor Shelter's mix of slow acoustic instrumentation and measured delivery is almost an antidote to the A-side.
It's also everything that Beware isn't - inventive, unusual, and thought-provoking. It reminds you what a stunning song-writer and -arranger Will Oldham can be when he's freed from Country-stylings. Highly recommended.
