Acid folk is a style of music that blends the old with the new. It takes the roots of traditional folk music and mixes them with the dreamy, strange sounds of psychedelia. This creates a sound that is both earthy and otherworldly. The genre first grew in the late 1960s, when artists began to push the limits of folk music by adding electric instruments, surreal lyrics, and free-form song structures.

One band that stood out in this scene was Trees. Formed in England in 1969, they brought a unique voice to the genre. While bands like Fairport Convention and Pentangle leaned more on the folk side, Trees leaned into the psychedelic. Their music was rich with layered guitars, haunting vocals, and a deep respect for traditional folk songs. In doing so, they helped shape what acid folk would become.

Context and Origins

The late 1960s in the UK was a time of big change in music. Folk music, once tied to tradition and rural life, was coming back with new energy. Young musicians were digging into old ballads and folk tales but playing them in bold, new ways. This movement became known as the folk revival.

At the same time, rock and psychedelic music were exploding. Bands were experimenting with sound, form, and meaning. The worlds of folk and psychedelia began to blend, giving rise to acid folk—a genre that kept the heart of folk but let it drift into dreamlike, sometimes eerie territory.

Trees were born into this mix. They shared the scene with bands like Fairport Convention, who brought electric energy to English folk, and Pentangle, known for their jazz-tinged, acoustic style. But Trees carved their own path. Their sound was less polished, more hypnotic. They stood at a unique point where folk met the surreal.

Sound and Style

Trees had a sound that was both rooted and wild. They used traditional folk music as their base but stretched it with bold, new ideas. One of their key traits was the mix of acoustic and electric instruments. Guitars rang out with both clarity and fuzz, often layered to create a dense, swirling sound.

Their songs often used modal harmonies—scales found in ancient music—which gave their melodies a haunting, timeless feel. This added a sense of mystery that set them apart from more straightforward folk bands.

Vocally, Celia Humphris led with a clear, pure tone that felt both grounded and ghostly. Her voice floated above the music, carrying old stories with a modern twist. The band’s playing was tight yet free-flowing. Lead guitarist Barry Clarke’s solos often drifted into spacey, improvised sections, while the rhythm section kept a steady, hypnotic pulse.

Trees also loved reworking old English ballads. But instead of playing them straight, they wrapped these songs in rich textures—echoing effects, layered guitars, and unexpected shifts. This blend of the ancient and the psychedelic became their signature.

Key Albums and Tracks

Trees released two studio albums: The Garden of Jane Delawney (1970) and On the Shore (1971). Though their time as a band was short, these records left a lasting mark on the acid folk scene.

The Garden of Jane Delawney blends old folk songs with original material. The title track is a prime example—it’s delicate and eerie, carried by Celia Humphris’ voice and soft acoustic backing. But the album also dives into heavier territory. “She Moved Thro’ the Fair,” a traditional ballad, is reimagined with electric guitars and shifting rhythms, turning a familiar song into something dreamlike and tense.

On the Shore takes this even further. The production is richer, and the band sounds more confident. “Murdoch” is a standout, opening with a calm folk melody that builds into a storm of guitar and drums. “Sally Free and Easy,” another traditional song, is stretched into a moody, slow-burning epic. These tracks show Trees at their most daring—balancing structure and freedom, folk roots and psychedelic haze.

Both albums capture what acid folk is about: blending the past and present, the acoustic and electric, the calm and the strange. Trees didn’t just play acid folk—they helped define its sound.

Innovations and Impact

What set Trees apart was how far they pushed the acid folk sound. While their peers often leaned on polished arrangements or stayed close to traditional forms, Trees embraced a wilder, more unpredictable approach. Their songs moved freely between soft acoustic passages and bursts of electric chaos. This contrast gave their music a cinematic, almost dreamlike quality.

They also treated folk material not as sacred, but as something alive. Traditional songs were reshaped with bold guitar work, layered effects, and extended instrumental sections. This freedom in structure and sound helped pave the way for future artists who wanted to explore folk music without being bound by its rules.

Though Trees weren’t widely known in their time, their influence grew with later generations. Bands in the psychedelic folk revival, like Espers and Tunng, echoed their blend of old-world melody and modern experimentation. Elements of their style can also be heard in post-rock, psych rock, and even some doom folk acts that favor mood over clarity.

Within acid folk, Trees are now seen as key innovators. Beyond the genre, their legacy lives on in any music that dares to take something old and make it strange again.

Critical Reception and Rediscovery

When Trees first released their albums in the early 1970s, they received limited attention. Critics often compared them to more popular folk-rock acts like Fairport Convention, and they were seen as part of the broader movement rather than standouts. Their sound, which drifted between structure and experimentation, may have felt too unconventional for the time.

But in the decades that followed, their work found new life. As interest in psychedelic and underground folk grew, so did appreciation for Trees. Reissues of The Garden of Jane Delawney and On the Shore in the 1990s and 2000s brought their music to new listeners. Audiophiles and collectors praised the quality of the recordings and the band’s fearless blend of tradition and psych.

A cult following formed, especially among fans of obscure British folk and psychedelic music. Their songs began appearing in compilations exploring lost gems of the acid folk era. They’ve also been featured in documentaries and retrospectives that trace the evolution of folk music in the UK.

Today, Trees are no longer seen as just another folk revival act. They’re recognized as pioneers whose work helped shape a genre and left a lasting, if quiet, impact.

Closing Thoughts

Trees played a defining role in shaping acid folk. They didn’t just mix folk and psychedelia—they reimagined what folk music could be. With their fearless use of electric textures, haunting vocals, and deep respect for traditional songs, they created a sound that was both rooted and otherworldly.

Though overlooked in their time, their music has endured. Trees captured a rare balance: honoring the past while pushing toward something new. Their legacy lives on not just in acid folk, but in any music that dares to blend beauty with the strange.