SONG REVIEW: A River Runs Thru It - “Living Under The Weather”
A River Runs Thru It unleash upbeat summer vibes in “Living Under The Weather”
Written by JD Walker
With so many new bands calling on the sounds of melancholy, depression, and tragedy, the world needs more happy music. A River Runs Thru It, the Montana-based pop punk/emo outfit, blend the quintessential sound of classic pop-punk with heavier metalcore influences for an upbeat, happy-go-lucky single in “Living Under The Weather”.
The song wastes no time getting down to business, opening with a buildup exclaimed by a flurry of snare hits and a major-sounding chord progression before kicking straight into the first verse. The video shows the members of the band chilling on their respective couches, slamming White Claws and displaying their frustration over video games while the song grooves along. The chorus of the song was noticeably choppier than the relatively smooth verse and prechorus, aiming to interrupt the pattern of the song and peak the listener’s ears.
“Living Under The Weather” plays like a standard pop-punk hit up until the final breakdown where the band explores their heavier side and dips into the territory of easycore. This section shows the vocal range of Michael Smith perfectly, displaying that he’s a force to be reckoned with in both the clean and unclean vocal category. The guitar progressions written by Joey Smith (brother to Michael) and Milan Garcia were exactly what the song needed to fit the vibe of the song that the band was going for, and the rhythm section was highlighted by bassist Cody Peterson holding down the fort on the low end.
A River Runs Thru It are no strangers to the Ghost Killer Entertainment roster; coming off of their previous single “Fire & Brimstone”, this single is the title track off their forthcoming EP “Living Under The Weather”. Their sound can only be described as a modern twist on the pop-punk sound of the early 2000’s, and their upbeat instrumentals are juxtaposed by emotional lyrical content.
A River Runs Thru It has proven that they have what it takes to write catchy, huge sounding songs, and between their last two singles there’s no question that they have a place at the table on the national pop-punk circuit. The Montana group have been grinding since 2016 and are poised to realize their full potential, investing in their sound and cohesiveness as a band. Their investment is clearly paying off as A River Runs Thru It just gets better and better.