Listen to Ryley Walker’s Take on Dave Matthews’ “Diggin’ a Ditch”

Ryley Walker has shared “Diggin’ A Ditch,” the second single from his forthcoming album of Dave Matthews covers, The Lillywhite Sessions, out Nov. 16 on Dead Oceans.

“Diggin’ a Ditch” follows Walker’s previous DMB cover, “Busted Stuff,” in reimagining the singer-songwriter’s frat-rock fusion into something a little mellower and less easily defined. Walker’s version of “Busted Stuff” found him turning watered-down folk into amped-up avant-jazz, but on “Diggin’ a Ditch” he channels his shoegaze-ier tendencies to stretch out the tender acoustic ballad into a jiving, fuzzed-out stomper. It’s continuously shocking how much Walker can rearrange the textures within an established framework and end up with a totally different-sounding end product. With just a bit more distortion and some well-placed drone notes, Dave Matthews suddenly sounds a whole hell of a lot like Sebadoh. Incredible.

Listen to “Diggin’ A Ditch” below and find Walker’s tour dates further down.

Ryley Walker Tour Dates:

November
06 – Berlin, Germany @ Frannz Club
07 – Aarhus, Denmark @ Atlas
08 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega
09 – Wangels, Germany @ Rolling Stone Weekender
10 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ Le Guess Who? **
10 – Groningen, Netherlands @ ROCKIT Festival
11 – Kortrijk, Belgium @ Sonic City Festival
12 – Middelburg, Netherlands @ Kloveniersdoelen
13 – Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique *
14 – Köln, Germany @ Artheater *
15 – Bern, Switzerland @ ISC Club *
16 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Bogen F *
17 – Rust, Germany @ Rolling Stone Park
19 – Barcelona, Spain @ Sidecar *
20 – Madrid, Spain @ El Intruso *
21 – Sevilla, Spain @ Sala X *
22 – Lisbon, Portugal @ ZDB *
24 – San Sebastian, Spain @ Badabada *
25 – Limoges, France @ Le Phare
26 – Lille, France @ Le Bar Bulle de la Maison Folie Moulins
27 – London, U.K. @ Scala *
28 – Bristol, U.K. @ The Fleece *
29 – Manchester, U.K. @ Band On The Wall *
30 – Brighton, U.K. @ The Old Market *

December
01 – Paris, France @ Point Ephemere *
02 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso Noord *
05 – Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Calvin College Recital Hall ++
06 – Detroit, Mich. @ El Club ++
07 – Toronto, Ont. @ Baby G ++
08 – Montreal, Que. @ L’Esco ++
09 – Portland, Maine @ SPACE Gallery ++
10 – Greenfield, Mass. @ Root Cellar ++
11 – Boston, Mass. @ Great Scott ++
12 – Providence, R.I. @ Columbus Theatre ++
13 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Boot & Saddle ++
14 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Baby’s All Right ++
15 – Montclair, N.J. @ Outpost In The Burbs ++
16 – Washington, D.C. @ Songbyrd ++
17 – Charlottesville, Va. – Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
18 – Knoxville, Tenn. @ Pilot Light ++
19 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Drunken Unicorn ++
20 – Nashville, Tenn. @ The Basement ++
21 – Indianapolis, Ind. @ White Rabbit Cabaret ++
28 – Chicago, Ill. @ Empty Bottle ***

(+ with Health&Beauty)
(* with Andrew Tuttle)
(** collaborative set with Kikagaku Moyo)
(++ with Mute Duo)
(*** with Ohmme and Ben Lamar Gay)