Freak Folk was a subgenre of folk music popular from the early to late 2000s that emerged after younger indie musicians took inspiration from 1960s psychedelic folk. Initially defying characterization, people started to label their music “Freak Folk” beginning in 2004 after Devendra Banhart curated a compilation CD titled The Golden Apples of the Sun that unintentionally anthologized the subgenre. Most Freak Folk artists rejected the label, but it described a cohesive sound best characterized by childlike vocals, unusual musical instruments, and lo-fi production quality.

This week, Nathan is joined by professor and painter Madeline Rupard (from Ep. 84: Rest Stops) to discuss the subgenre in depth. The two begin by tracing Freak Folk’s origins to Vashti Bunyan and Davendra Banhart, detailing how the two collaborated. They then dedicate a large portion of the episode to singer-songwriter and harpist Joanna Newsom, discussing all four of her albums: The Milk-Eyed Mender, Ys, Have One On Me, and Divers. They then briefly cover the work CocoRosie and Animal Collective before concluding the episode with a speculative discussion about why most Freak Folk musicians received Waldorf educations in their youth.

Links:

Madeline Rupard - Instagram Page

https://www.madelinerupard.com/

Joannna Newsom is not on Spotify

The Sprout and the Bean by Joann Newsom

Bridges & Balloons by Joann Newsom

Emily by Joanna Newsom

Have One On Me by Joanna Newsom

Sapokanikan by Joanna Newsom

Terrible Angels by Cocorosie

Winters Love by Animal Collective

Rejoicing in the Hands by Vashti Bunyan & Davendra Banhart

The Golden Apples of the Sun (2004)

Devendra Banhart is Not a Freak

Freak Folk’s Very Own Pied Piper by Alec Hanley Bemis

BiRd-BrAiNs by Tune-Yards - Pitchfork Review

Joanna Newsom, the Changeling by Jody Rosen

Joanna Newsom interview on Triple J

Meeting CocoRosie - Interview with Bianca and Sierra Casady - Talking Records

New Film Documents 2004 Devendra Banhart/Joanna Newsom Tour by Tom Breihan

The Family Jams (2009)

Highest Rated Freak Folk Albums of All Time - Pitchfork Magazine

The Sound of Freak Folk

Artwork:

Harp Inspires Hyperbole by Helgi Valur

Recorded on 5/16/2026