Palace Brothers
Days In the Wake (1994)
[Drag City]
Will Oldham’s music is the kind that’s best enjoyed alone in a quiet room. On “Days In the Wake”, released in 1994 under the Palace Brothers-moniker he perfects this art of drawing you into his own seclusion.
There is so much to be discovered on this album, lyrics to be untangled and melodies that seem to change with every listen. It’s a place to hide out in, where you can be alone with your thoughts.
The mood of the record is a sort of quiet desperation. There are certain moments when his voice breaks or the way he constantly takes the most unexpected melodic routes that gives me the chills. It’s like he deliberately sings off key just to underline his complecency.
There is a strong sense of isolation in this album, not just because it consists of voice and guitar. The records starts off with the line “When you have no one, no one can hurt you”, which pretty much sets the tone. This has got to be the most devastating line ever written.
If you have even the smallest soft spot for minimalist acoustic/lo-fi/folk music you cannot let this album pass you by.
In Between Songs 