ABOUT
Aaron DeRuyter began creating music in the early 1990’s. By 1996 he had a collection of mix tapes and demos and landed as the frontman of the band that would become Pompous Pilate. In 2005, He released his first solo LP, “transit”(dunce records), under the moniker, DeVall Music. The rotating cast of touring musicians and a mutual appreciation for old-time folk and would eventually morph into a secondary project called, Landmark.
DeRuyter expands the boundaries of Americana music by combining acoustic and electronic elements. He released his sophomore album “Astral” in 2016. DeRuyter writes haunting soliloquies like Townes Van Zandt and sings with a spiritual expansiveness similar to Iron & Wine. Feathery guitar arrangements are complemented by dense electronic overtones, modal vocal melodies, and off-kilter lyrics about life and death. He delivers an ambient blend of folk, grunge, psychedelic rock, and alternative country. His music is described as a curve ball of tunes that meanders inconsistently through the boundaries of genre and space. His third album “ Songs for dismal times” was released in 2021.
DeRuyter will be entering the studio in winter 2023 to work on his fourth solo release, “ stream phase”.
DISCOGRAPHY
PRESS
“Former frontman of the late 90’s post-grunge band Pompous Pilate, local singer-guitarist Aaron DeRuyter expands the boundaries of Americana music by combining acoustic and electronic elements. He released his sophomore album “Astral” in 2016, and performs solo and with a rotating collective of musicians known as The Confluence. DeRuyter writes haunting soliloquies like Townes Van Zandt and sings with a spiritual expansiveness similar to Iron & Wine. Feathery guitar arrangements are complemented by dense electronic overtones, modal vocal melodies, and off-kilter lyrics about life and death. Aaron DeRuyter delivers an ambient blend of folk, grunge, psychedelic rock, and alternative country.”
Aaron DeRuyter and The Confluence are playing Lebowski Fest along with Buffalo Sex Change and DJ Chreath on Friday, September 13, 6 p.m. at Radio Social, 20 Carlson Road. Free admission; film at 7:45 p.m. 244-1484. radio-social.com; aaronderuyter.bandcamp.com.
By Katie Halligan
@roccitymag
For a while there, Rochester musician Aaron DeRuyter figured the best way to describe his music was by calling it country. The thing is he didn’t really like country … or did he?
“Eventually it occurred to me that I did actually like country,” DeRuyter says. “And I was playing alt-country before I knew it was alt-country. But I almost feel it should be called country-alt.”
DeRuyter loves music and he loves fly fishing — both share equal importance in his life.
“To me, they’re the same,” he says. “2016 marks 20 years since my first gig. And for the first time in 20 years, I have something other than music that gives me that feeling.”
DeRuyter first made the scene fronting the Clifton Springs-based rock band Pompous Pilot. It was the post-grunge era and “we came out of the 90’s angry, drinking our wine at Milestones,” he says.
But as a stay at home dad, playing a Telecaster cranked up to 10 with a baby in the room wasn’t such a great idea. So he bought a classical guitar, which led to slowing down, turning down, and the recording of his first solo musical outing, “Transit,” released under the nom de guerre DeVall Music.
AARON DERUYTER 