Three brand new acoustic folk tracks with some truly captivating, stand out moments

Dylan Dunlap – “Flowers and Balloons”
-There’s a forward momentum to the songwriting here that I really appreciate. The strum of the acoustic guitar has a rhythmic energy to it that keeps the song moving. But at the end of that first verse, the line “I still think of you around the end of June…” feels like a whole mood. There’s this optimism and brightness that, frankly, reminds me of people in my own life. The lyrical harmony on the “we were happy” line is so incredible, honestly it’s half the reason why I wanted to feature this song. It’s folk with a dash of pop, but it’s mostly just a delightful example of what acoustic folk music can do and how it can make you feel. It’s so good.

Jason Piquette – “Chocolate Heart”
-I’m sure that I’ve featured Piquette in the past and I’m almost certain I’ve compared him with Rusty Clanton before. If you are familiar with my writing, you’ll know how much of a compliment that is from me. The songwriting on this track “Chocolate Heart” is intimate and sincere. It’s got these charming everyday references all pointing to this gentle love story. It’s about desire and care, about figuring out if the relationship might work, but ultimately personal meaning beyond the relationship. There’s a tender and sweet sense around this song that comes through both in the vocal intonation and in the lyrical heartbroken-ness. If you’ve ever felt that feeling of being left behind by someone, this song will get into some pretty deep places for you. Take care of yourselves, dear ones. And thank you for this, Jason.

Eillah – “My Own Mouth”
-Take a chill, almost grungy influenced acoustic guitar and layer an emotionally expressive vocal over it… you’re off to a pretty good start for an acoustic folk tune. While most of the folk we feature has a traditional narrative to it, this song feels more like an abstract painting (in a good way). The vibe of the song is more significant than the direct message; it’s a song you feel as much as you hear it. The delicate vocal character throughout the track, but especially on the chorus is really magical. As the track slows down to an almost spoken style, I can say definitively that you’ve never heard anything like this. It’s amazing to me that after hearing thousands of songs over more than a decade, someone can still come up with a sound that is both appealing and so outrageously unique. This is one you just have to hear to believe… for fans of acoustic folk and indie pop.