Burd Early - Observatory EP
(King Crab)
This record really has me perplexed because I swear to the holy Lord that
it sounds just like Bonnie Will Oldham, and it was released on his pal
Mick Turner's King Crab label. So either this is Will Prince Billy under
another name, or some dude who plays post-folk and sings like him. The
King Crab web page contains information suggesting it is a separate
person, and even has a photograph. You decide. It's got five songs, four
of which are Burd performing alone upon a variety of instruments, and one
with a full band (Burd plus two).
These songs are really well developed pieces. Burd has located the
essence of the song, and stripped away the excess. Much of the music is
sparse, but it is not simple. Because the song is so well established,
either by the mood set by the instruments or by the melody of Burd's
voice, he seems to need to only play the deviations, and not the
straightforward propulsion. In this respect, he is similar to Low,
particularly in their more abstract moments.
"Drizzle" is aptly named, sparse bass and guitar, more atmosphere than
melody, accenting the vocals, which liken a relationship to rain and
leaves falling to the ground. "A Distant Object," is a more lumbering,
full bodied number, with a full band (guitar, bass, drums, harmonies), and
the only real straight song on the record. "In Between Parentheses" is a
multi-tracked prog-folk instrumental; its got a strange structure, but its
warm. "Wow" is a sad and lovely, molasses-paced ballad sung over organ
tones and guitar strums, which are more atmospheric than structured, as on
"Drizzle."
If you ever wondered what would happen if Will Oldham and Jim O'Rourke
made a record together, let me tell you, it sounds pretty good.
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