Yes, my friends I have been swayed to the dark side…I am a purveyor of all things hardcore and metal (enter devil horn sign with hand here).  Oh wait, Death Vessel is not thrash-core metal…it is a very decent folk styled.  Okay now we are back to normal, I hope nobody got too worried there for a moment.

Death Vessel’s recently released new album “Nothing is Precious Enough for Us” is making it’s way up my listening charts at the moment for one main reason – it’s damn good.  Far from what you may envision from their name, Death Vessel’s second album has an airy and laid back folk feel.   I dare say you may start to hum along with some of the tracks if you don’t watch yourself.  Also with most new folk releases these days, there is infusion of some non-traditional styles and instruments – (trumpet?), harp and a bit of piano and I dare say toy piano!  This isn’t your grandpa’s folk tunes there people!

One more caveat before listening if you have not already caught on to Death Vessel previously.  It is NOT a girl singing.  There I said it, I am sure that they get this a lot and it is beaten like the dead horse it should be – but the vocals are handled graciously by Joel Thibodeau.  He is known for his soprano signing voice and if it works for you, just let the songs be the songs and get over the fact that Joel is a man.

Maybe what I am trying to say is that Death Vessel could be a new face of folk (or neo-traditional folk as Wikipedia advises) for the late 2000s.  In general folk music has enjoyed a spike in popularity with the cool kids and it has evolved to be something it wasn’t 10 years ago.  Everything becomes new again and in turn combines with the present and grows a little bit each time (let me know if “rock” music has changed over the years!!).

Enjoy this one!

~Smansmith