Photo via Deer Tick - Facebook
Deer Tick
Deer Tick (2025)
It’s rock, it’s blues, it’s folk. But don’t ever call them country. It’s Deer Tick. And their innovative mix of sounds has also got them labeled as alt rock, indie rock and Americana. Something for everyone? Absolutely.
For fans of Nirvana, Deer Tick will even play entire sets of their music. And then they become called Deervana. But at this year’s Summerfest, it’s strictly their own music as well as plenty to choose from their catalog of covers. The foursome reaches far and wide in their choices: John Prine, the Beastie Boys, The Replacements, Hank Williams, Warren Zevon, to name a few.
Fans will get a chance to hear new music from their just-released ninth studio album, Coin-O-Matic. And for those wanting an early listen, two singles are already out. “ACI” (named for adult correctional institutions) has frontman McCauley on lead vocals and guitar storytelling about the local bad boy and a robbery gone wrong. It has a down-home, roots rock feel that leads straight to the heartland with its stripped-down approach and Americana vibe.
Ditto for the tongue-in-cheek song, “Mary Singletary.” Catholic guilt and dark family secrets get mashed up with Deer Tick’s playful approach. It has an indie/alt feel that, once again, makes them uniquely stand out.
Deer tick moves so easily from one musical genre to another that the band has played the historic Newport Folk Festival in 2021. So when they take the stage at Summerfest, just remember that they’re everything but country.
They’re simply...Deer Tick. And that says it all.
