• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Write
  • Intern
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact

The Austinot

Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.

  • Things To Do
    • Things To Do This Weekend
    • Things To Do This Week
    • Things To Do This Weekend With Kids
  • Discoveries
    • Austinot Loves
    • Activities
    • Day Trips
    • Local Business
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Drink
  • Entertainment
    • Events
    • Film
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Theatre
  • Culture
    • Arts
    • History
    • Museums
  • Et Cetera
    • Non-Profits
    • Podcast
    • Archives

The Deer Explores Avant Folk Terrain on Release of Double LP

June 14, 2016 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

The Deer Austin Band

The Deer (Credit: Michael Schaffer)

Guest article by Lauren Lyman

The Deer has the profound ability to appeal to the senses. This Austin band, originally from San Marcos, released their third album, “Tempest & Rapture” in May 2016. In the double LP, we have plenty to absorb. We hear catchy and emotive melodies; we see a vast landscape and rolling hills; we feel the creek water at our feet; we smell the aftermath of a long rain; and taste the golden sweetness of life.

Avant Folk on the Farm

The Deer Avant Folk Band Austin

The Deer is heavily influenced by its connection to several local farms (Michael Schaffer)

The Deer’s music has been categorized under a number of genres, but I think the one that sticks with me the most is avant folk. This label emphasizes the innovative tendencies of the band and their ventures outside the simplicity of folk.

I asked lead singer and songstress, Grace Park, about the main inspirations for the group’s lyrics. “This album’s main recurring themes are birds (owls, redbreasts), bugs (moths, flies) and plants (vines, trees),” Park shared. “Like our last album, much of the lyrical content references natural scenes like farms because we’re connected to and inspired by several local farms (Little Bluestem & Boxcar, mainly) and I live on one. Thigh High Gardens is our late Deer friend, Stephanie’s, farm which my family and I maintain.”

Stephanie Bledsoe was a back-up vocalist for the band’s first album, “An Argument for Observation” (2013), close friend to The Deer and manager of Thigh High Gardens on the outskirts of San Marcos. In August 2013, she passed away, leaving an emotional stronghold on the group she had been a part of. Since her death, the farm has been a therapeutic tool as well as a creative sanctuary. The Deer released their second album, “On the Essence of the Indomitable Spirit” in 2015, as a tribute to Stephanie. It turned out to be a pivotal point in the band’s songwriting.

“The farm is a stimulating environment with meditative work that opens the creative channels really well,” Park explained. “It’s also the main setting for my own ever-deepening life story that was shaped largely by the path Stephanie laid out before her passing. Of course, several of the songs still reference or are driven by her. I never want that to stop and, in my experience so far, I don’t believe it will.”

The Deer Explores Emotional Range

Tempest and Rapture Album Cover

Emotions range from turmoil to euphoria on “Tempest & Rapture”

As Park stated, nature and its dwellers continue to inspire The Deer’s music in songs “Up Into Roses,” “Hawkmoth,” “Winter to Pry” and “Redbreast,” as well the visuals on the music video for “Do Return,” which was created by Grace Park, as well.

There are several moods to be heard and felt on the seventeen-song album, from turmoil to euphoria to a consistent psychedelic sound. “Redbreast” is one of the first tracks on the album to have a heavier feeling. It develops on a simple piano melody and then escalates on a minor progression as Park exclaims “Please don’t push me around, don’t push me around…please don’t push it, I’m gonna’ lose it.” I was also taken aback by “Your Right to Waive,” which develops in the same way on attractive melodies, grooving bass line (Jesse Dalton), fullness of the violin (Noah Jeffries) and bluesy climax.

“The last album was us coming into our new sound, experimenting with new moods and instruments,” Park shared. “This album is more a crafting of that sound, reflecting it with our live setup and honing in on our potentials in all directions. It’s definitely more of a genre-bending experiment too. We went a lot further with synthesizers and effects and played with a lot more rock and roll.”

Genre-Bending and Experimentation

The Deer Austin Band

The Deer experiments with a heavier rock sound on “Tempest & Rapture” (Michael Schaffer)

Another single off the album, “Static,” uses more of that rock sound, which is indeed new terrain for The Deer. On the chorus, instead of ascending into a typical ending on the word, “static,” Park resolves on a tag of “ooooos,” which is a classic staple of The Deer. Why go to the predictable place in a song, when you can venture along the abstract? The group experiments with different textures and production on “Strange Resides” and “Visions on the Radio,” the latter having a hearty bass line to drive the music and give it a lush flavor.

“After making two albums ourselves with mainly Michael McLeod (our gifted lead guitar player/engineer) at the helm, it was refreshing to have outside engineers like Grant Johnson to bounce ideas off of and glean inspiration to try new things in a new studio,” Park said. “We also put a lot more time and money into shaping this album, and the value of that investment is already beginning to show.”

