Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang
Island Brothers 10"
Drag City
2011
Rating: 7.5 tender honey devils out of 10
I was kind of ready to make a snide comment about this Bonnie 'Prince' Billy release sounding like most everything else the dude puts out, but in actuality it's a little different, more upbeat and quite enjoyable, not maudlin and morose as is often the case. I don't know dick about the Cairo Gang but I really like what they are bringing out in Will Oldham's sound, especially on the title track "Island Brothers". Oldham's voice soars while the rest of the band harmonizes with him in old-school mountain music fashion. The b-side is a fine track, but not why you should buy this. And if you're on the fence, the proceeds from the 10" go towards Haiti relief, so you can feel good and get some good music to boot.
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