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[*Sights*]

I don't know if the term is stupid or not. I don't care. Call it minimalist folk or just acoustic or what have you. The thing is I've been listening almost non-stop to James Blackshaw and Sean Smith and i'm craving for similar artists at the moment. Any suggestions?

And if you haven't listened to either of them, please do. Now.

Also, discuss.

[tommydski]

I haven't listened to those artists you posted but anyone with half an ear should be able to find something to love in Will Oldham. I would start with his Palace albums and work forward to the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy material. If there's been a better artist within the genre of folk music in my lifetime then I'm yet to hear them.

Likewise, Jason Molina isn't particularly folky, he's more blues and country but my word, what an incredible talent. His earlier albums under the name Songs:Ohia especially are some of the most empassioned lo-fi music I have ever heard. Similarly to Oldham, he has a discography that keeps giving the deeper you go.

Finally, Jandek influenced both of the above artists and has somehow recorded even more albums than either. The Representative of Corwood Industries remains an enigma to this day, releasing as many as three new albums a year of his trademark stark, esoteric folk music. You can buy a whole ton of his records in bulk at his website. Recommended to say the least. He's one of a kind.

[*Sights*]

Oh....haha thanks Tommy, but I should have said that I'm looking for strictly instrumental stuff. What little I've heard by Oldham is indeed very good, but includes vocals. I will check out both Jason Molina and Jandek though.

[tommydski]

Instrumental folk music eh?

Now I'm intrigued.

[*Sights*]

........It does exist, doesn't it? Or did i misuse the term?

...

Anyway, this thread is failing, so let's shut up and wait for a post that is neither yours nor mine.

[Kai]

this thread should actually be about Jandek and Leonard Cohen.

[Inlander]

Screw that, right now I'm listening to Jackie Leven for the first time in years.

[carrotosaurus]

I'm on a huge Blackshaw kick right now.

Some similar artists:
Jack Rose
Sir Richard Bishop
Robbie Basho
Clogs
Sun City Girls
and of course John Fahey

If you feel like branching out to vocal territory, you might want to also check out Brightblack Morning Light, Flowers from the Man Who Shot Your Cousin, Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores, and Songs of Green Pheasant.

[jimbunny]

I wouldn't call them minimalist (heck, I'm not entirely sure what that means, anyhow), but King Tut are really something to listen to.

[TheFuriousWombat]

Clogs

That's honestly the only word you need to know in this context.

[SensoryOssuary]

Paul Metzger
Nick Schillace
Glenn Jones
Peter Walker (if you Google this, you'll get some mediocre indie rocker of the same name, so search for either of his two albums, Rainy Day Raga & Second Poem to Karmela)
Mike Tamburo

[tommydski]

Sun City Girls

Great, great, great band. I keep trying to collect my thoughts on this band for a written retrospective but I keep stalling.

I have so many unfinished bits of writing right now. It's infuriating.

[KharBevNor]

New folk? What the fuck? People need to stop stealing other peoples genre names. It is bad enough that a not inconsiderable people think that 'neo-folk' means Devandra Banhart. Call it something else! Why must everything with acoustic guitars be a new genre of folk? FOLK IS NOT JUST A WORD FOR HAVING ACOUSTIC GUITARS AND FIDDLES RAAAARGH.

[Tom]

Ha! Imagine if folk artists were ripping of metal, nu-folk.

[Felix_]

I suppose the mention of Nick Castro and his assorted projects would be sufficient for this particular thread.

Check him out.