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Deer Tick

Begun as an outlet for the spare and quavering solo material of singer/songwriter John McCauley, Deer Tick evolved into a rough-and-tumble road rock outfit as more participants joined the fold while continuing to integrate sounds from indie folk-rock, alternative country-rock, and blues-rock. The debut album from the fully formed version of the band, War Elephant, was released in 2007, and their approach grew only more visceral and vigorous through years of restless touring and the release of studio albums like 2013's Negativity and 2023's Emotional Contracts. John McCauley, the songwriter behind the Deer Tick moniker, grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, where he began his career by teaching himself to play drums, guitar, piano, and pedal steel. McCauley started recording his own compositions and touring the area while still in high school, and he widened his circle after graduation by touring the entire country. Although he'd often perform solo, the young musician began piecing together a proper band, occasionally playing as a duo with drummer Dennis Ryan or with a small group. His music fit loosely into the alt-country category, but his vocals -- rough, raw, and ragged -- brought a distinctive character to the sound. In these early days, Deer Tick's music existed on self-released CD-Rs and other miscellaneous releases, such as a split EP with bassist/songwriter Nat Baldwin. Following the September 2007 release of their first album, War Elephant, McCauley's Deer Tick project began earning comparisons to Bright Eyes, Modest Mouse, and Uncle Tupelo. Although originally released on FEOW! Records, War Elephant was reissued in late 2008 by Partisan Records. Partisan went on to release 2009's sleeker Born on Flag Day and 2010's less country- and more rock-minded The Black Dirt Sessions. They both featured the core lineup of McCauley, drummer Dennis Ryan, bassist Christopher Dale Ryan, and guitarist Andrew Tobiassen, while Titus Andronicus' Ian O'Neil joined as additional guitarist beginning with the latter album. The band's fourth studio outing, Divine Providence, arrived the following year, sporting 12 rowdy and raucous originals drawing inspiration from the raw power of the Stones and the Stooges. It was recorded without Tobiassen and with keyboardist/saxophonist Rob Crowell. 2013's dark-hued Negativity took a more streamlined approach with producer Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) tightening up the band's sometimes ragged sound. Though they continued to tour, and their lineup remained steady, Deer Tick didn't record again for nearly four years. In September 2017, the band released not one but two albums simultaneously: Deer Tick, Vol. 1 and Deer Tick, Vol. 2. Recorded at Memphis' famed Ardent Studios, the first set focused on the band's softer folk-driven, Americana-tinged roots rock style, while the second allowed Deer Tick to flex its punk-inspired garage rock muscle. In February 2019, they followed with companion album Mayonnaise. The compilation featured a grab bag of material, including two new songs, covers, outtakes from the two-volume series, and other miscellanea. It would prove to be their final release with Partisan. The self-released concert LP Live at Fort Adams appeared in mid-2021 before Deer Tick signed on with ATO Records for the release of their eighth studio album. Recorded with Mercury Rev's Dave Fridmann at his Tarbox Road Studios in western New York, 2023's Emotional Contracts featured diversions into a harder rock sound that reflected subject matter like depression and topical events like book bans.
© J. Poet & Marcy Donelson /TiVo
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