Three downtempo folk tunes that will tug at your heartstrings and remind you why you love music – Ear To The Ground Music

Jon Fazal – “New Moon”
-This is a love song, but not in the sense of romance so much as it is about existence. It’s a lovely folk narrative with piano and guitar work that soothes, but ultimately it’s a love song for the cosmos, for the world beyond the immediate. Fazal’s vocal is wonderfully accessible, feeling like talking with an old friend. I will warn you that at the two minute mark, the track transitions to something a bit bigger, a bit more like rock and less like introspective folk… but trust me when I say it fits and it works. I used to dream about a subgenre called Artful Folk and this song definitely fits in that world; it’s got these experimental, unique wrinkles that make it feel darker than normal jangle folk, alongside some fascinating existential lyrics. This is the kind of music you mean when you tell people you listen to indie folk, I’m certain of it.

Chris Rawlins – “After Dark”
-There’s a calm sentimentality in the opening of this song that I really appreciate, but it’s the vocal that wins me over for certain. I keep telling myself Rawlins sounds a little like vintage Glenn Campbell, but another artist he reminds me of is David Daniel Parker. The song has this composition style that really reminds me of the mid-century “Nashville sound” that blended string work and crooning vocals like these. I appreciate that the melody line is so delightfully unique. The genre blending nature of the track works really well, focusing on a relaxing energy more than a hard hitting message. The trailing sentiment at the end of the track, “waiting for God I don’t know what…” resonates so well. The whole meandering reality of the song feels true and we’re left wondering… but why does it all matter? Maybe it doesn’t. Maybe you should just fall asleep. I love the mood of this one, for sure.

STATHI feat. Conor Oberst – “Fire Drill”
-Yes, that Conor Oberst, indie folk rock legend. This is a track that feels like it has the imprint of a songwriting legend on it, honestly. The electric guitar develops nicely, keeping the melody line moving with momentum but not too crazy. The phrasing from the vocal is perfect, allowing the listener to connect with each emotional moment along the way. The lyrical theme is about having trouble spitting out what you really mean when you get to the microphone; I assume this is a metaphor about struggling to express how you really feel. I appreciate the way the lyrics have these accessible phrases all while having a meaning that you almost have to feel as much as you can hear and understand. It reminds me of 60s Laurel Canyon artists like Jackson Browne or Neil Young. This could (and honestly should) become a modern folk classic; I think it has the sincerity to do so.

Image courtesy: Jon Fazal IG