Hear the Best New Folk Music with Fresh Cuts Friday

Discover the Best New Music of the Week!

We’ve pulled together some of the best new music we’ve heard lately — including the latest from Alela Diane, Tami Neilson, Caleb Caudle, Bedouine, and more. You can hear it all on Fresh Cuts, my weekly radio hour. Tune in every Friday at 2pm ET / 11am PT on Folk Alley’s 24/7 stream — available on our website, mobile app, or your smart speaker too.

Prefer to listen on your own time? Just click on the Fresh Cuts stream whenever it works for you.

In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at some exciting new music that’s caught our ears this week!

Alela Diane, “Spring Is A Fine Time”

After a few years out of the spotlight, Alela’s desire to return to her music community was sparked by the death of her close friend and mentor Michael Hurley, folk legend and indispensable presence in the Portland music scene. “It’s a song to honor him and the spirit of the music he left behind,” Alela offers. “I have a friend who is a florist, and we were talking about his passing, and she said ‘Well, Spring really is the kindest time to die.’ She talked about how all the flowers are blooming and how the light returns, and how it’s a better time to grieve when rebirth is all around. We got off the phone, and the song just flew out of me.” Her latest album Who’s Keeping Time? is out on May 22.

Tami Neilson, “Are You Sure”

“Are You Sure” is a gospel song Aretha Franklin originally recorded in 1958. Tami recorded this for the movie Holy Days. On the new single, Neilson shares, “When Nat Boltt asked me to sing this gospel groove ‘Are You Sure’ for a gorgeous scene in her upcoming film Holy Days, I saw the incredible cast of iconic women and immediately jumped at the chance to be involved, saying yes before even hearing it. It was only after the fact that I realized she wanted me to sing in the original key of a 16 year old Aretha Franklin that I rued the error of my ways. This middle-aged alto saddled up and went to the studio, armed with Throat Coat tea, a jar of honey and the best band in New Zealand. I gave myself a pep talk in the car on the way, white-knuckled, gripping the steering wheel, ‘You can DO this, Neilson.’ All I remember is collapsing in a heap after the final note, vowing never to attempt such folly again.”

Caleb Caudle, “Slow Growth”

Caleb Caudle’s upcoming album Heavy Thrill (out 6/5) featuring the song “Slow Growth.” “‘Slow Growth’ is about my long and steady journey of becoming a better person,” explains Caudle. “I’ve carried around shame for not figuring out empathy and kindness sooner. I think at some point you have to forgive yourself for the past, set it aside and start asking ‘who can I help? How can I use what I have to change the world in a positive way?’”

Bedouine, “Long Way to Fall”

Bedouine’s upcoming album Neon Summer Skin features the song “Long Way to Fall,” written after visiting her family in Saudi Arabia.“For my 20s and much of my 30s, I couldn’t sit still,” Bedouine reflects. “I was so curious about my own independence that it just didn’t occur to me for the longest time to mourn the past. But after that trip to Saudi Arabia, I came home and was so devastated. I couldn’t place the feeling immediately, but as I started writing, I realized I was processing that I wasn’t ready to stop being somebody’s kid.” She also began to recognize the lingering pain displacement can cause. “I felt so frustrated about the places that I’m from becoming war torn or difficult to return to,” she says. “My family has been split apart time and time again, migrating between Armenia, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. I wanted to document and honor my family’s stories.” Neon Summer Skin explores this evolution and eventual separation of family, whether due to political tumult or personal ambitions, as an attempt to accept that with each generation, life is a lesson in letting go.

More this week on Fresh Cuts!

Amanda Cook – “Ghost Town”
Charley Crockett – “Lonesome Dove”
Crys Matthews – “Forged In Fire”
Don Williams – “Leaving Louisiana In the Broad Daylight”
Emily Pinkerton – “Not a Game”
Grouyan Gombo – “Au bout du quai”
Nathan Evans Fox – “Sevindust”
Shakey Graves – “I Once Was an Ocean”
Tony Trischka – ” Still Miss Someone” (feat. Sierra Ferrell)