Anais Mitchell, Folk Genius

This girl is the real deal.  I got hooked on her 2012 release "Young Man in America" a few months ago and have had it on repeat ever since.  At first listen, her voice may sound precocious... but give it time, and you'll soon be in awe of the emotion it conveys.

Anais Mitchell

On "Young Man," Anais Mitchell's songwriting is, quite simply, the best I've heard from an artist in years.  She effortlessly weaves together tales of love, betrayal, work, death, and everything in between.  Though the album's stories clearly seem to be set in a simpler time somewhere in middle America, any careful listener can relate to Mitchell's poetic narratives.

My boyfriend often makes fun of me for being what he likes to call "emo"... because I admittedly have a fondness for songs that break my heart a bit.  Well, I can think of no song more "emo" than this...

"Shepherd" is the 9th track off "Young Man in America."  The story Anais tells in this piece, and the imagery her lyrics transmit (i.e. the shepherd rode the yellow rows/the clouds above and the field below), are astounding.  

Listen Here:  Anais Mitchell – Shepherd