"The Littlest Birds" - The Be Good Tanyas
Also by The Be Good Tanyas:
I also like this one (no official video) - "Only in the Past"
And then there's - "Scattered Leaves"
Even an animated video - "Human Thing" - it's so calm and quiet...
A more modern take on this style can be found in The Civil Wars (I can't decide whether I give them point for the name or points off for it... LOL).
"Birds of a Feather" - her kind of leaning-stompiness in this really bugs me. But she can sing!
"Forget Me Not" - Love the old-fashioned feel of the song... But not a fan of the just walking along thing.
"Barton Hollow" - I do feel like they could have done more with this video, but at least it comes across very visually striking (and nicely, a little bit menacing), and has more than just them standing around!
They also cover Elliott Smith's "Between The Bars" which is one of my favorite songs. I think they do a good job. Nowhere near as good as the original, of course! But their folksy take allows for a lot of melancholy/misery to shine through. However, I can't bear to look at their smug faces singing this.
Old Crow Medicine Show also cranks out charming folk rock. I could listen to them forever... I saw them in Seattle and it was quite the show, much more energetic and wildly delightful than I would have guessed (you can see glimpses of that in the Cocaine song below). It was a pleasant surprise.
"Wagon Wheel" - This song was originally written (unfinished, the chorus part) by Bob Dylan, and then they filled it in and made it their own. I don't know about the video's sideshow setting and scantily clad ladies, but the song is great. (This video abruptly cuts off towards the end, click here to see them perform it at Coachella in full). Truly, some people were born to be fiddlers in old-time stringbands...
"Cocaine Habit" - The best YT comment on this video is:
"New Virginia Creeper" - a hilarious song, but at its best when performed live (when I saw it there was much in the way of crazy train impressions, shaking about, etc... I can't really even describe it, but it was magic. MAGIC.) Partial live video:
And finally, I humbly submit that there is not much better in life than reallllllly hot string playing. Exhibit A: the classic American song "Soldier's Joy" -
"I Hear Them All" - I guess if you're old-timey, you are obligated to do a video with shots of like New Orleans streets and cemeteries? But again, great song.
I know there's TONS more great young bands out there rocking the old-time vibe - I just started with my current earworm and went from there...
But do feel free to hit the comments with your favorites/links to great songs! Bonus gold stars to anyone who digs up more hot fiddling (preferably by good looking young men, but I won't discriminate).
