Cheyenne Miza and Bonnie “Prince” Billy
Among the Gold
(Karate Body Records)

The best music is timeless. That’s why every generation rediscovers The Cure and no one remembers Kajagoogoo. The EP entitled Among the Gold further proves that point. Prolific singer/songwriter Bonnie “Prince” Billy teamed up with Cheyenne Mize of the group Arnett Hollow to record these songs, none of which were written any later than 1915.

While these songs are certainly very old, they never sound stale or irrelevant. Bonnie “Prince” Billy is well-known for his rootsy-folk songs, so he sounds perfectly natural tackling this material. The combination of his and Ms. Mize’s flawless vocals is simply beautiful.

They take on some fairly difficult harmonies on my favorite track, “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” with great results. Their voices are complemented with stark arrangements on all tracks. Usually there’s just acoustic guitar but occasionally they throw in something else like a harpsichord. This simplicity makes it very hard to place these songs in any particular era. Although Mize is relatively unknown, her singing is top notch. “Kiss Me Again” is a particularly good showcase for her voice.

This album could be a breakout moment for Mize, that is if enough people hear it. It’s only being released as a limited edition 10”, which I doubt can be found at Walmart. However, those who are able to get a hold of it will be rewarded. This is some truly wonderful music performed by masters of the trade. These are some good songs, so put the record on and feel wistful.