The Woods Have Shown Us
Hestehus, 2025
9/10
Listen to The Woods Have Shown Us
The Minneapolis outfit Ponyfolk bring plenty of strings and harmonies to this debut album, where they pay homage to old time American and Nordic music traditions.
The warm spirit of “Sommer” begins with Clifton Nesseth’s rich fiddle and Paul Sauey’s cozy guitar making for much grace, and “Soteroen” follows with a lush mood, where the guitar, fiddle and pump organ interact unpredictably.
Close to the middle, “Somewhere To” lands in balladry thanks to the sublime guitar and dreamy flute that makes use of poetic singing, while “Shenandoah” lands in haunting territory, as the American folk song radiates much intimacy.
Arriving close to the end, “Ivar Fuglestad” recruits Mikey Margaret’s stirring cello that aligns with gentle melodies and has its roots in Norwegian song craft, and “Langdans fran Solleron” exits slow and textured via the strings, organ and bass synth that illuminate the traditional Swedish tune.
Nesseth and Sauey started Ponyfolk in 2014 and take help from Alex Jakob Nelson (keys, vocals), Lewis Franti (percussion), and Aaron Hays (drums) for a very sophisticated chamber-folk presence that touches on Nordic, Irish and American sensibilities with a meticulous energy.
Travels well with: The Accidentals- Time Out 3; Lennie Gallant- Shelter From The Storms