Folk music has always been political, but a new wave of British and Irish artists are dragging commentary on issues as diverse as abortion rights, the refugee crisis, and the loss of minority languages into the mainstream. Jude Rogers and Ammar Kalia survey the scene.
In 2019, British and Irish folk music is more exciting and urgent than it’s been for years. Much of it sounds powerfully raw and immediate, with many groups recognising the politics of our times in their songs, and incorporating contemporary stories within more ancient musical motifs. Here are bands confronting the legacies of abortion rights; the oppression of women, homosexuals and other minority communities; the loss of minority language; the refugee crisis; and stories of people who have stood up to hate. They’re not doing so in browbeating, bluntly obvious ways either. Some are uncovering small but powerful stories of overlooked people... Keep reading on The Guardian