Folk’s one of my favourite genres, but I don’t often hear a voice that brings something new to the mix. Lindsay Phillips does that with songs that he dubs Gothic folk on his new album Psalm IV: Den Sista Sorgen.
I could imagine a king’s servant playing this sort of stuff in a medieval court. There’s a real romance about the songs, which make reference to royalty, honour, and sacrifice. The lyrics are truly poetic. Lindsay’s rich deep voice is also something I haven’t heard from a lot of folk singers. The opening song “Two Princes” drew me in immediately. “Mourning of a Golden Age” also really resonated with me. It painted such a vivid picture in my mind when I heard it.
I do love stripped back songs anchored by the strum of an acoustic guitar. However, as the album wore on I found myself wanting to hear a little bit more, some light and shade, some variation. While the lyrics were so well crafted the melodies started to feel a little samey.
Psalm IV: Den Sista Sorgen is a bit of a snowflake in the modern folk scene. I appreciate its uniqueness, and it shows Lindsay Phillips has certainly got talent. But I think I would have loved it more as an EP. As a full-length album, there’s just not enough variety to keep me interested.
Psalm IV: Den Sista Sorgen is available now from Lindsay Phillips’ Bandcamp page.
Image source: Lindsay Phillips Bandcamp page