Two years after releasing the much lauded, Juno-nominated and Canadian Folk Music Award-winning The Place I Left Behind, The Deep Dark Woods return with their second studio album on Sugar Hill Records, Jubilee. On October 1, the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan natives emerge from the wilderness with the new project, which is a celebration of community, camaraderie and feverish cabin creativity. With Jubilee, The Deep Dark Woods revel in the jangly, freewheeling days of psychedelic and electric folk (think Neil Young) while keeping their compass aligned with the magnetic, hypnotic north.Recorded in a cabin in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains near Bragg Creek, Alberta, Jubilee journeys through folk and rock history, from California to the UK, from the 1970s to the present day. Produced by L.A.-based folk revivalist Jonathan Wilson (Dawes, Bonnie Prince Billy, Father John Misty), the album nods to genre pioneers such as The Byrds and Fairport Convention before heading into altogether new territory of soundscapes that bend and fluctuate underfoot. Jubilee moves the yardstick with its rolling layers of specialized keys, organs and analog rarities (e.g., novachord, celesta, vibraphone, and more) first used in the early days of psychedelic-synth experimentation, and the results sound at once in and out of modern time. Since the release of 2011’s The Place I Left Behind, for which the band received a Juno nomination, Americana Emerging Artist nomination and a Canadian Folk Music Award, the lineup has changed to include guitarist Clayton Linthicum. Linthicum’s talent for English style guitar playing shines on Jubilee, in particular on the standout song “18th of December.” “It's something we've tried in the past but haven't been able to fully accomplish until Clayton joined up,” says vocalist-guitarist Ryan Boldt of the track, his “first attempt at a Fairport Convention-type song.”Comprised of Boldt, Chris Mason (vocals, bass), Lucas Goetz (drums/percussion, vocals), Geoff Hilhorst (keys) and Linthicum, the tight-knit members of The Deep Dark Woods are old friends and trusted collaborators. Lead singer Boldt writes most of the lyrics, but songwriting credits on Jubilee are also shared with Mason, former bandmate Burke Barlow and new addition Linthicum. The band recorded Jubilee mostly live off the floor, which allowed for a collective and often spontaneous approach to songcraft. Lyrically, Jubilee shows artistic growth and finesse, and the new album features some of band’s finest songs yet.About The Deep Darks Woods:Hailing from the lonely plains of Saskatchewan, Canada, The Deep Dark Woods have appeared at numerous high-profile festivals and on many prestigious stages in North American and Europe, including Newport Folk Fest, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, and at Terrapin Crossroads in San Francisco. The band recently made their silver screen debut with the inclusion of their song “My Baby’s Got To Pay the Rent“ in Safe Haven, the newest Nicholas Sparks blockbuster. In addition, The Deep Dark Woods has been awarded many accolades including Best Roots Group at the 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards; Ensemble of the Year at the 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards; Contemporary Album of the Year for The Place I Left Behind at the 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards; and nominations for Roots & Traditional Album Of The Year for The Place I Left Behind at the 2012 JUNO Awards and Emerging Artist of the Year at the Americana Music Awards. The band also had the runaway winner in CBC’s Great Canadian Songquest with “Charlie’s (Is Coming Down).” Jubilee, the band’s second label release and fifth studio album overall, will be released on October 1, 2013 on Sugar Hill Records (USA, Europe, Australia) and Six Shooter Records (Canada).
