It’s been a while since I’ve completed a round-up review, but I thought what better way to get back into the game than by writing about one of my favourite musical styles – folk. All the artists on this list have elements of the folk genre, but they’re all slightly different, so hopefully folk fans will be able to find something new to love here!
Review by Jane Howkins, Photo by Tom Hartman
Tom Hartman – High Tree Climb
First up we have Dutch singer-songwriter Tom Hartman. Despite hailing from Rotterdam, I actually felt his new song High Tree Climb had something of an old timey British folk music sound, having quite a traditional feel to it. The music consists pretty much of just Tom’s acoustic guitar and the occasional harmonica solo, but there’s also some lovely sound effects hidden away in the background, such as the beautiful sound of birdsong. Tom’s vocals are emotive and suit the genre well too, culminating in a gorgeous crescendo of sounds towards the end of the tune.
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Paul Garside – That There Is Our Problem
That There Is Our Problem is a song that sounds utterly beautiful from the start, seeing Paul Garside use a set of melancholic chords and guitar melodies that are haunting to behold. Lyrically, the song is about a tale that Paul read about a man attempting to burn his local church down due to his wife claiming to love God more than him, making for a really interesting lyrical theme. Musically, the guitar melodies and vocals are absolutely on-point too, with some gorgeous banjo lines thrown in for good measure too.
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Down South Pepper Band – Shady Road
Regular readers should be well aware of the Down South Pepper Band by now, as they’ve become firm favourites of ours over the years. Their new song, Shady Road, is another folky banger, also adding some elements of Americana and country into the mix too. What’s apparent from the start is just how catchy the song really is, seeing the band utilise some amazing guitar licks to really draw you in. It’s one of the more upbeat songs on this list, and yet it still has quite a melancholic vibe in terms of the guitar chords used and the lyrics, mixing things up nicely.
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Jakub Race-K – Down In Flames
It’s quite rare that we receive music from the Czech Republic, so I was very excited to discover Jakub Race-K and his new single release, Down In Flames. It’s a song truly written from the heart, with the lyrics detailing Jakub watching his teenage daughter grow up, something that many parents will be able to relate to. It’s quite impressive from a technical stand-point too, as there are no autotune tricks or samples used at any point within the song, despite it sounding so well put together – something I wish more modern artists would take note of!
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Folklore & Legacy – playlist by York Calling | Spotify