I apologize the stretch between posts. This was a combination of a heavy work schedule and being out on Tuesday night at a concert when I’d ordinarily be at home writing.
On the plus side this means that we get a bonus concert review – it appears immediately below the end of this studio album review, as is traditional here at the Odyssey.
We also have a new streak to track: albums made by people named William. As of this next record it stands at two.
Disc 1906 is… Further From the Country
Artist: William Prince
Year of Release: 2025
What’s up with the Cover? The aforementioned Mr. Prince, looking contemplative against a backdrop of sunset and stars.
How I Came To Know It: I was already a fan of William Prince through his 2020 album “Reliever” (reviewed back at Disc 1476), and check in on his new albums when they arrive.
How It Stacks Up: I have two William Prince albums. Of those two, “Further From the Country” narrowly lands in second. No shame – I just liked “Reliever” slightly better.
Ratings: 3 stars
Life’s not fair. Some of us get our one and a half octaves of scratchy/dodgy tenor and some of us get the rich velvet baritone of William Prince. Fortunately, through the power of technology, that glorious voice can travel with us in our homes, cars and walks. I had this record going for a full week and enjoyed it in all three of those venues.
“Further from the Country” is aptly named, as Prince explores arrangements and approaches that feel more atmospheric and mystical than previous efforts. No doubt this is partly the influence of members of Boy Golden.
That said, the opening – and title – track had me nervous. It was a bit too meandering and atmospheric for my tastes, and I felt nervous that my beloved baritone troubadour would be drowned in a soup of production.
Alas, my fears were ill-founded as after that opening experimentation, Prince returns to a more well-trodden country foundation. Yes, it’s a thicker sound, and there’s a piano rounding things out, but the tunes still have their foundational bones in back roads and pickup trucks, just as I like it.
The songs have the usual introspective qualities of William Prince’s earlier work, many focusing on exploring memories of his father, or just earlier wilder times. The songs don’t celebrate that wildness but rather seek redemption for any hurt caused along the way.
The best song for this (and my favourite on the album) is “All the Same” which starts with this heartbreaking scene:
“I had a good friend
Life cut short by his own hand
Everybody but his old man
Seemed so surprised
“He was a younger man than I
Didn’t think to say goodbye
Now the last time that we spoke’s the last time.”
Hard words, but Prince has a talent for taking on hard subjects – suicide, substance abuse, violence – and giving them grace and a safe place to explore from. It isn’t sugar coated, and lines like “and my hand’s messed up/from a fight I had to finish” shows that it ain’t ever as simple as just saying, “don’t do that”. Life’s complicated, but forgiveness is there if look for it.
The other standout is “The Charmer” a song dedicated to Prince’s father, a gregarious fellow who right to the end was even charming the hospital nurses. The love is evident, and the gentle, meaningful ways that Prince explores loss – supercharged with the velvet power of a voice – is transformative.
There are some songs I didn’t love. As noted above, the opener was too diffuse and unfocused for me, and “Thousand Miles of Chain” felt like a song that didn’t know what it wanted to be, but these are minor quibbles. Overall, another fine record from an artist who still has the magic in both his voice and pen.
Best tracks: For the First Time, All the Same, Damn, The Charmer
The Concert: March 2, 2026 at the Royal Theatre, Victoria BC
I always enjoy a show at the beautiful Royal Theatre, and we were particularly excited (thanks to Sheila’s excellent selection) to have seats right on a break between rows, leaving plenty of legroom. Mostly, though I was excited to see not one, but two artists I like, having just found out earlier in the week that the opener was Boy Golden (his previous release, “For Jimmy” was my #1 album of 2023 (Disc 1699)).
Boy Golden
Boy Golden took to the stage with the self-possessed dignity of a band that knew they would own it, and did not disappoint. My previous time seeing them there was a jubilant slightly manic feel to the performance. That energy was still present, but it had softened around the edges and their ability to hold the crowd in more subtle ways was on display.
The band played a short but well-structured set that included old favourites from previous records, but focused on their new material which was, according to frontman and creative force Liam Duncan, “mostly bangers”. Sure.
The guitarist (name escapes me) played with a sublime softness in his tone that suited the blend of country wisdom and grass-stained feel of many of the songs (n.b. – not the kind of grass you lie down on). He had three guitars and one had an incredibly large whammy bar. I know it’s not about the size of your whammy bar, but how artfully you pull on it, but still, just sayin’. It was large.
The drummer (apologies – again missed her name) was well loved by the audience and had a set of pipes on her she showed off in two songs (one as a lead, one as a duet). She played portions with brushes that leaned into the soft and rounded feel of the guitar.
I was sad to see Boy Golden off so early (the fate of all openers) and much as I love William Prince, if I’d had my druthers I’d have swapped headliner and opener.
William Prince
When William Prince came on stage there was a prolonged period where the stage was black and ambient music played and it all felt very psychedelic rock and roll for what was, ultimately, a country show. I kinda liked it, and it primed the crowd and made sure everyone was paying attention.
Including himself, Prince fronts a seven-member band which is a lot of members for someone who isn’t, you know, Prince. One more band member and Canadian law would have required all the songs to be played as ska.
The set list was exactly the right mix of new and old, and if anything I enjoyed the records off the new album better live than on CD, which is always a good sign. (If Neil Young had been there, he’d have moved a motion that “live music is better” bumper stickers be issued. IYKYK…
New album highlight was the song “The Charmer” in honour of his father, and he gave the audience (including me) what they wanted with the old favourite, “The Spark”. I would have liked him to work “The Gun” into the set, which is one of my old faves, but a concert should always leave you wanting more.
During the encore the audience (many of whom were clearly veterans of Prince’s live shows) shouted out tunes, and to my surprise he agreed to play one – “Goldie Hawn”. I’m pretty sure it was improvised, partly because he briefly jumped a verse, before correcting himself with an impish smile that shows he has inherited no small part of the “charmer” from his father.
Prince has a truly thankful and humble quality to him that draws you in and makes you feel he’s as happy to be there as you are.
As for the crowd, they were one of the best crowds I’ve spent an evening with in some time. They were thoroughly engrossed in the show, gave great feedback and were careful to not be disruptive of other people’s good times while having theirs (one woman stood up in front of people during “The Spark” but it was one song only and she was really excited to hear it, so we shall give her a pass).
Best of all, there were nary a cell phone raised anywhere in my vision. Apart from a few discrete pictures people were there to engage with the music directly, not prove later on Tik Tok they’d been there. Awesome, and something for us all to learn from.
Sheila and I talked to the folks sitting near us, all of whom loved William Prince a lot - one couple had seen him seven times. All crowds should be this great.
The merch table was also solid, with a good selection of shirts n’ stuff. One guy sitting nearby said to me “that stuff is all garbage” but he was speaking generally of merch tables, not this merch table. Also, he was wrong. It’s another way to support the band, mister and also keeps me from being denied service at local restaurants for want of a shirt.
Overall, this was a fine show, with two great acts, both of whom I’d seen before, and both of whom I would see again.
