What is Anti-Folk Music?
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Anti-Folk is a music genre that emerged in the late 1980s in reaction to the over-commercialization of the folk music scene.
Origins of Anti-Folk
Anti-folk began in the early 1980s in New York City’s East Village. It was started by a group of musicians who were influenced by punk rock and folk music, but who wanted to create something that was more personal and less contrived. They began playing shows in basements and cafes, and soon developed a devoted following.
Over the next few years, the anti-folk scene grew and began to attract attention from the mainstream music industry. In 1988, an article in The New York Times described anti-folk as “a musical genre that takes the earnestness of folk music and uses it as a weapon against itself.”
In the 1990s, several anti-folk artists achieved commercial success, including Beck, Ani Di Franco, and Jeff Magnum. However, the genre has remained largely underground, and its popularity has largely been confined to cultish circles.
Key Characteristics of Anti-Folk
Anti-folk is a music genre that is characterized by its DIY ethic, its defiance of traditional music industry conventions, and its often dark or sarcastic lyrics. Anti-folk also often features lo-fi production values and unconventional instrumentation. Some of the key artists associated with the anti-folk scene are Jeff Mangum, Ani DiFranco, and Beck.
Lyrical Content
Lyrics in anti-folk songs are often dark, cynical, and sarcastic, with themes of love, loss, and betrayal. The lyrics may also be political, particularly in relation to the socio-economic conditions of the artist’s home town or country. Anti-folk songs are often story-like, with characters and narratives that unfold over the course of the song.
Musical Style
Anti-folk is a musical genre that emerged from the folk scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is characterized by its lyrical realism, eclectic instrumentation, and DIY ethos. Anti-folk artists often play acoustically based music, but they may also incorporate elements of rock, punk, hip-hop, and other genres into their sound.
Anti-folk is a reaction against the polished, professional sound of the commercial folk music revival of the 1960s and 1970s. This new generation of folk musicians felt that the music had become too slick and was losing its original rawness and authenticity. They sought to return to the roots of folk music with a more stripped-down sound and lyrics that addressed real-life issues in a more direct way.
Some of the most popular anti-folk artists include Ani DiFranco, Beck, The Moldy Peaches, Kimya Dawson, Jeffrey Lewis, Derek Webb, Laura Marling, and Connie Lim.
Notable Anti-Folk Artists
Anti-folk is a music genre that emerged from the New York City folk music scene in the late 1980s. It is characterized by its deliberately lo-fi aesthetic, its intentionally amateurish and often ironic or humorous lyrics, and its eclectic and sometimes political subject matter. Some of the notable artists in this genre include Beck, Regina Spektor, and Jeffrey Lewis.
Jeffrey Lewis
Jeffrey Lewis is an American anti-folk musician who has been active since the late 1990s. He is known for his humorous and often political lyrics, and his lo-fi aesthetic. He has released twelve albums, most recently ‘A Turn in the Dream-Songs’ in 2016.
Lewis was born in New York City and grew up on the Lower East Side. He started playing music as a teenager, and Self-titled debut album ‘Jeffrey Lewis’ was released in 1999. He has since released eleven more albums, on labels such as Rough Trade and Black Lotus. His music has been featured on television shows such as ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and ‘Breaking Bad’.
Lewis is also an accomplished cartoonist, and his work has been published in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and Harper’s Magazine, among others. He has also created several comic books, including ‘The Adventures of Jasper Sprocket’, ‘The History of graphical enlargement’.
Kimya Dawson
Kimya Dawson is an American anti-folk singer-songwriter and musician who first rose to prominence as a member of The Moldy Peaches. Her first solo album, I’m Sorry That Sometimes I’m Mean, was released in 2003, followed by Hidden Mountain (2006), Remember That I Love You (2010) and Thunder Thighs (2011). She has also released a number of albums with her partner, Jeffrey Lewis.
Dawson’s music is characterized by its simple, childlike melodies and plainspoken lyrics. Many of her songs are written from the perspective of fictional characters, and deal with topics such as love, loss, death, addiction and mental illness.
Moldy Peaches
The Moldy Peaches were an anti-folk band formed in New York City in 1996. The band was originally a duo consisting of Adam Green and Kimya Dawson. The Moldy Peaches had a minor hit with their song “Anyone Else But You”, which was used in the film Juno.
Other notable anti-folk artists include:
-The Dirty Projectors
-Jeffrey Lewis
-Anais Mitchell
-Kimya Dawson
The Anti-Folk Movement Today
Though the anti-folk movement started in the early 1990s, it is still going strong today. Anti-folk musicians often eschew traditional song structures and performance practices, instead creating their own unique styles. This DIY approach has led to a wide range of sounds and styles within the anti-folk scene.
Some of the most popular anti-folk artists today include Joey Weiser, Kimya Dawson, Jeffrey Lewis, and Moldy Peaches. These artists often sing about personal and political topics, with a focus on social commentary. Many of their songs are funny and irreverent, but they also deal with more serious issues.
The anti-folk movement has inspired many other genres of music, including indie rock and punk. If you’re interested in exploring this unique type of music, there are many great artists to check out.
