Have you ever had a bad time listening to female led harmonies on a near acoustic soundtrack? I’m here to tell you the answer is no, and you can add Folk Bitch Trio to the list of bands that meet this description of releasing ridiculously pleasant indie-folk. Here on their debut album Now Would Be A Good Time, Folk Bitch Trio manage to do just about everything right, while stringing together 10 tracks of pure magic and beautiful brilliance.
With a sound that borders on Julia Jacklin, earlier Julien Baker and boygenius, Now Would Be A Good Time could be one of the best debut Australian albums of 2025. Telling stories grounded in vivid imagery and balladry, the album is delicate and endearing, while not entirely getting lost in a sound of generations long-gone.
Opener “God’s A Different Sword” is an instant winner, with twangs of Americana floating by as the nostalgia of it all really lifts it another level, before its closing crescendo manages to tie everything all together seamlessly. “The Actor” has a pleasant bounce to it that separates it for the most part from the rest of the album. This is the song on Now Would Be A Good Time that sounds the most like boygenius, without it being stolen from their songbook.
“Moth Song” is both the longest and most soul destroying song on the album, with its five-minute long run tearing at the heart strings as it touches on broken hearts and the longing for a love that might not ever come. “Moth Song” is simultaneously devastating and beautiful and I’m glad the band places it so prominently in the front half of the album, when it very easily feels like it could have been buried in the back half.
Following the longest song on the album with the shortest, “I’ll Find A Way” is entirely acapella through its just over two-minute run, while “Cathode Ray” is haunting from its opening notes, with the vocals of all members (Heidi Peverelle, Jeanie Pilkington and Gracie Sinclair) finding a groove that elevates the song once more.
The closing minute of “Foreign Bird” could be the best minute of music in 2025, as the album begins to near its end, with the closing run of “That’s All She Wrote” (it reminded me instantly of Julia Jacklin’s “Small Talk”), “Sarah” (it feels like it could be on First Aid Kit’s setlist at any point in time), and “Mary Play’s the Harp” (it is subtle, sweet and serves as the album closer admirably) all effortlessly showcasing the strengths of a band who may be in their infancy but feel like they’ve been doing this for millennia.
Releasing half the album prior to its release may have its risks, but Folk Bitch Trio have done their risk assessment, run the numbers and managed to pull it off with aplomb. Now Would Be A Good Time feels like a special moment in time; here’s hoping it receives the recognition it deserves.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Now Would Be A Good Time is released today. Grab a copy HERE
Folk Bitch Trio head out on a national tour in support of the album this September – tickets HERE
Friday 5 September – Jive – Kaurna Land / Adelaide
Saturday 6 September – Mojos Bar – Walyalup / Fremantle
Saturday 13 September – Corner Hotel – Naarm / Melbourne
Friday 19 September – The Brightside – Meanjin / Brisbane
Saturday 20 September – The Landsdowne – Eora / Sydney
Header image supplied by the artist
