Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Master and Everyone

If I See A Darkness, Will Oldham's first album under the Bonnie Prince moniker, was relentlessly depressing, and Ease Down the Road, his second, was essentially Will shagging around a bit, then Master And Everyone is the sound of the bearded one in love. It’s Will throwing off his distant lo-fi sound, getting intimate and letting his heart sing out. Soppy perhaps, but it really touches a nerve. The whole album is summed up on 'Even If Love' when he sings “Even if love was not what I wanted / Love would make love the thing most desired.” Quite. (Pete Hurst)