4 Folk Rock Songs From the 1990s That Still Sound New Today

There was a period when music from the 1990s sounded dated until enough time had passed for it to become retro. But apart from the popular grunge and Britpop scenes, many artists recorded folk rock songs that still sound new today. The first two are obvious choices, but the last pair of rootsy tracks prove the decade was much more than Seattle angst and Cool Britannia.  

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“Harvest Moon” by Neil Young

In 1992, the Godfather of Grunge returned to his roots. Neil Young recorded the follow-up to his 1972 masterpiece, Harvest, with a collection of songs about relationships, with the wisdom and distance of age. Young’s writing always felt timeless. So when “Harvest Moon” arrived, there was really nothing about it to date the track to its era. He’d already done grunge before grunge, and by the time he recorded his own Unplugged album for MTV, it bookended two gorgeous albums after 20 years of experimentation.

“Losing My Religion” by R.E.M.

During R.E.M.’s folk rock era, the Athens band that helped usher in the age of alternative rock, released one of the decade’s most powerful songs. But instead of Peter Buck’s jangly electric guitars, “Losing My Religion” is propelled by Buck’s mandolin and acoustic guitars. Michael Stipe details feelings of obsession, distance, hesitation, and unrequited love. He also proved you could be equally as powerful without the loud guitars. This song and video seemed like a revolution at the time. They still do.

“Stolen Car” by Beth Orton

I wore this record out in 1999. English songwriter Beth Orton has the kind of character voice to draw you in, while occasionally sounding listless and detached. It’s not exactly slacker rock, but the cool aloofness of, say, Natalie Merchant. Ben Harper backs Orton, and his lap steel, always on the edge of feeding back, echoes the pain of being betrayed by a lover. She can’t unsee the true colors of her partner, and uses a stolen car metaphor to describe something big you can no longer hide or take back. Like cruel words or “a joke gone too far.”

“Into Your Arms” by The Lemonheads

When The Lemonheads became famous, Evan Dando’s good looks, drug use, and rock star friends often overshadowed his great songwriting. But behind the tabloid hysteria, Dando borrowed from Gram Parsons and quietly amassed a catalog of folk, country, and pop gems. It’s A Shame About Ray was a hit, and its follow-up, Come On Feel The Lemonheads, blends Dando’s pop instincts with kitschy lyrics. Dando wrote with irony, and speaking of irony, like his biggest tune, “Mrs. Robinson”, “Into Your Arms” is also a cover. It was first recorded by bassist Nic Dalton’s former band, Love Positions.

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