Three new rapidly rising folk artists that will remind you why you started following this site

Lonely Mountain – “Whale Song”
-The opening sounds feel like whale calls… consider me interested. The first line is about destiny, sung with a plaintive narrative style that immediately intrigues. It’s easy to hear why I wanted more of this song, pretty much right away. The sound and energy reminds me of what I loved about the band St. Paul de Vence a few years back. Another comp artist for this sound (that’s another ETTG deep cut favorite) is the Bears of Legend. Once you get to the “sail the open water” soaring chorus, this song goes from contemplative folk tune to a rip-roaring sing-along full of energy and excitement. This might not make it on your coffeeshop playlist, but it should make your stomp n’ holler list. The skill exhibited on this track is high from writing, performance, and certainly singing… it’s an absolute gem that makes me want to put Lonely Mountain on my shortlist of “ones to watch” in the coming years.

Moonmill – “Uptight”
-The immediate appeal of this song is in the exceptional vocal harmonies. However, the more I listen, the more I find to like. The melody is really rewarding on its own. Then, as I lean in and listen to the lyrics, I realize they’re also quite clever as well. It’s a wonderfully well balanced song that dances on the genre line of folk, folk pop, and an almost twee-like gleefulness on the chorus (especially). The bouncy energy of the composition is a bright decision that almost highlights the message of needing to find a partner who is “less uptight.” If you surround yourself with folks who are strung a little too tight, this song will definitely connect. Also, if you’re with someone who makes you feel this bad about being yourself… I genuinely hope you’ll find someone new. No one deserves to be treated this way. (But the relationship sure inspired a beautiful piece of art, so thanks for that.)

The Boy the Earth Sings To – “Walter and Vera”
-Sometimes when I click play on a folk song, I ask myself, “do it jangle?” I’m happy to report the answer to that question for this song is, it does indeed jangle. The banjo… and really all of the string work… is absolutely delightful. Should I curate this with Americana? Maybe. But call it what you will, it’s an amazing composition. Fans of The Tallest Man on Earth will really appreciate the style here. It’s just enough stomp n’ shout mixed with an almost gospel-like “singing in the mountains” vibe. I have no idea how they produced this track, but I love the sentiment from start to finish. This is a weird sentence to write, but I kind of want to live in this song. It creates a whole mood… and it’s not just a sound, it feels like a place, a soundscape (if you will) that I would like to inhabit.

Image courtesy: Lonely Mountain IG