The mountains of Appalachia are filled with stories of heartbreak, tragedy, and triumph, and this shows in all aspects of the Appalachian arts, particularly in the region’s music, rooted in the traditions of traditional folk and bluegrass. Being an Appalachian native myself, I can attest to the fact that growing up in this part of the country breeds a certain mindset about art: We don’t like things that are impractical or impersonal, and we believe that the best art comes from the soul and has a meaning for everyone willing to see or listen.
Green Elder is a neofolk project based out of the mountains of Tennessee, headed by the artist Paul Ravenwood and his partner Meghan. The project’s upcoming release, Offering, is, to quote the band, “dedicated to the days between summer solstice and the autumn equinox.” This statement is given life in the project’s simple but lush instrumentation and hushed, nearly imperceptible vocals. Offering, only being a two-song EP, accomplishes much in its short runtime: From the opening sample of “Mountain Storms,” a solemn atmosphere settles in and sets the tone for the duo’s work as clear, deep acoustic tones pluck out a simple arpeggiated chord that becomes the foundation of the song, later accented by tin whistle and accordion that seem to weep the melody they’re playing.
And yet, for all of its starkness, the entire EP is bathed in a glow of serenity. “Cairn of Starlight” is less austere in its approach but just as haunting with its lyrics, a plea to the “Giver of life/ You who births us all/ Blood of the Earth/ Heal us now.” The first section then fades out, giving way to a dreamy melody that brings the Offering to a beautiful, bittersweet end as the sound of waves crashing against rocks creates a vivid image of being carried away on a river, back home to… a better place.
This type of neofolk is not built around the show of complexity, intricate arrangements, or a gaudy type of nostalgia. Offering displays a genuine sense of longing for a simpler, more thoughtful way of life, and in a literal sense, for mankind to return to the roots which birthed it. Like the Appalachian mountains that surround its creators, the music of Green Elder is beautiful yet built upon a spirit of untamed savagery. If only one thing can be knocked about this release, it is its brief running time at just around 14 minutes, but if the music is to serve as a reminder of the brevity of days between summer and autumn, it accomplishes this in spades.
For fans of traditional, bare-bones neofolk, Green Elder’s Offering is a great addition to an already admirable catalogue of releases and bodes well for the project’s future.
Rating: 4/5