Atwood Magazine is thrilled to present our Editor’s Picks column, curated and composed by Editor-in-Chief Mitch Mosk. Each week, Mitch will highlight a selection of songs, albums, and artists that have captured his attention and emotions. There is an immense amount of extraordinary music out there, waiting to be discovered, and all it requires from us is an open heart and an eagerness to listen. Through our Editor’s Picks, we aim to illuminate our personal music finds and highlight a variety of recent and new releases.
This week's Editor’s Picks showcases Hudson Freeman, Ski Team, Girl Scout, Vienna Vienna, Queen Quail, and Telescreens!
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“If You Know Me” by Hudson Freeman
“If you know me like you say you do, you’d be humming along, you’d be singing the tunes.” This opening is deceptively simple—casual, almost nonchalant—but it strikes right at the essence of Hudson Freeman’s latest, heart-wrenching song. Raw and worn, intensely passionate yet gently tender, “If You Know Me” is an alt-folk dream that captivated me from the very first listen. Freeman’s voice is weary, emotionally stirring, and unguarded, bearing a weight that sends a shiver down your spine—not because it’s loud, but because it’s genuine.
This is fine dusty alt-folk at its best: Charming and compelling, heavy-hearted yet sincere, music that sweats, sways, and resonates with emotional urgency. Freeman writes with a candor that feels both daring and delicate, allowing feelings to pour forth without sliding into melodrama. Released on November 14th alongside a soul-stirring cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses,” “If You Know Me” doesn’t overstate its sincerity—it simply exists, and that authenticity is what makes it resonate so profoundly.
If You Know Me – Hudson Freeman
If you know me like you say you do
You’d be humming along
You’d be singing the tunes
If you know me like you say you do
You’d just tell me I’m wrong
You’d just tell me the truth
Hudson Freeman is a Brooklyn-based folk musician who deserves recognition from all music fans. Over the last decade, he has diligently carved out a sound that lies at the intersection of folk intimacy and alt-rock disquiet. Born in Waxahachie, Texas, and raised by missionary parents, Freeman’s early years were marked by displacement—initially growing up in North Dallas, then moving to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) as a teenager. Homeschooling and the absence of familiar reference points led him to gravitate towards the acoustic guitar, explaining: “My special interest became the acoustic guitar… I preferred the acoustic over the electric because the ideal of ‘good tone’ always taunted me, and I despised guitar pedals.”
It was during his time abroad that he began writing songs seriously, ultimately funding his first EP through Kickstarter after his return to the U.S. in 2015. Graduating into the tumult of 2020, Freeman eventually found his way to New York, where his music began to flourish—anchored in themes of faith, anxiety, belonging, and the complex journey of self-identity online and offline.
This decade-long journey has also involved sound—resisting easy categorization. Freeman hesitates to label his genre even as listeners lean towards a term some have dubbed “indie-twang.” “There are many projects I adore that fit into that category—like Frog or Waxahatchee or Wednesday—that more authentically bridge the gap between country and indie-rock,” he states. “But I can’t deny the twang in my voice… I also used to work in a Bluegrass shop in the Ozarks, and that influence gradually seeped into my consciousness.” Still, his focus isn't on revivalism. “I aim to push the genre—both in production and visuals—and make Americana music a bit more unconventional,” Freeman elaborates. “The intention is simply to compose rock music on an acoustic guitar and see what folk elements naturally emerge. Ultimately, I hope genre labels never interfere with the songs.”
A smoldering sense of search resonates throughout “If You Know Me.” Penned at the end of recording his recent album as a folk artist, the song feels both like a continuation and a clarification. Freeman describes it as “somewhat like a B-side… lyrically a sibling song to ‘Good Faith,’ as it pertains to the sincerity of intention between individuals.” The song gently yet persistently circles this anxiety, probing into what it genuinely means to be known in a world governed by algorithms, assumptions, and quiet mistrust—a sentiment Freeman expresses frankly: “Since 2020, I’ve increasingly felt that everyone exists in parallel realities to me, that our personal algorithms leave us spiraling on frighteningly individual journeys of thought
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Selected by Mitch Mosk, this week's Editor's Picks showcases tracks from Hudson Freeman, Ski Team, Girl Scout, Vienna Vienna, Queen Quail, and Telescreens!