Superwolf

The first full-length collaboration between two of indie rock's most ubiquitous figures, SUPERWOLF finds wandering troubadour Bonnie "Prince" Billy (AKA Will Oldham) and guitarist Matt Sweeney (formerly of Chavez and Zwan) hitting yet another musical plateau. While the terrain explored on SUPERWOLF is in keeping with past Bonnie "Prince" Billy releases (most directly 1998's somber, haunting I SEE A DARKNESS and 2003's hushed, tender MASTER AND EVERYONE), it's surprising to learn that Sweeney is credited as the sole writer of the album's music (with Oldham handling the lyrics). From soft acoustic ballads ("Only Someone Running") to plaintive sing-alongs ("Lift Us Up") to epic tales of heartbreak ("Blood Embrace"), SUPERWOLF is technically a stripped-down affair, yet its impact is far-reaching and expansive. Album opener "My Home Is the Sea" perfectly captures the spirit of the project, beginning softly, but building to an electrifying climax of sloppy guitar virtuosity. With SUPERWOLF, Oldham and Sweeney have made an album that plays to both artists' strengths.