It’s no secret that bands like The Avett Brothers and Mumford & Sons have swung the mainstream spotlight towards our neo-Americana scene. Like so many music trends before this moment, there will have to be one artist who will be the first to translate this genre into something that’s palatable for Clearchannel.
And for that task, Todd Kessler just may be our man.
Kessler brings us perfectly crafted folk-pop. Well-known in his native Chicago, he’s already garnered attention via a stint on The Voice. His pipes are just a small part of the package, though. Kessler paints luscious soundscapes tempered by his own restraint and his bandmates’ tasteful arrangements. Rather than sounding overproduced, Sea Fever is all of the good things about pop music.
If Kessler indeed represents the New Folk, we could do a whole lot worse. I’d gladly listen to mainstream radio if more of it sounded like this.
Todd Kessler and the New Folk — Official, Facebook, Bandcamp