Why Deer Tick is my favourite band

I’m a big fan of finding bands that aren’t necessarily the most famous they can be. I think there are a lot of hidden gems that don’t get the credit they deserve for their songwriting and performance.

My favourite band of all time falls under that category. From Rhode Island, they’re called Deer Tick.

Deer Tick has been making music since the late 2000s, making a name for themselves in the local bar scene around almost all 50 states in America. They’re usually described as having a more rock-style of music but are one of those bands that album-by-album, their sound changes significantly. “Divine Providence’ is their self-proclaimed party-style record, taking us through frontman John McCauley’s life on the road and dealing with the highs and lows that come with it. Specifically, his history with drug abuse and, at the time, his engagement coming to an end.

Their most popular song to date, ‘Twenty Miles,’ was written by frontman McCauley about a girl he only encountered incredibly briefly on the road. Not only does Deer Tick stand out for their variety in sound as I mentioned before, but something I don’t think they get enough credit for is how unique the names of their albums are. Twenty Miles is off their record ‘The Black Dirt Sessions,’ which was followed up by ‘Born on Flag Day,’ and more recently, they released a bright pink vinyl record called ‘Mayonnaise.’ I think this is part of the reason why they keep people interested during the evolution of their music in each album.

Still coming out with new music regularly, their newest original song was recorded during a live performance at Fort Adams, an old army base in Newport, Rhode Island.

A remastered version of ‘Divine Providence’ was recently released on November 11^th, featuring many different versions of each song on the original album. Be sure to listen, you’ll without a doubt become a lifelong fan like me. I’m Ewan King for NR92.com.

Comments