Marquis de Tren & Bonny Billy
(2000) Marquis de Tren & Bonny Billy
Get on Jolly
192k, Palace Records
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(2000) Marquis de Tren & Bonny Billy
Get the Fuck on Jolly Live
192k, Palace Records
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Bonny Billy (a.k.a. Bonnie "Prince" Billy) = Will Oldham (of the Palace variations)
The Marquis de Tren = Mick Turner (of the Dirty Three).
Given the involvement of such heavyweights in this little project (six songs, 22 minutes), one's hopes may rise beyond the point of sustainability. The purpose of this review is: don't get your hopes up.
For those who are familiar with the previous work of the involved parties, the overall tone is appropriately melancholy and maudlin. The pace is slow. The atmosphere is heavy. However, the melodies are underdeveloped and abstract. The songs wander along like a drunk in love, who knows not wither his lover lie. The various overdubbed guitars on "25" (the songs are only numbered, not named) sound like an orchestra tuning up, rather than any musician playing a song. The instruments on "2/15," guitar, bass, accordion, and some backwards sounds, have no appearance of being played on the same song, but seem randomly assembled. Only the last two tracks, "64" and "66" rise to the level of a focused, coherent tune (maybe it's the presence of drums on those tracks, that keep them in line).
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This review is rediculous. Maybe one good advice might be not to listen to an album with expectations but with an open mind. I love it. Thanks!