Led by singer, songwriter, and banjoman extraordinaire Osei Essed, the Woes have been a staple of the NYC music scene since they formed in 2002. Described by Essed as “post-apocalyptic traditional music”, the Woes employ a number of unique instruments to lay down their brand of folk / blues: banjo, banjo-mandolin, french horn, accordion, melodica, and Fender Rhodes keyboard, among others.

So the instrumentation alone is a reason to dig their tunes. But it’s Osei’s voice - low, guttural, heartfelt and pure - that really pulls me in. Listen to this song for a taste. It’s available as a free mp3 download on the Woes official site. They have some other songs streaming on their site as well. I recommend “That’s All, Good Night”. You can also check out their MySpace site here. MySpace: for bands, teens, and the Dateline NBC-featured perverts who chase them.

The Woes: The Best is Yet to Come (mp3) - from their latest release, That Coke Oven March (available on their site here).

Blues, Folk