Deer Tick have announced their new album, Emotional Contracts, out June 16th as their debut on ATO Records. They’ve also expanded their 2023 tour (grab tickets here) and shared the lead single, “Forgiving Ties,” alongside album track “The Real Thing.”
Emotional Contracts was produced by Dave Fridmann, who is best known for his work with The Flaming Lips, Spoon, and Sleater-Kinney. The 10-track LP includes a feature from Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and background vocals from Courtney Marie Andrews, Vanessa Carlton, Kam Franklin, Angela Miller, and Sheree Smith.
In a statement, vocalist/guitarist John McCauley described letting loose during the recording process. “This time we wanted to see what it would feel like to let go a bit,” he said. “We figured that the songs were strong enough to stand on their own two feet, so whatever we put them through would just make them stronger and take us in some new direction.”
Despite its buoyant sound, “Forgiving Ties” is filled with pensive lyrics about just trying to stay afloat amidst adversity. “The song is essentially a metaphor for the fear that results from a sudden traumatic event, and how to move forward and take care of yourself and your loved ones,” guitarist/vocalist Ian O’Neil explained in a statement. Watch the music video, directed by Brandon Herman, below.
Deer Tick’s new tour dates follow a previously announced summer headlining run and a string of dates supporting Jason Isbell. Besides an album release in-store at New York City’s Rough Trade on June 12th, the band has added November shows in Chicago, Toronto, Brooklyn, DC, and their hometown of Providence, Rhode Island. See their full touring schedule below.
Tickets for the newly announced concerts go on sale Friday, April 28th at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster.
In 2017, Deer Tick dropped a pair of self-titled albums. The group released a compilation album called Mayonnaise two years later.
Emotional Contracts Artwork:
Emotional Contracts Tracklist:
01. If I Try to Leave
02. Forgiving Ties
03. Grey Matter
04. If She Could Only See Me Now
05. Running from Love
06. Once in a Lifetime
07. Disgrace
08. My Ship
09. A Light Can Go Out in the Heart
10. The Real Thing
Deer Tick 2023 Tour Dates:
06/05 – Deerfield, MA @ Tree House Brewery
06/07 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
06/08 – Canandaigua, NY @ Lincoln Hill Farms
06/09 – Woodstock, NY @ Levon’s Barn
06/10 – Woodstock, NY @ Levon’s Barn
06/12 – New York, NY @ Rough Trade
06/14 – Portsmouth, NH @ Cisco Brewers
06/15 – Matunuck, RI @ Ocean Mist
06/16 – Matunuck, RI @ Ocean Mist
06/17 – Matunuck, RI @ Ocean Mist
06/19 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird
06/21 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
06/22 – Indianapolis, IN @ HI-FI Annex
06/23 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
06/24 – Maquoketa, IA @ Codfish Hollow
06/25 – Wisconsin Dells, WI @ Showboat Saloon
06/27 – Fort Collins, CO @ Washington’s
06/29 – Stanford, CA @ Frost Amphitheatre *
06/30 – Quincy, CA @ High Sierra Music Festival
07/01 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater *
07/02 – Canby, OR @ Clackamas County Fairgrounds *
07/04 – Bonner, MT @ KettleHouse Amp *
07/05 – Seattle, WA @ Woodland Park Zoo *
07/06 – Spokane, WA @ Martin Woldson Theatre *
07/08 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden *
07/09 – Dillon, CO @ Lake Dillon Amphitheatre *
07/11 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre *
07/12 – San Diego, CA @ Humphrey’s *
07/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre *
07/15 – Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre *
07/16 – Las Vegas, NV @ Wynn Las Vegas *
10/12 – Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
10/13 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
10/15 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East
10/17 – Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre
10/19 – New Orleans, LA @ Chickie Wah Wah
10/20 – Houston, TX @ The Heights Theater
10/21 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk
10/22 – Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips
11/08 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
11/09 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
11/10 – Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch
11/11 – Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
11/12 – Homer, NY @ Homer Center for the Arts
11/14 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/15 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
11/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
11/18 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
11/24 – Providence, RI @ Columbus Theatre
11/25 – Providence, RI @ Columbus Theatre
* = w/ Jason Isbell
