The Dead South

The Dead South (SK)

The Saskatchewan prairie provides lots of space, nature, and silence – and time, it seems, to fill that space with great music. Although they’ve only been around a few years, The Dead South, now heroes in that very province – their home, have now come to the world’s attention. Little kids now sing their songs and know their lyrics. Old-timers get up and dance to their catchy tunes. They, despite humble beginnings have, as they say, ‘caught on’ in a big time, worldwide way.

Blazing hot banjo licks, guitar chops, cello melodies and infectious beats underscore lyrics that reflect the band’s penchant for spaghetti westerns and grind house films. Drinkers, gamblers, and murderers, with barren landscapes as a backdrop—these are all the good company The Dead South needs to inhabit their little corner of whisky-scented hell. And their fans clearly love every minute as they continue to defy age, gender, genre ‘metrics’ as they enthusiastically support a band delighted to appeal to every audience.

TheDead South will kick your tires with boot-stompin’ folk-bluegrass-rock with a dash of acoustic heavy metal. With humour, and a bold manner of putting words into well-played instrumental parts, surprisingly catchy lyrics and well sung melodies combinedwith their own, ‘unique’ dance stylings, the band has grown beyond Saskatchewan’s (and Canada’s) boundaries. The Dead South are fast becoming the world’s odd little darlings.

In their own words “We are definitely closer to the Pogues than to Alison Krauss. Unfortunately, we do not possess much of the delicate elegance so we try and bring more energy and entertainment to our side. You could say we are a mix of Nu-folk with a few different styles. We tend to add elements of classical, punk, rock, alternative, bluegrass, folk and everything in between.”

This is a modest comment from a band who is making real waves in this country and beyond. They should fit in well on the shores of Jericho Beach when they arrive, 2018 JUNO Award for Best Roots Album of the Year in hand, to lead us all in the dance.