Not to be confused with Deerhunter, a completely different group, The Dear Hunter is a progressive rock band based out of Providence, RI, headed by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Casey Crescenzo, previously of the post-hardcore band The Receiving End of Sirens. A long list of various members have joined and left the group since its inception in 2006, but its current lineup is (I think) rounded out by Nick Crescenzo (drums), Nick Sollecito (bass), Rob Parr (guitar), Max Tousseau (various stuff), and Andrew Brown (keys). The group is labeled as progressive rock more or less because they encompass so many different genres it’s impossible to nail them down to one.
The Dear Hunter started as a concept band with a plan to release six albums (acts) following the story of an unnamed character (referred to as The Boy and The Dear Hunter), and his life experiences so far as the isolated child of a prostitute (Act I), his ironic venture to the city and romantic turmoil with a different prostitute (Act II), and his time spent in World War I (Act III). More in-depth information about the Acts’ story
can be found here. The overall sound of the Acts is cinematic, theatrical, somewhat old-timey, and very expressive. Elements of post-hardcore, folk, ragtime (?!), and emo pop balladry tweak the basic progressive rock mindset into something grandiose, historical, mystical, and ambitious. It’s a very unique sound in that it should feel totally gimmicky (and unfortunately occasionally does) but more often than not winds up immersive and impressive.
However, after about four years of nonstop writing and touring for the Acts, Casey decided to take a break from the concept…and embark on an arguably greater one; making a series of EPs to represent colors in the fucking color spectrum.
The dude’s mad.
But he pulled it off! The complete 144-minute, 36-song
Color Spectrum was released in 2011 and is probably the most consistently impressive large bundle of music I’ve ever heard. Whereas the Acts branch out a little in terms of sound, the nine EPs of
The Color Spectrum slowly transition from one genre to the next, showcasing the band at their best in multiple genres. From shimmery classic rock (Orange) to blissful baroque pop (Yellow), to straight-up folk (Green) to soothing glitchy electronic ambient pop (Indigo), the whole collection is massive, and even more ambitious (and more successful imo) than the Act series. Following that was a toned-down, mostly piano-driven album of alternative rock,
Migrant in 2013, and a recent announcement that the band would drop Act IV later this year, supposedly in August.
The Dear Hunter is one of the most ambitious bands in modern prog. You may not enjoy every single thing they’ve done (I personally find Act II bloated and overrated and Migrant underrated), but the diversity and skill this group brings forth is nothing to be messed with. I highly recommend checking out The Dear Hunter, especially as they only seem to get better with age. Starting place? If the idea of the Acts appeals to you, start there. If not, or if you want a broader and less dramatic experience, go with
The Color Spectrum. Time an issue? Start with
Migrant.
Discography:
LPs:
Act I: The Lake South, The River North - 2006
Act II: The Meaning of, and All Things Regarding Ms. Leading - 2007
Act III: Life & Death - 2009
The Color Spectrum - 2011
Migrant - 2013
Act IV: Rebirth & Reprise - To be released, 2015
Other:
Dear Ms. Leading - 2004 (demos)
Random EP No. 1 - 2007
Random EP No. 2 - 2008
Branches EP - 2010
The Migrations Annex - 2013
The Color Spectrum Live - 2013 (DVD)
The Dear Hunter – Live - 2015 (CD)
