By Ian Bremner

The intention was to tap into some ancient vibrations. Lyrics as old as time brought to life with 3 of modern music’s best interpreters. Eric D Johnson of Fruit Bats, playwright/folk singer Anais Mitchell (Hadestown) and producer/collaborator Josh Kauffman (The National, Bon Iver, Hiss Golden Messenger).

The trio recorded in Berlin and upstate New York. The mystics in the atmosphere translated onto the record. There is no way to know for sure what it felt like to make a record like this, but you can discern a lot by listening to the space, timing and heart of it. 

“Folk music” can be more so a genre these days, as opposed to actually leaning into the “folk”-lore of the songs. Johnson, Mitchell and Kauffman, all musical lifers pay true homage to the tradition of folk music’s spirit on Bonny Light Horseman, the record AND the group itself. Despite the age and history of some of the lyrics, the trio added new choruses, new arrangements, and in some cases, creating something entirely new in the spirit of the rest of the collection. The album never feels like a reenactment, and it is in no way a “covers album.” It feels eerily modern as it is ancient.

Listen to Bonny Light Horseman via spotify

Listen to Bonny Light Horseman

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