Top 10 Folk Albums of 2023
Closing out the year with my favourite releases.
Hi Pal,
Genre classification these days is usually a fairly tedious affair as more artists work their creative muscles to create music that draws inspiration from various soundscapes. For this list, Folk is used to describe any album with most of its songs falling into the folk genre. Streaming links are embedded in the titles.
#10
Drakeford
Wayward & Home (Part II)
Two-part albums are usually difficult to evaluate individually on their own merits. I prefer Wayward & Home Part II to its predecessor, and I think it does a better job standing on its own. If you end up liking this one, then you should probably give Part I a listen as well because they bring out the best in each other and work better as a pair.
Personal Recommendation: Enough
#9
Kyle Church
Plant a Garden
Plant a Garden is a concept album by Canadian singer-songwriter, Kyle Church. Most of the songs are gardening-themed (e.g. On the Vine, The Flowers of the Field, Where Roots Begin to Grow), and his use of storytelling and reflective imagery creates an engaging listening experience.
Personal Recommendation: Where Roots Begin to Grow
#8
Skye Peterson
Where The Winter Was
Skye Peterson is no stranger to music and anyone familiar with the Christian indie scene probably knows her dad, Andrew Peterson or her other collaborative project with her siblings, Wake Low. Still, a debut solo album is always a huge milestone, and I was incredibly impressed by this one. The lightness of voice accentuates the storytelling strengths of the songs, and the production is excellent too.
Personal Recommendation: Susan
#7
Brogan Gaskill
Babylon
It took a while for me to listen to this one. A friend recommended it to me, I added it to my library and forgot for about four months. Babylon is a solid album that will hit all the right spots for fans of contemporary folk. It’s a reflection of an artist who has taken the time to develop his craft through multiple projects — this is his fourth album — and I am going to be spending some time listening to his discography soon.
Personal Recommendation: Broken Cisterns
#6
You Me & The Bread
The Giver Mvmt I: Dayspring
I’ve listened to this genre long enough to be able to identify the subtle differences in approach between a stand-alone project and a collective group. It goes beyond the number of instruments or production value; for some reasons that I can’t express concisely, folk band albums just feel different — especially the really good ones. On a list that is full of mostly individual artists, this album satisfied my itch for a good folk band album in 2023.
Personal Recommendation: Morning Song
#5
Austin Koukal
Awake
The best way to describe Austin Koukal’s sound on this record is probably neo-indie folk. Any fans of some of the experimental folk interpretations that have become prevalent in the past decade will be familiar with some of the creative choices here as he blends organic folk with synthetic instrumentation. The album has a cinematic feel to it with heartfelt lyrics and a strong emotional core.
Personal Recommendation: Hold
#4
Jimmy Clifton
There’s Proof Of God But Time Is Very Short
Discovering Jimmy Clifton’s music in 2023 was one of the highlights of my year. It’s rare to have an artist who is as prolific as he is, releasing quality singles almost at a monthly rate. He is also quite unapologetic about his music’s purpose — bringing Christ to people. This album is a testament to his dedication to that purpose and I love every second of it.
Personal Recommendation: River
#3
Bec Armour
Dove Tumour
I already wrote a review for this album, so I’ll try to keep this one short. Bec Armour’s voice gives her a lot of options when it comes to genre and style. This is why I got excited when I heard the chamber folk leanings on Dove Tumour. The album excels at creating an intimate atmosphere that is carefully crafted.
Personal Recommendation: Mightier
#2
John Lucas
Oh Child of Wonder and Delight
The speed with which John Lucas went from “an artist I’m mildly curious about” to “one of my top three male voices in indie folk” is outstanding to me. This album was put together and recorded at home, inspired by his daughter, June. With all of that in mind, I never expected this album to be anything spectacular but he has once again proven to me that he is one of the best artists on the Christian folk scene.
Personal Recommendation: June - home version
#1
Candace Coker
Bare and Bones
Oftentimes, I find that my favourite albums of the year tend to start getting released around May. Nonetheless, it’s always nice when an album comes along to shatter my conventional expectations. I remember listening to Bare and Bones back in February and thinking to myself, “This could be the number one album” and here we are. Since that time, a lot of incredible albums have dropped but it’s hard to get away from the uniqueness of Candace Coker’s Afro-Carribean approach to folk music. Nobody sounds like her, and that is worth its weight in gold.
Personal Recommendation: Strong Arms
Coming Next: Top 10 Alternative Pop Fusion Albums
That’s it for today.
Catch you soon!
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