Now that the “album cycle” appears to be broken, we’re seeing great releases come in the latter quarter of the year. While there have always been indie albums drop in the final quarter, it’s not the death nail it once was. One of the albums we’ve looked forward to is Do No Harm from Austin’s The Deer. Ever since we caught the band early on, we were enamored by their mixture of roots folk and pop fueled Americana. With this album though, they defy all of this and give you beautiful tones that you can’t forget and melodies that you’ll hold on to for days.

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The opening track sets the stage and readies your ears for a beautifully crafted album. “Confetti to the Hurricane” perfectly balances the vocals of Grace Rowland and the instrumentation of the band that sways like a warming breeze. There’s an intimacy in how the song is structured, lush with arrangements while the vocals float above like a haunting spirit. Though as the album ticks along, the songs become more and more intricate without getting too heady. Among the sweeping folk pop notes of “Move to Girls,” the tender graces of “Stark Raven” and the quieted characters of “How Not to Die” resides a band that’s comfortable in their own blend of multiple genres.

There’s no rush to get to a drop, just pure and biological accents of musical perfection. The Deer is on their own plain, giving way to a delicacy for the ears that doesn’t come around much anymore. Gone from how you may experience such music in the past is the desire to make the songs pop bangers, only to be replaced with joyous arrangements. With all of the tonal qualities that your senses will succumb to with this album, our favorite track comes with “Dissolve.” The piano lead track has this quick and slow open, the build of the piano lending to pursed strings that swoon your senses. Open ended in how the notes play out, the soft vocals are just a tick above a whisper, making the music feel more affectionate. There’s brushes of symphonic design, Southern influence and kindred grace that fall all over the song while washing you with a strong softness that’s unparalleled. In a time where chaos is rampant and uncertainty is assured, The Deer calm your senses with each carefully crafted note of Do No Harm.

Do No Harm is available physically on multiple formats directly from Keeled Scales. It’s also available to stream on all platforms or to purchase digitally wherever you download music. The Deer is on tour beginning November 05 at Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe, UT until November 14 at Utopiafest Eleven in Burnett, TX. The band’s complete tour schedule can be accessed here. 

Image Credits: Photo by Letitia Smith.