Deer Tick - "If I Try to Leave"
Photo by CJ Harvey We can all name bands we loved, but then changed to a more mainstream sound and just lost us. It's not because we're giant music snobs (well... maybe a little) but that they changed everything about what we loved about them to try to become huge stars. While the singles from Deer Tick's upcoming album have definitely been more mainstream than they usually sound, they have not compromised a single thing to get there. The latest single, "If I Try to Leave," shows more of Deer Tick's natural progression than a complete left turn to try to get some arena rock money. Everything that has made us fans since War Elephant and Born on Flag Day through Negativity and Mayonnaise is there. If anything, "If I Try to Leave" incorporates all of Deer Tick's sounds into one cohesive, brilliant single. It has country, their huge alt-rock sound, traces of indie rock... everything Deer Tick has built towards is audible in "If I Try to Leave....