What the Folk?  |  My Bonnaroo 2012 Picks

It's that time of year again!  The most wonderful time of the year.  Bonnaroo!  Each year I've visited the farm, I've come with one particular genre in mind.  2010 was for all the new alternative acts, 2011 for the electronic acts, and this year it's overwhelmingly the folk scene.  Besides the obvious heavy hitters like Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foster the People, Feist, etc. I think there are some smaller acts that deserve some recognition.  So if you're lucky enough to get down to the farm this summer here are a few of my favorites I'd recommend seeing:

KURT VILE
Ever since I heard the first few plucky licks of "Baby's Arms" I was completely hooked on Kurt Vile.  There's nothing particularly fancy about his music, it's just good old Americana.  However, there's something mysterious about Vile's slurry vocals with the combination of his fretwork.  It's hypnotic, such that I'm positive that just his presence on stage will command the attention he deserves.

LAURA MARLING
Marling's bitter breakups with fellow musicians have left many with a bitter taste in their mouths for her.  But after just one listen of Marling's epic track "Sophia" I quickly dropped that foolish judgement.  At only 22 years old, Marling has produced some of the most profound and mature songs I've ever heard. Her mature lyrics alongside simple harmonies are exquisite and serve as a promise of young talent in the world of folk music.  

TUNE-YARDS
After last week's review, I can't think of a reason not to see quirky Merrill Garbus in action.  Her music is pretty eccentric in my headphones so I'm pretty curious to see what kinds of antics Garbus is capable of.  This is a woman who isn't afraid to get ugly, push the limits, and put it all out there.  I'm unsure of exactly what will be going down in This Tent when Garbus takes the stage, but I'll be there to see the results.




BON IVER
It's been quite a year for Bonnie Bear!  Not only did Justin Vernon win some well deserved Grammys, but he also claimed the coveted sunset slot on Bonnaroo's main stage.  He's earned it and deserves the all the attention he'll most certainly get on Sunday's set.  It would be worth the whole afternoon to hear "Holocene" live as the sun is setting.  I mean, do I really need to say more?  



ST. VINCENT
I'm still coming off my high of seeing Annie Clark live.  Let me tell you that she did not disappoint.  Clark has a real, tangible presence on stage and knows how to work the crowd.  She croons subtly while her guitar shrieks to life with ungodly riffs and licks.  Annie Clark's got talent, and isn't afraid to share it with the audience. 






Of course with four days of music this is just a tiny snapshot of all the artists that will be heading down to Manchester this year.  It will be exciting to see the acts I plan on seeing, but even moreso to see the ones I stumble upon.  

NEXT WEEK:  KURT VILE  |  SMOKE RING FOR MY HALO