Boduf Songs -
How Shadows Chase the Balance (2008)
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest folk fan, at least in and of itself. I don't mind folk when it's mixed with other genres, but straight folk tends to do very little for me, unless the lyrics really stand out. So that being said, this is probably one of the folkiest albums I have on my hard drive, nothing but unrelenting finger picked acoustic guitar and the occasional drum machine beat to accompany the melody. This is probably one of the darkest, most unsettling albums I own as well. Sole musician Mat Sweet really knows how to write some dark lyrics and melodies to accompany them, yet never without compromising the integrity of the folk genre. This wouldn't be the album I choose to listen to on a dark rainy day, or when I'm feeling down because it would definitely make me feel worse, but despite the darkness, there is some beauty to beheld, and that takes some real talent to make the ugly seem beautiful.