Welcome to The Cascade shuffle! Over the summer, I had the chaotically rewarding opportunity to work for the Mission Folk Music Festival, which started me on a real folk/country kick. Here are some gems for your sweet little ears.
Brudi Brothers – “Chasing Paper”
It’s been an Odyssey-coded summer, folks. Recorded on a barge in Amsterdam, this wispy little treat of a tune offers a beautiful take on the story of Odysseus, painting him as a man so desperately in pursuit of wealth he fails to properly love his wife. Conrad Brudi has such a rich, carmel-like voice, I just want to crawl inside his mouth and live out the rest of my days there.
Brudi Brothers – “Me More Cowboy Than You”
Jumping right into another Brudi song, dear listeners. I truly can’t get enough of these busking brothers from Seattle. This track is a damn catchy satire on cowboy-culture appropriation, ideal for listening to on my way to Majors in Chilliwack (if you know, you know). Here’s a line: “…boys and girls are acting real strange / Pretending they’re welders and cowboys and such / Buying old work gear from the exchange / But you can tell their hands don’t do very much.” Iconic.
Joshua Burnside – “Sycamore Queen”
It’s almost impossible to pick a favourite song from this lovely Irish artist’s 2025 Teeth of Time experimental folk album. This supersonic track kicks off with a heady dose of reverb that just fucks you right up. It’s my favourite by a margin, with Teeth of Time/Mountain” and The Good Life coming in as near-equal seconds. Listen to the whole album — preferably after almost too much wine, lying flat on your bedroom floor in the dark. It’ll be a good time if you find suffering alongside incredible music enjoyable. “Keep the oil flowing right up to our waistbands,” am I right?
Tia Blake – “Plastic Jesus”
Originally written in 1957 and covered by many different artists, this satirical Americana folk song is super upbeat and puts me in a great mood. Tia Blake recorded this in 1971 and I just love singing along and tapping my hands on my steering wheel to her melodious, understated voice. And despite its critique of religious commercialization, it still makes me want a little plastic Jesus, sittin’ and grinnin’ on my dashboard. Gifts are accepted and can be delivered to our office on the second floor of the SUB.
Darien Johnsen is a UFV alumni who obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with double extended minors in Global Development Studies and Sociology in 2020. She started writing for The Cascade in 2018, taking on the role of features editor shortly after. She’s passionate about justice, sustainable development, and education.