When Deer Tick comes to Urban Lounge on Halloween, they should come as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — a reflection of the two sides of the band that will be crystal clear that night and is distinct in its new release.
When Deer Tick emerged in the mid-2000s, they were cut from the folk and alt-country cloth, with frontman John McCauley’s distinctive nasally, sandpaper voice belting out sounds reminiscent of Blitzen Trapper, My Morning Jacket and Old 97s.
Since then, the band has gone through a transformation, infusing its sound with roots-rock and cow-punk influences.
Deer Tick’s live shows over the years, like their 2013 set that I was lucky enough to catch at Urban Lounge, would wind from crazed foot stompers to mellow shoe-gazers and everything in between.