The Falls Baptist Childrens Choir: The Unlikely Indie Folk Phenomenon

The Falls Baptist Childrens Choir is an American indie folk collective known for its haunting choral arrangements and lo-fi aesthetic. Hailing from a small church community in the Pacific Northwest, the group achieved unexpected commercial success with their 2012 album I Shall Not Want, which charted on the Billboard Folk Albums chart and developed a cult following.

Early career

The ensemble formed informally in 2008 around the music program of the Falls Baptist Church in Washington state. Initially performing traditional hymns and folk standards for local services, the choir began experimenting with original material under the direction of a musically inclined church member. Their first independent release, the cassette-only Hymns from the Clearing in 2010, circulated through niche online folk communities and caught the attention of the micro-label Forest Family Records.

Breakthrough

The choir's breakthrough arrived in 2012 with the release of their debut proper album, I Shall Not Want. Released through Forest Family, the album's lead single gained traction on independent radio and music blogs. This organic buzz propelled the album to number 18 on the Billboard Folk Albums chart, a surprising feat for a self-recorded project from an obscure church group.

Key tracks

Tall Pines — This atmospheric single was the driving force behind the initial blog hype for I Shall Not Want.

Burdens — A stark, a cappella track that exemplifies the choir's raw, emotive vocal power and minimalist style.

River Jordan — Featured in several independent film soundtracks, this song expanded the group's reach beyond the folk scene.

Early Frost — The lead single from their 2015 follow-up album, showcasing a more polished yet equally poignant sound.

Following their unexpected chart entry, The Falls Baptist Childrens Choir maintained a low-profile yet consistent output. Their 2015 sophomore album, Early Frost, debuted in the top 10 of the Folk Albums chart. They have since collaborated on recordings with artists like folk singer Marissa Anderson, contributing their distinctive choral layers to her 2017 album Cloud Corner.

Artists exploring similar terrain of rustic Americana and choral folk include The Oh Hellos, who share a penchant for large-scale, spiritually-infused folk arrangements. Mountain Man also explores the power of close-harmony singing within an indie folk context. The raw, communal recording ethos is echoed by The Lone Bellow in their early work.

The music of The Falls Baptist Childrens Choir has found a natural home on radio. Their tracks are frequently featured in the playlists of independent music radio stations and specialty folk programs on public radio affiliates across the United States and Canada. Online radio streams dedicated to indie folk and Americana regularly include their haunting hymns, introducing them to new audiences globally.

You can hear the distinctive indie folk sound of The Falls Baptist Childrens Choir on various radio stations featured right here on our website. Listeners can discover their catalog of ethereal music by tuning into the folk and alternative stations available on onairium.com.