101610

What's It Called?

Dustin Kensrue - I Knew You Before

What's The Story?

Dustin Kensrue is the frontman for occasionally-Christian post-rock band Thrice. In his spare time, he writes and performs folk albums. This is the first track from his first of two solo albums, Please Come Home.

Who's To Blame?

Listening to Thrice nonstop for the beginning of my twenties led me down a few roads.

Haven't been many legit people to blame this week...

Why ♥ It?

Upbeat folk is the best folk. Kensrue's active strumming with the simple snare drum background is just busy enough for a good tune without betrayal of genre. The vocals are raspy in a way that gives the lyrics meaning. Maybe it's just my social circle, but so many of us feel like they know a girl that this could be about (without knowing so many that it's generic), and in that, Dustin pulls off a success in sharing through music.

Oh, and did I mention yet that it's upbeat?

082410

What's It Called?

Shawn Colvin - Crazy

What's The Story?

Shawn Colvin had a huge critically acclaimed album in the mid-90's, going as far as to win a Grammy for song of the year. Then, her, Christina Applegate, Fiona Apple and Alicia Silverstone all boarded a bus and were never heard from again.

...Until 2007, when she released a folk cover of the smash Gnarls Barkley hit, Crazy.

Who's To Blame?

A website where people trade obscenely overvalued inky pieces of cardboard.

Why ♥ It?

Shawn Colvin delivers this song in a manner that's not unprecedented, but shines regardless. This came out around the time when acoustic guitar Youtube covers of popular songs (see: Umbrella, Hey Ya, etc.) were all the rage and approaching a critical mass of overdoneness.

However, one thing that separates Shawn Colvin from the rest is that she's not a twenty-something who did it to get a laugh out of her friends; her mainstream success didn't come until she was nearing 40 and divorced. So, one thing about her folk style is that it's hardened in the way that many heroic folk/country artists are. She's been everywhere, man. When you listen to this novel pop hit delivered by a fifty year old siren, it has an entirely new context that robs the tune of its camp novelty and morphs the lyrics into a life lesson.

Oh, and the guitar work does bright justice to the original, too.

But mostly the other stuff.

082210

What's It Called?

Josh Ritter - The Temptation of Adam

What's The Story?

Josh Ritter is a clever, upbeat American folk artist. The Temptation of Adam is from his fifth studio album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter.

(Don't you just love the name?)

Who's To Blame?

A radio geek that I had a Livejournal war with once.

Why ♥ It?

I am not a folk fan, most times. I'm definitely not a sappy love song fan. However, this sappy folk love song brings so much to the table that it's hard to deny.

The song is pretty basic. After the horn intro, most of the meat of the song is comprised of a fingerpicking guitar line and heartfelt vocals. The song tells a story of falling in love in strange conditions--hunkered in a missile silo during World War 3. The lyrics have massive geek appeal; there are constant references to the chemistry and physics of an atomic bomb, and a ton of sappy sentiment to go with. The string section that enters midway through the song work to elicit the sap even further from the song. It does all the folk/lovesong earmarks right, but brings that extra bit of lyrical effort to the table.

That's all there is to say really. It's a nice, heartfelt song that's worth huge credit if you happen to date a rocket scientist.

...And let's be honest here, how many other songs can you say that about?