It is really gratifying to see this band develop, challenge themselves, and offer more beauty each time. As Texas weather blows through the hills with tension and release, The Deer does the same within their musical landscape. When the tempest has done its work, the rapture will reveal itself.

“As a band, we’re as comfortable playing music around a campfire as we are through a large amphitheater’s sound system,” Park concluded. “We hope to capture that versatility with this album, while bringing people out of their preferred genre comfort zone to enjoy a large, dynamic range of moods and sounds. The lyrical adventure of it alone is well worth the expansion into unknown territory, and we hope to open some minds.”

For information on “Tempest & Rapture,” visit thedeer.org.

 

@theAustinot wants to know:

Who is your favorite folk or avant folk artist in Austin?

 

Lauren Lyman is a freelance writer, flutist, and singer. She is a graduate of Texas State University, where she attained a Master of Music in music history. She wrote her master’s thesis on the sisters of Heart, as well as Fiona Apple, Madonna and Janis Joplin.

 

Disclosure: I have previously worked with The Deer through my professional position in the industry. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Music

Best of The Austinot

We always have unique content on The Austinot and we love to give things away. You know, like concert tickets, gift cards, and other cool stuff. We only send out our “Best of the Austinot” newsletter twice a month. It’s where we give you a recap of our best articles and give stuff away. Interested? Subscribe to Best of The Austinot here!

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Things to do

Things to do in Austin this week | martin luther king day austin - MLK Jr Service Week

10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of January 16, 2023 include MLK Day Food Drive, UMLAUF After Dark: Lunar New Year, and more!

Things to do in Austin this weekend with kids | KIds Night Out at Anderson Mill

Top 10 things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of January 13, 2023 include Kids Night Out, Comedy Match Live, and more!

If there’s one thing about this city, it’s that there is always something going on. So, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of January 13, 2023, there’s plenty of fun to be had, including Kids Night Out – Movie Star Party, Comedy Match Live ComedySportz Austin, Second Saturdays are […]

Things to do in Austin this weekend | Crafting Workshop: Intro to Alcohol Inks

10 Fun things to do in Austin this weekend of January 13, 2023 include Crafting Workshop: Intro to Alcohol Inks, Warehouse District 10k, and More!

There are plenty of fun things to do in Austin this Weekend of January 13 which include Crafting Workshop: Intro to Alcohol Inks, Warehouse District 10k, Off Script!, and more! Whether you’re planning a date or having fun with friends, these events and things to do in Austin this weekend may be right for you. Deal Alert […]

Austin’s New Year: Fireworks from Afar

Austin New Years Eve 2023 fireworks guide – NYE party start time, entertainment line up, parking tips & more!

Are you ready to say goodbye to 2022? What better way to ring in the New Year than with fireworks at Austin’s biggest and official New Year party! This beloved, annual Austin event draws thousands of people including locals as well as visitors from neighboring towns in the Central Texas area. If you are googling […]

Johnson City Christmas Lights Spectacular 2022 - What to expect at this lighting event in Texas

Johnson City Christmas Lights Spectacular 2022 – A beloved Texas lighting event!

Come one, come all to celebrate the Johnson City Lights Spectacular 33rd Season! Johnson City is an area close to Fredericksburg, TX. Every Christmas holiday for the last 33 years, Johnson City transforms from a slow-paced, presidential hometown nestled on the banks of the Pedernales River, into a bright beacon of light — like a […]

Recent Posts

  • 10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of January 16, 2023 include MLK Day Food Drive, UMLAUF After Dark: Lunar New Year, and more!
  • Romantic Restaurants Austin – Top 10 best date night restaurants near you
  • Healthy Food Austin – Your comprehensive guide to health friendly restaurants, cafes, and more!
  • MLK Austin Texas – Your Guide to Martin Luther King Weekend 2023 Activities, Events, and Celebrations!
  • Top 10 things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of January 13, 2023 include Kids Night Out, Comedy Match Live, and more!

Welcome to The Austinot

We are all about Austin: the vibe, the people and the uniqueness of the city. We love to explore. Get to know us! We’ll respond if you comment. Heck, we’ll probably invite you to come and hang out with us!

Follow along to help support and learn more about local businesses, artists, and events.

-The Austinot Team

Privacy Policy

Trending Posts

  • Romantic Restaurants Austin – Top 10 best date night restaurants near you
  • Guide to Austin’s Dirty Sixth Street
  • Guide to Bat Season in Austin
  • Guide to Austin’s Nightlife Districts for Bachelor Party Planners
  • Dance the Night Away With Austin’s Top Cover Bands

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

wpDiscuz