Deer Tick's John McCauley might not be a cowboy, but he's no stranger to America's past. The 21-year-old alt-country sprout spins delicate, anachronistic tales of love and loss that recall Merle Haggard's renegade grit and Dave Van Ronk's self-deprecating humor and fancy finger-picking. On last year's War Elephant, McCauley sings as if his was the first girl to ever double-cross her man, revitalizing overdone tropes and staking claim to Americana's rich lineage of weirdos and outcasts. Live, he softens his music's rougher edges with an earnest, conversational style. Tonight, the breathy strummers Doveman open, adding a delicate touch to a no-frills bill.