Songs that people make up which describe their lives: work, a bystander at a historical event, a retelling of a tale heard from someone else or else their own story, whether sad and desperate or triumphant and self-fulfilling; these are all political because the personal is political, without a doubt.

However, songs made up to make money are just commodities; the singer rarely knows or cares what it's about. It's a commercial sound, not part of the soundtrack of their own life, This is not political.

If what you mean is trad or roots-based, just say so. The problem lies in the utter bankruptcy into which the word 'f*lk' has been allowed to tumble. It has become completely meaningless, way past its sell-by, confusing and devoid of any meaning.

Good grief (nicked from another site):

"There's this quasi-renaissance of British folk music going on in London right now, with singer-songwriters and folk collectives thriving artistically and commercially everywhere you look. Just as 2006 and early 2007 were dominated by electro, folk seems to be the genre du jour in the eyes of the majors and the scene is flourishing. At the forefront of the movement are singer-songwriters like Kid Harpoon, Lightspeed Champion and Kate Nash, but there are plenty more acts to get excited about in the new folk scene. However, there may be none more promising than Noah & The Whale and Laura Marling."

and later

"Nowhere is this more apparent than on debut single "Five Years Time", perhaps the most carefree, relentlessly breezy single of the year. With a jovial effervescence that can brighten even the darkest day, the track is all ukuleles, xylophones and whimsically nostalgic lyrics about fun, sun and love (these words come up A LOT), yet manages not to be overly-cute or cloying in spite of itself."

If anyone actually knows what this is about, do feel free to translate. Though I'm no sure that I need or even want to know.