Acid Folk

Like other acid folk bands, Yonder Boys sound like they stepped back into the future. A polyglot trio based in Berlin, Australian David Stewart Ingleton (banjo, vocals), American Jason Serious (guitar, vocals) and Chilean Tomás Peralta (mandolin, bass, vocals) perform old and new folk music on acoustic instruments in a slightly off-kilter style, which in some cases conjures up the psychedelic 60s, a time when expanding one’s horizons by ingesting LSD became a relatively common recreational activity among a certain demographic.

Most of the ten tracks on Acid Folk are firmly rooted in American bluegrass (‘Mumma’s Boy’, ‘High on a Mountain’). ‘The Great American Pussy Grab’ combines harmony singing reminiscent of the Beach Boys with lyrical mocking of contemporary stateside politics. The trio’s exceptional instrumental chops and improvisational acumen distinguish ‘Rabbit Song’ and ‘Look at What You Done’. A deeply moving, stripped-down rendition of the Scottish ballad ‘House Carpenter’ attests to Yonder Boys’ imaginative approach to classic repertoire. As they used to say back in the day, Acid Folk is a trip.