Christian Music News: Christian Folk Is In Good Hands (2024)

They're fairly new on the scene and you won't believe how good they are.

They're fairly new on the scene and you won't believe how good they are.

Musician Musician
Jun 26, 2023 - 22:49
21
Christian Folk Is In Good Hands

Hi Pal,

Welcome to another newsletter. Bonus Stuff is an umbrella column for ideas that do not fit into the other content brackets I write here.

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I’ve been listening to Christian alternative music intermittently for more than a decade now but it wasn’t until three years ago that I decided to shift my focus to the Christian scene in a major way.

I won’t pretend that it was an easy transition as I found the first few weeks to be quite challenging. Yet, I’ll admit that the one genre that I never seemed to have lacked was folk music. I remember discovering artists like Josh Garrels, Sarah Sparks, Zach Winters and The Welcome Wagon, and thinking to myself that I had a whole new world to explore.

It’s 2023 and I think it’s safe to say that Christian folk is probably the most expansive genre in the alternative scene as there are so many wonderful artists and bands to listen to.

So while I’m waiting for a Christian post-punk or neo-psychedelia band to get on my radar (Editor’s Note: If you have recommendations, please leave them in the comments because I’ve been hunting), here are some of my favourite new folk artists that I think you should listen to.

Jimmy Clifton

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His debut album dropped in 2020 and somehow, he already has three out. Clifton is a young storyteller who has only gotten better with time. I didn’t discover him until recently when I heard his 2023 single, Save Your Tears. So far, he has released four singles this year and they are all beautiful in their own right. Looking back on his discography, it seems to me like he is finally coming into his own with these new tracks and I can’t wait for whatever project he has on the way.

Candace Coker

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Coker dropped her debut album this year and after listening to it, I think it may be a little weird calling her a new artist. Sure, she stepped onto the scene around 2018, but she sounds like one who has worked on her craft for over a decade. Bare & Bones remains one of my favourite albums of this year, and Coker's unique brand of alternative folk that fuses jazz influences, soulful gospel and Afro-Caribbean percussions will always set her apart on the scene.

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Yaz Williams

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There are some artists that I credit as inspiration for this newsletter and Yaz Williams is certainly on that list. Back in 2021, her debut album, Something Like A Secret, was one of the music releases that blew me away. I couldn’t quite believe that such artistry and poetry fused with delicate storytelling and biblical allusions could exist within Christian music. It remains one of my favourite albums to date and I cannot wait for what her sophomore project will bring.

Benjamin Daniel

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I’d probably need to give Benjamin Daniel and the rest of his mates on Post Emo Records a separate newsletter here sometime, as there are some future power-houses signed to that label. Benjamin Daniel creates indie folk that leans into indie rock enough to sometimes blur the lines between both genres. Yet, his folk sensibilities are evident on every album both musically and emotionally. He has three albums to his name so far and his third album, Home Enough For Now, is one of my favourite album releases of 2023.

Wind and Sail

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Wind and Sail are Graham and Abigail Allen. I have a soft spot for musical projects by couples and I fell in love with these folks since I found out about them. It also helps that Abigail paints their song art and they are absolutely mesmerizing images. However, this couple is not on this list just because of sentimental feelings. Their sound is diverse with elements of indie folk, chamber pop and alternative rock; and their recently released debut EP, Wild Edge, is a wonderful listening experience. I can’t wait for what they do next.

That’s it for today.

Catch you at the next one!

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