Guarrpero: Lost Blues 2 was the first album I ever owned by Will Oldham aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. I bought it some years ago perusing the bargain bin at Atomic Records. At the time of my $4 purchase, I wasn’t aware I was getting a compilation of all sorts of singles, live cuts, and rarities left over from previous recordings, and would be the predecessor to last year’s Little Lost Blues, both of which have been on heavy rotation here as we’ve gotten into a little bit of a Will Oldham listening rut.

The recent spike in listening comes after a friend inquired about the actor/musician/enigma, who is uniquely wrapped up in the being that is Will Oldham. While most would have directed a inquisitive listener towards his more popular releases like I See A Darkness or Master and Everyone under his Bonnie ‘Prince Billy’ moniker, or perhaps his equally admirable collaboration Superwolf, I chose to loan out my copy of Guarrpero: Lost Blues 2 so we would have the same starting point will his collection.

The result of sharing the album resulted in a furry of late night e-mails, to be discovered by me in the early morning, telling me how much Oldham’s music, in all incarnations, had completely enveloped my cross-country friend’s listening habits, along with urgings on his part that I revisit other lost dogs like Joya. Now, in effort to continue the exposure, or perhaps for reconnection purposes, I offer my favorite track from the album that hooked me as well as Oldham’s take on the AC/DC classic “Big Balls.”

Myspace: Will Oldham
MP3: Will Oldham - Drinking Woman
MP3: Will Oldham - Bill Balls (AC/DC cover)
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Download: eMusic
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