Uncle Nelson, Béla Fleck is wearing your greasy coat

I'm not really all that observant so the fact that I'm writing a blog about my observations may not be all that relevant. I know when it comes to music I'm always way ahead of the pack or at that point far behind where it's no longer cool, but not far enough to be vintage yet.

Either way, when did banjo become such an integral part of new indie-folk music?! No, I'm not talking about your grand daddy's claw hammer banjo. It's claw hammer sounding but super slowed down and lots of one line parts. I've never heard banjo played like that until these recent artists started putting into their saddest of sad songs.

All this came about when I was listening to the Bon Iver station on Pandora and 4 songs in a row featured some one line banjo stuff. Jesus, Etc. by Wilco, It Wont Happen Twice by M. Ward, some song by Iron and Wine and another from Papa M. I thought I'd do a little post about it.

Who knows, I may be hearing mandolin sometimes and confusing it for banjo, but either way its there. What do I expect though really? It's new indie-folk music after all. The old indie folk music, indie folk music, and folk music all featured banjo so it makes sense. I only wish it was a little more uplifting and not so, "ooo i'm so sad and artistic and adorable." More like this....

So after I posted my orinial post I went to the bathroom and realized the music i'm listening to isn't exactly all that new. However, there are some post neo new indie-folk that also use banjo. So i'm not completely out of the hip music loop. By the way, my position: I like it. And this isn't a knock on the bands or music mentioned just an irrelevant observation.

ok.