Psych-Folk Thread (ambient, psychedelic, rock, single, genre)

sleepy jack · 05-28-2008, 05:39 PM

aka Freak Folk aka Acid-Folk, coolest genre names ever right?

Psych-folk roots are in folk rock bands like The Pentangle and the Fairport Convention but the genre more fell into its own in the 1970s with artists like Syd Barrett and Vashti Bunyan. Like folk Psych-folk is mostly acoustic based but often incorporates woodwinds, chanting and of course psychedelic rock influences but in a much more atmospheric manner.

In the early 90s hints of a psych-folk revival were beginning to occur mostly with Elephant Six and Neutral Milk Hotel. By the 2000s it was slowly building to a full-fledged movement dubbed "New Weird America" with artists like Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart, CocoRosie, Animal Collective, Six Organs of Admittance and it continues to grow. Even former ambient band Sigur Ros have gone that way with their new single (which is excellent by the way) Gobbledigook.

Early psych-folk suggestions:
Syd Barrett "The Madcap Laughs"
Vashti Bunyan "Just Another Diamond Day"
Linda Perhacs "Parallelograms"
Syd Barrett "Barrett"

Later psych-folk suggestions:
Neutral Milk Hotel "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"
Joanna Newsom "Ys"
Six Organs of Admittance "Dark Noontide"
Panda Bear "Young Prayer"
Devendra Banhart "Cripple Crow"

mightyprojet · 05-28-2008, 05:48 PM

Lou Barlow`s Sentridoh recordings have some psych folk moments

Diane Cluck is someone to check out

boo boo · 05-28-2008, 05:48 PM

Ah, so that's what NMH is.

ProggyMan · 05-28-2008, 06:40 PM

Why is boo boo's name bolded? Anyway Avery Island is more psych-Folk than Aeroplane. There's more just plain Folk songs on Aeroplane, while Avery has a really fuzzy feel.

sleepy jack · 05-28-2008, 06:46 PM

um...it being more lo-fi doesn't make it more psych-folk...In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is a fine example of psych-folk and it's more psych-folk than On Avery Island because On Avery Island has much more going on than Aeroplane and most of it isn't psych-folk it's just experimental stuff.

I wouldn't really call most of Aeroplane 'plain folk songs' either, they sound nothing like Guthrie or Seeger. The vocal delivery, atmosphere and just general aesthetic is completely psych-folk.

sl1ck · 05-28-2008, 07:39 PM

Wouldn't The Microphones be classified as psych-folk? Specifically The Glow, Pt. 2.

jackhammer · 05-30-2008, 11:50 AM

I have got to check out some Joanna Newsom. What I have heard I liked. I am not big on Neutral Milk Hotel at all but the early suggestions are all excellent.

Laughing Boy · 05-30-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sl1ck

Wouldn't The Microphones be classified as psych-folk? Specifically The Glow, Pt. 2.

I think they'd count at times but for the most part they're good old fuzz-folk. Great thread by the way.

sleepy jack · 05-30-2008, 05:18 PM

Yeah but I don't really care what you think or about your glam rock wikipedia.

Rainard Jalen · 05-31-2008, 07:04 AM

I hadn't thought of Ys before as being psych-folk, but now that you mention it, it actually makes quite a lot of sense.

When did you get into Ys btw? I seem to remember you indicating quite a bit of dislike for it at some point?

05-28-2008, 07:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
sl1ck Wish Fulfillment Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 99	Wouldn't The Microphones be classified as psych-folk? Specifically The Glow, Pt. 2. __________________ Last.FM RYM

05-30-2008, 11:50 AM	#7 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	I have got to check out some Joanna Newsom. What I have heard I liked. I am not big on Neutral Milk Hotel at all but the early suggestions are all excellent. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

05-28-2008, 05:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
mightyprojet Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 52	Lou Barlow`s Sentridoh recordings have some psych folk moments Diane Cluck is someone to check out

05-28-2008, 06:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
ProggyMan Reformed Jackass Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3,964	Why is boo boo's name bolded? Anyway Avery Island is more psych-Folk than Aeroplane. There's more just plain Folk songs on Aeroplane, while Avery has a really fuzzy feel.

05-31-2008, 07:04 AM	#10 (permalink)
Rainard Jalen Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,221	I hadn't thought of Ys before as being psych-folk, but now that you mention it, it actually makes quite a lot of sense. When did you get into Ys btw? I seem to remember you indicating quite a bit of dislike for it at some point?