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

ARTIST:
ST. VINCENT


ALBUM:
STRANGE MERCY


KEY TRACKS:
CHLOE IN THE AFTERNOON
CRUEL
SURGEON
NEUTERED FRUIT


"I've had good times, with some bad guys..."


The cover art strongly suggests the content within.  St. Vincent's Annie Clark sounds more ghostly than ever in her newest album, Strange Mercy.  Her voice is haunting yet oddly calm over her intricate guitar riffs.  Annie is one of the most talented guitarists in my musical library and I can never get enough of her distortions.  But even more satisfying is how sludgy she can make her instruments sound and how it gives a perfect contrast to the lightness of her voice.  

I love Annie Clark.   Not just because her music is great, but because she shows that pretty girls can rock the fuck out too.  This album proves that point even more than her previous two efforts.  The sound here is definitely darker and moodier with less reliance on electronics and more on Clark's manic guitar riffs.  


Even Clark's lyrics are more suggestive this time around.  Chloe in the Afternoon is an outright ode to adultery.  Here the focus is on "horse-hair whips", "no kisses no real needs", "send you home" then "back to work".  Annie's soft voice smooths over the lyrics while she shreds her guitar in contrast.  There's a duality here, and throughout the album between good and evil.  Sweet and sour.  But in this case it oscillates between gentle and brash.   


Cruel is definitely the catchiest on the album.  I've often found myself whistling that oh so catchy chorus line at work (most likely driving my officemates insane) so it definitely works its way in.  

Another particularly great track is Surgeon, which was a grower for me.  At first it's a bit too eerie, but then Clark's fretwork kicks in for the chorus and really ignites the track.  "Best finest surgeon" she says, "come cut me open": a line taken from an actual Marilyn Monroe quote.  The repetitive chorus in this track almost sounds like a challenge when I hear it.  All throughout the song Annie Clark talks about all the dull behaviors she does just to "get along, get along, get along" like laying in bed, sifting through mail piles, staying inside.  It's almost like this skilled surgeon she keeps calling to is going to cut out all the dullness in life.         


The bass line in the oddly named "Neutered Fruit" is also quite addicting. It's the St. Vincent that I'm used to hearing, ghostly chorus lines mixed in with equally haunting vocals, and heavy instrumentals.  


Like I said, I love Annie Clark.  Not just because of her talent, but because she's not afraid to push boundaries for female artists.  We need more gutsy eccentric artists like her.  There aren't enough.  There simply aren't enough.  

LISTEN:  CHLOE IN THE AFTERNOON | CRUEL | SURGEON | NEUTERED FRUIT 

NEXT WEEK:  WASHED OUT | WITHIN AND WITHOUT