For seven years running, decker. has been recording and performing some of the most vital music to be released from America’s Southwest. The music is clearly drawn from the land itself—all that is at once comforting, eerie, haunting, healing, harsh and beautiful. San Francisco Bay Guardian described his sound as “dusty, moody, lonely, and super atmospheric,” while LA Music Blog dubbed it “masterful and filled with energy,” clearly carving something incomparable out of the essence he grasps in his red rock home of Sedona, Arizona—a land of red clay mountains and vortexes.
The music takes on a spiritual mantle, a deeper, ancient calling rooted to the land itself, tapping into the mysticism of old, weird America, divining its power, resurrecting what he sees fit and crafting it into musical odysseys of treachery, redemption, enlightenment and tenacity. Perhaps it’s this incomparable edgy sound that caught the ears of HBO, prompting them to include several of his songs in their Vice series.
With barely a pause to reflect after the 2014 release of Patsy, decker. recently completed his 6th studio album, Snake River Blues, out everywhere today, September 23. Like most every month for DIY songwriter decker., this one has been filled with non-stop hustle—including a monthlong residency at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall, a SoFar Sounds show, and one tough-cookie keyboard player, Amber Johnson, who sprained her ankle upon arriving in the city yet powered through it. The band will even celebrate release day with a series of pop up subway sets today throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Inspired by legendary psychedelic blues classics like Muddy Waters’ Electric Mud and Chuck Berry’s San Francisco Dues, Snake River Blues is comprised by tales of treachery and conquest, in blues archetypes viewed through decker.’s unique lens. The album signifies growth, while also a departure from his more acoustic and methodic efforts. It harnesses an American desperation, while being simultaneously rife with audacious confidence, grit and focus. “decker.’s rock draws from blues, garage-rock revival, and psychedelic—all genres stemming from a dusty, down-home electricity,” says PopMatters; decker. self-describes his work as “psychedelic desert folk.” However you classify it, one thing is clear—Snake River Blues is altogether decker.’s tightest and most succinct effort to date.
It wasn’t until his later years that decker. discovered his musical talents. The first part of his life was spent as a runaway, developing and then overcoming drug addiction. He found himself working as a bank teller for some time until being robbed at gunpoint twice in one week, prompting him to quickly throw in the towel on that gig. At age 25, decker. began traveling with an acoustic guitar, which is when he honed in on his songwriting skills. Other triumphs include surviving a 2012 van rollover on tour, and raising a five year old son while maintaining a packed show schedule.
Now he’s performing 150 shows a year and has self-released six studio records in the last seven years, all with relentless vigor. As if that isn’t enough on his plate, decker. has extended his endeavors into helping to design his very own line of artisanal beer, dark chocolate, soaps with well-respected local Arizona purveyors.
2016 shows no sign of slowing down for decker., who will continue on his North American tour throughout December. Stay up to date on his whereabouts and other upcoming releases at deckermusic.org.
:: Upcoming Tour Dates ::
Wed Sep 28 — Rockwood Music Hall Residency New York, NY
Fri Oct 21 — Apache Lake Music Festival — Tortilla Flats, AZ
Fri Oct 28 — Monte Vista Lounge — Flagstaff, AZ
Thurs Nov 3 — Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership — El Prado, NM
Fri Nov 4 — Syntax Physic Opera — Denver, CO
Sat Nov 6 — Marble Brewing — Albuquerque, NM
Sat Nov 12 — The Flycatcher — Tuscon, AZ
Thurs Nov 17 — Pour House — Oceanside, CA
Fri Nov 18 — Amnesia — San Francisco, CA
Sat Nov 19 — Resident — Los Angeles, CA
Sat Nov 26 — The Spirit Room — Jerome, AZ
Sat Dec 10 — Last Exit Live — Phoenix, AZ
