Tag Archives: folk music

WATCH: Jack Barksdale Comments on the Modern American ‘Battleground’

How do you find the light in a dark room?

How do you hold onto hope, when all seems hopeless?

Why fight the battle, when you’re likely to lose the war?

These are the questions that come to mind from listening to “Battleground,” the new single from world-aware folk artist Jack Barksdale (ft. Julian Taylor on backing vocals).

This sparse, haunting slice of alt-folk finds Barksdale commenting on the ever-intensifying battle between the ultra-wealthy and the common person in modern America, as seen through the eyes of a small-town woman who ends up on the right side of wrong. The Texas native paints a bleak picture of the one-sided power dynamic in today’s society, as our protagonist presses ahead through stacked decks and lost allies. She resolves desperately to create a brighter day — until her defiance ultimately catches up with her.

The music video for “Battleground” starts Erica Qualy, was filmed by Jamie Harmon, and was edited by Turtle Moon Films. Bailey Bigger joins Taylor on backing vocals, and the track was produced by Mark Edgar Stuart, engineered and mixed by Kevin Houston, and mastered by Matt Qualls.

LISTEN: Mackenzie Shrieve, Jane Bruce Re-Imagine ‘Didn’t I Tell Ya’

Sometimes, a track is so nice, the artist has to release it twice.

Brooklyn-based folk artist Mackenzie Shrieve released her album, In the While, in 2021. One of the songs, “Didn’t I Tell Ya,” captivated Shrieve’s audience so much that she teamed up with fellow folk singer Jane Bruce to give it new life.

“When I saw Jane perform for the first time, I was immediately enamored by her songwriting and vocal performance,” Shrieve said. “She is one of my favorite folk singers of all time. I knew that I wanted to re-release this song and I knew whatever Jane decided to do with it would be breathtaking – and I was right!”

“Didn’t I Tell Ya” was written as a “bittersweet reflection on the intricacies of a past relationship.” The song features a gentle fingerpicked guitar progression and a spacious, minimalist soundscape which allows its nostalgic narrative to shine. Shrieve’s earnest, Dylan-esque storytelling has won the hearts of her contemporaries, including Bruce.

“Mackenzie is an incredible writer and one of the hardest-working artists I know,” Bruce said. “I heard ‘Didn’t I Tell Ya’ for the first time while we were on the same bill at Arlene’s Grocery, and it stopped me in my tracks. It’s a perfect song! Simple, true, specific, and yet completely relatable. We’ve been fans of one another since then, and I was over the moon when she asked me to feature on one of her tunes. When I found out it was this one, my heart swelled.”

Daily Spinn: The Little Blue Hearts’ Tale of Togetherness and Recovery

As we learned from his single, “Eyes to the Sky,” Walter DeBarr knows a thing or two about perseverance. However, he also knows that no man can go on this journey alone.

Hear Tuesday’s Daily Spinn

The Quinn’s Daily Spinn: Thursday, August 15

Philly’s Three Strands — the folk project headed by singer-songwriter Sean Cox — has new music on the way soon. This is exciting for us, since we’ve been following Three Strands since before Three Strands was a thing.

Hear Thursday’s Daily Spinn

PHOTOS: Dina Hall Band at Godfrey Daniels

The second stop on our Folkin’ Good Saturday Night (we just came up with that name now — wish we would’ve done it sooner!) saw us head back to Bethlehem to Easton to once again enjoy a show at the legendary Godfrey Daniels. On this night, we had the privilege of taking in a performance from Dina Hall Band.

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