Mike Mangione – “Anastasia”
-When I say that Mangione is one of the artists we’ve covered for a long time, that is no exaggeration. It’s a name that goes back to the earliest days of our site. Click play and you’ll understand why we keep saying “yes.” The sound is remarkable, complete with well-mixed strings and a quality lead vocal. The vocal harmony highlights along the way work really well. The shades of gospel lyrics and overall vibe make for a particularly strong piece of folk songwriting.
Jonah Kagan – “Hill that I’ll die on”
-I don’t always like the understated vocal style, but Kagan pulls it off really well on this track. Reminding me a bit of the exceptional Rusty Clanton, Kagan has a thoughtful and emotional style. Once the chorus kicks in, the song moves from good to great. The acoustic mix is exceptional, allowing the listener to have a tangible emotional connection with the lyrics. Some of the lyricism on this track is quite poetic and clever; this is one of those songs that I feel like needs THOUSANDS of times more plays than it has. It’s genuinely high quality and should be on your playlist, too.
Max Garcia Conover and Julie Arsenault – “One too many mornings” (Bob Dylan cover)
-It takes some guts to try to cover Bob Dylan, but when it’s well done it’s almost always a yes from us. This track from Max Garcia Conover has some delightful folk duo vocals that capture the essence of the original in a way that makes my heart smile. The accordion is a delightful and unexpected touch. To be honest, I think more folk music should use the accordion as it is an instrument from the origins of many “folk.” Heck, even the pacing of this track is great. It’s just… YES.
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