10 Most Creative Rock Bands Of The 2010s
9. The Dear Hunter
Led by the genius of Casey Crescenzo, Rhode Island’s The Dear Hunter is easily one of the best bands you’ve probably never heard of.
Why? Well, primarily because of their five-part (as of now) Act saga, which tells the ongoing tale of the flawed titular protagonist via a mind-boggling array of varied styles (progressive rock, indie rock, baroque pop, Vaudeville, folk, country, blues, etc.), exquisite songwriting, and conceptual continuity (such as reoccurring lyrical, instrumental, and even visual motifs).
Sure, the first three Acts are outstanding, but it’s hard to deny that 2015’s Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise and 2016’s Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional featured the most wide-ranging scope sonically and narratively. (In particular, the latter LP concludes by returning to its opening suite, and it’s absolutely incredible.)
Prior to that, the group took a break from their main epic to create 2011’s The Color Spectrum, a nearly two-and-a-half-hour set of thirty-six songs spread across nine EPs. Each collection of four tunes emphasizes a musical persona characteristic of its corresponding hue, so The Dear Hunter play around with just about every kind of rock music imaginable by the end.
Even 2013’s non-thematic record, Migrant, is remarkably adventurous.