mewithoutyou "Red Cow + Dorothy"

mewithoutyou continues to make incomparable poetry over emotive and yelled lyrics.  This medley from their latest album should give you chills, and has a little bit of everything they've done well throughout the years. 

Garbanotas Bosistas "The Deer/And Back Again"

Man...I'm trying to avoid posting the same bands twice...but this acoustic Garbanotas Bosistas sounds like Fleet Foxes on steroids...it's gorgeous!  

Marketa Irglova "Fortune Teller"

 Marketa Irglova's 2011 solo offering mostly left us missing Glen's harmonies.  Muna, however, is avant-garde indie folk with choral and world blends layered over some nice poetry.   "Fortune Teller" is an enchanting track that fuses Arab and Cathedral over a lovely simple poem. 

Aradhna "Namaste Saté"

I'm not going to pretend to understand Aradhna completely...but from what I understand, the main guy is a missionary kid who went through an intensive traditional Indian music internship and sings traditional Indian music with a Jesus bent on it.  Since I don't speak Hindi, I'll take their word for it and just enjoy the relaxing east meets west sounds.  :)

Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues"

One of the best NW indie acoustic folk songs of all time. 

Татьяна Соловьёва i Александр Блохин "Рэчанька"

Belorusian bard Tatiana Solovyova is hard to track down, but this folk song is a gorgeous acoustic masterpiece and I hope she does another album soon. Free downloads of her 2011 release can be found here at her website. 

Sleeping at Last "From the Ground Up"

It's hard to know where to start as far as recommending something from Ryan O'Neill's prolific genius.  Scratching out a niché as a "mail-order home studio musician" whose music is frequently featured in films and TV shows, his epic concept pieces of the last few years have been filled with gems of beautiful music and poetry.  The bridge from this song is one of my favorites, but there are 20 other songs that could have gotten honorable mention.  Sleeping at Last's cinematic and orchestral swells, quiet tone, and gorgeous lyrics all over Ryan's soft and unique vocal sets this guy's music in a league of its own. 

Sufjan Stevens "Fourth of July"

If you missed Sufjan Steven's haunting comeback album Carrie and Lowell, you missed out.  The haunting personal and ethereal lyrics and music come back together in a powerful way.  "Fourth of July," with its little birds and simple images and synth grabs my heart like nothing else. 

Jennifer Knapp "Neosho"

After coming out and coming back with a fairly mediocre, almost inhibited, Letting Go, Jennifer Knapp seems to have hit her stride again with her new album Set Me Free.   There's a little something for everyone who's been a fan, but so far this Blues track "Neosho" seems to be the best, a perfect little blend of Plains singer-songwriting and soul. 

Marcelina featuring Piotr Rogucki "Karmelove"

I hope Polish artist Marcelina does more music like this sad sensual acoustic love song.  It's simple, poetic, heartfelt, and lovely. 

Yael Naïm "Coward"

French-Israeli Indie Folk lady Yael Naïm is best known for her soulful bouncy "New Soul."  She's got a new album, Older, not yet available in the US.  If you're looking for more bounce and bubble gum check out "Go To the River," but her emotional vocals are best alongside the piano in songs like "Coward." 

Jars of Clay "Oh my God"

This song just gets me every time.  When I think about all the pain in the oworld, personal and global, when I think about orphans and street kids and emptyness, this song coems to mind.  It's a masterful piece of art from a band that has proved through 20 years of making music that they are one of the best bands around.  Period.