After years of very low-key activity, Providence band Deer Tick surfaced in 2017 with two new albums, a heads-you-folk/tails-you-rock pair respectively titled "Deer Tick Vol. 1" and "Deer Tick Vol. 2." The idea isn't as paradoxical as it might seem. Singer/songwriter John McCauley has always had an open curiosity about the root system at the core of rock 'n' roll — and gleefully explored such things over the course of Deer Tick's history. These latest recordings, then, are most notable for the one-two punch delivery system that only underscores the band's stylistic hunger and a capacity for pulling these experiments off in tasty fashion. They're back on the road, too, and stop Saturday in Westerly for a 9 p.m. show at the Knickerbocker Music Center, 35 Railroad Ave. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. (401) 315-5070, knickmusic.com.

— Rick Koster