5 Things
What happens when a three-chord folk song meets forty musicians? Arranger and fiddler Mickey O’Donnell makes the case for the frankly decadent pleasure of orchestral folk, with five arrangements that prove bigger really can be better.
Song Lore
Lucy Wise traces her musical origin story through family folk songs in Margaret River, Sufjan Stevens, DADGAD mentors, perfectionism, recovery, songwriting, and learning to go gently.
Where to start...
When All the World’s Music Wasn’t Enough
Bespoke Pairings
Emily-Rose Sarkova pairs music with the textures of life: uncomfortable public spaces, dark beer and cheese boards, frivolous picnics, long drives, quiet days, and the live rooms that put us back together.
Song Lore
Emmy Ryan traces her musical origin story through Cold Chisel, life-changing Béla Fleck, Miles Davis, a mandolin awakening at Woodford, long road records, heartbreak, and the songs that brought her back to herself.
Listening Map
A listening map for newbies, skeptics and those who want to explore more bluegrass-adjacent music...there’s a ‘grass for everyone.
Listener Personality
Why do some folk songs light you up while others leave you cold? This piece explores the neuroscience-inspired dimensions behind musical taste, and introduces the Folk Listener Personality Typology.
Song Lore
Ofri traces her musical origin story through her grandmother's songs, back-seat Dido devotion, a Joni Mitchell disaster, Fiona Apple, Chaika, and the songs that brought her here.
5 Things
For our first 5 Things, Parvyn brings us soul from Melbourne, a beloved My Brightest Diamond record, a late-night Punch Brothers session story, and a piece of candle-lit advice.
Rant
A ranty kind of manifesto of why we're starting this newsletter like a 2007 blog