{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = The Letting Go | type = studio | artist = Bonnie "Prince" Billy | cover = thelettinggo.jpg | border = yes | alt = | released = {{Start date|2006|09|19}} | recorded = | studio = Reykjavík, Iceland | genre = * Alternative country * folk rock * indie rock<ref name= "Pitchfork Staff 2009">{{cite web |title= The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s |website= Pitchfork |date= October 2, 2009|url= https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7710-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-20-1/|quote= Arranged by Nico Muhly, who is quickly becoming indie rock’s unofficial house composer, they signal the album’s feeling of grave finality...|access-date= April 27, 2023}}</ref> | length = {{Duration|m=58|s=09}} | label = Drag City | producer = Valgeir Sigurðsson | prev_title = The Brave and the Bold | prev_year = 2006 | next_title = Ask Forgiveness | next_year = 2007 }} '''''The Letting Go''''' is a 2006 studio album by Bonnie "Prince" Billy. It was released on Drag City.
==Production== The album was recorded in Reykjavík, Iceland, and produced by Valgeir Sigurðsson, who is known for his work with the Icelandic artist Björk. The arrangement was done by Nico Muhly. Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables also sings on the album.
The album's title comes from the last lines of the Emily Dickinson poem that starts "After a Great Pain, a Formal Feeling Comes."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cokemachineglow.com/reviews/bpb_thelettinggo2006.html|title=Bonnie Prince Billy: The Letting Go|publisher=Cokemachineglow|date=September 22, 2006|access-date=May 10, 2007|last=Hepburn|first=Peter|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070207100859/http://www.cokemachineglow.com/reviews/bpb_thelettinggo2006.html|archivedate=February 7, 2007}}</ref>
<blockquote>''This is the hour of lead''
''Remembered if outlived,''
''As freezing persons recollect the snow—'' ''First chill, then stupor, then the letting go.''</blockquote>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | MC = 84/100<ref name=metacritic>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-letting-go/bonnie-prince-billy|title=Reviews for The Letting Go by Bonnie "Prince" Billy|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=July 1, 2016}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-letting-go-mw0000745139|title=The Letting Go – Bonnie "Prince" Billy|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=September 4, 2020|last=Bush|first=John}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The A.V. Club'' | rev2Score = A<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/review/bonnie-prince-billy-emthe-letting-goem-8158|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The Letting Go|work=The A.V. Club|date=September 19, 2006|access-date=July 1, 2016|last=Murray|first=Noel}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' | rev3Score = B+<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2006/09/15/letting-go|title=The Letting Go|journal=Entertainment Weekly|date=September 15, 2006|access-date=July 1, 2016|last=Vozick-Levinson|first=Simon|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107103130/http://www.ew.com/article/2006/09/15/letting-go|archivedate=November 7, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev4 = ''The Guardian'' | rev4Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/sep/15/popandrock.folk|title=Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, The Letting Go|work=The Guardian|date=September 15, 2006|access-date=July 1, 2016|last=Denselow|first=Robin}}</ref> | rev5 = ''The Independent'' | rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The Letting Go (Domino)|work=The Independent|date=September 15, 2006|last=Gill|first=Andy}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Mojo'' | rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The Letting Go|journal=Mojo|issue=155|date=October 2006|page=102}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev7Score = 8.2/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9419-the-letting-go/|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The Letting Go|work=Pitchfork|date=September 18, 2006|access-date=October 1, 2009|last=LeMay|first=Matt}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Q'' | rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The Letting Go|journal=Q|issue=243|date=October 2006|page=125}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Spin'' | rev9Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iemUgvxmQcYC&pg=PA94|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The Letting Go|journal=Spin|volume=22|issue=10|date=October 2006|access-date=July 1, 2016|last=Modell|first=Josh|page=94}}</ref> | rev10 = ''Uncut'' | rev10Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy: The Letting Go|journal=Uncut|issue=113|date=October 2006|page=102}}</ref> }} At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, ''The Letting Go'' received an average score of 84% based on 24 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref name=metacritic/>
''Pitchfork'' placed ''The Letting Go'' at number 195 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7706-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-200-151/|title=The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200–151|work=Pitchfork|date=September 28, 2009|access-date=October 1, 2009}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | title1 = Love Comes to Me | length1 = 4:31 | title2 = Strange Form of Life | length2 = 3:46 | title3 = Wai | length3 = 3:37 | title4 = Cursed Sleep | length4 = 5:35 | title5 = No Bad News | length5 = 4:45 | title6 = Cold & Wet | length6 = 2:21 | title7 = Big Friday | length7 = 2:43 | title8 = Lay and Love | length8 = 3:50 | title9 = The Seedling | length9 = 4:36 | title10 = Then the Letting Go | length10 = 5:19 | title11 = God's Small Song | length11 = 4:05 | title12 = I Called You Back | length12 = 7:53 | title13 = Ebb Tide | note13 = bonus track on some versions | length13 = 5:14 }}
==Personnel== Credits adapted from liner notes.
* Emmett Kelly – guitar * Dawn McCarthy – singing * Paul Oldham – bass * Valgeir Sigurðsson – recording, mixing * Jim White – drums
==Charts== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;" border="1" !scope="col"| Chart !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Flanders|29|artist=Bonnie %22Prince%22 Billy|album=The Letting Go|rowheader=true|access-date=November 1, 2018}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|90|artist=Bonnie %22Prince%22 Billy|album=The Letting Go|rowheader=true|access-date=November 1, 2018}} |- {{album chart|Netherlands|66|artist=Bonnie %22Prince%22 Billy|album=The Letting Go|rowheader=true|access-date=November 1, 2018}} |- {{album chart|France|100|artist=Bonnie %22Prince%22 Billy|album=The Letting Go|rowheader=true|access-date=November 1, 2018}} |- {{album chart|Norway|29|artist=Bonnie %22Prince%22 Billy|album=The Letting Go|rowheader=true|access-date=November 1, 2018}} |- {{album chart|Sweden|56|artist=Bonnie %22Prince%22 Billy|album=The Letting Go|rowheader=true|access-date=November 1, 2018}} |- !scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/1270/bonnie-prince-billy/|title=Bonnie Prince Billy|work=Official Charts Company|access-date=November 16, 2017}}</ref> | 70 |- !scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/296311/bonnie-prince-billy/chart?f=305|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Chart history - Billboard 200|work=Billboard|access-date=April 14, 2017}}</ref> | 194 |- !scope="row"| US Heatseekers Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/296311/bonnie-prince-billy/chart?f=324|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Chart history - Heatseekers Albums|work=Billboard|access-date=April 14, 2017}}</ref> | 8 |- !scope="row"| US Independent Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/296311/bonnie-prince-billy/chart?f=326|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Chart history - Independent Albums|work=Billboard|access-date=April 14, 2017}}</ref> | 17 |- !scope="row"| US Tastemaker Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/296311/bonnie-prince-billy/chart?f=407|title=Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Chart history - Tastemaker Albums|work=Billboard|access-date=April 14, 2017}}</ref> | 10 |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|12054|The Letting Go}}
{{Will Oldham}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letting Go, The}} Category:2006 albums Category:Will Oldham albums Category:Drag City (record label) albums Category:Domino Recording Company albums