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Album Details

• Artist: Matt Sweeney and Bonny "Prince" Billy
• Album: Superwolf
• Label: Drag City
• Year of Release: 2005
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2005-04-14

It's been a really long time since I have come across a release that I can honestly listen back to back more than 4 times but Superwolf is becoming my most played release this year. Matt Sweeney had his brush with fame getting together with old pal Billy Corgan and did a project called Zwan. Will Oldham is synonymous with tons of releases. The two decided to get together for a project and have created one of the most achingly beautiful and bleak albums this year or even in the past 5. We are ushered into the Superwolf project with "My Home Is The Sea" with a fragile little guitar riff just before Bonny "Prince" Billy's (herein known as Will) voice makes its appearance. In this same song we are shown what to expect between these two amazing musicians where Sweeney supplies some perfect backup vocals to Oldham. On "Beast For Thee" we are given some pretty impressive finger-picking showing some dexterity on Matt's part. This one continues the beautiful harmonies the two are capable of. There is hardly a sign of percussion throughout the album but this is just fine (and the tracks that do have percussion have it ever so softly "Goat and Ram"). You can tell Sweeney is holding back the huge rock sound he loves but it give the music that much more of a restrain that adds to the depth. "Lift Us Up" has that gospel feel to it but that's really only due to the lyrics. The 11 songs are over in 43 minutes and no matter how many times I listen to them, I have to hear them again. Superwolf has Oldham written all over it but the addition of Sweeney to the fold pushes this into the next level. True soul mates when it comes to music. Undoubtedly one of the best albums to be released so far this year.

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