Divine Providence, The Deerplacements, and The Derivative Argument

Divine Providence may not be Deer Tick's Mona Lisa or magnum opus—personally, I'm still partial to War Elephant and Born On Flag Day—but it's still a hell of a record. For the past 7 or so years, the John McCauley-fronted Providence band have been building a loyal and increasingly large fan base around rabid, fearsome, and often unpredictable liveshows. Divine Providence is the band's first attempt at capturing that raw energy on record.

The first time I saw Deer Tick live was at a free show in Portland. The band ripped through three sets over three-and-a-half hours, playing both armfuls of originals and classic covers by the likes of John Mellencamp, Ritchie Valens, Tom Petty, and The Replacements. The set ended with a sloppy rendition of The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends." Alls those beers and Jack and Cokes had caught up with the band by the final song, and instead of finishing it, former guitarist Andy Tobiassen kicked McCauley from on top of an amp down into the drum kit with a loud crash. It was an aptly disheveled rock and roll finish for a night that had me believing again in the power of dirty guitars, pounding drums, and narrative storytelling.

Deer Tick - "These Old Shoes"

I recently wrote about Deer Tick's wonderful Born On Flag Day. It's a record that's hard to put down: classic and full of as much soul as dirt and grime. The band's previous record, War Elephant, ain't bad either. I've been especially prone to repeated listening of "These Old Shoes," a sort of old time folky love song with the evolving chorus: "I will take this old train to get to you... I will take these old shoes to get to you." Portlanders can catch the band when they play free shows September 16th and 17th.

Deer Tick - "These Old Shoes" (from War Elephant)

Deer Tick - "These Old Shoes" (live acoustic from Laundromatinee and MOKB radio)

Deer Tick: croaky, cigarette-fueled folk-rock

John McCauley, the 23-years-old singer and lead songwriter for Providence, Rhode Island band Deer Tick, has a raspy and kicked-around drawl that probably feeds off packs of Marlboro Reds. McCauley and his young band—who sound as harsh and gritty as a group of 40-year-old convicts—play a loose and almost traditional style of rock and roll that rides along steam engine rhythms, guitar licks, and introspective lyrics. Even NBC anchor Brian Williams gave the band his stamp of approval on his internet show BriTunes a few months back. It was well deserved. The band's second full-length, Born On A Flag Day, is a hard-nosed fistful of folk-rock—it's best yet. The dirty electric guitar on "Straight Into The Storm" paired with McCauley's vocals sounds like band mates from Creedence Clearwater Revival or the Drive-By Truckers throwing together their best ode to "Johnny B. Goode." It's as smoldering as it is ragged and loose. Even "Friday XIII," a boozy shuffle of a duet shared with fellow Providence songwriter Liz Isenberg, feels more like a punch in the gut than a love song. Like a spilled beer on a kitchen floor, Born On Flag Day is a record that has a habit of sticking around.

Deer Tick - "Friday XIII" (from Born On Flag Day)

Deer Tick - "Straight Into a Storm" (from Born On Flag Day)