I See a Darkness

I See a Darkness is the debut album under Will Oldham’s pseudonym, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, and his second studio album overall, releasing one under the ‘Palace’ moniker. Often recognized for its bleak lyrics, Oldham’s album is a landmark album for both independent folk and Americana music. In a 2001 interview with Pitchfork, Oldham revealed the overall goal with the record, saying:

I think that was the goal of I See a Darkness: to mix everything up and to learn to have fun with these ominous issues.

Upon release, I See a Darkness was universally acclaimed, with critics praising the album for its dark sounds and lyricism along with the contrasting sounds of “optimism” that can be heard in certain tracks. The album also has been viewed as one of the greatest albums of the 1990s, one of the best albums of all time, and was included in the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die book.