When one asks someone about ‘a capella’ music, the response typically relates back to either Ivy League glee clubs or the Folders commercials from the early 1990’s. And while many scoff at the boundless number of collegiate singers doing renditions of top 40 hits, the discourse around the world of a capella has changed radically.
A capella, at its inception could very much be defined as a folk music. Think about the Penn Glee Club. The group was founded 145 years ago, and still has songs in its repertoire from that day and age. More importantly though, songs such as ‘The Red and The Blue’ and ‘Drink a Highball’ are shared by a broader Penn community and have cultural significance to members of that community, which are typical aspects of folk music.
University of Pennsylvania’s Off the Beat – The Crowing
But the genre has grown far beyond the bounds of college campuses. In the early 1990’s, organizations such as the Recorded A Capella Review Board began writing elaborate criticism of penned arrangements and recorded a capella music, pulling it closer to the realm of art music. Further, as recorded a capella is increasingly able to mimic commercial music thanks to technoglogical advancements, the genre has begun receiving mass acceptance.
Glee – Don’t Stop Believing
This fall, NBC is launching “The Great American Sing-Off”, a primetime competition where a capella groups will perform pop hits weekly. In sum, the discourse around a capella is in flux. As the genre changes, it will be interesting to see where the discourse about a capella moves towards.
A folk revival within the indie-rock music space has been in the works for almost a decade now. Bands like My Morning Jacket and Bright Eyes have incorporated many of the sounds and sensibilities of traditional American folk music into their songs. More recently, though, indie-folk is getting more attention from the media and thus is starting to make waves in charts.
Fleet Foxes, for example, has emerged as the face of this movement. Their self titled album was the Billboard’s Critic’s Choice Album of the Year and their more recent ep, Sun Giant, has also received rave reviews. This has sparked interest in other indie-folk artists such as M. Ward, Beach House, Devandra Banhart and less recently Iron and Wine. Several artists including Jim Jones from My Morning Jacket, M. Ward, and Conner Oberst from Bright Eyes, have collaborated and released an album under the band name “Monsters of Folk”. The album, as expected, has received excellent reviews.
Fleet Foxes – Mykonos
Why have music reviewers and bloggers alike taken such an interest in these bands? I believe the interest in “indie-folk” is a response to two different discourses taking place in society, one relating to music and art specifically, the other relating to mass culture in general.
The first discourse that seems to be taking place involves the authenticity of new music. In an era where musicians are trading in instruments for pro-tools software and pop artists are auto-tuning every note they sing, many seem to be wondering whether new music can even be looked at as art. This debate hit the mainstream this summer when Jay-Z released the song “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune).” I believe this particular movement has played a role in the transition of indie-folk into the mainstream. In a time when people are rejecting music because it is inauthentic, it makes sense that music that mainly features just acoustic guitar and natural vocal talents would be popular.
Jay-Z – Death of Auto-Tune
The second discourse involves the general disillusionment with the culture of excess and greed people seemed to have in the wake of the economic crisis. While rap and rock can be associated with much of the booming culture of the past few decades, folk is quite different. If you take one look at the lead singer of Fleet Foxes, you will immediately take notice of his long grizzly beard and his shabby clothing. The folk culture, which de-emphasizes material possessions and the consumer lifestyle, sends a message that is easily tied in with many of the emotions being felt by the masses.
As I tune my studying playlist to the placid yet boldly constructive sounds of Western Folk music, ranging as far back to the 1950s and as distant as the cool coasts of Ireland, I engage in my own discourse concerning this genre of music, what it means to me and the thoughts of others on this topic. Though the art form is based in rural styles of instrumentation and intonation that tell stories or folklores, folk music is generally associated with White youths from cities and suburbs seeking peaceful revolution. We see the greatest following of such music in the 1960s and1970s, primarily with American folk legends Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Carole King, and Harry Chapin. Their voices were that of reason in a very turbulent America; whether it was civil rights, war, domestic issues, or addiction, these pioneers fused country, rock, and blues to form an honest expression of man, his vices as well as his weaknesses.
James Taylor – Fire and Rain
Harry Chapin – Cats In the Cradle
Today, modern folk styles have clearly overlapped with pop, country, and soul genres. Irish artists, Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan as well as American country trio, Dixie Chicks have made clear Folk investments into their craft, while maintaining contemporary appeals. Nonetheless, artists like James Taylor and Bob Dylan remain exceedingly popular, crossing generational gaps with an ever-growing fan base. Mass culture has used the inspiring sounds of such legends to create a unified sense of consumerism, through commercials and still ads.
Dixie Chicks – Travelin’ Soldier
Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan – Volcano
But what about other artists who sang with the sinuous undertones of pain and the delicate kisses of joy? Within the unturned sides of sweet music is a tradition of exclusion and elitism. Grammy award winning singer/songwriter/musician, Tracy Chapman has been known by an underground market as a dreadlocked folk artist known for her graceful strumming, Bluesy tones, and pertinent lyrics. Her songs feature romance, politics, grief and a multitude of other expressions that illustrate the human experience without words, just sounds. These sounds were harmonic chants, narrative baselines, and stories free from social demarcation. Despite the undeniable talent, musicianship and dedication, she is often relegated to the misconstrued underworld of the alternative/other category. Even though she has been active for over 20 years, she has yet to fall among the ranks of other geniuses of her genre.
Tracy Chapman
Though her artistic success and personal integrity has gone unrecognized, this Black female has persisted in her musical pursuits despite the definitions of femininity and Blackness. Her music is not restrained by racial or feminine themes, making her a more transcendent artist. However, has the industry defined Black artists as excessively sexual or overly bitter? Whatever the case maybe, it is apparent that artists of color have been given a sole function; thankfully this songstress has made it even clearer that she will perfect her craft in spite of the critics and the throng of skeptics that tell her otherwise.
Lawrence Crane-Moscowitz
