If you want to hear something new and original check out The Duhks (pronounced “ducks”). You could describe their sound as “progressive soul-grass.” Not that any classification will do their sound justice.. it’s all over the place, but curiously enough, really works. I love it.

Check out this music video:
The Duhks - “Mists of Down Below” (requires RealPlayer)

Some their tracks which I’ve already grown to love are “You And I” and “The Wagoner’s Lad.” I’ve noticed they’re on tour, and are stopping in Missoula, Montana (my hometown) next week… I’ll sadly miss them by a week or so, as I’ll be just beginning my road trip back West. Anyhow, if you like acoustic, bluegrass, celtic, French-Canandian tunes with polyrhythmic percussion… or just want to feel something different… give them a listen.

A big thanks to Stephen for sharing The Duhks with me.

About The Duhks, courtesy of their bio page: That phrase “contemporary acoustic” doesn’t readily suggest– until the moment you see The Duhks enter and go at it, live –a drummer (Scott Senior) pounding dance rhythms, even graceful salsa polyrhythms, on a handmade cajon drum right out of Havana, or a striking, soulful singer up front (Jessica Harvey) awash in tattoos, cooing, crying and shouting like a punk rock-era Gladys Knight–or India.Arie. That their salsa and soul regularly intertwine with turns on banjo (Leonard Podolak), fiddle (Tania Elizabeth) and guitar (Jordan McConnell) out of traditional instrumental folk music only underscores that this band is essentially something else again, with sounds of their own making, working a potent new North American vein of World Music.