The brand of music known as folk has become a bit of a misnomer in recent times. In the past, there was a very different picture of what it meant to people. It was the music of the masses: a street-smart blend of bluegrass and country that encompassed the heart of both and embodied the very soul of the artist itself. Artists like Bob Dylan brought to the forefront of what many folk purists would call the essential fabric of the genre itself. Nowadays, it tends to signal to music cynics everywhere that sing-a-long faux-twang music that artists like Mumford & Sons have popularized. On a cold wintery night at Paradise Rock Club, two bands that exude wildly different styles of folk would take the stage. But was it actually folk? Let us investigate that together.

3…2…1….LET’S GO!

O’Death
Lvl. 29 Super Folk Hero
Strengths/Weaknesses:
+ Channels that “classic” sound and feel, registers as authentic
+ Vibrant at times, high amounts of stage presence/energy
– Picks up a basic country rock vibe when this happens
– Drums tend to drown out the rest of the band

Analysis:
O’Death started the night off with a delicate number harkening back to the days of Dylan. But, they quickly separated themselves from the past when they moved forward, so to speak. Vocalist/guitarist Greg Jamie carried the soul of the band and deeply rooted them in the realm of folk. But, you could immediately tell that O’Death wasn’t about serenading the crowd with grand tales. They were much more presupposed to putting the audience in the exciting tale themselves, exuding the stage presence and energy more expected from a punk show. There are definitely issues that folk purists would take up with this approach. (eg. a banjo being played like a guitar, the fiddle taking a back-seat to the drums) It was clear that O’Death has no problems with being themselves and not trying to hide behind any image that might be expected of them.

Murder by Death
Lvl. 31 The Walking Folk
Strengths/Weaknesses:
+ Singular and powerful voice, both by frontman and band
– Falls a bit into a pit of a monotone and narrow vision
+ Claws their way out with smart and personal compositions
– Falls back in by relying a little too heavily on singer to carry the band

Analysis:
Murder by Death is a tough nut to crack. While they are certainly a strong and imposing presence that refuses to be ignored and wields the hearts and minds of its captive audience with a mighty will, they refuse to really leave much of a lasting impression. Why is that though? You would think that the commanding voice of vocalist/guitarist Adam Turla and the songs as a whole would carry through to the next century. The main problem that was found with Murder by Death is that, while it hits you with the force of a ton of bricks in their live performances, the subtle grooves and texture of the bricks tend to get lost in the impact. Simply said, with music like this, it’s easy to get caught up in the wave and you know it’s carrying you somewhere, but it’s also easy to get lost along the way and not realize where you end up at the end of it all.