Deer Tick Brings Its 'Confessional' Songs To Boston Music Festival

The band Deer Tick formed in Providence in 2004, led by then-teenage singer-songwriter John McCauley. Its music has often been described as alternative country, but that label hardly captures the band's musical range or tremendous evolution — from a turnover of bandmates to the development of a more raucous, rock-based sound.

And, now, a return to a very personal, soulful and sometimes dark place with Deer Tick's forthcoming album, Negativity, scheduled for release Sept. 24.

Deer Tick will be performing Saturday at the Boston Calling music festival on City Hall Plaza, but first  McCauley and guitarist Ian O'Neil joined WBUR's Sacha Pfeiffer live in studio.

John McCauley

Ian O'Neil