Joe Kaplow Vents Gentrification Frustrations on “February Prorated Rent” (premiere)
Indie folk's Joe Kaplow premieres his new single "February Prorated Rent", a profoundly haunting and affecting song.
indie folk
The 10 Best Early Billy Bragg Songs
As a young man, Billy Bragg reinvented punk rock with songs as fiercely political as they were emotional. Decades after he released his first album, PopMatters counts down his ten best outings from those early years.
Adeline Hotel’s ‘Good Timing’ Is Therapeutic, Revelatory, and Uniquely Beautiful
Dan Knishkowy's alt-folk collective Adeline Hotel is whittled down to a party of one, with improvised acoustic guitar taking center stage on Good Timing.
Far Lands Deliver Understated Gem “There Be Monsters” (premiere)
"There Be Monsters" from Portland's Far Lands is understated but impactful and a testament to the group's attention to richly detailed songwriting.
James Yorkston’s ‘The Wide, Wide River’ Is Warm, Cozy, and Expansive
The beauty of James Yorkston's The Wide, Wide River allows the coziness back in without making concessions to his continued development and desire to push beyond traditional folk music.
Aaron Lee Tasjan Explores Our Existential Condition on ‘Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!’
Aaron Lee Tasjan is a mad, creative, singer-songwriting, guitar-playing genius. The proof of this was already evident on his previous creations, but he has taken it up a notch on his latest release, the flamboyant Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!
Dave Scanlon’s ‘Pink in each, bright blue, bright green’ Is a Stark, Deeply Elegant Solo Work
Dave Scanlon, the singer and guitarist of Brooklyn's JOBS, offers a stripped-down collection of songs that retains the unique intensity of his more complex work.
The 20 Best Folk Albums of 2020
The artists in this year's list all use their music to create a sense of unity. Whether it is the acknowledgment of shared oppression, or in contrast, the visibility of identity, Best of Folk Music 2020 is defined by its ability to form a musical common ground.
Fave Five: Tunng’s Favorite Songs About Death
On their morbid new record, London's ever-experimental Tunng explore new sonic contours in their pursuit of all things grief. They mark the occasion by talking about their favorite songs about death.
Jennifer Castle Quietly Observes ‘Monarch Season’
There's a lightness to Jennifer Castle's songwriting and performance on Monarch Season. She's not lonesome or abandoned; she's simply solitary in her thoughts and feelings.