Three outstanding folk singer songwriters who will bring a stillness and peace to you

Rowan Murphy – “Fault on the Line”
-I’d have to go back and check, but I think I’ve already used all of the superlatives for a voice. I’ve said Every. Nice. Word. I know about Rowan Murphy’s vocal. Here we are again… me gushing about Murphy’s expressive vocal. The clever play on words about a “fault on the line,” i.e. a mistake or an uneasy feeling when that special someone isn’t around. If you’ve ever experienced a breakup that just… wouldn’t break, then this song is for you. There’s something about the light, open guitar work that allows for the vocal to rise above the production here. It’s a delightful track that gives me some lovely emotional connections with the idea of missing someone that you tried to love… and it just didn’t quite work out because it couldn’t quite work. This is such a gem sung by one of my favorite voices in music today.

Anna Tivel – “Animal Poem”
-I’ve been an Anna Tivel fan for several years now, but this song… is something really special. Tivel is a master songwriter and this track shows the importance of the art of phrasing. Each line rolls into the next with a poetic fervor like, “Magpie on the dying grass, looking for a diamond, Or some trash to build a temporary altar.” That’s such a captivating line about how all creatures seek purpose and that is almost always some sort of worship. I appreciate the transcendent truth captured in these lines, all the while nudging the listener to lean in and really focus here. The last line is probably my favorite, “You can be someone who loves, or you can be somebody else I tell you kid, the first one is the hardest.” The longer I live, the more I realize that this really is the chief end of humans… to love one another (and the great good Earth where we live). I could say more about this song… I could spend time with every line, but let me just tip my cap to Tivel and request that you all spend some genuine time engaging with the track. It’s well worth your time.

Katherine Winston – “The Lottery”
-I loved this track from the first time I clicked play on it. There’s a calm sense to the acoustic guitar work and the vocal is heavenly. There’s a lightness and softness to it. Now, I personally despise the lottery and think it’s built on a principle of people being bad at math. Yet, what I love about this take on it, is how there’s such a promise of what people might buy if they win the lottery, yet there’s this realization that she has already won the lottery with the life she has. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a song that is more directly connected to “my people” (not my family, per se, but the people I live near). The charming vocal with the relatable lyrics make this a smooth track, even if the lyrics conjure some mixed emotions for me (and probably other listeners). It’s definitely a sweet connection.

Image courtesy: Rowan Murphy