Deer Tick is an American rock band from Providence, Rhode Island led by guitarist and singer-songwriter John McCauley. The band began as McCauley's solo project in December 2004. Within a few years he had acquired a strong following through constant touring in parts of the Atlantic Northeast and self-released CD-Rs. 　　Christopher Dale Ryan (bassist) and Dennis Ryan (drummer) became official members of Deer Tick in mid-2007 while Andrew Tobiassen (lead guitarist) joined the band in August 2008. James Falzone played electric piano with Deer Tick off and on from 2006 to 2007 and Paul Marandola drummed from 2005 to 2007. 　　Deer Tick's music has often been described as a combination of folk, blues, and country with a strong grunge influence. McCauley is known for his distinct gruff-sounding voice.The group released its first studio album War Elephant on September 4, 2007.