Songs To Listen To If You Liked The "Inside Llewyn Davis" Soundtrack

Ryan Adams' prolific solo career has solidified him as one of the most talented folk/rock songwriters on the scene today. This track, taken from his debut album Heartbreaker, is a perfect example of the emotion Adams is able to pour into his songs, in this case using not much more than a simple guitar part and his vocals. One of the more heartbreaking lyricists around today.

The Milk Carton Kids are a relatively new contemporary folk duo who have released three full-length albums in the past three years. The band, consisting of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, have become noted for releasing their albums for free and they are still available on their website. This track, entitled "Michigan," opens their 2011 album entitled "Prologue," and is the best example of the beautiful guitar parts and haunting vocal harmonies that have become their trademark.

By appearance, Justin Townes Earle may look like a heavily tattooed version of Kip from Napoleon Dynamite, but what's that to keep him from making great, catchy contemporary folk music? The son of famous country-rock singer/guitarist Steve Earle, it's clear Justin has a taste for the blues in his blood. In this video from 2011, shot by Grooveshark, Justin performs "Ain't Waitin'" from his album "Harlem River Blues," and through his charismatic guitar playing and energetic, gritty vocals, makes it clear why he has become one of the most popular young artists on the folk scene.

The UK's 19-year old Jake Bugg has quickly become one of the biggest new names in rock and folk today with his breakout, self-titled debut album released in 2012. While initially drawing Bob Dylan comparisons and being praised as a solo acoustic act, Jake has branched out to harder elements of rock and punk with his 2013 Rick Rubin-produced album Shangri La. He still shows traces of his old roots with this beautiful cut from the new album, "Storm Passes Away," which feels like a traditional folk song that's been played for decades.

The first time I heard The Tallest Man On Earth, aka Sweden's Kristian Matsson, I lioterally thought that I had stumbled across some sort of lost Bob Dylan B-side. In terms of both songwriting and vocal style, the two are almost TOO obviously comparable. This track showcases his remarkable lyrical ability as well as his trademark gritty vocals, a combination that if Matsson continues to execute as well as he has thus far, will undoubtedly ensure him a place in the contemporary folk scene for many years to come.

Blake Mills is a rare double-threat in that he possesses virtuostic ability as both as musician and a songwriter. Aside from co-founding the band Simon Dawes (which eventually became Dawes after Mills left), he has also worked as a session musician and touring guitarist for artists such as Fiona Apple, Lana Del Rey, Weezer, Conor Oberst, and more. His only solo record to date, entitled Break Mirrors was released in 2010, and will most likely make you extremely sad that he doesn't put out more music. The album is a beautifully composed collection of indie-folk songs, at times reminiscent of Elliott Smith both in musical style and lyrical content. "History Of My Life" is a melancholy lament of things past, and as the final track on the album, serves as the perfect close to one of my favorite albums of the past five years.

I always find a way to force some Chris Thile onto playlists when possible. In this case, the Macarthur Genius Grant recipient fits nicely, considering he and his band The Punch Brothers played on most of the "Inside Llewyn Davis" soundtrack. Instead of choosing a Punch Brothers track, I went with the title track from Thile's 2006 solo album entitled "How To Grow A Woman From The Ground". As always, he masterfully composes a beautiful, intricate acoustic arrangement for his five-piece bluegrass band, and sings a tale about what one must give up for the one they love.

Conor Oberst is best known for his involvement in the incredibly succesful and equally emotional indie rock band Bright Eyes, but his solo work may be his most compelling. "Milk Thistle," taken from his 2008 self-titled album, is produced by Oberst in a manner that makes it almost feel as if he is right there in the room singing for you. As always, his expressive singing and guitar playing make it a moving listening experience.

The musical combination of guitarist/singers Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch has proved to be a winning one, as the two rarely have recorded and performed separately for some time now. Both are household names in the contemporary bluegrass/folk scene, and this video finds the band showcasing acoustic music at its finest, in an extremely fine-tuned, dynamic performance of "Bells of Harlem."