Pushing through to the future
American alt-rock/folk band Deer Tick released their latest studio album, Emotional Contracts, on June 16, 2023. For this release, the band plays off of well-established trends in rock and folk to create a nostalgic, foot-stomping collection of jams.
The album opens with “If I Try To Leave,” beginning with a strong stride. Bursting straight out of the ’70s, the song’s catchy beat and instrumental swagger makes it hard for the listener to not at least bounce a knee to the tune as John Joseph McCauley sings about moving away from the town-to-town drifter lifestyle.
The album’s second track, “Forgiving Ties,” opens up with a rattling cowbell and deep bass before giving way to the best guitar performance on the album. The song has a fast-paced, upbeat sound as the lyrics discuss “looking for a way to survive. “Grey Matter” takes a slower start, taking the time for plucks and strums at the bass before breaking into a danceable riff, complemented with claps and stomps as McCauley encourages the listener to “take a ride on a falling star” and keep moving forward, not living in the past.
“If She Could Only See Me Now” continues the trends of the previous songs, mixing in some good old-fashioned piano as the lyrics proudly state the singer’s personal growth. “Running From Love” slows its pace significantly, with melancholy beats on the snare and lonely strums on the bass complementing Dennis Ryan’s lyrics about how his “wings are broken / I don’t see a way up” as he runs away from love.
“Once In A Lifetime” keeps up the energetic pace of the rest of the album, as McCauley sings about the feeling of being with the right person, and taking a shot at what could be someone’s “only chance” at making a life, as groovy guitars play alongside an accordion part. “Disgrace” is a funky nostalgic beat which sings about leaving behind one’s troubled past and moving into the future, along with bass guitars and drums.
The album hits a melancholy note with “My Ship,” a tune which laments the distance growing between people as the instrumentals jangle with a more indie sound. “A Light Can Go Out In The Heart” begins to bring the album to a close with a tragic song emphasized by its fine composition, with taps on a snare drum, a passionate guitar solo and droning keys.
The final track on the album, “The Real Thing,” is a powerfully affecting nine-minute tune about living with depression. McCauley’s raw vocals are emphasized by the slow drumbeats and intense guitar strums, coming together to create an overwhelming musical experience to end the album on a high note.
Emotional Contracts is a nostalgic collection of tunes which hit emotional highs and lows while maintaining intricate instrumental performances and showing that despite this being their first new album in six years, they have not lost their touch.
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