THE DEEP DARK WOODS

The instrumentation on Saskatoon, Sask.’s Deep Dark Woods’ sophomore album is lovely. Album opener West Side Street is a narration of Saskatoon’s rougher edges; it’s a little more chipper than the following tracks (and comes with a fun organ line). Third track Mary’s Gone is heartbreaking, with its soaring guitars and mournful strings. Virginia could be the soundtrack for a lone ranger’s ride off into the sunset, while he thinks of his girl back home. As singer Chris Mason sings in his smooth vocals on Sugar Mama: take a chance on this album. The Place I Left Behind does begin to feel like a bit of the “same” after a while, as the tempo stays pretty steady throughout, but it is an easy listen that lends itself to reminiscing about times gone by. I am just not quite sure I could sit through all 13 tracks in one listen.

Published in Volume 66, Number 9 of The Uniter (October 26, 2011)

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