Three new indie folk tunes that will bring some joyful energy to your weekend

The Burney Sisters – “Barely Mine”
-This new track, “Barely Mine,” from the Brandy Sisters reflects some of the best indie folk music that we’ve heard all year. The pop chord structure and overall energy reflects that mid-’70s Fleetwood Mac style that many of us love. There’s an energy to this track that reflects sincerity in the lyrics, based on a relationship gone awry, alongside this buoyant pop rhythmic style that really propels the song along. Of course, the sister harmonies are the core of the sound and the reason I continue to say yes to every Brandy Sisters submission. This is an outstanding track and one that I’m thrilled to be able to share with you here today.

Matthew Steven Whitaker – “HOW IT USED TO BE”
-This new track from Matthew Steven Whitaker has a charming and accessible acoustic style that’s sure to be a hit for many indie folk fans. The lyrics are focused on heartbreak and a relationship that didn’t quite work out. But there’s something in the contemplative acoustic style that really allows for this message to permeate through the track. I find it to be a song that is instrumentally quite comforting while the lyrics remind the listener of painful broken relationships from the past. That combination with the melancholy and gentleness in the instrumentation reminds me of artists a little bit similarly stylistically, like Adam Melchor, but also other folk artists like The Milk Carton Kids, who are capable of invoking these strong emotional responses. This is a delightful track and one that is worth listening to repeatedly just because of the way it has such an emotional resonance.

Jackson Wooten – “Why Won’t You Let Go”
-I don’t always feature music with a whispery vocal style, but when it works it works. This new track from Jackson Wooten absolutely cut through the noise with the subtle vocal style. The titular question, “why won’t you let go when I let you down?” is such a resonate message for me personally that it almost feels like it was written in my own diary 20 years ago. Wooten has accomplished something exceptional with combining powerful emotional care with this compositional style that feels fresh and exciting at every turn. The layers of the electric guitars in the background and unconventional percussive flavors make for a sound that seems to rise above the sum of its parts. This is a magical anthem about a relationship (or maybe just a partner) who is able to make it work, even when it seems like it shouldn’t. I love the ethereal elements in this outstanding track.