American singer-songwriter Will Oldham is an elusive figure who usually hides behind a variety of pseudonyms including the Palace Brothers, Palace Music, plain old Palace and now Bonnie Prince Billy. In his gripping, eerie music, however, he regularly lays bare his soul. Ease Down The Road, while slightly lighter than previous efforts, is well up to Oldham's usual high standard. Under the deceptively tranquil surface of gentle melodies and fragile vocals, the album is filled with strange narratives of murder and adultery that take the listener down a variety of dark and twisted paths. Superb, but not for the faint-hearted.
