The Deep Dark Woods ( solo )

About

After a stunning show in Scarborough in May a,welcome return to the area for Deep Dark Woods solo ( Ryan Boldt )

To think of the Deep Dark Woods as a band steeped in capital-T tradition, and that
may be true, but now nearly two decades into their life as one of Canada's finest folk-roots ensembles, that
tradition is one of their own invention. The voice of founding member Ryan Boldt sits at the forefront of the
band, and it doesn't take long to reveal that he is a master of subtlety and shading, working in the lineage of
iconic singers like Bob Dylan, Bert Jansch, Rick Danko, and Jason Molina. Boldt, a relentless lifelong listener
of music, says It's all I do. When I'm not playing music, I'm listening to it, trying to find songs that make me
feel an aching pain in my chest. Accordingly, his singing is full of highly emotive nuance and an elegant,
relaxed precision that makes it seem downright effortless, a perfect vehicle for the band's particular brand of
updated folk music. Fellow travellers like keyboard whiz Geoff Hilhorst, veteran drummer Mike Silverman,
and Evan Cheadle round out the Deep Dark Woods unit, and they are often assisted by like-minded
collaborators such as singer-songwriter Ellen Froese, Erik Nielsen, Leon Power, and the acclaimed duo
Kacy & Clayton. This crew creates a powerful combination and has amassed a pile of celebrated albums,
EPs, and a host of nominations from music awards outfits from across the country. Together they recall
classic units like The Band, mid-period Wilco, and American Beauty-era Grateful Dead, but also legendary
late '60s UK groups like Fairport Convention, Pentangle, and Steeleye Span.
Which brings us to the Deep Dark Woods' latest album, Broadside Ballads, Vol.III. Intertwined amongst their
albums of original material, Deep Dark Woods has been steadily building up a series of releases called
Broadside Ballads, focusing on traditional Irish, English, and Scottish folk songs. It's a fitting tribute to the
music that influenced Boldt's writing and singing since first forming the band, and like their forebears, Deep
Dark Woods aims to take their own experiences of traditional music and create something new and vital. The
songs in this collection mine some of the more brutal depths of human experience, touching on broken
hearts, love, murder, and the act of leaving. Boldt notes that there are not too many jolly songs in there, but
the album is not a dour affair, instead benefiting from tasteful, unstated arrangements and an organic, no-
frills recording sound. The songs on Vol.III generously display The Deep Dark Woods' deep-seated links to
the past while still sounding just like themselves.
A brand new album of original music recorded by David Parry (Loving, Alice Phoebe Lou) will be released in 2025.