Tag: Folk Rock
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Bob Dylan ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ (1965)
By 1965 Bob Dylan had already become one of the most important voices in American music. His poetic lyrics and sharp social commentary had elevated folk beyond simple protest songs, making it something more literary and deeply personal. In a decade filled with civil unrest and cultural change, Dylan’s words gave people a sense of…
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Cat Stevens ‘Matthew & Son’ (1967)
Matthew & Son captures the youthful exuberance and pop ambition of Cat Stevens’ as he was still discovering his true voice, years before his introspective folk era made him a household name. The album is certainly different than his 1971 smash hit Tea for the Tillerman which is the type of folksy charm everyone remembers…
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Lana Del Rey ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’ (2019)
I’ve always understood how Lana Del Rey could be beloved by so many but never understood why she was so beloved if that makes sense. The cinematic qualities of her music, classic Americana nostalgic undertones, and romantic sentimentality of her music felt incredibly compelling at face value. But there was always something that felt sort…
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Jill Sobule ‘Jill Sobule’ (1995)
Known for her contribution to the iconic 90’s comedy Clueless, Jill Sobule was a songwriter who focused on ironic story-driven character studies very much in line with the songwriting craft that dominated the 90’s. Quirky and irreverent. Bold and unique. It’s what defined her work until her unfortunate passing earlier this year. Standout Songs: “I…
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Once ‘The Soundtrack’ (2007)
In college one of my closest friends Zach and I became utterly obsessed with the movie Once as well as its soundtrack. The movie is an incredible love story that features Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová (who are also members of the band The Swell Season, which yes is kind of confusing). In the movie…
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The Lumineers ‘The Lumineers’ (2012)
The Lumineers have had some pretty massive global success over the years (especially with “Ho Hey” off this debut album) and for all intents and purposes they’re massive superstars. The whole Boom-Clap suspendercore genre has been a go-to formula for artists in the last decade, combining the sentiments of mustachio’d Brooklyn hipsters riding unicycles around…
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George Harrison ‘All Things Must Pass’ (1970)
Forever known as “The Quiet Beatle” George Harrison’s contributions to rock music over the years are stunning in their thoughtfulness. Less gregarious than Ringo Starr, less prolific than Paul McCartney, less iconic than John Lennon, Harrison is oft-forgotten from a commercial perspective. But I’ve always found his solo work post-Beatles to be the best of…
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Led Zeppelin ‘III’ (1970)
Led Zeppelin’s third album marked a sharp departure from the band’s first two records, blending their signature hard rock with a newfound acoustic sensibility. All this makes sense considering the historical context here– III was Zep’s third album in only a year and a half, an incredibly prolific run over such a short period of…
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R.E.M. ‘Out of Time’ (1991)
With Out of Time R.E.M. transitioned from beloved college rock icons to full-fledged international superstars, crafting an album that expanded their jangly guitars into a world of strings, horns, and unexpected guest musicians. While still maintaining their signature introspective lyricism, the album took on a more brooding, atmospheric tone, trading some of their earlier urgency…
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Steely Dan ‘Can’t Buy A Thrill’ (1972)
Steely Dan’s lead singer Donald Fagen’s obsession with songwriting is the stuff of legend, a tireless pursuit of the perfect chord progression and lyric that helped define the sound of 70s rock. Known for his meticulous perfectionism in the studio, Fagen approached music like an alchemist, blending elements from jazz, rock, and pop to create…
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Simon & Garfunkel ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’ (1970)
By 1970 Simon & Garfunkel were already household names, celebrated for their rich harmonies and evocative storytelling that defined a generation. Their previous album Bookends had solidified their place as folk rock icons with hits like “Mrs. Robinson” and “A Hazy Shade of Winter,” blending poetic lyrics with lush, genre-defining arrangements. The duo’s ability to…
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The Pogues ‘If I Should Fall from Grace with God’ (1988)
Blending traditional Irish folk instrumentation with the snarling energy of punk, The Pogues breakthrough album If I Should Fall from Grace with God was both a rebellious anthem and a love letter to their Celtic roots. The album’s lead single “Fairytale of New York” became an instant holiday classic the moment it was released. With…
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Beck ‘Odelay’ (1996)
Beck has had such a wide-ranging and successful career that it’s almost impossible to really define who he is as an artist– as my brother (who is probably one of Beck’s biggest fans) can attest to, his varied musical influences are as wide-ranging as any artist. Odelay is a kaleidoscopic masterpiece that redefined alternative music…
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Dawes ‘Stories Don’t End’ (2013)
Taylor Goldsmith possesses a rare gift for distilling the quiet beauty of everyday life into poignant songs that feel deeply personal and universally relatable. It’s everywhere in Dawes music– the idiosyncratic descriptions of the mundane going-ons of everyday events, the subtle character observations of quirky personalities, the romanticization of life itself. There’s no better storyteller…
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Neil Young ‘Harvest’ (1972)
Harvest would end up defining not only Neil Young’s career but also an era of introspective, folk-infused rock. At the time Young was already known for his poetic lyricism and achingly honest voice, traits that had made him a beloved figure in the folk-rock world, and his work with CSNY (specifically their masterful Deja Vu…
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Nico ‘Chelsea Girl’ (1967)
Nico’s debut album Chelsea Girl showcases her as a pioneering figure in goth music, embodying a haunting, lunar sorceress singing of lost dreams. After leaving The Velvet Underground after their incredible album 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico, an experience that she described feeling “like a mannequin,” she partnered up with Jackson Browne and…
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The National ‘Boxer’ (2007)
It’s been a few years since I’ve listened to Boxer. I burned through this album during my early 20’s (it was my de facto soundtrack during my commute up highway 280 from Cupertino to San Mateo during my first job out of college) and it sounds just as great as it did back then. The…
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Eagles ‘One of These Nights’ (1975)
Eagles’ One of These Nights is a masterclass example of studio alchemy, a pivotal moment that reshaped the band’s trajectory and left an indelible mark on 70s rock. Recorded at Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles, the album emerges from a tumultuous period for the band, who were grappling with internal friction and the pressures…
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Jefferson Airplane ‘Surrealistic Pillow’ (1967)
Jefferson Airplane played a pivotal role in shaping San Francisco’s psychedelic rock scene during the mid-1960s, serving at the forefront of the counterculture movement that dominated the city and embodying the experimental shift that was happening in popular music at the time. Their complex compositions, soulful vocals, innovative guitar work, and hazy reverb-drenched production helped…
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Led Zeppelin ‘Led Zeppelin’ (1969)
The term “most influential band” gets thrown around a lot to describe various acts throughout the years, but no band in history changed the trajectory of pure rock and roll more than Led Zeppelin. Since the release of their eponymous debut album in 1969, Led Zeppelin has been a fixture on the radio and pop…
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Gene Clark ‘No Other’ (1974)
Gene Clark is best known for his time with The Byrds during the mid-60’s, but his solo work that followed is truly where he began to shine as an artist. His album No Other is honestly somewhat of a lost masterpiece, similar in a way to Dennis Wilson’s magnum opus Pacific Ocean Blue— two great…
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Joan Armatrading ‘Joan Armatrading’ (1976)
Standing somewhere in between the hazy folk singer-songwriter vibes of the early 70’s and the more grandiose classic rock production that would come latter in the decade, Joan Armatrading’s self-titled third album has a really sly way of working its way into your headspace over the entirety of its ten songs. It’s an intimate treatise…
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David Bowie ‘Space Oddity’ (1969)
Before David Bowie was a transformational rock star whose ability to effortlessly shapeshift between baroque pop, psychedelic rock, electronic rock, neo-soul, and dance music had fully taken shape he was a struggling artist whose career was very much at the crossroads. After his self-titled dance hall record David Bowie was a flop commercially, Bowie showed…
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Turnpike Troubadours ‘Diamonds & Gasoline’ (2010)
Turnpike Troubadours’ sophomore album Diamonds and Gasoline is the embodiment of what I would define as contemporary Americana music. Blending country, folk, and roots rock, the band weaves together a captivating tapestry of storytelling and musical craftsmanship that ruminate on love, loss, and life. These themes are set on top of familiar backdrops of Americana…
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Looking Glass ‘Looking Glass’ (1972)
When my wife and I were first seriously dating she played me Looking Glass’ hit single “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)”. I don’t remember if I had ever heard the song before, either on a yacht rock radio station or otherwise, but what I do remember is that I’ll never forget that moment. The way…
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The Mother Hips ‘Pacific Dust’ (2009)
The Mother Hips are somewhat of a Bay Area institution having delivered their brand of 90’s alternative meets 70’s classic rock for over 30 years now. Pacific Dust carries on the spirit of what has made The Mother Hips such a fixture in the Northern California music scene– dynamic guitar parts, rock-steady rhythm section, and…
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Buffalo Springfield ‘Buffalo Springfield’ (1966)
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s 1970 album Deja Vu is one of my favorite albums of all-time, and its genesis can be found with Buffalo Springfield and their 1966 debut self-titled album. The band featured Neil Young and Stephen Stills who would go on to have legendary careers both as part of supergroups and solo…
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Joni Mitchell ‘Blue’ (1971)
Evaluating the importance of Joni Mitchell’s Blue over fifty years since it was released is a unique experience. From a contemporary listening perspective it’s a lovely folk album, filled with wonderful harmonies and rock-solid storytelling that explores the dynamics of romantic relationships and the swirling emotions that come along with them. But from a historical…
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Bob Dylan ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’ (1963)
It’s taken me forever to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard in this case) on Bob Dylan for a variety of reasons— this is America’s historical orator, one of the greatest musical poets of all-time, a man of substance and supreme conviction. One of the reasons my wife and I named our son…
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The Youngbloods ‘The Youngbloods’ (1967)
Sometimes I like to dig through old 60’s folk rock bands who never really made it and check out their albums for no other reason than I enjoy the blind discovery inherent in the process but also the familiarity of what you’re going to get. So many bands in that era and genre of music…
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My Morning Jacket ‘It Still Moves’ (2003)
Well before My Morning Jacket turned the corner from underground darling into a mainstream adjacent band that your mom saw perform on the Jimmy Fallon show (she enjoyed it), they were a group of reverb-lovin’ good ole boys from Lousville, Kentucky that loved to get out there and crank out 8-minute meandering folk rock rock…
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Bruce Springsteen ‘Born To Run’ (1975)
For anyone who has had a conversation with me about music over the past 15 years can attest to, Bruce Springsteen is my favorite musician of all-time. The Boss has become the de-facto orator of American history over the past 50 years due to his prolific career longevity and his willingness to tackle subject matter…
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Jack Johnson ‘In Between Dreams’ (2004)
As an alum of UC Santa Barbara (Ole Ole Ole, go Gauchos) I’m pretty sure I’m legally obligated to be a fan of singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. He graduated from UCSB in 1997 and played in the band Soil during his college days, opening for legendary bands like Sublime and Dave Matthews Band before they got…
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The Byrds ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ (1965)
The Byrds brand of electric rock paved the way for a generation of American folk musicians to enter the rock and roll genre with a soft landing in the 1960’s. Composed of folk cover songs (four of them penned by the legendary Bob Dylan) and a bevy of originals from guitarist/vocalist Gene Clark, Mr. Tambourine…
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Big Thief ‘U.F.O.F.’ (2019)
There’s a real beauty in seizing a moment in space that captures a specific period of time. It’s a concept that Big Thief managed to capture during the recording of their third full-length album U.F.O.F. Featuring majestic soundscapes, ethereal vocal melodies, and subtle mood changes that matriculate throughout the entirety of the experience, Big Thief’s…
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The Civil Wars ‘Barton Hollow’ (2011)
The Civil Wars debut album Barton Hollow is filled with tales of love, loss, and longing that find a way to burrow deep into your soul immediately when the first note hits. Comprised of singer-songwriters Lucinda Williams and John Paul White, the pair inexplicably find a way to tug at the tender notes of romantic…
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