Images & Words: Matt Kivel, “Forgiveness”

Matt Kivel
“Forgiveness” (f/ Bonnie Prince Billy)
Fires on the Plain (out now on Driftless)
Over the years, I’ve written a lot about the LA singer-songwriter’s brother Jesse but haven’t written much about the younger Kivel, Matt. Kivel is the architect of two really interesting folk-ish albums this year — February’s Janus and October’s excellent Fires on the Plain — and he gives one of his standout tracks some creepy visuals. His soft voice interchanges beautifully with Will Oldham’s, and his careful, delicate guitar-work forms a beautiful bed for the two to lay on. Though Fires on the Plain remains one of the most underrated albums of recent months, it does feel like more people are slowly coming around to it.