Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Beware (album)

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Released
  
17 March 2009

Release date
  
17 March 2009

Artist
  
Will Oldham

Label
  
Domino Recording Company

Beware (album) httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumbd

Beware (2009)
  
The Wonder Show of the World (2010)

Genres
  
Alternative country, Americana, Indie folk

Similar
  
Will Oldham albums, Alternative country albums

Bonnie prince billy beware your only friend


Beware is a studio album by singer-songwriter Will Oldham, released on March 17, 2009, on Drag City. The album is Oldham's seventh under the name Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Beware was recorded in October 2008 at Engine Studios in Chicago, IL. This album showcased a more upbeat and less melancholic side to Bonnie Prince Billy's music, with the artist attributing this to 'having found love' in a monologue to an audience on the album's subsequent tour. It was engineered by Neil Strauch and Will's backing band included Josh Abrams of Town & Country, Jennifer Hutt, Emmett Kelly of the Cairo Gang band, and Michael Zerang of Peter Brötzmann's and Ken Vandermark's jazz-combos. Guest artists included Leroy Bach (ex-Wilco), Jon Langford (of the Mekons, Waco Brothers), Greg Leisz, Rob Mazurek (of Chicago Underground Duo, Isotope 217), Nicole Mitchell, Azita Youssefi and others.

Contents

Reception

Critical response to Beware! was generally favorable and positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 74 ("Generally favorable reviews"), based on 32 professional reviews, and the average user rating for the album is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 12 users' votes.

Track listing

All songs written by Will Oldham.

  1. "Beware Your Only Friend" – 4:01
  2. "You Can't Hurt Me Now" – 3:42
  3. "My Life's Work" – 3:53
  4. "Death Final" – 3:01
  5. "Heart's Arms" – 3:26
  6. "You Don't Love Me" – 3:09
  7. "You Are Lost" – 2:55
  8. "I Won't Ask Again" – 4:26
  9. "I Don't Belong to Anyone" – 3:15
  10. "There Is Something I Have to Say" – 3:19
  11. "I Am Goodbye" – 2:21
  12. "Without Work, You Have Nothing" – 3:45
  13. "Afraid Ain't Me" – 4:49
  • Tracks 12–13 were only available on the initial pressing and have been removed from subsequent pressings. These tracks have been released as a digital download single and the new eleven-track version of Beware! has an alternative cover. These changes were instigated by Will Oldham who felt that I Am Goodbye is more suitable as the final track.

    • Backing band

  • Joshua Abrams – bass, guimbri, vocal
  • Jennifer Hutt – violin, vocal
  • Emmett Kelly – guitars, keyboards, vocal
  • Michael Zerang – percussion, marimba, drums, vocal

    • Special guests

  • Greg Leisz – mandolin, pedal steel guitar
  • Rob Mazurek – cornet
  • Dee Alexander – vocal
  • Leroy Bach – organ
  • Jim Becker – banjo
  • Robert Cruz – accordion
  • D.V. DeVincentis – saxophone
  • Jon Langford – vocals
  • Nicole Mitchell – flute
  • Azita Youssefi – piano, synthesizer
  • Neil Strauch – engineer, mixing
  • Paul Oldham – mastering
  • Sammy Harkham – back cover, label design
  • Dan Osborn – layout design
  • Jeff Hamilton – cover illustration

    • Songs

    1Beware Your Only Friend4:02
    2You Can't Hurt Me Now3:43
    3My Life's Work3:54

    References

    Beware (album) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA