bela fleck and abigail washburn - new south africa
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When banjo legend Bela Fleck pairs with bluegrass queen Abigail Washburn for an album centered around two banjos you know you are in for something special. Watch the chemistry from this married couple as they catch each other's eye while delivering a delightfully minimalist version of the Flecktones fusion classic song New South Africa. |
beautiful mother - dirty projectors
I went to my first Dirty Projectors show having never heard their music and this is the song that stuck with me. Live performance is the best way to experience the wondrous oddity that is this group. This band has many sounds but it's hard to forget the awesome power of their vocals.
david - courtney barnett
Although her distinct sound is typically more contemplative than this song, as performances go this is one of the greats. Watching Courtney Barnett slap blues riffs barehanded while rasping this catchy refrain will show you rock music is far from over. |
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fold - jose gonzalez
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Jose Gonzalez, the acoustically inventive crooner, gives voice to melancholy. His playing is always a treat; particularly on this song when the low E string is tuned down to a B to give the guitar a really full range. |
Mouthwings - mountain man
Mountain Man was never a band that needed instruments. Their voices echo pristine on the walls of this tunnel as they stand in sight but out of view. Bravo on this beautiful location choice.
My gal, my guy - darlingside
Talk about a full sound! Rarely singing alone, the voices of Darlingside add strength to their dynamic musical backup. The electric bass gives this folk band an edge that a double bass wouldn't. The only thing that could outshine their refreshingly original sound is their contagious display of humor and goodwill between songs. |
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Taking Chances - Sharon Van Etten
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No one sings like Sharon Van Etten. She brings a new definition to the word heartbreak (although Taking Chances is pretty optimistic subject matter as far as Sharon Van Etten is concerned.). I also have to give her props for centering a song around an Omnichord. |
Tongue Behind My Teeth - The Staves
The Staves are more than a dynamic powerhouse of vocals. Listen to this song fill the room with open guitar chords over rhythmic strumming and stomping. I love how the video reveals them one by one as if to slowly paint the scene. |
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traction in the rain - crosby and nash - bbc
Perfectly capturing their self proclaimed "loosest show on earth" David Crosby proceeds to engage in his classic onstage buffoonery before performing this stunning, soulful acoustic number. Also how scary would it be playing folk music when JOHN FUCKING BONHAM IS SITTING 8 FEET FROM YOU in the crowd! Check him out in the white suit.
hi fi - m. ward
This video actually has a lot of elements that I do not normally enjoy. It's one guy with an acoustic guitar and no other musicians or frills. He wears a hat so you can't even see his face and he is reading music from a sheet. The important factor here is that this guy is M. Ward. In addition to one of the most refreshingly distinct voices in today's music, this guitar part is perfectly understated and just as catchy as the vocals.