Ogden is full of surprises. From the moment I moved here, I became obsessed with Ogden’s bustling music scene. There are so many amazing metal and country bands, but today I am going to give you the lowdown on Ogden’s indie folk music scene.

What is indie folk music?

Indie folk is a genre of music that is hard to define. The sounds range from southful mountain melodies to rockin’ electric beats. Indie folk is more about the feelings that the music invokes than the actual sounds. Often bands have a lot of members playing unique and traditional instruments  but sometimes it is just a person and a guitar. Artists often draw influence form traditional American mountain music, blues and modern indie rock. Bands like Radiohead, Neutral Milk Hotel and Elliot Smith paved the way  but  with each new artist the genre evolves.

Indie folk is my favorite genre of music and the best sounds usually comes from small towns like Ogden. The very first show I went to after moving to Ogden was the Marny Proudfit cd release show. I got there a bit late and had to leave a bit early but i till managed to be able to see Kat day, Santa Fe Skeletons, Beargrowl Wolfhowl, Mountain Hymns and of course, Marny Proudfit. I was so impressed with that show and realized that Ogden has a lot more to offer than I realized.

So, here we go on a tour of the Ogden indie folk bands. . .

♥Beargrowl, wolfhowl– Scott Ferrin , Ethan Beckstrand, Eric Pectol ,Mitch Olsen blend folk and modern instrumentals beautifully. They play in sync as if they have always played together, as if it’s what they are meant to do. You can catch a sample of their moving song ‘terrified’ on their facebook page.

♥Mermaid baby– Jordan Ballou, Jordan DeLaCruz, Logan “Gingie” Arnold formed Mermaid Baby in 2009 and are currently working on their first cd. Mermaid Baby music makes me want to dance wildly. It makes me think of long lost friends and summer adventures. Check out their reverbnation for a sample of some of their music. And be sure to check them out February 12th at the basement.

♥Mountain Hymns– band members are Seaver Yates, Corbyn Henderson, Spencer Reylea, Kramer McCausland, Ryan Reylea. The fist time i saw mountain hymns i fell in love. They are A perfect mix of folk, indie rock and mountain harmony. Their lyrics are haunting and soothing and I just love the organic feel of it all. Check out their music here.

♥Marny Proudfit– Marny Proudfit gives me chills. Her voice is so incredible. You see her on stage and expect her to whisper and then out comes this incredible voice. Not surprisinlgy Marny just release her first cd and you can pick one up at one off her upcoming shows. Keep a lookout for her music coming soon on itunes .

♥Josaleigh Pollett- Josaleigh has a sweet voice and even sweeter lyrics. She will sing you to sleep and you will have magic dreams. When I tried to imagine what she looked like all I saw were cats.

♥Jed Keipp– Upbeat and jazzy, Jed Keipp sings songs that make you want to fall in love.

Other indie folk bands near Ogden:

♥Matt Ben Jackson– Stratton McCausland, Dan Pectol, Casey Romney, Austin Frodsham.

♥The descriptive– Kramer James McCausland, Michael James MooRussell, Spencer Relyea IV, Scott Robinson Fletcher.

♥Sons of mothers– Alan Sanders,John Paul, Ren Blackburn and Blake Smith.

♥Holy water buffalo– Thomas Clyde Brunson III, Jeffrey Boone Vanderlinden, Steven James Siggard, Zaz Alexander McDonald.

♥The sweater friends– Honest, quirky songs.

♥Santa fe skeletons– Mark Harris, Jason Strong, Colby Deaton, Skipper Harris.

For great local indie folk shows check out these venues

♥Mojos cafe and gallery-Ogden’s All Ages Live Music Venue since 2004.

♥The Basement-The Basement is Utah’s premier all-ages local music venue

♥The Wine cellar– Ogden’s Premier Jazz & Blues Club

♥Borrowed earth emporium– Yoga, massage and local music

The basement is having a singer/songwriter competition Saturday, March 5, 2011. Winner gets $100 cash and some free recording time from Tragically Average Studios. This is open to all acoustic singer/songwriters. Email thebasementbooking@gmail.com to sign up. Hurry, as there are only a limited number of spots.

About the author: Mikaela Shafer writes relentlessly for her own blog, Indie Ogden.