Under his moniker, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Will Oldham’s Strange Form Of Life was first brought to my attention after hearing 2006’s The Letting Go. Particularly interesting to me, is the way Oldham renders this live version of the song. Unrefined in production, the stage allows him to shed a certain restrained quality (which so often accompanies refinement if you ask me). The song’s disdain and haunting quality is more clearly presented when accompanied by a new wild, fierce aspect of his performance. I had a very similar listening experience comparing Thom Yorke’s studio take of Idioteque from it’s recorded, Kid A, form to a live version which appears on the I Might be Wrong Live Recordings.

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Bonnie ‘Price’ Billy – Strange Form Of Life (The Letting Go /Studio Version)

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Radiohead – Idioteque (Kid A / Studio Version)

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Radiohead – Idioteque (Live Version)

Both versions are good in their own ways, I just find it interesting how live renditions emphasizes and minimizes certain aspects of a song.