Music Review: The Duhks

Remember, how I've been wishing Nickel Creek would someday tour Canada? Well, The Duhks are a new Bluegrass band from Canada and are the closest thing we have to Nickel Creek at the moment.

The group describes themselves as "contemporary acoustic," "progressive soul-grass," and “kick-ass rock/folk fusion”, and it is a hell of an energetic mix that these talented musicians put out. I find myself tapping my feet at the reels, like a marionette on strings, meaning that it's that infectuous.


The lead singer's voice is full of soul, something that one hardly gets out of a bluegrass band, yet she also evokes the old-tyme type of bluegrass voice at the same time. Though these songs are not necessarily all bluegrass. For example, there is one song that resembles old style French-Canadian/Acadian folk songs, and the singer on that one sings it so well, complete with the vocal intonation style of the time, that one would think it were an old-time classic, yet it is an original.

This is clearly a Canadian styled Bluegrass band. A lot of influences here are like Canada itself, with its many languages and ethnicities, including salsa, blues, old-time, celtic, scots-metis, with its band members of different backgrounds and it creates a truly different sound. If we look at Nickel Creek for the moment, we notice that the band has a lot of jazz influences, which is mainly a creation that started out in the states. But even so, it's interesting to note the crossroads between celtic, bluegrass and jazz come together. New Orleans was/is like a hub for all of them, so it's not entirely unplausible that Nickel Creek got some of their influences in jazz. At the same time, The Duhk's influences are entirely Canadian. Well, aside from maybe some American bluegrass bands.

If one could choose a band for Nickel Creek to tour Canada with, The Duhks would be the perfect opener. In fact, it's said that Chris Thile of Nickel Creek is a fan of The Duhks. So, you never know! Maybe on Nickel Creek's next album tour, they'll tour Canada with The Duhks as their opener. We can always wish of course. It's just Ducky!

Album: The Duhks - The Duhks
Label: Sugarhill Records
Release Date: January 2005
Bonus Material?: Yes (Enhanced CD)
Site: www.duhks.com
ecard: http://www.sugarhillrecords.com/ecard/theduhks/

Currently Reading: The Confusion

Well, Ok, I guess it's about time for a new post isn't it? I haven't told you what I've been reading ever since November, and what a better way to start off the new year. This one is going to be taking me awhile, since it's 848 pages. Hah, never fear though. I like big books and I'm never scared of having to read them even if they look daunting at first. I consider them more bang for the buck I just alternate between a big meaty book and a light read to give my mind a break, so the next one after this will be a book that will take me a week or two to read through.

I've been a fan of Neal Stephenson ever since I read Snow Crash. I think it's the book that started many people reading him, and as any fan will know, he's quite wordy, and his descriptions can go on and on. That's basically why I like him. He can make some of the most mundane things really stand out, and his prose can be quite good and memorable. I've read everything of his ever since. Well, I think there is one I haven't read and that's the one set in a university, and those that were previously under a different pen name co-written with an uncle of his.

Anyway, this book is the second book in what is called The Baroque Cycle, a 3 book series, and it was originally going to be published all as one book, but that would have been a bit daunting for anyone, including me, considering they all have approximately the same amount of pages. It's set in the 1600's, and it's essentially a prequel series to his previous book, Cryptonomicon, which took place in WWII and present day. All the characters in The Baroque Cycle are ancestors to the characters in Cryptonomicon, and it's interesting to see what these characters do in relation to what happened in Cryptonomicon, meaning that whatever these people do, will end up creating a legacy for the people that follow in their footsteps. For example, in the Baroque Cycle, there are Jack and Bob Shaftoe, and in Cryptonomicon there is Bobby Shaftoe. Daniel Waterhouse in the Baroque Cycle, Lawrence Pritchard (1940's) and Randy (1990's) Waterhouse in Cryptonomicon. All of this presents a certain depth to the universe that is being read, and all of them at the end of the Baroque Cycle will end up close to where the characters in Cryptonomicon are born, I think. I find it nice when an author puts some thought into writing like this as you can expect a certain quality to it. It makes the stories that much more meaty, and that's the kind of thing I like, and it makes me keep coming back for more. I mean, nobody likes a turkey filled with air, right? ;)

As an aside, I hope everyone had some nice holidays. My computer, which is practically all new now is running great, and it's only a matter of time before I get some games to show off it's awesome power. I got two new CDs as a Christmas present from my sister that arrived in the mail on Friday, so you can expect to see reviews of those fairly soon.