Southern Tenant Folk Union - The New Farming Scene

Folk music is a tricky thing to get right these days, so a la mode and with so many cynics tweaking their musical tweets to fit the trend. Yet, Southern Tenant Folk Union seem genuine- it’s in the name, afterall. South Ythsie introduces the strong Scots accent, complete with vowels and pronunciations, present throughout the gang's third album. Narrative-laden lyrics are the order of the day, alongside plenty of violins and mandolins. Story-telling seems paramount. The Right Time and Let Me Wipe The Tears From Your Eyes lay out lamenting tales of love and loss. The vocal style is distinctive but slightly raw, fleshed out by harmonies during the acapella of No Work Today and especially effective on the murderous Hardy, which stands out from its sister tracks. Although the overall feel may be too fey for the lionhearts among us, the work done on this bluegrass blueprint is done well.