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Lambchop, Bonnie "Prince" Billy or M Ward?


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Looking to dive in and spend some time with one of these fantastic artists. I have very little knowledge of any of their works and I am looking for a new artist to sit with for awhile. If you could pick only one, which would you pick and what album would you start with?

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I only know Lambchop well out of those.

 

The Albums I have in order that I like them are:

 

Nixon

Tools In The Dryer: A Rarities Compilation

Aw C'mon

No, You C'mon - These two (Aw, & No) are essentially the same album in my view.

How I Quit Smoking

Is a Woman - This one is very very low Key

Damaged

What Another Man Spills

The Decline of Western Civilization Vol 2: The Wooodwind Years

Hank

 

I am sure some would rank these way differently than I have. But each has its own character so each appeals to a different set of listening parameters.

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I just dove into BPB myself, but I didn't take everyone's advice here and I went with Lie Down in the Light and Beware first. Both blew me away and I love them, but I just started listening to I See a Darkness and jeez that's like a 180 turn on emotion right there. It's taking some effort for me to re-adjust my brain.

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M. Ward "Post War" or "The Transfiguration of Vincent"

Bonnie Prince Billy "I See A Darkness" or "Lie Down in the Light"

 

The best thing Lambchop have ever done is back up Vic Chesnutt on "The Salesman and Bernadette". I want to like them but I just can't get into Kurt Wagner's croak.

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The best thing Lambchop have ever done is back up Vic Chesnutt on "The Salesman and Bernadette". I want to like them but I just can't get into Kurt Wagner's croak.

 

His voice is definately an acquired taste. But the music behind it is really good stuff.

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They are all really good artists, but I'd say that Lambchop have put out the better albums, in general. Nixon and Is A Woman are a couple of the best modern country albums ever made (although I'd call them country/soul really). Bonnie Prince Billy is perhaps more naturally talented, but recently he's not so hot on the quality control (not to Ryan Adam's levels, but not great either). M Ward, too is good, but he's not quite in Lambchop's league when it comes to song craft. So, get some Lambchop, and start with Nixon - then go from there in which ever direction you see fit.

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I really could not imagine struggling to find M. Ward's Transistor Radio anything but beautiful. Bonnie Prince Billy's Sings Greatest Palace Music is a must have. I have never heard one Lamchop song in my life, so I'd go with what they up there said.

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I really could not imagine struggling to find M. Ward's Transistor Radio anything but beautiful. Bonnie Prince Billy's Sings Greatest Palace Music is a must have. I have never heard one Lamchop song in my life, so I'd go with what they up there said.

 

surely everyone has heard

although i do know (like a lot of these people) they seem to get more respect from the uk than america - for some strange reason.

 

edit: oh, and maybe listening will help you make up your mind -

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Guest Hollinger.

Yeah, we get it. You don't like Will Oldham. You take every opportunity to share your opinion that his voice is awful. We get it. Your opinion is boring as fuck at this point.

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I never got into Lambchop really. Tried a few times. I would go with an M. Ward record and a BPB album and see where to go from there. As for which records...ummm. BPB: Lie Down in the Light, Superwolf, Sings Greatest Palace Music, I See a Darkness. Any of those, though they are cover significantly different moods. As for M. Ward, any of the last four, but I am partial to Hold Time, Transfiguration of Vincent, and Post War.

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Don't know too much about BPB but love M. Ward and Lambchop. I would definitely recommend checking out 'Nixon' and 'Damaged' by Lambchop. 'Is a Woman' is also great, if somewhat sparce. Lambchop are a great 'album' band. The albums I have mentioned are really great for siting down with and listening to in their entirety (glass of wine goes well with Lambchop!!).

 

In terms of M. Ward, its all good. I would probably start with 'Transistor Radio' as it has a lot of his best songs on (Paul's Song, 'Hi-Fi' etc). transfiguration of Vincent' is really good too. Obviously 'Hold Time' is his most recent and has some great tunes on but, in my opinion, is not as good as Transfiguration and Transistor. His second album 'End of Amnesia' is a bit of an underrated gem.

 

I have never really got into Bonny Prince Billy so would also appreciate some recommendations. I listen to one album 'The Letting Go' which really didn't do it for me. I didn't like the female vocals at all. Is that album a good indicator of his work in general?

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Don't know too much about BPB but love M. Ward and Lambchop. I would definitely recommend checking out 'Nixon' and 'Damaged' by Lambchop. 'Is a Woman' is also great, if somewhat scarce. Lambchop are a great 'album' band. The albums I have mentioned are really great for siting down with and listening to in their entirety (glass of wine goes well with Lambchop!!).

 

In terms of M. Ward, its all good. I would probably start with 'Transistor Radio' as it has a lot of his best songs on (Paul's Song, 'Hi-Fi' etc). transfiguration of Vincent' is really good too. Obviously 'Hold Time' is his most recent and has some great tunes on but, in my opinion, is not as good as Transfiguration and Transistor. His second album 'End of Amnesia' is a bit of an underrated gem.

 

I have never really got into Bonny Prince Billy so would also appreciate some recommendations. I listen to one album 'The Letting Go' which really didn't do it for me. I didn't like the female vocals at all. Is that album a good indicator of his work in general?

 

No The Letting Go isn't necessarily representative of other stuff of his. I however find the female vocal striking on that album. The last song on that album "I Called You Back" brings tears to my eyes everytime. BPB is hit and miss for me and scares me sometimes and I'm not sure if I consider any of his albums easy to listen to in one setting, but there are some beautiful gems throughout. The most accessible and normal is probalby Greatest Palace Music.

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Yeah, we get it. You don't like Will Oldham. You take every opportunity to share your opinion that his voice is awful. We get it. Your opinion is boring as fuck at this point.

 

as boring as your reaction.

 

Yeah, we get it. You don't like Will Oldham. You take every opportunity to share your opinion that his voice is awful. We get it. Your opinion is boring as fuck at this point.

 

seriously, what's the fucking difference between me expressing my opinion on this thread and others who have listed a preference for one of the three artists in question?

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seriously, what's the fucking difference between me expressing my opinion on this thread and others who have listed a preference for one of the three artists in question?

 

Safe to assume that you don't think I See A Darkness is the most beautifully haunting song ever written, huh? He's not being "intentionally shitty." Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that's not an opinion IMO, and that's the difference.

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