The Other Folk

I've never been a big fan of folk. I don't quite understand the draw to it, and it seems pretty restrictive as styles go. You limit yourself pretty heavily by simply committing to the genre. So yeah, why's it still around?
That being said, I do find some redeeming qualities to it, and people are certainly playing around with the music enough to make it interesting every once in a while.

Right now I'm particularly interested in this Brooklyn-based duo, High Places. They're all reverb and mangled guitars and out of tune pianos. And like I always say, I'm truly a sucker for pretty female vocals. So check 'em out ... you will not be disappointed, even if you have an outlook on folk similar to mine.

I seem to have unwittingly come across yet another interesting Swedish musician, and yeah, this time it's folk we're talking. Rickard Jäverling is a pretty laid back dude, you get the impression, and his instrumental folk stuff reminds me a little of a less sporadic and slightly less accomplished Shugo Tokumaru. He's slower, mellower, and incorporates a wider range of guitars into his music. His stuff flutters around your ears, but develops in a pretty linear manner anyway. So I like it, too, and this guy, along with High Places, is just what I need to hear on this sort of boring and definitely cloudy day in L.A.

High Places - Head Spins
High Places - Hello Hello
High Places - Dudes Incorporated
High Places - Sandy Feet
Rickard Jäverling - Second Summer
Rickard Jäverling - Sultan (clip)