Deer Tick - War Elephant

Not only do I not remember where I first picked up Deer Tick's War Elephant, I also don't know what it is about the album that has kept me so drawn to it ever since. Of course, I wouldn't take the time to blog about it here, if it weren't a great album, but that's hardly what I'm talking about when I say that its attraction eludes me. Without even getting into the discussion of what constitutes good music or bad music, there's another level to music (any music - good or bad) that exists, and that is the draw. Sometimes, the draw is synonymous with originality, but sometimes it's something else entirely. In the case of this particular album, its draw is its production: just dirty enough to match the songs. The tracks feel like they've been pulled right from the soundboard of a corner bar concert that was played in some sleepy town on Saturday night. Just the kind of show you'd stumble into on accident and end up having one of the best nights of your life. Now, what's really cool about this band is that it's one guy, John Joseph McCauley III. Well, at least on the War Elephant album anyway; the band has since grown into a 5-piece group. While listening to the album though, just keep McCauley in mind - one guy, alone in a studio, laying down track after track, not knowing what it would all sound like when it came together in the end. With his gritty guitar style and even grittier singing, McCauley's Deer Tick has a sound unlike any others. It's part country, part rock, part folk, and all good. The other thing to look for is the diversity of the album. While most of the tracks find themselves swimming in the same vein, you'll find a few songs sliding off into the superunknown in terms of style. In the end, I'm left wondering where this band can't go.

Highlights: "Long Time" and "These Old Shoes"