The Duhks New Album/Tour

Punk-Folk-Worldbeat Mavericks The Duhks Return With Fast Paced World August 12

“A band to watch, [wielding] a look and an attack that’s as much punk rock as folk.” -LA Weekly

The Duhks

Hailed by The New York Times as one of the artists at the forefront of the neo-folk movement, the Duhks continue the evolution with their fourth album, Fast Paced World, available August 12 through Sugar Hill Records. “We traveled from Winnipeg, locked ourselves in a Nashville basement, pooled our ideas together and invented a new sound,” says new frontwoman and bilingual, budding soul queen, Sarah Dugas (she replaced Jessee Havey in 2007).

Produced by Jay Joyce, who joins an impressive line of producers (Béla Fleck, Tim O’Brien) before him, the Duhks have created their most energetic, fully realized, unearthly album to date. Seriously. “Jay’s basement studio was like something out of the Star Trek Enterprise,” adds founder and clawhammer banjoist, Leonard Podolak, who, in the past, “traditionally stuck close to the acoustic sound of our instruments. This record is a beautiful mosaic of different ideas and soundscapes.”

Leonard, Sarah, Tania Elizabeth (fiddle, mandolin), guitarist Jordan McConnell and new worldbeat drummer Christian Dugas (Sarah’s brother) have melded French lounge pop (“Toujours Vouloir”) and scratchy soul meditations on the Galveston flood in 1900 (“Mighty Storm”) and sleeping (“Sleepin’ Is All I Wanna Do”) with the soundtrack of the weirdest 1930s Marlene Dietrich movie you never saw (“This Fall”), and beyond. “We’re all proud of this record and can’t wait to release it to the world,” adds Sarah.

Environmental issues have always been a passion for the band, inspiring them to launch The Duhks Sustainability Project (www.greenduhks.com). The goal is to “tour as sustainably as possible – Biodiesel, local organic farmers, sustainable eco-conscious clothing,” says Tania, who was invited by Bonnaroo to speak about sustainability during the festival on June 13. In addition, Bonnaroo has chosen the Duhks to perform on the Solar Stage on June 14.

Catch the Duhks on tour throughout 2008:

6/06/2008 Enterprise, AL – Bamajam Festival
6/07/2008 Jacksonville Beach, FL – Freebird Live
6/08/2008 Tampa, FL – Skipper’s Smokehouse
6/13/2008 Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo
6/21/2008 Telluride, CO – Fly Me to the Moon Saloon
6/22/2008 Telluride, CO – Telluride BGF
7/19/2008 Marquette, MI – Hiawatha Music Co-op
7/24/2008 Calgary, AB – Prince’s Island Park Downtown
7/25/2008 Calgary, AB – Prince’s Island Park Downtown
7/26/2008 Calgary, AB – Prince’s Island Park Downtown
7/27/2008 Calgary, AB – Prince’s Island Park Downtown
8/02/2008 Canmore, AB – Canmore Folk Festival
8/03/2008 Canmore, AB – Canmore Folk Festival
8/04/2008 Canmore, AB – Canmore Folk Festival
8/09/2008 Edmonton, AB – Gallagher Park
8/10/2008 Edmonton, AB – Gallagher Park
8/16/2008 Huntington, VT – Valley Stage
8/17/2008 Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Folk Festival
8/23/2008 Shropshire, UK – Shrewsbury Folk Festival

Duhks with John Paul Jones jamming Whole Lotta Love at Merlefest 2007