Akron/Family

As usual, I’m late to the party. To such a degree that River is the first song I’ve ever heard of theirs. I’ve been vaguely aware of their existence for some time, but couldn’t have told you what they sounded like. I seem to end up in this odd position with the more critically acclaimed bands where I read so much about them that I form an idea i my head of what they sound like and then don’t bother listening.

So I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when putting this on. I suspected electronica (don’t ask why) and got some delightfully laid back folk rock. It has a slightly off-kilter sound it, the vocal or other sounds occasionally going in unique directions, but it actually remains remarkably accessible. As someone new to the band, it certainly encourages me to explore them some more. I’ll probably find out that River is nothing like the band’s typical fare, but hey, that’s half of the fun of this music lark.

Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free is out now on Dead Oceans.