folk | Musicosity

folk

Angus & Julia Stone

Siblings Julia and Angus Stone come from Newport, Australia. Angus and Julia’s decision to collaborate was taken at the beginning of 2006. Prior to that, both had performed as solo artists at open mic nights but utilised the other as a backing partner. Ultimately they came up with the same idea, “Why don’t we play together? It kind of made a lot of sense”. In terms of composing the material, they write on their own, then work together on structure and harmonies.

Sweet Jean

Sweet Jean is Sime Nugent and Alice Keath. Their music draws on the dark, bent, old soulful tradition. They play frailing banjo, agricultural guitar, autoharp and harmonica with harmony singing at the centre of it all. From Melbourne, Sweet Jean has been described as “one of the freshest and most original new acts….for a long time in a city that’s brimming with genuine musical talent” Sweet Jean’s debut album will be released in 2012.

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Mark Kozelek

Mark Kozelek was born and raised in Massillon, Ohio. Upon relocating to Atlanta, Georgia, he met drummer Anthony Koutsos. After the pair moved once again to San Francisco, California, Red House Painters formed with the addition of guitarist Gorden Mack and bassist Jerry Vessel. From 1992 to 1996, Red House Painters released a series of acclaimed albums, showcasing Kozelek's intense, highly autobiographical songs.

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Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear is an indie/folk rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Their music uses melody and ambiance in conjunction with hazy-eyed choruses, whistles, piano, banjo, and several woodwind instruments. Grizzly Bear was originally the solo project of Edward Droste (vocals/guitar), who recorded his debut album Horn Of Plenty at home. The record was originally meant for his friends, but it eventually circulated and got a proper release in 2004, this time with the help of Christopher Bear (drums/vocals). A re-release with a bonus disc of remixes was issued in 2005.

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Xavier Rudd

Xavier Rudd (born 1978) is a soulful Australian surf/roots artist from Torquay, Victoria, which is near the famous surfing location, Bells Beach. Rudd's music is compassionate and always manages to render emotion in his fans. His songs include stories of the mistreatment of the indigenous people of his homeland; they tell of humanity, spirituality or the environment. The songs are written and sung with compassion and they urge the celebration of life.

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Sook

Sook is the name of at least 2 bands:
1. Australian dubstep producer. www.myspace.com/sookdnb
2. Wisconsin, USA based folk musician, Sook http://www.reverbnation.com/sookmusic Sook is a singer/songwriter based in Milwaukee, WI and is well known for her soothing ballads as well as her humor and incorporation of animal sounds. She received a Bachelor’s of Music Education from Central Michigan University and currently teaches music in a Milwaukee grade school.

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The Tom Fun Orchestra

A lot of band bios will begin with the line “with humble beginnings”.  This band bio begins with the line “with outrageously immodest and ambitious beginnings”.  With outrageously immodest and ambitious beginnings, The Tom Fun Orchestra sauntered into the Atlantic Canadian music scene the way an Italian funeral saunters through a mountain village.  That is, with many loud instruments, casks of wine and complete irreverence for everything happening around them.  Thus it went for the next five years. 

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Freya Hanly

Traversing a sea of folky-jazz melodies, country ballads, humorous love songs and deeply poetic, classically influenced pieces is Freya Hanly. Freya has established herself in the Australian independent music community as a seasoned performer., having extensively toured WA and the East coast as well as being a regular at some top Australian festivals. Freya has supported and performed alongside such artists as The Indigo Girls, Deborah Conway, Lior, Sarah Storer, Kate Miller-Heidke, The Whitlams, Clare Bowditch, Blue King Brown and Brandi Carlile.

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Beth Dariti

Beth Dariti (born Elisabeth Leondariti in Athens) is a Greek/British musician, based in North London. Raised in a musical family, she soon picked up music and began playing the piano at the age of 6. Beth started taking classical guitar lessons at the age of 10; 3 years later her family moved from Greece to England where she developed her percussive guitar style. Started playing with Adrian Roye in 2004 and they have both established their names in the London circuit, mostly playing as a duo, in many venues...