Photo by Michael Leza
The Deer originally formed around Grace Park, former singer with San Marcos’ orchestral folk outfit the Blue Hit. Though the Deer’s 2013 debut An Argument For Observation featured many of Park’s friends, the band was slated as a solo outlet for Park. Now the outfit is fully-formed, featuring Park, Michael McLeod, and Jesse Dalton–who met at the Texas State School of Music–and drummer Alan Eckert. Next month, the Deer release On The Essence Of The Indomitable Spirit, the band’s second album. Much like their first, they recorded it at various home studios in Austin and San Marcos, so there’s a real warmth to the recordings. The atmosphere fits well with the Deer’s own sound, which surrounds Park’s voice with rich folk touches. “Farther” unfolds gently, finding the band increasingly comfortable in its own skin.
