Will Oldham, the prolific artist known as Bonnie “Prince” Billy, has announced his latest project: a collaborative tribute album dedicated to the work of Jules de Corte. De Corte was a blind Dutch singer-songwriter who achieved significant acclaim in Europe during the 1960s before his passing in 1996 at the age of 71. For this ambitious undertaking, Oldham has partnered with the improvisational Belgian quartet Linus to reimagine and translate de Corte’s catalog into English.
The upcoming record, titled The Outsider: The Music Of Jules de Corte, follows a busy year for Oldham, who previously released the album We Are Together Again and the live collection Ghosts Of American Psychonauts. The collaboration promises to bridge the gap between de Corte’s original compositions and the distinct, roots-music sensibilities that define the Bonnie “Prince” Billy sound.
To mark the announcement, the artists have shared three tracks from the project: “And God Saw,” “Mariska,” and “Little Jesus, Mighty God.” Listeners familiar with Oldham’s work will find the tracks familiar, as they blend de Corte’s songwriting with the subtle, jazz-inflected arrangements provided by Linus. The result is a collection that feels both reverent and uniquely aligned with Oldham’s expansive artistic vision.
The Outsider: The Music Of Jules de Corte is scheduled for release on October 30. The full tracklist is as follows:
- 01 “And God Saw”
- 02 “Little Anita”
- 03 “Mariska”
- 04 “The Stranger”
- 05 “Little Jesus, Mighty God”
- 06 “When I Was Nude”
- 07 “And God Saw (instrumental)”
- 08 “The Outsider”
