Call It Folk - The Dutchess and The Duke, Gwyneth & Monko

Thanks to the upcoming national release (July 20) of Good Old Horse from our favorite folk duo Gwyneth & Monko, we stumbled upon the blog Call It Folk - A Home for Good Songs and Ballads. And golly, do they follow through with indie and brand-spanking new bands that dip their toes into traditional mixed with contemporary folk pop. Featuring groups like Band of Horses, The Dutchess and The Duke to complete unknowns, a great feature of this site is that at the end of each "review" or feature of said band, they offer you a list of other artists you may be interested in after reading about said band.

An early review of Good Old Horse by Call it Folk had only great things to say about the beautiful duo.



"Their songs are all good, but they are varied, from lone and sparse ballads like "Pine Box Sailor," to more upbeat songs with full arrangements. Being a sucker for traditional-style storytelling, and vocal harmonies, I found myself weak at the knees listening for the first time to the lovely song "Pine Box Sailor." It's awash with imagery and longing, driven by it's waltz-like tempo and folksy, universal melody. Gwyneth's vocals and lyrics combine wonderfully in this sad lament. This song is from her solo album, but the killer harmony vocals are from Michael Monko. "Lexington Ballad" in the standout from the new EP. Great vocals from Moreland, with stellar mandolin lines from Monko. This is very good songwriting from a duo with lots of talent, and, we hope, at least a few more albums to come."