Three captivating acoustic singer songwriters that remind you what you love about good music

Mike Kinnebrew – “Something Bad”
-This is a haunting song. It’s about something we don’t like to talk about much, but it’s about the things that bother us and make us feel like something bad is going to happen. Whether you personify with a spiritual terminology like fighting your demons or you keep it general with a haunting sense of evil, this song is about that feeling of impending danger. It’s such a spine-tingling concept that is, unfortunately, infinitely relatable to the human experience. I’m blown away by the juxtaposition between Kinnebrew’s beautiful composition style with the disturbing nature of the lyrical theme. It’s beautiful and unsettling in one fell swoop.

Riley Cotton – “Free Man in Utah”
-From the first time I clicked play on this song, I felt a flood of connections. It reminds me a little of John Prine (specifically “Angel from Montgomery”), then my favorite from 2022 Olivia Ellen Lloyd, but really… this is a sound that captures the spirit of country and Americana music. The composition style does a great job of bringing together a wide range of delightful folk-related sounds. It’s a song about a songwriter with a bit of a rambling style, hard to pin down, and the freedom of being out on the open range while trying to leave the options open to return home and settle down. I bet old Handsome Johnny would love this song, honestly. It feels like a contemporary classic that pays exceptional homage to the legends of the genre.

David B. Archibald – “Edinburgh”
-This is a song about Scotland. I mean, it’s specifically about the city of Edinburgh, but it’s also about what it means to be a proud Scot. It’s about finding your way using music as the north star. The expressive folk songwriting here is absolutely beautiful. If you are a fan of rooted compositional style that has elements of folk and orchestral influences, you’ll find a lot to like here. It’s almost cinematic in the layering of styles, but it really works here. The dramatic elements really make the song “come alive,” as the lyric expresses. I love the line, “where the dreams are bigger than the songs I played.” Amen to that. May music continue to be our north star, Mr. Archibald.

Image Courtesy: Riley Cotton IG