Songwriters, pickers, rockers, and everything in between. That’s what Newport Folk gets you. Many favorites are back. Jason Isbell, armed with tunes from his new record, “Weathervanes,” will be back again. In addition, Gregory Alan Isakov will be returning for his particular brand of folk and ambient songwriting. Billy Strings will be back too. He’ll connect to the folk festival’s bluegrass roots. While Strings goes back and forth between rock and bluegrass, Nickel Creek takes bluegrass even further. They returned this year with their first new album in nine years called Celebrants. Aimee Mann, songwriting veteran (who came to prominence since her 80s tune “Voices Carry”), will be making her Newport debut this year.
With eight albums of original material released since 2007, Jason Isbell, the solo artist, has been quite active. The former Drive-by Trucker has continued to set the standard for lyric writing and affecting emotional honesty. This year’s “Weathervanes” is no exception. “Cast Iron Skillet” is Jason’s most devastating lyric since “Elephant.” While he creates the opposite of breezy pop, Jason’s weighty songs will be welcomed back to the Newport’s main stage. Jason laid the experience and personal struggles bare in the documentary “Running with our Eyes Closed” on HBO. Released in April, the documentary chronicles his struggles from childhood and navigating marriage while making his 2020 album Reunions. His honesty and authenticity are refreshing in both songcraft and throughout the documentary. He and the 400 Unit will certainly be an attraction at this year’s festival.
Billy Strings, the guitar wunderkind, will return as well. He is a one-of-a-kind guitarist who is a bluegrass flatpicker and an electric guitarist. Billy has released four albums since 2017 and continues to wow crowds with his amazing guitar fluency in a variety of genres. He transitions quickly between bluegrass and rock styles from song to song (often blurring the line between differing styles). Aimee Mann has been active for forty years since she graduated from Berklee College of Music. She consistently challenges herself and her audience with a variety of different stylistic changes. Her 2017 release, “Mental Illness,” is a particular highlight. It pushes a variety of quirky character studies into a very palatable and enjoy almost upbeat listen with a deeper purpose. Nickel Creek, with Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, and Sean Watkins, continue to push the boundaries of bluegrass instrumentation. Their concept album, “Celebrants,” was released earlier this year. They will bring unique style to the Newport stage and highlight the instrumental musicianship, songwriting, and vocals that are their signature.
In addition, Gregory Alan Isakov is back with a new album and performance at Newport. He incorporates unique mix of acoustic and ambient music which pushes the emotions to the forefront in a subtle and affecting way. His songs are crafted with lyrics, mood, instrumentation, and matching production to highlight the feelings often to a cathartic effect for the audience. In 2019, his deceptively spare approach yielded a crescendo of emotion. I, for one, can’t wait to see him again. His new album, “Appaloosa Blues,” will be released on August 18.
With a variety of veterans returning to Newport, the festival looks to showcase Americana acts that continue to push traditional song craft and strains “folk” music in new directions.
All photos by Suzanne Davis McMahon
About the author: Jeff is a teacher in the Boston area. When not buried correcting papers, Jeff can be found plucking various stringed instruments and listening to all types of americana music.