Ease Down the Road

The second album as Bonnie "Prince" Billy, with the biggest cast of his career so far.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy, 2001

Released: March 2001
Label: Palace Records

The seventh studio album by Will Oldham and the second under his new name was released in March 2001 on Palace Records. Domino issued a UK edition with a bonus disc of tracks from a BBC Peel session first broadcast on 16 March 1999. Twelve people are credited, among them David Pajo, Matt Sweeney, Oldham's brother Ned and Harmony Korine, who sang backing vocals and shouted.

Oldham told the Guardian of the luxury of having five weeks in the studio, and told Pitchfork the record was very social, an excuse to spend time with the musicians. Matt LeMay of Pitchfork called it Oldham's most fleshed-out and most sonically diverse work to date, though uneven, and described it as an album of contained joy and resignation. Stereogum ranked it third.

Track listing

May It Always Be4:04
Careless Love2:07
A King at Night4:29
Just to See My Holly Home3:41
At Break of Day4:16
After I Made Love to You3:54
Ease Down the Road3:07
The Lion Lair6:02
Mrs William3:04
Sheep2:55
Grand Dark Feeling of Emptiness3:23
Rich Wife Full of Happiness3:06

Personnel

Will Oldham vocals, guitar, Nord Lead, percussion
David Pajo vocals, guitar, bass guitar, Nord Lead, piano, percussion
Matt Sweeney vocals, guitar, banjo
Ned Oldham vocals, guitar, bass guitar
Mike Fellows bass guitar
Jon Theodore drums, percussion
Todd Brashear vocals, lap steel guitar
Paul Greenlaw vocals, banjo
Bryan Rich guitar
Matt Everett violin
Catherine Irwin vocals
Harmony Korine vocals

More from Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Viva Last Blues (1995), I See a Darkness (1999), Master and Everyone (2003), The Letting Go (2006)

Sources

Ease Down the Road, Wikipedia
Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Ease Down the Road, Pitchfork (2001-03-31)
The prince of darkness, The Guardian (2001-03-04)
Will Oldham, Pitchfork (2001-08-31)
Will Oldham Albums From Worst To Best, Stereogum (2013-05-10)