Folk duo Jack McCarthy & Mary McCarthy have created a piece of music that encapsulates the strange times, the absurdity, and the unease. Their reimagining of a folk tune, in the form of “The Storm Is Coming,” is an extended slice of social commentary encased in warm acoustic sounds.
“The Storm is Coming” brilliantly captures the disillusioned devotees of a crooked clown. Jack and Mary recount their stories with such quick wit and humanity that there is just enough comedy to dull the otherwise jagged edges, a nuanced understanding that could only come from years of living together.
The song leaves you defenseless where a standard guitar intro might be expected, and the cuatro and ukulele usher you in with an unconventional pairing, one that the duo may jest is perhaps the only time you’ll ever hear such an arrangement all year, if not in your lifetime. This one decision already frames something that seems all too common, yet also ends up being overwhelmingly surprising.
The ease in their voices, the way they intertwine conversationally, playful teasing after passionate debate, yet deeply rooted in respect and a connection that was buried beneath the surface for years. This balance helps the song feel like an invitation to reflection, and even if only in short intervals, to delight in the absurdity of it all.
This track is as humble yet lush musically as it is emotionally and sentimentally. In this acoustic setting, the song has room to breathe with each strum and pluck, adding layers to the story. Its chirpy, lighthearted twang contrasts with the ukulele’s sweet melody, creating a full-dimensional space that feels both intimate and expansive.
Jack & Mary McCarthy have bottled a moment in the American zeitgeist with “The Storm is Coming,” a spitting image of a storm cloud on the horizon, an allegory delivered on a breeze of melody, and proves that sometimes the pointiest truths are best sugar-coated. This is folk music at its core, that is to tell the truth in harmony.
Follow Jack McCarthy on Spotify
Follow Mary McCarthy on Spotify
