Langhorne Slim

Why he’s sexy: Langhorne Slim, like a poet on a motorcycle, pairs swagger and sensitivity in his achingly beautiful folk ballads.

What he’s all about: The folk troubadour crafts lighthearted acoustic tunes that hearken back to the joyful optimism and frank sorrow of ’60s and ’70s folk acts. On his latest release, 2009’s Be Set Free, Slim’s raspy yelp and dusty songwriting are at their finest. Slim doesn’t skimp on the charming lyricism, but backing band the War Eagles bring a punk bite to Slim’s sweet sentiments, paying homage more to Jack White than to Bob Dylan. Compact and simple, Slim’s most recent ditties are firecrackers of emotion and wit. A live show of sweet acoustic numbers and rambunctious country-punk freakouts keeps feet stomping and his admirers’ hearts aflutter.