Nothing's On Telly : Deer Tick at SXSW '09, new track and new record soon.

UMass, Amherst, MA

So Deer Tick is this band (project? songwriter? I'm not sure what label to slap on this guy) that I sometimes really like and sometimes forget I really like. I remember having heard "Art Isn't Real (City of Sin)" over the summer of 2006 and liking it well enough, but not necessarily falling in love with it.

And then I saw him / them play at UMass in May of 2008 and was blown away at how lovely and fun the performance was and made a mental note to "listen to this band more."

Then recently, the track "Easy" off upcoming Born On Flag Day, due out on 23rd June, was released and I thought, "Okay, I like it but I don't think I'm in love with it," yet again. (Although now that I'm listening again, I'm immediately rethinking my initial opinion.)

Deer Tick - "Easy"

And then, I came across this acoustic performance of "Cake And Eggs" from this year's SXSW, courtesy of KEXP, and I'm enchanted again.



So I guess maybe what I'm trying to say is that this is a band that really needs to be witnessed live, the sort of thing that is lovely to listen to but makes me clutch my heart and smile like a fool in person.

Luckily, John & co. will be on the road all summer, affording you every opportunity to do the same. Dates include 24th July at Bowery Ballroom and 3rd October at Austin City Limits. All of their dates are listed here.