Folk really has to have something special if it’s going to catch my attention. Sure, there are a lot of great artists out there, but there are so many that it’s hard to stand out. A unique vocal, guitar prowess, or lyrics that hit that spot right in your gut that makes you either want to cry out at top of your lungs, or just really and truly live. Harrod and Funck managed all of that (their Mark Heard-produced full-length Dreams of the Color Blind is worth checking out in full if you like this style). Although they weren’t flashy guitarists (like Bruce Cockburn) or quirky vocalists (like Karen Peris or Ron Sexsmith), their musical chops were more than adequate. But what really got me was the way they painted pictures with their lyrics.
Take “Guessing Game,” for instance:
When you see me
Speak softly, and carry nothing at all
Then I’ll know you
Like a game of catch
Or a boyhood friend
When you see me
In a crowd, or will we dance?
But I’ll find you
Like my favorite stamp
Like my rarest stone
Oh, the doubting grows
But oh, that river flows”
Something about the way they weave those words around the simple, ambient guitar licks punches me right in the gut every time.
I hope you enjoy it too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmMZQ_Fu8pA
Or check out a live version from 1994 here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIikFv5Kwok
Thanks for bringing attention to H&F. Your description of their consistent “gut-punch” is spot on.