River City Extension
… And the Unmistakable Man
B+
Best Tracks: 2 (“Friends and Family”), 3 (“Something Salty, Something Sweet”), and 5 (“Our New Intelligence”)
With the recent shift in weather to sunnier days and summer approaching, I’ve been listening to a lot more country inspired roots rock and folk – always puts me in a good mood. River City Extension is an up and coming band making music in that same vein of roots/folk rock but with their own special twist. That twist is the welcome addition of a prominent horn section in many tracks and a lot more variety than you would find on most albums of this style. With a few exceptions, … And the Unmistakable Man runs its full 54 minutes at the same upbeat tempo and even the slower, more serious songs weave in and out of belted out choruses and faster paced instrumentals.
This album is a really fun summertime listen and I get the feeling that this band would put on a great live show with lots of dancing! “Something Salty, Something Sweet” is the kind of song that could make everybody at a backyard barbeque jump up and dance in a round… I mean you know, if you lived in a Feist music video. On the bar ballad, “Too Tired To Drink,” River City Expansion shows its more rough around the edges, raucous side – and it sounds great. Those who like Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, or Tallest Man on Earth should definitely check out River City Extension for a more fun, upbeat take on the re-popularized alt-Americana style.
-- Britt Shaw
Host, "Under the Influence," Fridays 10-12 AM on WGTB
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