Three superbly talented new folk artists you’ll want to have in your playlists

Luke Gard – “Timbuktu”
-From the first time I clicked play on this song from Luke Gard, I felt a connection with the acoustic guitar. It feels like the kind of narrative folk you’d hear sitting around a campfire. I appreciate how Gard is in no hurry to tell the story, but lets it unfold naturally. The lyrics are about being constantly on the move not allowing yourself to get close to anyone because you know you’ll move again. It’s a sad song in many ways, but Gard’s intimate style makes it so the listener can connect with the emotions. This is a beautiful piece of songwriting by a talented emerging artist.

Tommy Ashby – “Safe and Sound” (Binaural Acoustic Version) [feat. Lydia Clowes]
-I’m a semi-professional music blogger who has covered thousands of songs and I have no idea what a “binaural acoustic version” is, but what I will say is that this is beautiful. Ashby and Lydia Clowes have some incredible harmonies on this performance. The piano provides an intimate context for the song. The lyrics remind us of our humanity. This song will remind you of your Psych 101 class about the importance of feeling safe in order to connect with other emotions. The song is about feeling safe with someone, allowing you to connect in a deeper and more intimate way. This is brilliantly done.

PaperHaven – “old, new, little, much”
-There’s a joyful buoyance in the acoustic strings that open this song. Once the vocal enters, the listener can immediately feel a softness that makes the song feel just right. I’m struck by the line, “passing all the people I used to be.” Wow. I could probably write a whole feature on the implications of that line alone. The song brings a beautiful acoustic folk melody to a lyrical concept about how meeting someone special can dramatically change your perspective. The clever lyricism and bright, moving melodic structure here is spectacular. Fans of acoustic folk simply must put PaperHaven on their shortlist of artists to watch.

Image courtesy: Luke Gard IG