“The Black Dirt Sessions” Deer Tick

Deer Tick
The Black Dirt Sessions
[Partisan Records]

Principal songwriter and auteur John McCauley is a Yankee playing southern-inspired folk. Hailing from Providence, RI, McCauley transcends his post-industrial upbringing in the North and blends a seemingly endless array of boogie, rock and country while maintaining a healthy amount of respect from music lovers from Portland, ME to El Paso, TX.

Deer Tick’s latest album The Black Dirt Sessions is rich, authentic, and modern from the get-go. “Twenty Miles” is a ghostly folk romp that that is so fragile, I’m afraid to even guess what its lyrics mean. The song really cradles its soul from the well-placed cello echoes as well as the deep pluck from Christopher Ryan’s up-right bass. But the album is balanced throughout with songs like “I Will Not Be Myself” which prominently features McCauley’s deep growl and blazing guitar work.

Deer Tick is just getting started, however. From their first release in 2007, the group has expanded its sound, and rightly relied on McCauley as the group’s visionary and musical guru. The Black Dirt Sessions is dark and stormy – loaded with tales of sordid love and mournful reprise. Yet, I think this is truly is a band grabbing life by the throat and making a statement.