Ryan Boldt has traditional folk music running in his veins. Despite its modern stylings, the music he makes with his band the Deep Dark Woods has genuinely old-fashioned foundations.
The Saskatoon-based band have a fourth album coming out next month, titled The Place I Left Behind, filled with more of their sombre balladry and gritty folk rock. But modern folk isn't quite enough to satisfy Boldt, the band's vocalist, guitarist and main songwriter. So he has recorded an upcoming solo album filled with traditional folk music.
Asked about the decision to go it alone, Boldt says the project didn't seem suitable as a Deep Dark Woods efforts.
"I've always wanted to make a record of traditional folk songs because that's what I started out playing -- traditional ballads, traditional music, American and British stuff," Boldt tells Exclaim! "I knew we would never do that as a band because we've all got so many songs that we don't want to just put out a covers album. But it's not really a covers album, that's the thing. It's a traditional album. You take those songs and you make your own out of them."
Recorded primarily in Jody Weger's Beresford Church Studio in Manitoba, Boldt says the solo album contains guest appearances by several friends.
"My good pal Clayton Linthicum is on it," he says. "He's only 16 years old. And this kid, he's the greatest guitar player I've ever played with in my life. The guy is like Richard Thompson or something."
Linthicum plays in a band with his 14-year-old cousin performing mainly traditional folk songs.
"I'm not one for kids playing blues and stuff like that but this is insane," says Boldt. "I saw the guy playing in Chaplain [Saskatchewan]. I went up and talked to him and he started talking about Mississippi John Hurt and Doc Watson and Gene Richie. I couldn't believe it. Sixteen years old and he likes Mississippi John Hurt. So I had him come down and we did some recording and it sounds incredible."
Boldt is self-releasing the album and hopes to have it out by fall of 2011 to sell on tours and at solo performances. As for a title, it's still under consideration.
"There's this old Bobby Bland record, it's called He's the Man!!!" Boldt chuckles. "I was thinking about calling it The Fabulous Ryan Boldt: He's the Man!!! But we'll see, I don't know."
As previously reported, the Deep Dark Woods' fourth album, The Place I Left Behind, is due out via Six Shooter Records on August 2. You can see all the band's tour dates below.
Tour dates:
8/4-7 Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Folk Music Festival
8/12-14 Ear Falls, ON - Trout Forest Music Festival
8/20-21 Kelwood, MB - Harvest Sun Music Festival
8/27 Wood Mountain, SK - Wood Mountain Folk Festival
The Saskatoon-based band have a fourth album coming out next month, titled The Place I Left Behind, filled with more of their sombre balladry and gritty folk rock. But modern folk isn't quite enough to satisfy Boldt, the band's vocalist, guitarist and main songwriter. So he has recorded an upcoming solo album filled with traditional folk music.
Asked about the decision to go it alone, Boldt says the project didn't seem suitable as a Deep Dark Woods efforts.
"I've always wanted to make a record of traditional folk songs because that's what I started out playing -- traditional ballads, traditional music, American and British stuff," Boldt tells Exclaim! "I knew we would never do that as a band because we've all got so many songs that we don't want to just put out a covers album. But it's not really a covers album, that's the thing. It's a traditional album. You take those songs and you make your own out of them."
Recorded primarily in Jody Weger's Beresford Church Studio in Manitoba, Boldt says the solo album contains guest appearances by several friends.
"My good pal Clayton Linthicum is on it," he says. "He's only 16 years old. And this kid, he's the greatest guitar player I've ever played with in my life. The guy is like Richard Thompson or something."
Linthicum plays in a band with his 14-year-old cousin performing mainly traditional folk songs.
"I'm not one for kids playing blues and stuff like that but this is insane," says Boldt. "I saw the guy playing in Chaplain [Saskatchewan]. I went up and talked to him and he started talking about Mississippi John Hurt and Doc Watson and Gene Richie. I couldn't believe it. Sixteen years old and he likes Mississippi John Hurt. So I had him come down and we did some recording and it sounds incredible."
Boldt is self-releasing the album and hopes to have it out by fall of 2011 to sell on tours and at solo performances. As for a title, it's still under consideration.
"There's this old Bobby Bland record, it's called He's the Man!!!" Boldt chuckles. "I was thinking about calling it The Fabulous Ryan Boldt: He's the Man!!! But we'll see, I don't know."
As previously reported, the Deep Dark Woods' fourth album, The Place I Left Behind, is due out via Six Shooter Records on August 2. You can see all the band's tour dates below.
Tour dates:
8/4-7 Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Folk Music Festival
8/12-14 Ear Falls, ON - Trout Forest Music Festival
8/20-21 Kelwood, MB - Harvest Sun Music Festival
8/27 Wood Mountain, SK - Wood Mountain Folk Festival