One of my favorite albums of 2012 came from an artist whose work has always interested me but has never quite precisely hit the mark until now.
Caroline Herring's 2012 release Camilla was a haunting and powerful touch on the complex and artful culture of the South, an answer to the way the old South's image is being worn, stretched, evolved, and appreciated by a new wave of progressive ideas finding their footing. Even as her characters hold tight to the traditions on which they were raised, they are also finding a way to honor the fact that, in some cases, it's time to move on. "Fireflies" (purchase/download) is a perfect example of this - depicting a little girl chasing fireflies in her nightgown, even as tradition starts to fall down around her. It's that allegiance to keeping what's sacred while letting other things fall away, which was so incredibly well-captured on this disc; and timely, in an election year, for sure.
As I keep Camilla on rotation, as we head into a new year, here's a closer look at Caroline Herring's bio. And here's a look at the other albums which made the cut for the Best Folk Albums of 2012.
image © Tom Fahey
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