They have won Grammys, they have appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone, and their albums have gone multi-platinum in the U.S. With all this success, there's little doubt that Mumford & Sons are presently the most popular folk band on the planet.
Although the Mumford & Sons craze is huge, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pay attention to other folk acts if you like the genre. Here's a listing of five modern folk artists that are less popular than, but just as appealing as, Mumford & Sons.
The Mountain Goats: Since their first album in 1994 Zopilote Machine, The Mountain Goats have gained a cult following and top tier critical praise. They are known for their blend of dynamic, acoustic tracks and poetic lyrics. Lately, fans started a petition to name John Darnielle, The Mountain Goats' chief member, as the U.S. Poet Laureate.
Recommended tracks: "No Children", "Cry For Judas", 'Sax Rohmer #1"
Mount Eerie: Mount Eerie, the project of indie folk hero Phil Elverum, is the aftermath of his influential band The Microphones. Like their predecessor, Mount Eerie combines the sweetness and elegance of acoustic folk with the swirling, ethereal melodies of dream pop.
Recommended tracks: "Wooly Mammoth's Absence ", "The Place Lives", "Yawning Sky"
Sufjan Stevens: In 2005, Stevens embarked on a "Fifty States Project" in which he intended to make an album for each U.S. state. The experiment, he realized, was too complicated, and it ended with the second album in the series Illinois. The album is considered to be one of the finest of the last ten years by reviewers at Paste Magazine and Pitchfork. It has also sold over 300,000 copies in the United States alone. His sound has been compared to folk legend Elliott Smith, and has influences of electronic and classical music.
Recommended tracks: "Romulus", "Come On Feel The Illinoise", "Year Of The Tiger"
Defiance, Ohio: Mixing acoustic instrumentations with beautiful string arrangements and assertive anti-government lyrics, Defiance, Ohio are easily one of today's best folk punk bands. In true punk style, Defiance, Ohio has made their complete discography free for downloading off their website.
Recommended tracks: "The List", "Hairpool", "Oh Susquehanna"
The Magnetic Fields: Since their first single in 1991 titled "100,000 Fireflies", The Magnetic Fields have been gracing the world with stunning folk songs, incorporating everything from drum machines to ukuleles. Their three disc epic 69 Love Songs is regarded as their greatest musical work and is even on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.
Recommended tracks: "Nothing Matters When We're Dancing", "Quick!", "All My Little Words"
For fans of Mumford & Sons who are into indie folk, these 5 artists should definitely be given a listen.
Although the Mumford & Sons craze is huge, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pay attention to other folk acts if you like the genre. Here's a listing of five modern folk artists that are less popular than, but just as appealing as, Mumford & Sons.
The Mountain Goats: Since their first album in 1994 Zopilote Machine, The Mountain Goats have gained a cult following and top tier critical praise. They are known for their blend of dynamic, acoustic tracks and poetic lyrics. Lately, fans started a petition to name John Darnielle, The Mountain Goats' chief member, as the U.S. Poet Laureate.
Recommended tracks: "No Children", "Cry For Judas", 'Sax Rohmer #1"
Mount Eerie: Mount Eerie, the project of indie folk hero Phil Elverum, is the aftermath of his influential band The Microphones. Like their predecessor, Mount Eerie combines the sweetness and elegance of acoustic folk with the swirling, ethereal melodies of dream pop.
Recommended tracks: "Wooly Mammoth's Absence ", "The Place Lives", "Yawning Sky"
Sufjan Stevens: In 2005, Stevens embarked on a "Fifty States Project" in which he intended to make an album for each U.S. state. The experiment, he realized, was too complicated, and it ended with the second album in the series Illinois. The album is considered to be one of the finest of the last ten years by reviewers at Paste Magazine and Pitchfork. It has also sold over 300,000 copies in the United States alone. His sound has been compared to folk legend Elliott Smith, and has influences of electronic and classical music.
Recommended tracks: "Romulus", "Come On Feel The Illinoise", "Year Of The Tiger"
Defiance, Ohio: Mixing acoustic instrumentations with beautiful string arrangements and assertive anti-government lyrics, Defiance, Ohio are easily one of today's best folk punk bands. In true punk style, Defiance, Ohio has made their complete discography free for downloading off their website.
Recommended tracks: "The List", "Hairpool", "Oh Susquehanna"
The Magnetic Fields: Since their first single in 1991 titled "100,000 Fireflies", The Magnetic Fields have been gracing the world with stunning folk songs, incorporating everything from drum machines to ukuleles. Their three disc epic 69 Love Songs is regarded as their greatest musical work and is even on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.
Recommended tracks: "Nothing Matters When We're Dancing", "Quick!", "All My Little Words"
For fans of Mumford & Sons who are into indie folk, these 5 artists should definitely be given a listen.
About the Author:
Eli Zeger is a high school student, musician, and music writer. His work has been featured on such sites as TheCultureWhore.com, Undergrind.net, CVLTNation.com, Baristanet.com, and many more. Get to know Eli and read his thoughts, ideas, and 1 about music on his blog.
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