Here is the mystery of Seattle’s Cave Singers: They never listened to much folk music, they never intended to play folk music, and more importantly, their guitarist picked up the instrument not terribly long before they recorded their 2007 debut album, Invitation Songs. Yet, this strange trio is writing and performing some of the most hypnotizing folk music we have today.

It’s sparse, melodic, creepy, and alluring, like the widow mourning graveside in Johnny Cash’s “Long Black Veil”. Guitarist Derek Fudesco’s bottom-end acoustic work sounds like Mississippi John Hurt’s soft, rolling finger plucks. Singer Pete Quirk’s appealingly nasal voice simultaneously echoes Arlo Guthrie and a mosquito’s buzz. And drummer Marty Lund plays like he’s slapping a newspaper on a kitchen table.