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Believe me, I’m not saying we should do away with electric guitars, Marshall stacks, or distortion pedals. I appreciate the awe-inspiring, bone-crushing power of raw, hard rock as much as the next guy. I understand that pumping your fist to “Livin’ On A Prayer” or “Born inthe USA” in a sea of sweaty, flannel shirt-sporting dudes carries an important significance in this culture of ours. I simply thought, for this edition of Green Listening, I’d give a shout-out to some cats who dare to be a bit less showy- those musical craftsmen who can communicate their ideas effectively without employing the help of massive amounts of electricity. You’ll find the following artists to be not only poignant songwriters and storytellers, but also favorites of Team RiverWired simply by virtue of the fact that they don’t utilize too many of the planet’s resources while playing their sweet, sweet music.

The Avett Brothers- This trio hails from North Carolina and is comprised primarily of acoustic guitar, banjo and upright bass, with some piano thrown in on a few tracks to round out their sound. Their latest record, Emotionalism, is not only a beautifully crafted, heartfelt collection of songs; it also contains only one track that utilizes any kind of plugged-in instrument. Way to go, gents.

Mason Jennings- Though Mason’s been known to strap on an electric from time to time, he’s truly an acoustic strummer at heart. If you’re new to Mason’s simple, honest, thoughtful musings on love, God, and his own mortality, start with his latest record, 2006’s Boneclouds, and then check out 2002’s Century Spring. For die-hard acoustic listeners, get your hands on a copy of 2004’s Simple Life: A Collection of Solo Acoustic Songs.

Nick Drake- More of a cult star now than during his brief career, Nick Drake is a master of skillful finger-picking and unorthodox tunings, and his songs are filled out exquisitely by his rich, velvety baritone. Pink Moon is his most straight-up acoustic record, but I’m also a big fan of Bryter Layter, if you want to further explore his catalog.

Jose Gonzalez- Best known for his 2005 cover of fellow Swedish band The Knife’s “Heartbeats” (remember that Sony commercial with all those bouncing balls?), Gonzalez is a classically trained guitarist who was studying to get his graduate degree in chemistry when he realized he had an uncanny knack for writing mellow, hypnotic pop ditties. Both of his albums, 2005’s Veneer and the recently released In Our Nature, are almost entirely acoustic guitar and vocals, and both are definitely worth a listen.

Bob Dylan- Nothing really needs to be said here. Except, of course, if you want pure, unadulterated, acoustic Dylan, you best listen to his pre-July 1965 work, when he shocked the world by playing an electric guitar (gasp!) at the Newport Folk Festival.

There is, obviously, an incredible amount of acoustic music out there, in addition to this brief sampling I’ve made up. So, take a listen to what I’ve suggested, and feel free to shoot me suggestions on tunes that I need to check out, as I always welcome assistance in discovering new acts.

Have a wonderful day.