Career
EARLY LIFE AND WORK
Deckard Thomas Croix (born November 30, 1983) is an American writer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
He has often cited early music influences as being Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, Miles Davis, Deep Purple, and The Doors. He joined several cover bands around this time, one a Doors cover band (jokingly called The Lamps as well being a slight nod to Roger Zelazny), and another, a Led Zeppelin tribute band (with Croix on guitar only) called Carter City.
Carter City being the only one to garner any special recognition, attributed to "their ability to recapture the intensity and improvised quality of the original band" (Kevin Bevacqua). The vocalist, Troy Dunne, was also one of note, nearly matching the vocal quality of Robert Plant. The band remained together for almost two years, then disbanded on friendly terms, seeking alternate projects.
Croix was 17 when he joined the experimental goth band, Three Tales and the City Life (the name apparently referring to the Steve Reich composition of the same name) which consisted of four members (Croix on guitar, Roland Nauman on drums, Klaus Noyes on bass, and Malcolm Gordon on vocals and synth). This affiliation Croix often describes as "a turning point" in his approach to listening and writing music. It also re-invigorated his interest in studying and performing piano (as well as "the subtleties of organ and synth performance"). The band was short-lived however, and Croix began focusing purely on composing original music and studying keyboard.
He released his debut album, titled Demographic 1, on May 1, 2007. On August 1, 2007 he released a re-working of an experimental project based on an original poem called Smiling Feline Descendant. On December 24, 2007, his third album, Lady Fingers or Stingers, was released. On June 14, 2008, a collection of solo piano instrumentals were released, titled Piano Works Volume One. On October 10, 2008, he released his fifth album, Portrait. On May 12, 2009, he released his sixth album, Electroception. On April 30, 2010, he released his seventh album, April 30.
STYLE
Croix often refers to his own music as "avant rock" or simply "freeform," but there are recurring elements of post-rock, krautrock, freak-folk, acid rock, math rock, psychedelic rock, and rock fusion. His work has often been associated with the Shoegaze genre as well (indistinguishable vocals, wall of sound, and effect-laden guitars), particularly in live performances where musicians are often detached or completely ignore the audience and its reactions, typically ending a song abruptly, mid-applause.
He has often cited early music influences as being Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, Miles Davis, Deep Purple, and The Doors. He joined several cover bands around this time, one a Doors cover band (jokingly called The Lamps as well being a slight nod to Roger Zelazny), and another, a Led Zeppelin tribute band (with Croix on guitar only) called Carter City.
Carter City being the only one to garner any special recognition, attributed to "their ability to recapture the intensity and improvised quality of the original band" (Kevin Bevacqua). The vocalist, Troy Dunne, was also one of note, nearly matching the vocal quality of Robert Plant. The band remained together for almost two years, then disbanded on friendly terms, seeking alternate projects.
Croix was 17 when he joined the experimental goth band, Three Tales and the City Life (the name apparently referring to the Steve Reich composition of the same name) which consisted of four members (Croix on guitar, Roland Nauman on drums, Klaus Noyes on bass, and Malcolm Gordon on vocals and synth). This affiliation Croix often describes as "a turning point" in his approach to listening and writing music. It also re-invigorated his interest in studying and performing piano (as well as "the subtleties of organ and synth performance"). The band was short-lived however, and Croix began focusing purely on composing original music and studying keyboard.
He released his debut album, titled Demographic 1, on May 1, 2007. On August 1, 2007 he released a re-working of an experimental project based on an original poem called Smiling Feline Descendant. On December 24, 2007, his third album, Lady Fingers or Stingers, was released. On June 14, 2008, a collection of solo piano instrumentals were released, titled Piano Works Volume One. On October 10, 2008, he released his fifth album, Portrait. On May 12, 2009, he released his sixth album, Electroception. On April 30, 2010, he released his seventh album, April 30.
STYLE
Croix often refers to his own music as "avant rock" or simply "freeform," but there are recurring elements of post-rock, krautrock, freak-folk, acid rock, math rock, psychedelic rock, and rock fusion. His work has often been associated with the Shoegaze genre as well (indistinguishable vocals, wall of sound, and effect-laden guitars), particularly in live performances where musicians are often detached or completely ignore the audience and its reactions, typically ending a song abruptly, mid-applause.
The style is characterized by the use of common rock instruments but using off-rhythms or stylistically-minimal rhythms, unusual harmonies, and chord progressions not traditionally found in conventional rock music. Post-psychedelic jamming, repetitive riff-based basslines, droning, an introverted punk aesethetic, atonality, dissonance, wall of sound, chance music and indeterminism, extended technique, and free improvisation.
Drums and percussion (often Croix employs both a drummer and a percussionist for studio recordings) are a much debated aspect of Croix's music. Characterized by "motorik" (a rhythm consistently grounded in a 4/4 backbeat, often associated with krautrock) and short, abrupt fills.
Croix often (and lately, has exclusively) recorded in collaboration with his "ensemble" (currently consisting of Mitch Leroi, Derek Joseph, Carrie Aldridge, Ian Cartwright, David Nauls, Julia Long, Marshall Rogers, and Klaus Noyes), presenting a song structure (composed in "themes") and allowing the ensemble to improvise live in the studio and "shape" the sound of the final product. In this respect, Croix has likened recent collaborations with this ensemble (such as on the instrumental April 30 album or the upcoming live album, Evil at Bourbon St.) to "communal songwriting."
With all Croix recordings, there is a heavy reliance on the lo-fi aesethetic; using old or poor recording equipment to achieve more "authentic" music and in retaliation of modern polished pop recording techniques. From 2001 to 2008, Croix recorded exclusively on analog recording equipment, but has since recorded in digital.
He performs live in a wide-variety of formats, ranging from solo improvised piano to fusion-oriented trio work.
RECORD LABEL
Croix's independent record label, Port Manteau Records, will be going "live" on October 30, 2010. The label will predominantly feature experimental and unconventional works, but there are also plans to include such genres as freak-folk, trip hop, and psychedelic rock.
SPOKEN WORD
Croix has taken part in several spoken word recordings, both official and unofficial. Several Edgar Allen Poe poems have been put to tape with background music composed by what Croix describes as a "close friend."
Another recording worth mention is a reading of the short story One Arm by Yasunari Kawabata. Recorded at an artist gathering held by Jon Miedimov reportedly taking place around the winter of 2002.
Other spoken word recordings Croix has been a part of is a collection of Robert Browning poems and a reading of The Fall by Albert Camus as well as The Wild Boys by William S. Burroughs.
REMIXES
Croix has taken part in a number of remixes of other artists' work, most notably Anna Vissi, Ethan Tufts, Celladore, Maysa, and KJ Sawka. He has expressed interest in contributing more to this aspect of sound mixing in the near future.
SOUNDTRACKS AND SOUND MIXING FOR FILM
In 2008, Croix contributed the soundtrack for the indie film, Vincent & Vincent (directed by Matt Hendricks), as well as the sound mix. In 2009, Croix also contributed the sound mix and music for another Hendricks' indie film, Baby Alligators. There are plans to release a Film Music album (which, Croix has indicated, will be a series of albums) once some other projects are finished.
