Deer Tick, a slow-to-form alt-country outfit hailing from (the surprisingly metropolitan) Providence, Rhode Island, are yet another band to produce a brandy-soaked and bluesy rock record this year.
‘Born On Flag Day’ is a perfectly scoped and intricately mastered vintage-tinged record, and John McCauley’s old soul vocals are what truly hold the whole thing together from start to end. ‘Smith Hill’ is absolutely stunning, infusing heartbreakingly genuine lyrics with folksy strings and old-school Americana, while ‘Houston, TX’ is livelier, yet still somehow weathered and wise.
‘Born On Flag Day’ stands strong and tall amongst its crowded competition, and truly is a gem of a record.
8/10
Words by Teri Williams
