All About Freak Folk

What is Freak Folk?:

"Freak folk" is a media-created term given to a style of folk music that has evolved from traditional folk. Many of the artists frequently classified as freak folk don't identify with, or particularly like, the title. Others have suggested "naturalismo" as an alternative genre. At any rate, it is a style of contemporary folk music that focuses marries acoustic instrumentation with rock and psychadelic sensibilities, but is decidedly not folk-rock. Sonically, freak folk is not entirely unlike anti-folk.

Freak Folk Artists:

Devendra Banhardt
Joanna Newsom
Sufjan Stevens
Beach House
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Vashti Bunyan

Freak Folk Instruments of Choice:

Much like all other areas of contemporary folk music, freak folk and naturalismo artists don't simply stick to acoustic instruments. While many like Devendra Banhart do play acoustic guitar, it's not rare to employ electronic keyboards or percussion, lots of thick harmonies, and any other instrument, really, is fair game.

Recommended Freak Folk CDs:

Vashti Bunyan - Just Another Diamond Day (DiCristina, 1970)

Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow (XL/Beggars, 2005)

Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender (Drag City, 2006)

Sufjan Stevens - Greetings From Michigan (Sounds Familyre, 2003)

Purchase/Download Freak Folk MP3s:

Devendra Banhart - "This Beard is For Siobhan"
Joanna Newsom - "Cassiopeia"
Vashti Bunyan - "Lily Pond"
Beach House - "Heart of Chambers"

Web Sites About Freak Folk:

Freak Folk/Naturalismo Blog
NPR profiles freak folk

History of Freak Folk:

Many credit Vashti Bunyan with releasing the seminal freak folk album, 1970's Just Another Diamond Day. Although nobody's exactly sure where the term came from, it's a phrase critics have pulled out time and again to describe a style of music reminiscent of the hippy psych-folk era. Still, it's separate from psych-folk and has really only popularized recently, since Devendra Banhart's 2004 release, The Golden Apples of the Moon, where he collaborated with a number of other freak folkers, including Joanna Newsom and CocoRosie.