The acoustic-gilded sincerity of folk music and the anarchic aggression of punk may seem like aesthetic opposites—until you remember that folk was the original protest music and has long been a catalyst for working-class, anti-authoritarian dissent. For late-’70s punk converts like Billy Bragg, the only real difference between Pete Seeger and Joe Strummer was amplification, as he channeled both their spirits into fiercely strummed social commentaries that turned him into a one-man busker version of The Clash. And as ‘80s outsiders like the Violent Femmes proved, a quiet arrangement only makes the sneering attitude cut through all the louder. But as heard in more modern exemplars like Frank Turner and Against Me!, the enduring appeal of folk-punk lies in its accessibility—both in terms of its off-the-cuff immediacy, and the ease with which these songs encourage the whole club to shout along.