THE DEEP DARK WOODS (CA)

About

The Deep Dark Woods have been one of Canada's most distinctive folk roots outfits for nearly two decades, built around the voice of founder Ryan Boldt. His singing draws comparisons to Bob Dylan, Bert Jansch, Rick Danko and Jason Molina, and it's easy to hear why: there's a quiet emotional precision to it, effortless on the surface but loaded underneath. Boldt himself puts it plainly, saying he's either playing music or listening to it, hunting for songs that hit him in the chest. The band, rounded out by keyboardist Geoff Hilhorst, drummer Mike Silverman and Evan Cheadle, pulls from a tradition that runs through The Band, mid period Wilco and Grateful Dead's American Beauty era, as well as British folk giants Pentangle and Fairport Convention. Collaborators like singer songwriter Ellen Froese, Erik Nielsen, Leon Power and the duo Kacy and Clayton also turn up in their orbit, making the whole thing feel like a genuine community of musicians rather than a fixed lineup.