Deerpark |
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It’s almost the height of fashion to ignore the typical 4-piece band format currently. Kids out there are realizing they can break the preconceived notions and are forming two-piece duos of weird instrument combinations and experimenting to discover really what they are capable of. Then there are those moving in the opposite direction, taking the adventurous step into “small orchestra” territory. Deerpark fall into the latter category, steadying their boat with a crew of nine and a diverse collection of talents and instruments. On their expedition they can’t help but touch on the styles of alt.country and folk music, but they are also not so predictable and are primarily trying to find their own course.
It works well for them. While larger collectives like Lambchop are sounding overly grand and almost sickly these days, the music of Deerpark remains somewhat understated, with the musicians working together to thoughtfully add delicate textures to the songs rather than bolstering the group into a marching army band.
The simple songwriting of Jon Marshall seems to lie at the core of the group, providing a starting point and a basic structure to work with before all members combine to transform the piece. It feels similar to the journey that songs by The Delgados have also taken, and the Deerpark vocals convey that similar fragility. However, while the style and quality of the finished songs is equally high, the results differ greatly thanks to the range of instruments and the homely English voice leading. You can hear this perfectly in ‘Circa 85E’ which starts off on a sequence of notes that leave you expecting Emma Pollock’s vocal to appear at anytime, but before you know it, it’s all about Deerpark again after they stamp their style firmly all over it.
All in, they have created some adorable pieces of music in this small collection. The beautifully simple arrangement of ‘Burning Photos’ relies mainly on its pretty guitar arpeggios, yet as the song evolves, its sweeping chorus bathes in effective orchestration. ‘Wolf Song’ successfully sells itself on the saddest violin playing this side of Andrew Bird, and then there is ‘Annabelle’s Mother’ which is slightly more chaotic in sound, and its vocals almost hide themselves at times, as if afraid the wrong person is going to overhear, but the more you listen to it, the pieces of its puzzle fall gradually into place.
With only six songs, it’s slightly saddening that It Made Her Look Spidery doesn’t stretch beyond the 20 minute mark because it’s a strong and interesting debut. There’s no shortage of artists across the world playing these styles of music, but it’s always nice to hear something that can rise up honestly, be proud of what it is, and stand out from the crowd.
Steven McCarron
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