There has been a resurgence in contemporizing folk music for the mainstream as of late, be it via acoustic instruments or simple, acoustic ideas.

Take the phenomenon of Fleet Foxes for example, or simple pluckers like Johnny Flynn, Mumford & Sons or Laura Marling, and one can see folk’s scope on the charts burgeoning, with the acoustic guitar or mandolin taking as much of a role as the keyboard or synthesizer. Yet, calling a slew of musicians who share similar ideals under an acoustic paradigm ‘folk music’ often detracts from the intricacies hidden beneath their melodies. The same goes with any style of music, of course. Boil it down to one word and the sounds that make it come alive go into hiding.

But there are similarities that bind together the aforementioned acts, aside from their collective mainstream success. One case for this revolves around their desire to keep things unplugged and rely on traditional Appalachian instrumentation. Instead of an electric guitar, acoustic six stringers, mandolins and banjos ebb and flow through simple strums and fingerpicks. This changes the tonality, timbre and feel, taking the music back to a place where substance dictated style, and not the other way around. And this, all of this, has resurrected folk, and its rightful place in the spotlight.

Another act responsible for this is Bristol’s The Miserable Rich. While the band purveys music far from traditional folk and roots, their desire to keep things a little quieter and more acoustic has seen comparisons made to everything from The Carter Family to Johnny Flynn, Laura Marling and even The Incredible String Band. Instead of the traditional trap set line-up, the band infuses mandolins, violins and cellos into the mix, creating a brooding blend of folk that encompasses influences as far reaching as rock, indeed and soul. “To be honest, I don’t think we play folk music,” replies songwriter James de Malplaquet.

“On the first album, there are rock songs, jazz songs and pop songs – and a fair bit of soul too. Maybe two songs are folk. Sure, We are an acoustic band, but that isn’t synonymous with folk. We’re probably an indie band more than anything.”

This first album, Twelve Ways to Count, is what has elevated The Miserable Rich to the level they enjoy now. The songs, mostly written by de Malplaquet, were composed before the band formed, turning the recording into an exercise of a new collective finding a sound, rather than recording an album proper of music they were all previously familiar with. “Our first record was largely a treatment of my songs as we formed a sound and a band,” discusses the songwriter. Now, the band is readying a new album, one they have finished but do not plan to release until the end of the year. Twelve Ways to Count was only released in November, and as de Malplaquet discusses, while the band is keen to release new material all the time, they have to be as patient as possible, for the greater good. “Our first album is out this week in France, and while the old album is old to us, it’s only been around since November in the UK. Still, we have a new album ready to go, alongside a set of EP covers we’ll be releasing before the new album, so there is lots in the pipeline.” This new album, currently titled by the band but held under tight secrecy, is promised as a fuller, more collaborative affair.

This time the album was conceived, recorded and produced as band, rather than a set of songs from a singular songwriter. “This next one is basically the band’s first record as a complete outfit,” adds de Malplaquet. “I’m not the only writer, and some of the strongest songs on the album were written by other band member. Plus, we collectively had the material all ready. I personally pressured the band – not without complaint I might add – to get the thing recorded quickly, as well as this EP of covers so that we could release it whenever seemed the best time for the people whose business it is to promote it. That is going according to plan.

“Still, it remained a very down-home, acoustic affair, much like the first record. It was recorded in my bedroom and lounge, with most of the strings added in [the bedroom of] our friend Tom [from Shoreline and Son of Noel and Adrian],” continues the singer. “He’s got a nice wooden floor and a quiet house. We recorded the first album solely at my last house, and didn’t really feel the need for change. This is because everything has to be done on a zero budget these days. Originally we wanted to go away and record the new album in a haunted house somewhere, but we just couldn’t get everyone together at the same time. In the end, we recorded in a two-week period in March, only actually recording on about six afternoons total.”

While the material remains closely guarded, The Miserable Rich, as a whole, promise that both the new album and EP of covers improves upon their introduction, as this signals the debut of a complete band, one where everyone contributed equally. “This is the sound of a group of musicians who have played together, got tired, drunk, happy, desperate, loved and hated each other around Europe for a year,” beams de Malplaquet. “To me, there is much more dynamic material on this record. I personally write too many ballads, and as a band, we write a lot faster and with more ferocity, I think.”

Until the release of the record, The Miserable Rich will refine the songs live, beginning with a performance this week at the Union Chapel. Many new songs will be road-tested, as the band slowly moves on from Twelve Ways To Count. In addition, two demo versions of new songs, ‘Monkey’ and ‘The Time That’s Mine’, will be released on iTunes this week, allowing a sneak peak into what’s next for the Bristol acoustic collective. It’d be advisable to buy tickets to the show now, because come the end of the year, when the new album is delivered, folk will have another gun in its arsenal with which to assault the charts.