Brandon Decker
Brandon Cameron Parks-Decker[1] aka "decker." (born May 11, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter based out of Sedona, AZ. He performs and releases albums under the moniker decker.[2] Decker has released 7 albums while consistently touring substantially across the United States. While performing tour stops at traditional music venues, decker. gained notoriety for almost daily impromptu street performances he and his band gave during the course of a 99-show tour for his 2010 release, Long as the Night.[3][4]
Decker is known for his desert-influenced stylings, semi-autobiographical and emotionally driven songwriting, as well as the use of Biblical themes, although he professes to be an agnostic.[4][5][6] He is also known for his unique voice which has been compared to Jack White[7] and Shannon Hoon.[8][9] Arizona music blog Yab Yum Music and Arts awarded him both 2011 Arizona Songwriter of the Year and 2012 Arizona Album of the Year (Slider)[10][11] decker. is signed to Brooklyn-based label Royal Potato Family.[12]
Decker's music is often considered singer songwriter, alt-country and indie folk,[3] although his more recent material has been said to include elements of psychedelic rock.[13]
History
[edit]From his musical beginnings, "decker." has been the recording and performing name for the music of Brandon Decker. In 2009 Decker recorded, largely out of his home, his first album, Long Days, released on his own now defunct independent Arizona label Mescal Porch Records.[14] He immediately followed the release with a 7-week tour of the west coast.[9][14] Critics praised the album as a powerful tale of redemption rife with poignant lyrics while also retaining a simplistic, approachable catchiness.[14]
Upon returning from the tour Decker immediately began work on his second album, Long as the Night. With the goal of a larger sound, Decker entered a Sedona studio and assembled 12 musicians[8] to make the album. Upon releasing the 8-song album, decker. set out on a five-month, 99-show U.S. tour with the accompaniment of mandolin, trumpet, accordion, and psychedelic atmospheric guitars.[2][15] The album was praised for its dramatic and emotionally enveloping subject matter.[2][8] In addition to the scheduled performances, and in order to help offset some of the costs of touring, the band quite frequently took to the streets to perform and would amass large followings of onlookers.[3][4][16]
After the extensive tour for Long as the Night, Decker went in studio again to record an EP Broken Belts, Broken Bones; an album he has said came directly from the experiences of the long tour and preparing for fatherhood.[4] The album was released October 7, 2011.
In August 2012 the band suffered a near fatal roll-over accident with then-singer Kelly Cole ejecting from the vehicle and suffering severe injuries.[17] The band recovered and released the album Slider in March 2013. The album was well-received and supported by extensive US touring.
In the summer of 2014 decker. assembled a large cast of musicians in Tucson, AZ to record the album Patsy. The album was recorded at WaveLab Recording Studios, known for recording artists Calexico, Neko Case, Iron & Wine, Amos Lee and more.[18] Released in February 2016,[19] the album received positive national reviews[20] and radio airplay.
Patsy was followed up in September 2016 with the psychedelic blues rock album Snake River Blues, the band's 6th studio recording.[21] The album was released with a month-long residency at New York City's Rockwood Music Hall[22] and was accompanied by a documentary of same name.[23] The film was made by documentary filmmaker Matty Steinkamp.[24] Decker subsequently signed with Brooklyn-based indie label Royal Potato Family[25] and released a 7th album, Born to Wake Up in September 2018.[26]
Decker presently resides in Sonoma, CA.
Discography
[edit]Long Days (2009),[27] CA.
Long as the Night (2010)[28]
Broken Belts Broken Bones EP (2011)[29]
Slider (2013)[30]
Patsy (2015)[31]
Snake River Blues (2016)[32]
Into the Red (2017)[33] - Retrospective, plus two new tracks
Born to Wake Up (2018)[34]
Greetings, All Ye Playful Prisoners of Spacetime (2019)[35] - Live
Ouroboros (2023)[36]
References
[edit]- ^ "Brandon Decker CD release party at Ken's" Verde Independent September 28, 2009 https://www.verdenews.com/news/2009/sep/28/brandon-decker-cd-release-party-at-kens/
- ^ a b c Mario Tarradell "Brandon Decker at the Prophet Bar" Dallas Morning News January 21, 2011
- ^ a b c "Decker Plans to entertain with Indie Folk" http://amarillo.com/entertainment/get-out-music/2011-01-20/decker-plans-entertain-indie-folk#.To1br3Li6So
- ^ a b c d “Decker continues musical odyssey with 'Broken Belt, Broken Bones'” http://kudosaz.com/print.asp?ArticleID=35139&SectionID=14&SubSectionID=13
- ^ Long as the Night Album Review "Decker. - long as the night". Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ Flagstaff Live "Hot Picks" "Flagstaff Live". Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ "Song of the Day: decker. – The Holy Ghost". The KEXP Blog. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Soul-baring songwriting punctuates new Decker CD 'Long as the Night'" http://kudosaz.com/print.asp?ArticleID=33624&SectionID=14&SubSectionID=13
- ^ a b “Decker will bring acoustic soul to local pub” http://santamariatimes.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/article_2aa2fb72-f823-11de-9c90-001cc4c03286.html
- ^ "Album of the Year: 'Slider' by decker". Yab Yum Music and Arts.
- ^ "Home". yabyummusic.com.
- ^ "decker. | The Royal Potato Family". royalpotatofamily.com. June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ Becker, Ricahrd. "Decker Slides into Psychedelic Folk". Liquid{Hip.}
- ^ a b c Shelly Cone “Long Days” http://www.santamariasun.com/art/3698/long-days/
- ^ "Events Calendar | Downtown Boulder, CO".
- ^ http://taos-news.vlex.com/vid/psychedelic-pirate-folk-decker-and-adobe-244344402 [dead link]
- ^ Caldwell, Christina (June 12, 2012). "Sedona-Based Band decker. Rolls With the Punches". Village Voice Media.
- ^ "Craig Schumacher". AllMusic.
- ^ "Album Premiere: decker. _Patsy_". Relix. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ Hillman, Mitchell (August 24, 2016). "Brandon Decker Had A Musical Epiphany When He Simplified His Approach". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ "The Snake River Blues of Decker – Goldmine Magazine". Goldmine Magazine. July 28, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ "decker., "The Phantom" | New Music | Impose Magazine". www.imposemagazine.com. September 6, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ Steinkamp, Matty, Snake River Blues, retrieved May 1, 2018
- ^ Keil, Jason (May 17, 2017). "Matty Steinkamp's decker. Documentary Debuts in Downtown Phoenix This Week". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ "decker. | The Royal Potato Family". royalpotatofamily.com. June 22, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ Griffin, Noemi (June 25, 2018). "Exclusive: decker. Pays Tribute to Tom Petty on New Track, "Burnin' Grass"". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
- ^ "Long Days | decker". Mescal Porch Records. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
- ^ "Long as the Night | decker". Mescal Porch Records. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
- ^ "Broken Belts, Broken Bones | decker". Mescal Porch Records. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
- ^ "Slider; self released". Bandcamp.
- ^ "Patsy; self released". Bandcamp.
- ^ "Snake River Blues; self released". Bandcamp.
- ^ "Into the Red". Bandcamp.
- ^ "Born to Wake Up". Bandcamp. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
- ^ "Live at Last Exit Live in Phoenix, AZ on Friday, May 10 2019". Bandcamp.
- ^ "Ouroboros". Bandcamp. Retrieved June 23, 2023.