Following our piece yesterday on Neil Young and given being hopelessly mired in the new Basement Tapes Raw release from Bob Dylan, there was something quite conjoining this morning when we happened upon the new single (New Black Rich (Tusks)) from Bonnie “Prince” Billy.  The song wouldn’t have been out of place amongst Young’s harrowing hat-trick and has allusions to Dylan lyrics within (“and the times they are not a-changing fast enough”), and is the latest from Bonnie’s recently-released, critically-acclaimed new album, Singer’s Grave a Sea of Tongues.  The new album is produced by the regular Bonnie-collaborator  Mark Nevers (see the previous Bonny albums Lie Down In the Light and Master and Everyone).

As you’ll hear below, New Black Rich (Tusks) is a heartfelt, ennui-ridden ballad (“I’ll say goodbye before we meet”) with an On The Beach-meter that features the perfect accompaniment of Billy Contreras on fiddle, Chris Scruggs on mandolin and Emmett Kelly on guitar, all of whom add a handsome hue and sepia-tones.

As you can view below, Bonnie has now released the song’s official video (directed by Claudia Crobatia) that tells an off-kilter love story (imagine that, from Bonnie “Prince” Billy).  In the video, the be-tusked Bonnie walks into a bar (no joke) and finds a beautiful, be-hooved singer who he slow-dances with.  Who hasn’t felt be-tusked or be-hooved at times while out in this world of ours?  The song and the video are beasts of beauty.