Ian George – “Flower dog”
-The opening of the track feels like a typical folk song, but about four bars in and the chord progressions will make your ears prick up quickly. What’s going on here? Hmm. It’s definitely some unconventional composition work but yet goes down very smooth. The song’s energy definitely propels forward with a sense of progression, yet it has some traditional instrumentation elements to it. The mix is surely satisfying. It reminds me of a mashup of 60s experimental rock with 21st century production techniques. It’s very rewarding and requires several listens to really get close to grasping the song. It’s like listening to a modern, folkier version of Pink Floyd.
Them Coulee Boys – “Knuckleballer”
-I’m a sucker for a good folk band and love me a good baseball game. Put the two together into a meaningful metaphor and you have me. This is a home run! (see what I did there?) Anyways, we’ve covered Them Coulee Boys a few times and it’s easy to hear why. The jangly, energetic style lends itself to a singalong sentiment. When you couple that with great guitars and a relatable lead vocal, it just feels like a band you want to hear and hang with. They seem like the kind of guys that are just as much fun and rowdy after the set as during. I hope to catch them live some day.
Willo – “Here I am”
-There’s folk music and then there’s this other level of sophistication that’s hard to describe… it’s the same instrumentation as a traditional folk tune but something in the vocal intonation, the chord choices, and the lyrical content just makes it feel more refined. That’s how I describe the sound of Willo as “refined.” The harmonics from the acoustic guitar are enough to make the track stand out from the crowd. The sophisticated folk style is sure to find a lot of support from our readers who enjoy artful folk music.
