Ode Music
Will Oldham, it seems, takes certain glee in confounding his audience.Ode Musicis no exception to this sometimes frustrating, sometimes beguiling methodology. An album composed entirely of acoustic guitar ruminations leaned against spare accompianiment,Odeis strange in that it seems so anonymous for an artist so intent on stamping his every project with personality. While Oldham has previously used instrumentals to great effect, here they seem repetitive, without context, and feel rather plain. All that noted,Ode Musiccontains a number of very pretty moments featuring Oldham's unadorned guitar scrapes, sketched in pensive, unhurried colors.--S. Duda