Folk has splintered. There’s folk-rock, folk-pop, anti-folk, twee-folk, jazz-folk, folk-salsa, folk-rap, folk-folk, folk-folk-rock-folk and too many other folks to mention. This is not new news. Since the folk explosion of the 60’s, the word hardly means anything at all. What used to describe pop music inspired by traditional music, now means “an acoustic guitar is in there somewhere”. Surely, when Neutral Milk Hotel and the Mamas and the Papas can both be covered with a single term, things have changed. I beat this point into your brains because I need to emphasize how remarkable an artist Joseph Still is. His music sounds like he’s been in a Rip Van Winkle coma since 1953, as if Dylan never happened. And it is wonderful.

The aptly named MineSongs has a thick reverb that dominates the entire album, as if Joseph’s mournful howls were eminating from the depths of the Earth itself. Every part of this album carries the same air of mystery, from the inconsistent tracklists (his album is available various places, and never are the songs in the same order) to the cryptic single letter song titles to a hissing voice that makes the lyrics to his songs near impossible to detect. His raspy voice has a weariness and wisdom that comes from a place much older than himself. The fact that Joseph is only 17 years old is mind boggling and I still have trouble believing it.

Most of the songs rely on Joseph’s considerable skills as a guitar player, but other instruments, sounds, and voices drift in and out of the music as if they were a dream. It’s a dark dark album, but these instances of accordion, organ, and vocal harmonies are warm lanterns that penetrate the night. Listening to this album is like live with a group of folk musicians, in a log cabin, in the dead of winter, in the middle of the night, huddled together, taking turns playing songs to keep your mind off the cold, trying to make it until the sun comes up. And I’m sorry I have to fall back on such flights of fancy, but Mr. Still has left me with no choice. He’s created an intense dreamy album that you float in and out of, that floats in and out of you, that transports you somewhere else.

I’ve listened to this album, in it’s many different mutations, probably over 30 times since I first stumbled upon it, and I will probably listen to it at least 30 times more. It’s eerie production possesses an ambience that makes it a perfect album to listen to as you go to sleep, but the old fashioned song structure and Joseph’s amazing voice make it so engaging that it also works on it’s own terms, listened to straight through. You can drive to it, you can make love to it, and one day, if he’ll permit me, I would love to score a film with it.

My friends, I cannot reccomend any one or two songs, because to take any song out of context would be doing both you and Joseph a great injustice. I will say that if you can listen to “Break” and not feel moved, you probably have your heart installed backwards.

Download, listen to, stream, praise, and vote for Joseph Still’s “MineSongs” here.You will thank me later. Preferrably in cash.

Joseph Still’s Myspace
Joseph Still’s CLLCT