I cant talk about 'Folk' from any thing but a British position , as i have only spent a couple of months out of forty years in Folk on the other side of the pond . Here in UK , there have ALWAYS been the Navel gazers , as there have ALWAYS been the people who stll sing the 'old' songs , and in many cases play/sing them with a wonderful degree of freshness and enthusiasm . As far as 'Great' songs being written , in the last twenty five years writers like Jez Lowe , Tom Lewis , Eric Bogle , Robb Johnson , and (just in the last few years ) George Papavgeris are writing songs which have become 'regulars' at sessions and singarounds , NOT just in Britain , but in Australia and new Zealand too - AND to a lesser degree over in USA !